Interviewed by My-Han Trinh

You have recently taken on the role of Deputy Director for Equality and Head of Unit for Gender Equality at the Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers (DG JUST). What are the initiatives that you are most excited about in this new role?

I took up this new role on February 1^st which was an extremely exciting and busy time with lots of awareness raising activities leading up to the International Women’s Day. For the Commission in particular, we are excited about the adoption of the new Gender Equality Strategy  on the 5^th of March that covers the 2026 – 2030 period. The publication of this Strategy marks an important milestone reaffirming the EU’s steadfast commitment to gender equality against a challenging global context and an escalating backlash. I therefore invite everybody to read it and get inspired! 

Building upon the 8 principles set out in the Roadmap for Women's Rights that was published in March last year by the Commission, the Gender Equality Strategy 2026 – 2030 emphasises a comprehensive and inclusive approach towards gender equality objectives that both empower women and girls and engage men and boys. In the new Strategy, there is a very clear focus on the fight against gender-based violence, including cyberviolence. Other important economic and societal aspects also require action, from the gender pay and pension gaps to work-life balance, from access to healthcare to women’s participation in public and political life. The path forward is clear: a fully gender-equal Europe can only be achieved when gender equality is embedded into every aspect of life, in both online and offline spheres, involving all members of society as agents of change.  

A fully gender-equal Europe can only be achieved when gender equality is embedded into every aspect of life, in both online and offline spheres, involving all members of society as agents of change. 

You are an expert in consumer protection and product safety where many exciting developments are happening, including the first-ever United Nations Principles for Consumer Product Safety. What do you see as the key gaps and opportunities lying ahead for this area? How can the European Union take the initiative in the global governance of consumer’s rights and product safety? 

I worked for nine years in consumer protection - and product safety more specifically. Throughout this time, the landscape of product safety both in the EU and in the world has changed dramatically. One of the biggest changes in the past decade has been the emergence of new types of risks associated with consumer goods, due to their evolving nature. Goods today might be partially or completely immaterial and digital, like, for example, companion chatbots, which introduce new, intangible risks for consumers. Thus, one of the things we did at the EU level was to identify these new categories of risks, in particular risks to mental health, and bring them to the attention of EU authorities and of the international community. 

Another clear shift during the last decade has been the explosion of online trade. Almost everybody today is both an offline and online consumer. However, the challenges for authorities dealing with product safety enforcement may differ when confronted with products being sold online. Therefore, we have also put a lot of emphasis on new approaches to address and enforce product safety in a digital environment. 

Last but not least, enforcement remains key and comes with increasing challenges. To tackle this, the European Commission have developed new AI-powered tools, to help authorities enforcement activities. These elements have been incorporated in the new General Product Safety Regulation adopted by the European Parliament and the Council in May 2023. On the Commission side, my team and I led the entire process with tireless efforts. The new EU law has been considered by many other jurisdictions as the most advanced in the world and served as the basis on which the first-ever UN Resolution on consumer product safety was developed. This set of principles received consensual and unanimous support at the global level, with 171 countries voting in favour of the resolution.  

Above all, we really need to keep in mind one principle for the future: even when we face difficult economic situations or challenges for businesses in Europe or anywhere else in the world, we must never forget that here we are talking about real lives. For me, there cannot be any trade-off between product safety and economic considerations. Product safety must always come first.  

There cannot be any trade-off between product safety and economic considerations.

Congratulations on the recent publication of your book “What It Takes to Be Yourself: From Seeking Success to Embodying Purpose through Compassion”!  How did your illustrious career path, with over 30 years of experience at the European Commission, converge with your journey for self-discovery? How has the experience of writing this book impacted your definitions of success? 

The book is the latest evolution on my self-inquiry and introspective path, including my search for the true meaning of career and professional success, as well as my embracing compassion through my studies at Stanford University (and other dedicated Centres) since 2019. The turning point of my journey was the COVID-19 pandemic, which really opened my eyes to our shared experience of suffering as human beings. It thus became a moral imperative for me to strive to do more and relieve the suffering of those around me, especially my colleagues. 

Along this path of self-discovery, I also learned that compassion can also be turned towards oneself.  It facilitates the development of a more balanced view of life, success and career, and helps us to be present in the moment and enjoy life more. I described these elements in detail in my book, which is half memoir and half self-help book, addressing those who would also want to embark on their own introspective journey. At the end of every chapter, I included the questions and tools that I have distilled from my personal experiences, whether they were joyful or challenging, successes or failures.  

Writing this book has helped me to finally feel and understand that there is no “one-size-fits-all" when it comes to success. Each of us can discover and define success in our own way in relation to our life purpose, because that is unique and specific to each person. Therefore, starting to understand our life purpose sheds a lot of light on how work can become more meaningful and fulfilling.  

You champion compassionate leadership in the workplace and also lead a module on “Leading with Wholeness and Purpose” in our Women Talent Pool (WTP) Programme. How do you cultivate a working culture to lead with compassion? How has the module evolved with you throughout the years?    

First of all, I speak up. I don’t shy away from sharing my personal experience. I have learned that when we have something valuable for ourselves and others, the first fundamental and necessary step is to communicate about it. In my career, I have held communication responsibilities which showed me the importance of not only doing impactful things but also talking about them and explaining clearly why we do them. Otherwise, the impact of our work cannot reach its fullest potential.  

The second element is leading by example, which means it’s not enough to talk. Here, the embodiment of compassion is fundamental. For instance, if a colleague comes to me and says they cannot handle the workload at that moment, I’ll sit down and find a solution with them, making sure they can restore their resources and regain their energy. Another example is to incorporate good habits, such as meditations and breathing practices, into team-building events to help focus our attention and calm our nervous system. 

The third element I want to underline is science-based evidence. The compassionate leadership that I explain and apply in my work as a leader and manager in the European Commission is solidly backed by extensive research and studies in compassion, which have become mainstream in the last 20 years thanks to the developments in neuroscience.  

Concerning the two-part module that I facilitate in the WTP programme, it started as my capstone project for the Applied Compassion Programme at Stanford. Thanks to Stanford University project design methodology, I only had to make minimal changes over the years. What has changed the most is that I have simplified and allowed more breathing room, so as not to overwhelm Talents with too much theory. Rather, it is more effective for them to apply the essentials on their own and exchange among themselves during small-group discussions. The feedback I have received for this module has consistently been very positive.  

In international negotiations, we are all human beings around the table. There is no robot or AI. Therefore, the pillars of compassion have also helped me along the years to engage with my counterparts, whether it was on a more consensual objective or for a more controversial negotiation, and have always resulted in the best possible result. The pillars of compassion function in any culture because they are part of our common humanity, regardless of sex, gender, race, religion or language. At the end of the day, we all wish to be treated fairly, openly, respectfully, and to be met from a place of compassion.  

