Profile

Mr. Kevin Sauer, MCR.w

Chief Workplace Officer,
Sauer Strategy Works LLC

Contact Details

Sauer Strategy Works LLC
Phone: (425) 2814390

Bio

I've spent most of my career figuring out how people actually want to work, and then building the strategies, programs, spaces, and experiences to make it happen.

My background is architecture, but somewhere along the way I realized I cared more about how people use buildings than just designing them. That led me through Microsoft, HP, GE, and Amazon, where I've had the chance to transform 10M square feet of workspace across 30+ countries. I've lived in Singapore, worked across Asia-Pacific and Europe, and learned that what makes a great workplace in Tokyo looks nothing like what works in Sydney or Seattle.

I'm probably best known for building Microsoft's telework program back when remote work was still considered radical, and more recently for creating Amazon's first global workplace intelligence program. Both taught me the same thing: you need data to make smart decisions, but you also need to understand what employees actually need to do their best work.

These days I run my own consultancy, splitting time between helping companies and universities figure out their hybrid workplace strategies and advising workplace technology startups in India and the US. I also serve on a few advisory boards and speak at industry events about where workplace is heading, particularly how AI and emerging technology are reshaping everything we thought we knew about how work gets done and the purpose of the corporate office.

What drives me is pretty simple: I love experimenting with new ideas and testing whether they work. I've piloted activity-based workplaces, smart building systems, biophilic design, occupancy sensors, smart devices—if there's a new concept in workplace strategy, I've probably tried it. Some things work brilliantly. Others fail. But that's how we learn.

I recently completed AI Leader Advanced training (Lead with AI)—a hands-on program focused on designing and deploying a team of AI assistants to accelerate real workflows (research, synthesis, decision support). I’m applying it directly to workplace strategy: occupancy intelligence, portfolio scenarios, and exec-ready narratives.

Outside of work, I'm hands-on with everything, building houses, fixing cars/boats/snowmobiles, woodworking, hiking, and traveling whenever I can. I come from a generation known for showing up and getting things done, and I channel that energy into work I genuinely care about.

If you're working on the future of work and workplace, whether that's strategy, technology, analytics, or design, I'd love to connect and share what we're both learning.

Education

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, United States
MBA

University of Colorado at Boulder
Boulder, Colorado, United States
Bachelor of Environmental Design
Architecture

Denmark's International Study Program (DIS)
Copenhagen, Denmark
Study abroad program
Architecture

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, United States
Master of Architecture

University of Michigan
Florence, Italy
Study abroad program
Architecture

Professional Interests

  • Building Information Design (BIM)
  • Change Management
  • Client Relationship Management
  • CRE Enterprise Alignment
  • C-Suite and Business Unit Relations
  • Energy Management
  • Facilities Management
  • Global Integration
  • Green Buildings
  • Human Capital/Talent Retention
  • LEED, BREEAM, Green Star, Energy Star, etc...
  • Location Strategies
  • Portfolio and Leasing Strategies
  • Project Management
  • Smart Buildings
  • Strategic Planning
  • Sustainable Practices
  • Technology Business Intelligence
  • Workplace/Workplace Strategies
  • Environmental Branding

Professional Associations

IFMA - International Facility Management Association
2013 - Present

CoreNet Global
2003 - Present

AIA - American Institute of Architects
1994 - 2012

Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals
0 - Present

IAESTE - International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience
0 - Present

Workplace Consortium (WPC)
0 - Present

Credentials

  • .MCR
  • BArch
  • MA
  • MBA
  • MCR.w

Job History

Sauer Strategy Works LLC
CEO & Founder
Seattle, WA, United States
March 2023 - present

Amazon
Workkplace Experience Leader
Seattle, WA, United States
June 2018 - February 2023

GE
Workplace Strategy Leader
Seattle, WA, United States
February 2015 - November 2017

HP
Global Workplace Strategist
Seattle, WA, United States
November 2011 - September 2014

Microsoft Operations Pte. Ltd - Singapore
Regional Workplace Strategist - Asia
Singapore, Singapore
November 2007 - September 2011

Microsoft
Global Workplace Strategist
Redmond, WA, United States
May 2003 - November 2007

Microsoft
Procurement Manager / Vendor Account Manager
Redmond, WA, United States
April 2002 - May 2003

Microsoft
Design Services Manager
Redmond, WA, United States
January 2001 - April 2002

H.O.K. / Burgess Architecture
Director of Landlord Services
Seattle, WA, United States
October 1995 - January 2001

Building Research Council
Research Assistant
Champaign, IL, United States
January 1993 - January 1995

Architektur Büro Alfred Jacoby
Diplom Architekt
Frankfurt am Main, Germany
January 1993 - July 1993

Sink Combs Dethlefs
Intern Architect
Denver, CO, United States
January 1992 - June 1992

Queen's University Belfast
Research Editor, Department of Architecture
Belfast, United Kingdom
May 1991 - September 1991