2025: the Year That...

Ended up the second best on record for Catalyst Global (.net) despite all the global events that occurred during 2025.

January began with a heavy workload across a diverse client base. 

In March and April, like most of our clients, we had to react and adjust to the ups and downs of looming tariffs. We readjusted and concentrated on industries that were more resistant to the tariffs and disruptions.

We spent more time than ever in the United States this year, with many of our German and Swiss based clients changing and refocusing their US operations due to the impending tariff announcements. Our Swiss customer base was particularly heavily affected. 

We focussed more on the liquid filling industry, aerospace and underground construction. Our food, medical and pharma clients were in good condition and continued to be very active. 

Internally, we continued to grow and added new team members based in northern Germany and the APAC region. 

Our activities in traditional Sales and Service Excellence programs continued to be the strongest part of our portfolio. These were enhanced with new modules launched in 2024 and 2025, including:

• First Time Fix / First Time Right

• EQ - Emotional intelligence

• CU - Cultural understanding

• IG - Intergeneration understanding

All these programs received positive feedback from both participants and upper management. 

Interestingly, 65% of the Sales and Service Excellence sessions in 2025 contained the VOC module - Voice Of Customer. Here we interview a “tough, but fair” customer in front of the teams.  Each of these VOC sessions were extremely well received by both the program participants and their customers. The sessions revealed to everyone the challenges that end-users face in their daily business and allowed each to gain a far deeper understanding and empathy for each other.

The demand for Catalyst Global’s Service Sales and Project Management programs increased significantly.  Notable was an increase for Service Sales programs, as more and more of our clients focused on increasing revenues from their installed base.

This year we extended the Management Modules. We had been running these for some years and now formalised the content as more of our customers requested these programs. Most of our clients realise the common challenge of promoting people into management roles because they are good performers, yet often without giving them the tools they need to succeed as managers. 

My personal highlight of the year was one that we have come close to many times - for 2 weeks this year we achieved 24 / 5 training. This means that for the full working week, we had sales, service, service sales, project management or management training taking place around the clock, non-stop, following the sun from Asia, Europe and finally the Americas. 

So, as we hit the 30th Anniversary of Catalyst Global in April, I am still amazed and proud to see the development of what was once a simple idea, and how it has grown into a substantial people development organisation.

To our global clients, many thanks for the opportunity to work with you. Having a number of clients who have continued to place their trust in us for over fifteen years is an honour. 

To the Global Catalyst team, a huge thanks for the great work, the many miles travelled, but most importantly, many thanks for the creativity and personality that you bring to the team and to the programs.

Let’s see what 2026 brings. Personally, I can’t wait!