At the end of the day, we all wish to be treated fairly, openly, respectfully, and to be met from a place of compassion. 

Caroline Arnaud leads New Business Development at Danone Specialised Nutrition, connecting science, patient needs, and business to turn opportunities into impact. With experience across product development, marketing, sales, strategy, and boards, she thrives on simplifying complexity and bringing teams together to create meaningful innovation in healthcare.

Interviewed by Amra Zvizdic­­

Your career bridges engineering, biotechnology, leadership roles in Sales and Marketing, and now New Business Development at Nutricia. How has this multidisciplinary background defined the way you identify opportunities and drive innovation in your work?

My career has always been about connecting different worlds. I started as a biotechnology engineer and later completed an MBA, because I wanted to understand both the science and the business side from the start. Over the years, I have worked across R&D, product development, marketing, sales, business development, and M&A, and I have also had exposure to general management.

This mix of roles helps me spot where patient’s needs, innovation, and long-term business value truly meet. It also makes it easier to execute. Because I have worked in many functions, I understand how teams think, what drives them, and what challenges they face. I can translate between departments and bring people together around a clear direction.

On top of that, I have worked internationally, in France, the Netherlands, and Spain, and in both large corporates and smaller, PE-backed companies. That combination has made me adaptable to different cultural environment, comfortable navigating complexity and turning it into something practical and actionable.

Nutricia pioneers nutritional solutions that have a direct impact on people’s lives. What does ‘transforming lives through the power of nutrition’ mean to you personally as a business leader?

For me, it is not just a slogan. I genuinely believe in the power of purpose because I have seen what it can unlock. I have seen it in action through the people I work with. I have witnessed teams going far beyond what is expected. I remember situations where colleagues drove late at night or over the weekend to deliver a life-saving product to a hospital, simply because a newborn needed it to thrive. That kind of commitment doesn´t come from incentives, it comes from meaning.

At the same time, I have learned that purpose only matters if the model is sustainable. Transforming lives only happens when the product actually reaches the patient. That requires the whole system to work: strong science, real patient needs, a viable business model, and solutions that also make sense for healthcare professionals and patients. To me, transforming lives through nutrition means making sure all of those pieces come together, so the impact on the patients is real and lasting.

Transforming lives only happens when the product actually reaches the patient. That requires the whole system to work: strong science, real patient needs, a viable business model, and solutions that also make sense for healthcare professionals and patients.

You’ve been a pioneer throughout your career. Why is a pioneering spirit so important in healthcare, and how has it influenced your own vision for the future of innovation and nutrition?

A pioneering spirit is essential in healthcare because innovation directly affects patient outcomes and, ultimately, people’s lives. If we stop pushing boundaries, we stop improving care. What I have learned throughout my career is that in healthcare, being pioneering cannot mean cutting corners. Speed should never come at the expense of evidence or patient safety. We need to explore, challenge what exists, and move faster, but always ethically and safely. For me, real innovation in healthcare is about balancing ambitions with responsibility.

You speak about speed and excellence in execution. In large and complex organisations, how do you balance the need for agility with long-term strategic thinking?

Agility only works if it comes with direction. Speed without strategy burns the organisation, demotivates teams, and quickly becomes pointless while strategy without execution is irrelevant. In large organisations, the balance comes from creating structure and rhythm. What has worked for me is to set a clear cadence for the year, with strong governance around execution, measurable KPIs, and empowered teams who can deliver quickly.

At the same time, I always protect dedicated time for reflection and decision-making. In practice, that means running two parallel agendas: a delivery agenda that moves fast and is managed weekly, and a strategic agenda that runs at a slower pace, reviewed monthly or bi-monthly depending on the project. That rhythm helps maintain speed while staying aligned with long-term priorities.

Alongside your executive role, you actively serve as Board Member of Pharmactive Biotech Products, S.L.U. How has this experience influenced your leadership style, decision-making, and perspective on value creation?

Serving as a Board Member has given me a very different perspective compared to being an executive. It requires a mindset shift, because the role is not about running the business day to day, but about challenging when things go well and supporting when the business faces more difficult moments. What I realised is that it is easy to ask questions and point out what is missing. The real challenge is asking the right questions, the ones that genuinely add value, rather than creating extra complexity or unnecessary work that ends up exhausting the organisation.

This experience has made me more selective and more strategic in the way I challenge teams. It pushed me to think carefully before asking for more analysis or more actions, and to focus on what will truly move the business forward. It has also made me more aware of the reality that boards are still largely male-dominated. Even when parity is encouraged, there are moments where you feel you are invited partly because you are a woman, which can be frustrating when you want to be recognised primarily for your expertise and contribution.

Serving as a Board Member [...] requires a mindset shift, because the role is not about running the business day to day, but about challenging when things go well and supporting when the business faces more difficult moments.

Samar Héchaimé, Strategy Director working across Sustainability, Transformation, Innovation & Reinvention, has built her career around understanding how people, systems, and the environment shape one another. Her work revolves around shaping strategy, and long-term thinking, through systems thinking, behavioural sciences with a design-led mindest, always with a focus on impact on humans but also the planet. In her interview for WIL Europe, she shares what she has learned from working in different contexts and what she believes organisations need to prepare for the future by thinking differently.

Interviewed by Amra Zvizdic­­

You have built a remarkable career at the intersection of sustainability, innovation and global transformation, from designing and strategy shaping in the built environment, to co-founding Agora-Envisioning to leading strategy sustainability, transformation and business model reinvention at PwC and beyond. What originally inspired you to specialise in this field, and how has your vision of sustainability evolved over the years?

I grew up in Lebanon during the war and witnessed how destructive conflict can be to people and the environment. Fires, chemicals, and chaos leave both visible and invisible damage. I studied architecture and then design with a clear mission: to humanise the world we live in. For my final project in the late nineties, I proposed two ideas. One focused on materials and sustainability, which at the time was considered a fringe idea. The project I completed was a redesign of Beirut’s bus system as a brand and experience. By redesigning access, I realised, you redesign a city’s economics and citizens’ experience.

The first decade of my career was in wayfinding and experience design. I worked in New York, then Amsterdam, and later Chicago, building projects that still exist today. But I began to see the limits. Many problems were created by systems designed, for the benefit of those who designed them without most people in mind, especially not women and a mosaic of user  groups that inhabit places and spaces. That led me to focus on two core principles: people centricity and social and environmental impact.

