Empowering leaders across the globe
She was voted as ‘One of the TOP 20 Business Coaches to look out for in 2021’ by Entrepreneur Herald. But in addition to being an International Business Coach, the versatile Eleonora Bonacossa is also the sum of all her experiences – an Author, Speaker, Entrepreneur and Women’s Leader. In addition, she’s the Founder of the global management consulting institute – ARETA new perspectives for leaders.
“Beauty and Internationalism are the two underlying motifs of my life.
On one side, I am deeply aware of my Italian roots and the feeling that beauty is written into my DNA. The fact that I was born and lived for many years in Italy, immersed in its stunning landscapes, architecture, art, and its all-encompassing ‘grande bellezza’, has profoundly shaped my whole being. On the other hand, my international nature has always made me feel like a citizen of the world. Over the years, I have studied and worked in various countries and settings, as well as on various international teams where multiculturalism and diversity were their foundation, and it’s these cross-cultural interactions that bring value and joy to my activity as an international coach,” says Eleonora.
Based in Frankfurt, Germany, Eleonora had to face a deeply patriarchal culture when she first arrived in the country with her young family in the 1990s. At that time, the situation of women was ‘medieval’: Germany was extremely developed economically, but for Eleonora, it was still very backward when it came to the question of women. Writing her first book about a great Swiss woman, Iris von Roten, helped her process and overcome this challenge.
“Part of my academic training occurred while I already had a family and young children. While this on one hand created significant challenges as I struggled to balance the private and professional spheres of my life, on the other, it had a very empowering and positive effect upon our whole family,” shares Eleonora.
She considers it a true reward that her family could be present at all the great milestones of her life – the defense of her thesis at the Alma Mater Studiorum in Bologna, the awarding of her diploma in Social Management at the Bocconi Business School, the launch of her first book, and her farewell speech to Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican!
Eleonora considers giving birth to her two inspiring and global-minded children, the building of the family dream home with her husband in Frankfurt, and having close ties to amazing and talented friends all over the world as her personal achievement.
While her biggest professional achievement was the establishment of ARETA in 2016, as well as the publication of two books; the latest focusing on leadership with an accompanying workbook, currently available in German and soon in English and Russian.
ARETA is a global leadership, executive coaching and consulting firm that uses a unique and effective heart and brain-based leadership approach designed to help people and organisations achieve their full potential while making a real difference in the world. It boasts an inspiring list of national and international clients.
As a leading intercultural business coach and leadership consultant, Eleonora’s passion arises from a deep sense of beauty, a profound feeling of courage and the enthusiasm that emanates from within her when she beholds people’s talents, value and potential. “I use these three factors in every area of my life, be it coaching, interacting with colleagues and friends, or my volunteer and board activities with groups like Soroptimist International, the Frankfurter Stiftung for German-Italian Studies and the Russian Organisation Ecology Woman,” she says.
The most important women in Eleonora’s life have been her mother and daughter, both of whom are a source of constant strength and encouragement, as well as capable of inspiring creativity and open-mindedness. And while her studies and work have connected her to many remarkable and talented ”maestri,” she admires courageous women like the two historical figures of Hypatia of Alexandria (Greek philosopher and scientist) and Artemisia Gentileschi (revolutionary Italian Baroque painter).
A firm believer in the importance of female mentoring, diversity and networking, Eleonora is quite the champion for women empowerment herself. As a multi-talented individual, she is involved in improving the quality of life for women and girls across all levels so that they can become the real gamechangers in the world, right now!
But what makes Eleonora truly interesting and a global citizen are her multitude skills across segments. She learned classical ballet for 10 years, is an art and music lover who likes supporting emerging young artists, and is the proud cultivator of a 600 m2 ‘food- forest’, a small parcel of land cultivated according to permaculture principles, amidst fruit trees and berry bushes.
