Berlin Metropolitan Area
Senior HR Executive | HR Director / VP People | Strategic HR Business Partner | Qualified Labor Lawyer | Transformation & Labor Relations Senior people function leader, certified coach and qualified labor lawyer with 20+ years of international experience across EMEA, the US, and Asia. I help organizations successfully navigate growth, transformation, restructuring, cultural change, and complex labor relations. I partner with CEOs, Managing Directors, executive teams, and senior leaders to turn business strategy into pragmatic people strategies that improve organizational performance, leadership effectiveness, employee engagement, and long-term business success. People function- / labor relations leader in manufacturing, R&D, engineering, commercial, and service organizations ranging from 350 to 8,000+ employees (own scope). I bring deep expertise in strategic HR, organizational design, workforce planning, works council management, collective bargaining, change management, restructuring, leadership development, executive coaching, and digital HR transformation. Core Expertise: Strategic HR Leadership | HR Business Partnering | Labor Relations | Works Council Management | Collective Bargaining | Organizational Design | Transformation | Change Management | Restructuring | Strategic Workforce Planning | Leadership Development | Executive Coaching | Culture & Engagement | Digital HR Industries: Automotive | Rail | Manufacturing | Electronics | FMCG | Health Tech | Energy | Logistics | E-commerce | Services I am known as a trusted advisor, servant leader, certified coach, and hands-on transformation partner who combines business acumen, legal expertise, empathy, and pragmatic execution.
As HR Cluster Director, I lead the overall HR strategy for operations across multiple locations in the cluster, aligning people and organizational initiatives with Alstom’s global business objectives. I partner with regional and cluster leadership to drive transformation, workforce planning, and employee engagement, while ensuring alignment with local regulations and labor law. Key Responsibilities Lead HR site directors and managers across the cluster, ensuring consistency and synergies in people strategy, policies, and practices. Drive the full People Management Cycle (PMC): objective setting, succession planning, performance management, talent development, and retention. Oversee workforce planning, budget management, and implementation of collective development plans. Ensure compliance with local statutory and labor regulations, fostering strong industrial relations and employee trust. Partner with leadership teams on organizational design, cultural transformation, and leadership development initiatives. Champion Alstom’s Code of Ethics and Values, embedding them into daily practices across diverse teams. Introduce more data-driven HR processes and metrics to measure effectiveness of people initiatives at cluster level.
People Development & Organizational Growth, Labour Relations Balancing
Led the HR function for the DACH market (4500+ employees), serving as trusted advisor to senior leadership. Directed labor relations, organizational development, and workforce strategy with up to 40 direct reports. Key Achievements: Negotiated complex collective agreements, strengthening industrial relations and ensuring long-term business continuity. Designed and executed people strategy, aligning talent, leadership, and workforce planning with business growth. Implemented workforce transformation initiatives, achieving cost savings while maintaining employee engagement.
Directed HR for the German market, supporting Philips’ global transformation to a sustainable, innovation-driven health technology company. Key Achievements: Restructured business units, balancing rightsizing with employee engagement and operational effectiveness. Introduced digital HR tools that enhanced efficiency and improved employee experience. Partnered with global leadership to support acquisitions, divestments, and organizational redesigns.
Led HR, Legal, and Communications for Germany during a critical business transformation phase. Key Achievements: Implemented restructuring programs that aligned workforce with business performance. Supported leadership through organizational redesign and change initiatives. Strengthened employee engagement and trust during restructuring.
Served as principal employee relations for Amazon’s fast-growing Prime, Fresh, and Pantry businesses across EMEA. Key Achievements: Built and scaled employee relations strategies across 6 countries, ensuring compliance and strong labor partnerships. Supported rapid business expansion while reducing employee disputes and risk exposure. Partnered with leadership to design sustainable labor relations frameworks for long-term growth.