You could call Frank Knau a world citizen. He was born in Germany of Hungarian parents, and although he speaks no Hungarian, there is no mistaking his pride in his origins when you meet him. Working for Egmont has taken him to offices in Germany, the UK and most recently, Denmark.

“I’ve always liked different cultures. Not being fluent in Danish is not a big problem, although it does limit me slightly,” says Frank Knau from his office in Copenhagen where he has worked since being appointed Executive Vice President and Managing Director of Egmont Kids Media.

First day in a new office
Frank Knau recalls his first days at work in the UK and Denmark shortly after his arrival in the two countries.

“In England I got to the office early in the morning, and waited an hour before anyone else turned up. On my first working day in Denmark I stayed at the office until evening. I was probably the last person in the building,” he says, laughing as he thinks back on these episodes before he discovered the difference had to do with rush hour traffic.

The work-life balance
Frank Knau has noticed that Danes prioritize balance between their work and private lives, which means they are not always to be found in their offices.

“Working from home is very usual in Denmark. In Denmark you inform your boss that you’re working from home; in Germany you ask your boss,” Frank Knau continues: “The work-life balance is very much a society-driven phenomenon. In Germany it’s more usual for one parent to stay at home. We have more traditional role models.”

I relate to humor
As for the differences between the countries, Frank Knau explains that in Germany work is highly structured. Germans analyze an
idea, find a solution and implement it. In England, more focus is given to creativity, while Danes talk at length to get consensus before starting anything. Danes can even change their minds after reaching agreement.

“You have to recognize that cultures are different and that you have to adapt. I can also relate to Danish and English irony. Some say that Germans have no sense of humor, but that’s not correct!” he says with a smile.

The informal greeting
In Germany colleagues are rarely on firstname terms, whereas the opposite is the case in Denmark and the UK.

“Denmark and England are less formal – people greet each other by their first name. In Germany it takes time to get to this stage, and it’s inappropriate unless you’re really good friends or have agreed to use first names,” says Frank Knau.

Although the companies in the Egmont Group have different work cultures, Frank Knau still feels the work ethic is the same because we are all open to other cultures, we find new ways of doing things and we enjoy sharing knowledge.

“There’s passion and ambition in every company out there, but ‘rummelighed’ – the sense of bigness and openness – is
unique to Egmont. It feels good when the receptionists say ‘Hi Frank, how are you doing today?’ when I see them in the morning. Egmont is the only place with that special atmosphere,” he says.