I eventually moved into strategy consulting, bringing systems thinking,  behavioural sciences and the creative/ innovation mindset with me. In 2010, I began integrating sustainability and social impact into the boardroom. Two projects in 2007 and 2016, first with the Princess Noura Women’s University and second with Saudi Arabia’s Human Resource Development Fund showed me the power of long-term thinking and the ripple effect of intended and non-intended consequences. Women studying at the university and then entering the labour market were changing society. I saw how putting women inside the system, with their perspective, creates ripple effects.

Today, my vision is simple: we are shaping the world. We either integrate sustainable thinking at the core or face the consequences. People can destroy or save the planet. Our role is to give them the chance to choose wisely and be part of shaping the future.

Today, my vision is simple: we are shaping the world. We either integrate sustainability at the core or face the consequences. People can destroy or save the planet. Our role is to give them the chance to choose wisely.

Working closely with companies in Europe and internationally, what major shifts are you seeing as organisations navigate growing sustainability expectations, regulatory pressure and the need for business-model transformation?

We are in a backlash moment. Sustainability is often seen as just another number on a page, rather than what ensures longevity. Companies pursue longevity without understanding what actually creates it.

Regulation is necessary, and reporting can help us speak a common language. But too often it becomes a checklist that can be manipulated. Auditors should verify on the ground, without warning, to ensure nothing is hidden. Companies can exploit publicity and influence to control the narrative, as seen in examples like Shein.

Despite this, companies are reflecting on what a sustainable business truly means. Longevity comes from factors such as understanding impact and legacy, demographic shifts, and generational mindset changes as well as navigating geopolitical crises without being lost in the short term reactionary behaviour. We are therefore seeing the resurgence of family-owned business models as one example of an alternative business model. Wealth transfer across  genders, generations and in some cases cultures and areas of the world is shifting the influence and shaping priorities for example through the voice of younger generations, women etc.

Crises like 2008 and COVID disrupted mid-career progression for many Gen X leaders, and women in leadership have been particularly affected. Yet these challenges create opportunities for change. Younger generations, straddling analogue and digital worlds, need the right tools to navigate these shifts and steer companies towards long-term sustainability.

Recent analyses highlight how industries are being reshaped by AI, climate pressures and geopolitical dynamics, and identify new domains of growth across how we build, care, connect and power the world. Which of these domains do you believe leaders in Belgium and across the EU should prioritise to remain competitive by 2035 and why?

The failure of current systems and the rise of AI stem from siloed, mono thinking. AI forces a single answer, lacks nuance, and is fed by biased knowledge. Governance, medicine, architecture, and environmental studies all carry biases.

What organisations need is an ecosystem approach. Companies should consider the full ripple effect of their actions, from agriculture and water to clothing, transport, logistics, health, and well-being. Micro-level needs, like food and clothing, connect to broader systems such as health, mobility, and the built environment. Every physical manifestation of a company has an impact, and strategy should centre on people as the organisation not the organisation as a person and an abstract being.

This mindset enables cooperation across companies, fosters innovation in the spaces between, and eliminates outdated notions of the “box.” It also corrects historical exclusion, particularly of women, ensuring they are not just counted in today’s narratives but they are part of shaping them.

Organisations should approach growth like building a cathedral: long-term, multidimensional, and connected horizontally and vertically. Cathedrals brought people together, exchanged knowledge, and left lasting marks. Similarly, EU leaders should prioritise human-centric, ecosystem-driven strategies that link people, technology, and the environment for sustainable competitiveness by 2035.

Organisations should approach growth like building a cathedral: long-term, multidimensional, and connected horizontally and vertically .

You have worked across Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, China and North America. How has this international exposure shaped the way you analyse risks and opportunities for organisations, and are there global approaches you believe the EU should adopt more strongly?

This is where I see a key challenge. Everyone is becoming so risk averse. Whether it is reporting or risk management, you’re looking backwards, and you don’t shape your future by looking backwards. Evidence-based? What does that mean? Oh, it worked before. Who guarantees it will work in the future? One day it works, the next it doesn’t.

We were in isolation during COVID, and suddenly digital work was possible. That’s how you shape the next thing—you ask, “what if?” Not enough people ask that. The old guard holds on, so sometimes something like a pandemic forces a reckoning.

You need long-term thinking. Growth is exponential, like forests nurtured by the mother tree: some seeds grow, some don’t, but the ecosystem thrives. We need to take risks, nurture, and adapt.

Look at countries under constant pressure, like the Eastern Bloc or Lebanon. They innovate and survive within constraints. Imagine if the EU applied that adaptability constructively. And Europe could lead on female and feminist leadership. Reconnect with the explorer mindset, stop being followers, and let curiosity, imagination, and collaboration drive companies, countries, and institutions.

You describe yourself as a futurist. Which emerging developments do you believe companies are still underestimating today, but that will significantly influence strategic decision-making within the next decade and what distinguishes organisations that are genuinely preparing for the future from those that remain locked in short-term logic?

For me, what people are missing is that it’s not about the technology. Technology is a tool. We pour way too much energy into tools rather than mindsets. What we need to rebuild is the mindset—it’s like the cathedral we talked about. The tools change with time, but the mindset stays the same.

And that mindset is about collaboration, being people-driven, understanding networks and their fluidity. Nothing is really new under the sun; it’s the stories we tell that change. The danger is putting the tool in control. AI, for example, is just large learning models—it only works with text, only sees causality, doesn’t understand context, history, or three-dimensional time.

When I work on transforming an organisation, I start with people first. Think ecosystems, think ripple effects. Have the courage and curiosity to ask, “What if?” and “What’s next?” That’s what distinguishes companies genuinely preparing for the future from those locked in short-term logic. The former innovate, pivot and adapt; the latter cling to fixed solutions, processes and tools.

It’s also about purpose. Companies need to focus on the impact they want to have, not just the solution to a problem. Even countries can adopt this mindset: Estonia, Moldova, parts of the Eastern Bloc are thinking this way at a national scale. Paris is building towards the 15-minute city. If we bring everything back together—companies, cities, ecosystems—we create something sustainable, innovative, and fun. And that’s the part we’re missing: having fun while we prepare for the future.

Have the courage and curiosity to ask, “What if?” and “What’s next?”. That’s what distinguishes companies genuinely preparing for the future from those locked in short-term logic. The former innovate, pivot and adapt; the latter cling to fixed solutions and tools.

Your leadership roles often involve navigating complex and demanding stakeholder environments. From your own journey, what is important in building credibility and influence as a woman in these spaces? And how does the WIL community support you in this path and help women gain visibility in strategic and future-oriented fields?

It hasn’t been an easy journey as a woman in the male-dominated industries and cultures I’ve worked in. Often, women are underestimated—“you’re only in sustainability” or “design doesn’t make you strategic.” But leadership isn’t about proving yourself; it’s about collaboration. No one knows it all, and a leader’s role is to bring the most interesting voices to the table, distill ideas, and create a vision that moves forward. It’s about the collective, not tunnel-visioned consensus.

