See What Everyone Sees. Think What No One Has Thought.
Great problem-solving means seeing what everyone sees but thinking what no one else has thought. That’s how leaders stay ahead. That’s what we do.
At Refraim, we advise consumer products executives on their toughest strategic challenges, faster and better than traditional consulting. No junior staff. No endless feedback loops. No borrowed watches. Just seasoned operators who’ve run businesses and know what works in the real world.
We fuse the speed, information access, and analytical capabilities of AI with decades of hands-on leadership, creativity, and insights to frame real issues, uncover unseen opportunities, and challenge conventional thinking. We know firsthand that strategy only matters if it works in practice, so our solutions are always built for action.
We don’t just deliver information. We shape perspectives, sharpen choices, and help leaders make decisions that drive real results.
David Clark
An experienced board director and global CEO, David has led successful enterprise transformations and unlocked creative solutions that delivered breakthrough top and bottom-line results. Adept at fixing broken business models and brands, David has been at the helm of marketing and product innovations that meaningfully changed the growth trajectory of some of the world’s most iconic billion-dollar brands like Häagen-Dazs, Yoplait, Cheerios, and Nesquik. His experience and impact span the globe, from his early sales and marketing career in the U.S. to his extensive international operating experience driving profitable growth across Europe, Latin America, Greater China, Southeast Asia, and Australia. Driven by an insatiable curiosity and passion for winning, David combines fact-based analysis with possibilities thinking to create strategies that have delivered superior results.
Peter McDonald
Peter is the former global head of strategy for General Mills, having spent over 20 years in a variety of marketing roles and corporate leadership positions. Peter’s versatile career, blending both C-suite advisory roles with front-line marketing leadership, makes him equally effective at building for the future and executing today’s plan. Known for highly original thinking, Peter helps clients develop frame-breaking hypotheses that address complex business problems. He is a deep thinker in the search for answers, but a simplifier and practitioner in communicating and implementing solutions. Peter’s ideas produce differential influence on leadership teams, corporate boards and in the C-suite, and he is highly effective aligning disparate views and driving organizational prioritization. Peter’s track record of strategic insights, persuasive voice and practical approach drive step-change results for his clients.
Our focus spans the strategic landscape. Whether it's understanding your competitor, sharpening your corporate strategy, or anticipating the changing consumer and marketplace landscape, we can help.
Competitive Intelligence
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Competitor Strategy & Analysis
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Benchmarking & Gap Analysis
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Category Landscape Deep-Dives
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Industry Capacity & Unit Economics
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Disruptor Identification & Impact Assessment
Consumer & Brand Insights
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Consumer Sentiment & Brand Perception
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Consumer Segmentation
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Market Sizing & Opportunity Assessment
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Long-Term Share Growth Drivers
Corporate Strategy / M&A
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Target Identification & Evaluation
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Due Diligence Support
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Partnership Scouting
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Portfolio Strategy Optimization
Foresight & Trends Analysis
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Emerging Trend Detection
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Future Trends Scenario Planning
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Macroeconomic Impact Analysis
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My top competitor was just acquired. How will their strategy change, and what does it mean for my business?
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I’m developing an exit strategy for my startup. Who are my “best fit” acquirers, and what compelling selling proposition should I offer each?
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I lead innovation, and GLP-1 is a strategic priority. Provide a marketplace review of competitor investments, startups, and recent launches, along with a clear strategic roadmap for my brand.
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Industry volumes continue to decline. What are the implications for overall industry capacity, my business specifically, and my unit-cost competitiveness?
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Inflation and recession risks are rising. Which scenarios should I anticipate, and how can my business thrive through the uncertainty?
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New disruptors are entering my category. How significant is their threat, and what strategic response will best position my business to compete?
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I need to reshape my portfolio for growth. Evaluate my current portfolio and develop a targeted M&A strategy, including priority acquisition targets to strengthen my position.
A tool is only as powerful as the hands that wield it – and in the right hands, powerful tools deliver their full potential. At Refraim, we harness cutting-edge AI models and custom GPT capabilities to unlock hidden insights and drive practical, high-impact strategies. Our proprietary methodologies rethink search, analysis, and reasoning – rapidly synthesizing information across diverse sources to surface overlooked opportunities. By leveraging the latest AI advancements, we help leaders cut through complexity and make big decisions fast.
Refraim is a partnership between McDonald Strategy Partners (Peter) and Avenir Strategies (David).
If you would like to learn more or discuss a possible project, please reach out to either of us the contact information below.
