Like the auroras that form when solar winds meet Earth's atmosphere, Aurora Praxis unites strategy with execution, theoretical insight with practical experience, and intellectual curiosity with grounded optimism.
Who we are
We are a boutique partner supporting organizations in moments that require both clarity and execution.
We embed experienced leadership, drive meaningful transformation, and build lasting performance.
Aurora Praxis was founded on a direct observation: most organisations diagnose based on what is visible — performance data, reported events, formal structures. The deeper drivers remain submerged. Behavioural patterns, mental models, and systemic dynamics that determine what actually happens rarely surface in a dashboard.
Aurora Praxis was founded on a direct observation: most organisations diagnose based on what is visible — performance data, reported events, formal structures. The deeper drivers remain submerged. Behavioural patterns, mental models, and systemic dynamics that determine what actually happens rarely surface in a dashboard.
Through fractional leadership, advisory, and applied training, we work with leadership teams on strategy and operational execution, helping to close the gap between what is seen and what is not — and between where you are and where you want to be.
Aurora Praxis was founded in 2026 by Viveca Thörnlund and Paulo Gonçalves, two senior practitioners who together cover the full arc from strategy design to operational execution.
Our values
Aurora Praxis is anchored in a set of values that shape how we think, act, and partner with our clients.
Co-Founder and CEO, Aurora Praxis
Viveca Thörnlund
Viveca Thörnlund is a seasoned Chief Operating Officer and Chief Transformation Officer with more than 25 years of experience leading complex operations and enterprise-wide business transformations across international organisations.
She has held senior leadership roles in mission-driven institutions such as the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and global corporations, including L’Oréal and Heineken.
Viveca holds a Master of Science in Engineering from École Centrale Paris and the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), and speaks English, French, Swedish, and Dutch.
Viveca’s core competencies:
Strategy & Transformation
Translating strategy to execution and implementation including new operating models, organisational structures, and digitalisation.
Operational management
Managing and improving operations performance across supply chain, procurement, ICT, and finance.
Leadership
Building cross-cultural and cross-functional teams. Her leadership style emphasises listening, empowerment, co-creation, and learning.
Co-Founder and Director, Aurora Praxis
Paulo Gonçalves
Paulo Gonçalves is a strategy execution and operations advisor with more than 25 years of experience strengthening the performance of executives and teams working in complex, multi-stakeholder environments. He builds models that reveal why performance problems persist and where interventions will have the greatest effect. This approach gives leadership teams the systemic perspective needed to align strategy, operations, and governance to produce measurable, durable results.
Paulo is a Professor of System Dynamics and Management at the Università della Svizzera italiana (USI). Previously, he held academic appointments at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan School of Management (MIT Sloan) and the University of Miami Business School and was a Research Fellow at the University of Cambridge Judge Business School (CJBS). He holds a PhD in Management Science and System Dynamics from MIT Sloan and speaks English, Portuguese, Italian, and Spanish.
Paulo’s core competencies:
Execution and governance
Aligning growth strategy with operational reality through decision frameworks, portfolio governance, and performance metrics that translate priorities into measurable results.
Systems thinking
Applying systems thinking and system dynamics to map feedback processes, stress-test strategic choices, and evaluate long-term performance trajectories before major commitments are made.
Capacity strengthening
Equipping leadership teams with practical methodologies in Systems Thinking, Lean Six Sigma, Process Analysis and Management to institutionalise data-driven decision-making and continuous improvement.