Henry Sichel – Get to know our VAB member
The VAB team is happy to welcome Henry Sichel to our community. He is based in Italy and is co-founder and managing partner of Caffeina, a creative marketing consulting agency he founded together with his partners. At Caffeina, Henry leads the company’s cultural direction and corporate affairs, helping clients and teams challenge the status quo through talent, curiosity and courage. Under his leadership, Caffeina has grown into a multidisciplinary powerhouse – more than 230 people strong – across Parma, Milan and Rome; working with ambitious brands in Italy and abroad. Henry is passionate about connecting creativity, business and ethics, while inspiring a new generation of marketers to create tangible impact. Reach out to him to learn more about his professional journey.
What inspired you to become part of the Virtual Advisory Board (VAB) community? Professional transition, a search for board opportunities, the wish to build a portfolio career?
I decided to join VAB because I believe that growth comes from curiosity and courage. Having led Caffeina’s cultural and corporate direction for years, I’m excited to bring my experience in the Italian market to this international network. I’m here to exchange insights, explore new territories and contribute to a community that values both business excellence and ethical leadership.
Describe your biggest challenge with your current career or professional transition process? Where would you invite help from the VAB community and, conversely, how do you feel you can best support your VAB peers?
My current Big Challenge is steering Caffeina’s evolution from an Italian market leader into a borderless international powerhouse.
Where would you like your next career or professional opportunity to take you? In what type of organisation or role do you feel you could make the most impact?
My focus for the next chapter of my career is firmly rooted in Caffeina’s global evolution. I see myself leading our expansion into key international markets, transforming our agency into a borderless creative consulting giant. My goal is to build an organisation that doesn’t just provide services, but that also consistently challenges the status quo for the ambitious brands we partner with. I want to prove that a multidisciplinary, talent-driven model can redefine how business and creativity intersect on a global scale.
What resources have helped you most in managing the ups and downs of the psychological journey related to professional transition? Is there a book, a podcast, a coaching service or some other tool that has guided you on your way forward?
My growth has been shaped by a few key resources that help me navigate the complexity of scaling a business:
Frameworks: Thinking, Fast and Slow for strategic judgment and Radical Candor for high-impact leadership.
Scaling: The Making of a Manager by Julie Zhuo was vital as Caffeina grew to 230+ people.
Insights: I regularly listen to The Tim Ferriss Show for high-performance tactics and the Founders podcast for lessons in entrepreneurial resilience.
Where do you find you do your best strategic thinking? Be creative and surprise us.
I find that my mind really opens up in two specific moments: right after a workout (when the post-exercise clarity kicks in) or during long, quiet walks through the hills and countryside near my home in Italy.
