Experience across products, markets and borders.

Strategic work benefits from someone who understands the complexity of making things real—not simply the logic of a presentation.

A practical, independent strategic counterpart.

Drawing on more than 37 years of international executive, entrepreneurial, technology commercialization, business transformation, and M&A experience, Serge brings a rare combination of strategic insight, analytical rigor, creative problem-solving, and practical execution expertise. His strength lies in unraveling complex business challenges, challenging conventional assumptions, connecting insights across industries and markets, and uncovering opportunities others may overlook.

Strategic problem-solving. Diagnosing root causes, challenging assumptions, and developing innovative, commercially practical solutions to complex business challenges.
Growth and commercialization. Identifying new markets, revenue opportunities, competitive advantages, and strategies to accelerate sustainable growth.
Innovation and transformation. Unlocking underutilized technology, intellectual property, and talent while navigating disruption and organizational change.
Operational and financial performance. Improving profitability, resource utilization, organizational effectiveness, and execution.
Enterprise-value creation. Aligning strategic priorities with shareholder expectations and positioning businesses for acquisitions, partnerships, and successful exits.

Serge combines the creativity to see what others miss with the experience to turn promising ideas into measurable business outcomes.

He is a trusted strategic advisor to CEOs, boards of directors, private equity firms, family offices, and venture capital investors. His distinctive approach combines forward-looking strategic thinking, creative ideation, and pragmatic problem-solving to address complex business challenges and uncover opportunities that transcend traditional industry boundaries, cultural perspectives, and geographic markets. He brings a deep understanding of emerging technologies, their commercial potential, and the organizational and market dynamics required to translate innovation into sustainable business success.

Serge is an accomplished presenter, negotiator, and multilingual communicator fluent in four languages. His strategic and technical expertise is complemented by a strong foundation in operational leadership, process optimization, product commercialization, and navigating highly regulated industries.

Throughout his career, he has combined technological foresight with commercial discipline and cross-cultural experience to help organizations challenge conventional thinking, navigate transformation, and turn ambitious ideas into actionable strategies and measurable results.

He is married, father of two, grandfather of three, an avid world traveler, mountain hiker, and surfer.

Professional background on LinkedIn ↗

Serge Jonnaert’s career began at the intersection of industrial design and emerging computer technology, marketing some of the first PC-based CAD solutions featuring true graphical user interfaces at a time when mainframes and minicomputers still dominated the industry. This early exposure to disruptive technologies helped shape a career dedicated to anticipating technological change, recognizing untapped market opportunities, and transforming innovation into commercial success.

In 1988, he joined New Image Industries in Canoga Park, California, a pioneer in turnkey digital imaging systems for the hairdressing and landscape design industries. A year later, he moved to 5D Systems, one of Canada’s leading suppliers of CAD and imaging solutions to government agencies, with specialized applications in defense, intelligence, and museum and library collection management.

In 1993, Serge joined ATI Technologies (now part of AMD) as Group Manager, assuming full profit-and-loss responsibility for its $180 million graphics accelerator business. He played an instrumental role in the development and successful market introduction of the groundbreaking mach64 product family. In 1995, he joined Visual Software, developer of widely adopted 3D rendering and animation applications, including Simply 3D, Renderize, and Visual Reality 2.0.

Following entrepreneurial ventures during the dot-com era, Serge joined Moldflow Corporation (subsequently acquired by Autodesk), the global leader in plastics engineering simulation, analysis, and manufacturing process optimization. This expanded his experience in industrial software, engineering workflows, and the commercialization of sophisticated technologies.

In 2004, he transitioned into the medical device industry, gaining firsthand experience with the rigorous product development, quality management, regulatory compliance, and operational demands of highly regulated markets. This experience further reinforced his understanding of the challenges organizations face when translating advanced technologies into commercially viable, scalable solutions.

In 2013, Serge founded CADREBEL, focused on desktop, mobile, and cloud-based innovation and design management solutions for highly regulated industries, including medical devices, pharmaceuticals, aerospace, advanced manufacturing, energy, and oil and gas.

AĒRTWORKS evolved from a technology and innovation venture into a strategic advisory practice serving CEOs, entrepreneurs, and investors. Today, it draws on decades of executive leadership, entrepreneurship, product commercialization, global business development, and M&A experience to help organizations challenge assumptions, explore new opportunities, navigate complex transitions, and develop actionable strategies for sustainable growth.

The common thread throughout Serge’s career has been an ability to recognize the commercial potential of emerging technologies, connect ideas across seemingly unrelated industries, and bring the strategic vision and operational discipline needed to turn those opportunities into meaningful business outcomes.

The right minds. The right expertise. When it matters.

Orange County is home to an exceptional concentration of seasoned executives, entrepreneurs, technologists, and industry specialists with decades of real-world experience. While our working sessions remain personal, focused, and guided by Serge Jonnaert, we can draw upon this broader community of accomplished local professionals when a particular challenge warrants additional perspectives or specialized knowledge.

Whether exploring a new market, rethinking an operating model, addressing organizational challenges, or evaluating emerging technologies, we bring together the right expertise to challenge assumptions, stimulate fresh thinking, and develop practical solutions.

Strategy, Markets & Commercialization. Business strategy, product innovation, competitive positioning, marketing, go-to-market execution, distribution channels, partnerships, and domestic and international expansion.

Technology, Innovation & Product Development. Expertise spanning AI, enterprise software, medical devices, healthcare technology, consumer electronics, connected products, automation, digital infrastructure, and emerging technologies.

Operations & Human Capital. Organizational design, operational efficiency, business transformation, process optimization, supply chains, talent strategy, leadership structures, workforce development, and scaling operations.

Finance, Capital & Corporate Development. Financial strategy, capital allocation, business modeling, valuation, financing alternatives, mergers and acquisitions, strategic investments, and enterprise value creation.

Purposeful collaboration. No unnecessary complexity

Additional specialists participate selectively, by mutual agreement, based on the specific challenges being addressed and their availability. There is no predetermined consulting team, unnecessary overhead, or obligation to involve outside experts.

You retain one accountable relationship, with access to a broader world of experience and perspectives when it can make a meaningful difference.