Credibility comes from focusing on purpose and ecosystems. The community’s well-being is a direct benefit for the organisation. We must be scouts, reading landscapes together, helping each other navigate and move forward. This is where the WIL community is invaluable: it creates networks that give women visibility and influence in strategic, future-oriented fields. It’s about shaping your path while lifting others along the way.

A historical example that inspires me is Florence Nightingale. She transformed what was invisible—care—into an economic opportunity for women, convincing the Admiralty to pay nurses and training them to save lives. That’s the kind of strategic influence we need: turning challenges into lasting impact.

From this experience, my invitation to the WIL community is simple: start with one-on-one connections, expand into a fluid network, and collide multiple perspectives. Let’s create ecosystems where women have the visibility, credibility, and influence to lead in shaping the future. Leadership, in this sense, is less about position and more about vision and creating systems where everyone can thrive.

Meet Vinciane Rysselinck, Senior Counsel at Osborne Clarke Belgium and Legal 500-recommended employment lawyer known for her creative, reliable and people-focused approach. With nearly 25 years of experience and a founding role in the firm’s Belgian office, she guides clients through cross-border challenges, evolving workplace trends and the growing impact of AI and regulation. In this interview, Vinciane shares insights on the value of genuine client relationships.

Interviewed by Anastasiia Hresko

You are recognised for your expertise in employment law. What first drew you to this area and what keeps it exciting for you after more than two decades of practice?

What drew me to employment law is that people are at the centre of everything here, be it HR processes or litigation. I love meeting people and my job allows me to meet our clients and learn a lot about them and their businesses. Being a part of their company and businesses is enriching, as it allows me to have human connections with clients.

There are rarely two identical days: you can have your agenda fully planned, and then your whole day get flipped upside down because there’s an emergency, a collective dismissal, a strike where employees would block access to the company. Only about 20% of my working time that is spent on routine activities because there’s also litigation. There are, of course, similar queries from clients, such as dismissals, but in addition to general employment laws in Belgium, there are also sector-specific rules, company rules and company-specific agreements. Therefore, even in similar cases, solutions will be tailored.

I had thought about becoming a general or legal counsel in a company after my lawyer traineeship, but I became the only one from my cohort who stayed a lawyer. It’s been almost 25 years already and the sparkle is still there and real.

I was drawn to employment law because people are at the centre of everything, and nearly 25 years later, that human connection is still what keeps the sparkle alive and makes this profession so enriching.

In your work advising companies on cross-border employment, how have recent EU and global developments changed the types of challenges your clients face?

COVID times  brought the most changes not only to cross-border employment but also to employment in general. Our clients faced multiple challenges and legal questions related to employees working from home and potentially from different countries as well. Although this initially seemed unproblematic in a remote work setting, such a setup triggers many legal queries, particularly around which employment law applies. This is because working for a certain amount of time in another country can trigger mandatory local rules. It also raised issues around data protection, security, taxation and social security. As a result, companies changed their ways of working, became more flexible and set up remote working policies to ensure that all the legal issues are addressed in a timely manner.

COVID brought the challenge of new ways of working, with younger generations expecting higher degree of flexibility at the workplace. We’ve also seen that return to office policies are not successful. Various EU laws impacting employment, such as Compliance with AI Act, Digital Markets Act, Digital Service Act also need to be mentioned. More layers of regulatory obligations need strong legal teams to manage, compliance and reporting.

You specialise in the retail sector. Are there any sector-specific challenges you can mention and how are they adapting?

The retail sector is incredibly diverse and this diversity shapes the challenges companies face. For instance, the realities of working in a brick-and-mortar store are completely different from those in e-commerce. In physical retail, presence on site is essential: employees must be in the store, interacting with customers and managing day-to-day operations. In contrast, online retail relies heavily on logistics hubs, warehouses and fulfilment teams. Even within a single sector, the nature of work varies so significantly that the issues related to returning to the workplace, staff expectations or operational pressures are far from uniform.

Another major shift that is common for many industries is the impact of AI. As a legal advisor, I have not yet seen restructuring driven solely by AI adoption, but we are already anticipating it. AI is already starting to absorb certain repetitive or administrative tasks. This won’t be limited to retail: even in the legal profession, roles typically held by junior lawyers will evolve.

The key response for companies and for individuals is upskilling. Organisations need to invest in equipping their workforce to work with AI rather than feel threatened by it. At our law firm, we’re already experimenting with tools like our internal ChatGPT and platforms such as LIGORA or Harvey. Despite these tools, most of our value still comes from human judgement, expertise and creativity. That may eventually shift and we’ll have to adapt just like everyone else.

You are listed in the Legal 500, where you are described as “open-minded and creative” as well as “reactive and reliable.” How are these qualities reflected in your career, and how do you bring creativity into a field that is often seen as highly technical?

What I appreciate most about these Legal 500 recognition is that it truly reflects who I am, both as a lawyer and as a person. For those familiar with the Legal 500, it is well known how significant it is because it’s public, peer-reviewed and incorporates feedback from clients and colleagues across the legal profession.  Seeing descriptors that align so closely with my personality is therefore genuinely meaningful.

I’ve always approached my work by partnering closely with clients. Before giving any advice, I want to understand their concerns, goals and constraints. That’s where creativity comes in. Instead of giving a straightforward legal “no,” I explore how something can be done in practice, while staying fully compliant. My aim is to deliver solutions, not roadblocks. At Osborne Clarke, this mindset is shared. We’re not traditional lawyers delivering ten-page memos filled with references unless that’s specifically needed. In day-to-day advisory work, we are solution-driven.

As for being reactive and reliable, those qualities come naturally to me. I always put myself in the position of a client: I know how frustrating it is to send an email and receive no answer for weeks. So I respond quickly, keep my promises and deliver within the timelines I committed to.

Of course, employment law is highly technical, but real-life situations rarely fit neatly into a textbook scenario. There is almost always a grey area, something between two rules and that’s where a pragmatic, creative approach becomes invaluable. Thus, part of being reliable also means knowing when to say no, especially when timelines or expectations simply are not realistic.

What I appreciate most about the Legal 500 recognition is that it truly reflects who I am, both as a lawyer and as a person.

As a founding member of Osborne Clarke Belgium, what were the biggest challenges in establishing the employment practice, and how did your experience influence the solutions you implemented?

When we launched Osborne Clarke Belgium in June 2013, we started as a cohesive group of eight lawyers who had known each other before coming from a local Belgian company. It felt less like starting from scratch and more like starting a new chapter together.

