Dr. Stephan’s Latest Book

CULTURAL INTELLIGENCE: DRIVING REVENUE, AND ESG

In this acclaimed work, Dr. Branch explores nine critical cross-cultural competencies—including Hierarchy, Time, Communication, and Relationship—and demonstrates how culture shapes business and leadership in an increasingly globalized world. Through vivid examples and actionable strategies, Dr. Branch shows how leaders can navigate the complexities of multicultural teams while driving performance and profit.

With decades of experience leading global organizations, Dr. Branch brings unparalleled insight into the intersection of culture and business. He explains not just why understanding culture matters, but how mastering it can transform organizations, enhance revenue, and strengthen ESG initiatives. His book is a guide for executives, managers, and professionals who aim to foster successful workplaces while achieving measurable results.

“Cultural Intelligence has become so relevant because it is difficult to imagine any organization today operating without some element of global interaction.”

What People Are Saying

“As an ambitious British-born business professional, I have found the book to be supremely useful in exploring new perspectives for navigating critical and delicate relationships with clients at my firm. It is essential for us to build teams both internally and externally, and this has been one of the most insightful resources I've found for global team building. Don't hesitate!”

Henry Collier

“I particularly love this quote from the book: The secret has and always will be that I fully grasp how leadership, cultural intelligence, and inclusion coalesce to create extraordinary leaders with the capacity to make a transformative impact on the business and the bottom line.” This book is exceptional! Highly recommend

Becky Kalahiki

Amentum

“This book provides the necessary insights, framework and practical actions to create truly inclusive and high performing workplaces.”

— Rita Mitjans

Retired ADP Officer

“Cultural intelligence is a core competency that drives success, influences bottom lines, and empowers teams to thrive in cross-border environments.”

International Business Times

“Branch’s expertise is encapsulated in his book Cultural Intelligence in the 21st Century: Driving Inclusion, Revenue, and ESG. Far from being a dry academic text, the book weaves real-world stories, business case studies, and actionable insights to make cultural intelligence accessible to leaders at every level.”

USA Today

“Branch shares the example of a business leader failing, not because they lacked skills, but because they misread the cultural environment.”

Arabian Business

“Cultural competency impacts mergers and acquisitions, branding, sales, leadership, team cohesion; everything that hits your bottom line.”

Arabian Business

"Throughout his career, Dr. Branch saw a significant gap in the corporate world, even among Fortune 500 giants, where cultural intelligence and competencies were often inadequately understood in the context of their global operations, and most corporations struggled with the complex challenge of achieving performance excellence across various nations"

Digital First Magazine

“By leveraging our model, one of our Seattle-based tech clients was able to increase global sales by 25 percent year-over-year simply by learning how to FLEX culturally when developing sales and brand strategy,” 

HR Tech Outlook

"Cultural Intelligence in the 21st Century" stands out because it's authored by an experienced global business leader, not merely theorists. It provides practical advice from executives of large companies on enhancing leadership and achieving business success, as well as creating an inclusive global culture. The book offers valuable guidance on improving cross-cultural teamwork and company performance. To truly succeed in a global environment, understanding diverse cultures and effective interaction is a strategic advantage. A central theme is how effective leadership merges cultural understanding and inclusivity to significantly impact. It's an excellent and very useful read. 

Giancarlo Francese

The Bill & Melinda Foundation

“In his years of experience, Branch has seen firsthand how failing to recognize and respect cultural norms can result in missed opportunities, particularly in global negotiations.”  

International Business Times

“Businesses that navigate globalization successfully are those that prioritize adaptability, cultural awareness, and strategic risk management.”

International Business Times

“Stephan Branch has been at the forefront of this work, having spent years navigating these complexities and helping businesses across the globe understand the intersection of culture and commerce.”

International Business Times

“A lot of people said, ‘You’re giving away your competitive advantage,’ he says. “But I knew it was necessary. The goal is to educate, transform, and elevate global leadership. If that means giving companies the tools to create their own cultural competency programs, so be it.”

USA Today

“In a place like Dubai, if you walk into a room and expect to be treated as an equal on your resume alone, without building credibility or connection, you’ll be politely ignored,” 

Arabian Business

“Mastering nine pivotal cultural competencies can be a game-changer whether you’re a CEO, a team leader, or part of a global organizational framework”

Digital First Magazine

"Cultural Intelligence in the 21st Century: Driving Revenue, Inclusion, and ESG’ explores the crucial connection between cultural intelligence, revenue growth, inclusivity, and ESG, providing valuable insights to businesses aiming to thrive in the constantly evolving global landscape"

Digital First Magazine

“If you don’t have the requisite cultural competencies to flex, you will never achieve optimum performance from employees.”

HR Tech Outlook