Our clients followed us quite naturally. The relationship between a lawyer and their client, particularly in employment law, can be as personal as the relationship with a doctor. When there is trust, clients tend to follow the person rather than the brand. So Therefore, the real challenge was not about convincing them to stay with us. Where we did face challenges, however, was in growing the team and establishing our name on the Belgian market. Osborne Clarke, being originally a British firm, was not yet well known in Brussels at the time. Younger lawyers sometimes hesitated because the international name sounded intimidating, imagining an enormous U.S. or UK-style structure where they might lose their voice or feel anonymous.

We therefore focused on visibility and authenticity and made sure to be present: speaking at events, networking, simply meeting people face-to-face, etc. We wanted potential recruits and clients alike to understand who we were - a growing, dynamic team with an international outlook but a very human way of working - and it worked well.

The relationship between a lawyer and their client can be as personal as the relationship with a doctor. When there is trust, clients tend to follow the person rather than the brand.

Hannah Witzel, Operations Senior Vice President at FM, has grown from joining the company straight out of high school to leading operations across Germany, Austria and Eastern Europe at FM. In this interview, Hannah shares key moments from her 17-year journey, the challenges of navigating a male-dominated industry, the importance of networks and feedback, and how curiosity and flexibility help her steer teams through an evolving risk landscape.

Interviewed by Anastasiia Hresko

You began in student roles and grew into Operations Senior Vice President after 17 years at FM. Looking back, what have been some of the most defining moments in your career and how did they shape your path?

The first defining moment actually came right after high school, when I joined FM. It felt like the perfect transition from school to the real world and workforce as I was on rotation and could get a good overview of the entire company and build a network.

The second pivotal moment for me was taking over managerial responsibility that came with the Assistant Client Service Manager  role. I was the youngest team member there and now I was managing people who had been my colleagues before. This experience, former colleagues  reporting to me, taught me a lot about trust in my skills and experience and that of others. Finally, there is the operations leadership momentum that started two and a half years ago, and brought with it the responsibility for not only one department but for the entire entity, a role that is both challenging and rewarding.

Looking back, each career milestone didn’t just teach me new skills—it shaped me as a person. From learning to earn trust as the youngest manager to navigating leadership across cultures, these experiences reminded me that growth often happens in moments of discomfort. I wouldn’t call it a perfect journey, but every challenge helped me become the leader—and the woman—I am today, still learning and still curious.

What were the key challenges and opportunities in your career path?

Of course, I worked very hard, but I’d also say I was lucky in the sense that timing worked extremely well. Over 17 years with FM, I worked three years as a student, five years in the claims department, and then progressed through roles as Underwriter, Account Manager, Assistant Client Service Manager, Client Service Manager. In between these steps, I was prepared to take over a new role whenever it came up. At the same time, support and trust I received from my network helped me avoid  developing imposter syndrome, which women are more prone to.

Speaking of challenges, I have three children, and each of them arrived during different career transitions. I remember interviewing for a new role and finding out I was pregnant at the same time.

What I learned is that staying flexible is just as important as having a plan.Although my career path looks perfect from the outside, it doesn’t mean I didn’t have to maneuver through failure.

The commercial property insurance landscape evolves constantly. How do you stay attuned to emerging risks and translate them into meaningful action for your teams and clients?

Listening skills are the key component, in a sense of staying informed of both internal and external developments. I try to stay aware of global news as well as industry specific developments, in the insurance sector as well as sectors our clients operate in. I also value personal interactions with our partners, clients, employees. Be it over a coffee or while traveling, I learn a lot from them, which is why I put a lot of value on the network.

Not only do I stay curious, but I also block some time to think about all this big information. This is how meaningful actions arise – when I am not just concerned about day-to-day things, but also dedicate time to create vision and strategy based on the perspective of my team and all the knowledge I gathered.

Your current role spans Germany, Austria and Eastern Europe. How do you approach understanding the distinct business cultures and market needs across such varied regions?

Curiosity and listening are also key in this aspect. I’ve always enjoyed traveling and getting to know new cultures: I did some backpacking tours through China, Thailand, Australia, spent parental leave with my family in e.g. Canada, South Africa and France I believe that the wealth of diversity that comes from working with teams from different countries is invaluable, and that cultural awareness and open-mindedness are needed to succeed. I think we need to realise that adaptability in terms of communication styles is also a must.

In the insurance sector, costs also need to be taken into account: it is not always easy to organise many touchpoints, but I still try to maximise time with those from abroad, be it for a client meeting or aChristmas event. I think effective collaboration across countries is doable, it simply requires a bit more effort. For instance, just before this interview, I had a phone call with one colleague from the Czech Republic to congratulate him on being 25 years with FM. Little efforts like this make a big difference and foster a culture of collaboration and exchange

From your experience as an engineer now leading large operations, what technical or leadership skills do you believe young professionals should develop to thrive in the future of risk management? And what advice would you give them?

Soft skills come to my mind first. Young professionals need to be flexible, learn fast, be curious, respectful and think critically. Technical skills open doors, but curiosity and courage keep them open. For women especially, my advice is: don’t wait until you feel ready—raise your hand and ask for support. Later in your career, the ability to make decisions fast also comes in handy, considering the fast-paced risk management environment.

Openness to feedback is crucial.  Feedback is love, because I believe that only those people who truly care about you will take their time to provide meaningful feedback. A lot of joy at work comes not only from personal success but also from the success of entire team

You mentioned before that working in a male-dominated field is usually related to some specific challenges for emerging women leaders. Is there something that you would say to those women leaders who may feel overwhelmed by it?

My career path generally progressed well and I’d say that one of the key things is not being afraid to speak up. It should not be rude or pushy, but standing up for your skills and talent is important. Also don’t let anyone else own your career and be the one who drives it and is vocal about it. I’d say you need to reach out to your personal manager, share your ambitions, and ask for support whenever needed. Build your own kind of Board of Directors, have people around you who give you feedback, cheer you up, challenge you on technical side.

Make yourself visible and be clear about what you want to achieve. Don't let anyone else own your career and be vocal about what you want.

If you had a chance to change something in your career journey, would you change something and if yes, what would that be?

For me, it comes down to the experience of working abroad. Being a part of one company for so many years now has many advantages: a strong network, knowledge of processes in detail, and extensive experience. Yet, at the same time, there is a risk of being in a “tunnel view” mode and being perceived as lacking external views or experience of work in another company or location.

I try to overcome this by being aware of different developments in the industry, participating in different forums, becoming a part of FIDI, which is a women in insurance industry network in Germany and now a part of WIL. Once again, this shows the power of my network, since it was during a client event where I met Helena Kazamaki, Board Member of WIL, and she recommended me to join the organisation. Our network has huge power: I recently won a “Top 40 under 40” award thanks to the nomination from the CEO of our competitor.

Overall, I feel I am managing it well, but if I could go back in time, I would make sure I gained pure international experience as well.

Corentine Poilvet-Clediere is the CEO of LCH SA and Country Head, France, LSEG. With a career spanning trading desks, regulatory policy, and market infrastructure, she brings a broad, global perspective to leadership. In this interview, she reflects on navigating complexity, the role of clearing in a fragmented world, and why inclusive leadership and long-term thinking matter now more than ever.

Interviewed by Amra Zvizdic­­­

Your impressive career spans continents, disciplines, and sectors, from New York trade services to European post-trade policy, and now leading LCH SA. How has this international, interdisciplinary path shaped the way you lead today?

I’ve always had a deep instinctive mistrust of echo chambers and of excessive certainty, especially in environments where everyone seems to agree too quickly. At the same time, I’ve long been drawn to the Renaissance ideal of intelligence. Without making any comparisons, of course, I’ve always admired figures like Leonardo da Vinci for their ability to cross disciplines and challenge their own perspective through the multiplicity of domains they mastered.

Whenever I sense that I’ve gone too far in one direction or stayed too long in one posture, I feel the need to rebalance — not out of restlessness, but to keep evolving. For me, growth comes through movement, through the deliberate choice to shift and seek new ways of thinking. It’s my way of avoiding blind spots, and of staying intellectually alive.

I tend to seek discomfort, almost deliberately. Looking back, I often realise I’ve walked straight into the fire. There’s a part of me — slightly reckless, perhaps — that holds a persistent belief I’ll find a way through. And somehow, so far, I have.

That’s very much how I approached my academic path. I began with political science in France, where I was particularly drawn to political philosophy and macroeconomics. Then came an opportunity to study in the UK, which shifted the focus towards microeconomics and statistics. Later, in the US, I specialised in finance, which meant returning to intensive mathematical training, all while maintaining a strong intellectual interest in geopolitics. It was never a straight line, but each shift deepened and broadened my understanding.

At that point, I wanted to move closer to where real power seemed to be concentrated, and at the time, that was trading. I moved to New York and joined a commodities desk. We were perhaps two or three women in a group of thirty or forty men — a highly codified environment, not exactly poetic. A certain sharp humour was key to navigating it.

I was there during the financial crisis, when hundreds of people were laid off in a single morning — quite publicly, with the intensity of emotion you can imagine. Witnessing that left a lasting mark. It kept me grounded, and it clarified what I wanted: to shift towards risk. Trading felt too short-term. I’ve always been more of an architect, someone who wants to understand and build the structures.

That path led me to LCH, which I loved from the start. I’m relentlessly driven by complex challenges — and in risk, there’s never any shortage.

I have a tendency to seek discomfort, almost deliberately. Looking back, I often realise I’ve walked straight into the fire. There’s a part of me — slightly reckless, perhaps — that holds a persistent belief I’ll find a way through. And somehow, so far, I have.

While reading some of your recent interviews, I noticed you’ve spoken about clearing as a stabilising force in fragmented and uncertain markets. What role do you believe financial infrastructure like LCH SA should play in ensuring long-term societal and economic balance? 

We are living the end of consensus, though I’m not sure it’s fully understood yet. Clearing functions like a control tower at the heart of multiple markets, and from where I sit, I can see the tectonic plates drifting apart — economically, politically, culturally. Everything is pulling away.

We have entered a period marked by irrationality: short-term thinking, constant immediacy, and a rise in reactive, often noisy politics. The quiet structures that used to hold things together are under pressure — and it changes everything about how risk, trust, and interdependence function. The real question, in such an environment, is: who will embody the long-term, rational, fact-based voice? I believe financial market infrastructures have a critical role to play. We operate at the intersection of geographies, market participants, and economic blocs. Some of the assets we clear have maturities of up to 30 years — we are long-term by design.

In clearing especially, our core responsibility is to constantly ask what could go wrong — and ensure it doesn’t cascade into systemic damage. What fascinates me in risk management is that the most effective way to reduce risk is to diversify — again and again. Across geographies, currencies, participants, scenarios, even intensities of risk and talent. That’s how resilience is built.

Safety is fundamentally horizontal — it relies on different blocs working together. The moment those blocs begin to drift apart, economically or structurally, risk increases almost instantly. From where I sit, this means we in financial market infrastructures don’t just have a role, we have a duty. If we start aligning ourselves with short-term political delineations, we risk becoming irrelevant. Our responsibility is to remain impartial, long-term focused, and resilient, and to be prepared for the pressures that come with that stance.

Under your leadership, LCH SA has launched new models, expanded into new markets, and is preparing to clear digital assets. How do you approach driving innovation in a space so deeply rooted in risk management and regulation?

That’s one of my greatest frustrations — I value speed. But in clearing, we are the market’s insurance mechanism. If we lose our composure, everyone else will. That said, I often challenge the idea that staying still is inherently safer than moving. The status quo can be just as risky — that’s the illusion. Nothing is ever static, and failing to adapt is, in itself, a form of exposure.

For innovation to matter, it must address a problem that’s bigger than the product itself. Take the example of the European Union and its Member States: they face enormous funding needs and are issuing a significant volume of debt. Yet few are asking how that debt will be absorbed efficiently by the market. The assumption seems to be that a small number of banks will manage it, and that things will somehow fall into place.

Meanwhile, hedge funds now account for around 60% of the secondary market in European government debt. They are absorbing much of the issuance and secondary liquidity, but through bilateral channels that are neither as transparent nor as collateralised as they could be.

We’re launching clearing models designed to support and secure the role hedge funds already play — and are likely to play even more in the future. That’s the kind of innovation I find meaningful. It’s not about being flashy, it’s about rethinking oneself to remain fit for a future that hasn’t fully taken shape yet.

I’m always uneasy when I’m asked to ‘innovate on demand’ — it’s a bit like being told to make someone laugh. It just doesn’t work that way. But give me a complex problem in a highly uncertain context, and that’s when innovation naturally emerges — as a response to something real, not as a performance.

You once said that nothing gets done alone and that bringing others on the journey was something you had to learn. As a Member of the WIL network, how have communities like WIL supported that journey, and what role do they play in shaping inclusive, future-focused leadership?

What I value most about WIL lies in three things: it’s a women-only network, it’s cross-sectoral, and it has a clear purpose. The simple act of women coming together to share their experiences is in itself powerful. Historically, many authoritarian regimes have understood this intuitively — one of the first things they often do is to prevent women from gathering, whether in public or private spaces. And that raises an important question: why?

Because when women start speaking regularly to one another, they begin to see patterns. They begin to understand that certain experiences, which they may have initially perceived as personal or individual, are in fact deeply rooted in broader structures — laws, institutions, societal expectations, political frameworks. In that sense, women sharing their stories becomes an act of awareness. And awareness, in itself, is a form of power.

Projection also matters profoundly. It is essential for women to see other women leading — in institutions, in sectors, in every dimension of public life. You cannot project yourself into something you have never seen. I have two daughters and one son. I want all three of them to grow up seeing women in leadership, not just in me — but everywhere. It must become both visible and normal.

Finally, there is something deeply personal about networks like WIL. There’s mentorship, shared energy, a sense of continuity. One of the quiet injustices women face — and this was articulated powerfully by Francoise Giroud, one of the most famous French journalists, in the 1970s — is that when we fail, it is often read as a collective failure: “women can’t.” And when we succeed, it is too often seen as an individual exception. But the reverse is also true: when one of us rises, it creates space for others. That thought carries me in difficult moments. I draw energy from it. Because when we do well, we don’t just succeed for ourselves — we widen the path for those who come next.

Projection also matters profoundly. It is essential for women to see other women leading — in institutions, in sectors, in every dimension of public life. You cannot project yourself into something you have never seen.

Many women still perceive finance as a world that isn’t for them. What advice would you give to those who are intrigued by the field but intimidated by the culture?

I’ve made a few very strong hires recently — all women between 25 and 35. Brilliant, driven, but sometimes hesitant about entering the world of finance, and particularly the infrastructure side of it. Here’s what I tell them.

The first freedom is to define meaning for yourself, and to pursue it. If you’re drawn to intellectual complexity and want to work on things that truly shape the real economy, come to finance. If you value autonomy, come to finance. If you’re looking for a space where decisions matter, where the stakes are high and the learning curve is steep, come to finance.

For a moment, set society’s noise aside and ask yourself one question: Do I find this interesting? That should be your only compass.

Of course, misogyny and bias exist everywhere. But I would say that overt discrimination is now the exception. Most of what persists is the product of habit, of not having seen women in certain roles before. But once people see you perform, deliver results, uphold standards, and lead — if you’re good, they respect you. And that respect lasts.

Finally, as the CEO of LCH SA and now Country Head for LSEG France, what legacy are you hoping to build? Not just in the financial markets, but for the next generation of women in leadership?

I’m deeply attached to the idea of leading by example — and that includes showing that you don’t need to be distant, robotic or hyper-stylised to earn respect. In the end, people follow someone they trust, and even someone they like. For me, that means showing up as I am — with my own energy, my own structure, my own way of speaking, and my own sense of humour. Over time, people adapt. It’s my way of demonstrating that women not only can succeed — but that they can do so while being happy.

Because really, who wants to be a miserable success story? That part — the happiness — matters. Sure, I have off days like everyone else, but overall, I love what I do. The joy of building, of making things happen, of creating strong teams — that joy should be spoken about more openly.

As Ruth Bader Ginsburg said, sometimes you need to be a little deaf, meaning don’t overthink how you’re perceived. And I would add, don’t waste too much energy on doubt.

Meet Tara Yarrow-Gulatee, who has 30+ years of experience in technology and operations, working across the globe leading international teams. A passionate advocate for Diversity and Inclusion, Tara shares insights on her contributions to this area, along with valuable lessons on leadership and her truly inspiring career and life journey.

Interviewed by Anastasiia Hresko

You are currently an Executive Director at JPMorgan Chase, managing cross-country teams within technology operations. What are some of the key challenges you face in this role – particularly when balancing the demands of a global team with the pressures many professionals face in their personal lives, such as being in the ‘sandwiched’ phase, where they are simultaneously supporting their aging parents and their own children?

Managing multi-location teams comes with many challenges, one of which is distance. I strongly believe in the importance of face-to-face contact and try to visit my teams regularly. People tend to open up more in person - sharing both joyful news and difficult situations.

Another major challenge is work-life balance. In a large international organisation like JP Morgan, one might easily find themselves starting their day with a 7 AM Asia-Pacific call and ending it with a 10 PM US call. There was even a time when I was responsible for teams in the Middle East regions, where weekends are different, and I would receive calls on a Sunday afternoon. It started to affect my family life, so I learned to say no, which is hard for women who are perfectionists and like to please people. My manager’s advice upon promotion to Executive Director was not to spread myself too thin and learn to say “no”.

Finally, the “sandwiched phase” - the topic affecting especially women as they tend to take over care work. I went through it myself and found it extremely hard: having kids at home, normally teenagers, and parents who are beginning to need care. Juggling parents’ medical appointments, teenagers’ complaints and manager's urgent work demands, all while trying to look put together in high heels and avoiding mascara smudges... I wish I had any good advice here. I got through it with a lot of coffee and chocolate and was very lucky to have supportive friends and managers.

“Don’t spread yourself too thin and learn to say no”

With a diverse academic background spanning Chemistry, Philosophy, and IT, how have these disciplines influenced your perspective on leadership and governance within the financial sector?

I could say “absolutely not at all”, but in truth, my academic background has indeed shaped how I lead. The UK education system places emphasis on how to learn, not only what to learn, so regardless the subject, one also acquires various skills like critical thinking and articulation which are key in leadership, where vision, strategy and clear communication are essential.

I always tell young people to study something they’re passionate about. It might still be a lot of work, but it’s much easier to put in the effort when you genuinely enjoy the subject. It’s the same in professional life — if you’re doing something you love, it may take up more than eight hours a day, but that’s OK because you enjoy it.

The same applies to leadership roles: I won’t pretend I’m passionate about technology governance (I’ve never met anyone who is), but I’m passionate about my global team - many at the start of their careers, full of energy and ideas. Helping them grow and succeed is what drives me.

As regulatory scrutiny in the financial sector intensifies, how do you see the role of technology governance adapting to meet those evolving demands?

Regulatory scrutiny is, in fact, why I've got my job. Take the team I joined three years ago as an example: we started with just five people, and now we’ve grown to over fifty due to the increasing regulatory focus. It's very challenging, also for regulators, because they need to keep up with everything. The EU Artificial Intelligence Act and Digital Operations Resilience Act came out quite recently, yet some parts of them already appear outdated. As such, technology governance plays a critical role in ensuring compliance, while simultaneously enabling businesses to continue operating effectively.

You have led teams across multiple countries and worked in a wide range of cultural contexts – from Tokyo and Riyadh to Mexico and Moscow. How have these experiences shaped your leadership style and your approach to managing diverse teams?

With JP Morgan, I really travelled the world: from Tokyo, where I implemented a money transfer system, to Riyadh, where I managed the general infrastructure, to Moscow, where I built a data centre, then to Mexico, and to South America. Each of those locations and experiences has given me a wealth of stories to share and taught me to be a good leader. The key is to be flexible. You can't behave the same way in a meeting in Tokyo as you would in New York. There you need to be perhaps a little quieter and listen more. If you were that quiet in New York, you'd probably get trodden on.

My Riyadh experience was unique because when I worked there the first time Saudi women weren't allowed to work. My first day was a bit of a crisis, because they obviously had no women's bathroom. Challenges like that taught me an important lesson: not everyone thinks the way I do, nor will they react to a situation the same way, so I shouldn't take anything for granted and really need to read the room.

When I moved from Frankfurt to Paris, I received feedback that while being absolutely great, slowing down at times may be a good idea. I don’t have to go to the meeting precisely on time and come out with results. Sometimes, the result was just scheduling another meeting and going home to have a glass of wine. I thought “I can't do that!”, but I learned to adapt.

Throughout your career, you have contributed to various D&I Programmes. Could you share more about these experiences and your personal “why?” behind them?

I suppose there’s a short and simple answer: why not? It might sound like a cliché, but I genuinely believe that if everyone cared for their small part of the world, it would make a big difference. Perhaps that’s naive, especially when so many seem to have a destructive idea of what “a better world” means, considering that there’s a war in almost every part of the world now. But I still hold onto that belief.

I also have a longer and more personal answer. My mother, a Protestant Englishwoman, and my father, an Indian Sikh, were both proud of their cultures and religions, and a Jewish great-grandmother also left a lasting influence on our family. Growing up in a small English village, I assumed our diverse background was normal until I experienced first-hand that not everyone saw it that way. I remember proudly declaring being half-Indian at school, only to be told it cannot be the case because I’m not half-brown. That left six-years-old me in tears. Later, when my uncle from India visited, my friends’ fearful reactions reinforced that what felt normal to me was foreign to others. I realised that people are judgmental about what’s different. But these aren’t differences that complicate our lives. I never viewed disability as a disadvantage for example: my blind grandmother navigated our home effortlessly and baked wonderful cupcakes.

And so, inclusion and diversity became important to me. I began to see the difficult choices women face around work and family when I became mother. While in Germany, I took three years of parental leave, which was common there. Some friends felt pressure to do the same to be seen as good mothers, while others who tried to share it with their husbands were judged. Later in France, when I returned to work part-time as a senior manager, some women questioned my ambition. For me, what matters most is having the freedom to choose what suits you and your partner best. I’ve always supported programmes that make that possible.

One initiative I’m proud of was setting up an emergency kindergarten in Frankfurt. More recently, I’ve been involved in recruitment and return-to-work programmes for women after career breaks. I know first-hand how tough that transition can be. It also struck me how important role models are - women can’t aspire to what they don’t see. I’d been at JPMorgan for 30 years before I had a female manager.

I genuinely believe that if everyone cared for their small part of the world, it would make a big difference.

What drew you to the WIL network, and how has being part of it shaped your personal or professional journey?

I first learned about the WIL Network through my daughter, who joined early in her career. She got professional advice, found a mentor and built her network. I was inspired to join myself and did it one year ago. I already attended the “No AI Without Women” conference in Paris which I found very inspiring and have recently started mentoring a group of women with interesting international backgrounds as a career development leader. I’m excited about the work ahead!

If you could go back in time and give advice to your younger self just starting out in Frankfurt, what would it be?

If my younger self would listen, I’d offer two pieces of advice, depending on my mood. On a tough day, I’d say: “Life goes by faster than you think. All those things your parents told you - cuddle your babies, make memories, take chances - do them. Don’t wait for life to happen to you.” On a good day, I’d quote the poem Invictus which ends with the lines: “I am the master of my fate. I am the captain of my soul.”

“You are the master of your fate.”

Meet Sarah Lawton, CEO KCI at kloeckner.i GmbH, the digital arm of Kloeckner & Co. In this interview, Sarah shares her insights on effective team management, the challenges and opportunities of digital transformation in the steel industry, and the crucial role of women in leadership, emphasising the importance of practicality, stakeholder collaboration, and adaptability in today's rapidly evolving business landscape.

Interviewed by Julie Goldie

Can you tell us about your general experience working as CEO for Kloeckner.i? For example, do your day-to-day tasks and industry requirements relate more to digital and automation processes, steel distribution, or both?

As CEO, my primary focus is always on my team; I prioritise their needs in our daily operations. I maintain a structured approach, emphasising the technical and digital aspects of steel rather than the distribution side, which we support but do not directly manage. Much of my work revolves around the digital environment. Currently, we are repurposing our operational framework, managing a recently approved budget to ensure we meet our commitments to cut costs and enhance efficiency. Accountability is key, so I ensure all PowerPoint presentations include specific deliverables, which I check in on regularly. My daily tasks involve leading steering committees and providing programme updates.

I work closely with a hands-on board, maintaining transparency in our operations. Regular meetings keep them informed about our progress. While I manage the technical side, my role also includes typical CEO responsibilities like budgeting and team management. A significant portion of my time is dedicated to people management, supporting my leadership team to ensure they have what they need to succeed.

Right now, we are navigating the sale of four businesses and the acquisition of six, requiring careful oversight of project management, budgeting, and extensive stakeholder management. My days are busy and varied, but I thrive in this dynamic environment and enjoy collaborating with my patient and supportive team, even as I maintain high expectations.

We also engage in initiatives like the "Women in Transformation" group, led by Barbara Lutz, which highlights the vital role women play in driving change and transformation. I see the positive impact of this initiative daily. Working alongside mostly men, I take pride in the unique perspective and problem-solving skills I bring as a woman in leadership.

A significant portion of my time is dedicated to people management, supporting my leadership team to ensure they have what they need to succeed.

Prior to your current role with Kloeckner.i, you worked with Portfolio Management and PMOs for more than 14 years. What are some key industry insights you made from that expansive experience and how did you apply them to your position as CEO for Kloeckner.i?

One of the key insights I gained from my experience in project management is the importance of being results-oriented. In this field, the end result is what truly matters. This analytical and structured approach helped me take responsibility for projects and budgets seriously. I learned to plan backward, assess risks, and develop mitigation strategies.

Working on diverse projects across different countries and cultures taught me the significance of finding common ground. I became skilled in stakeholder management, understanding how to communicate effectively with various groups within an organisation. I was often seen as someone who could solve problems, which aligned with my results-oriented mindset. My goal was to remove roadblocks and focus on solutions, ensuring that I maintained strong relationships with stakeholders for sustainable collaboration.

I believe in being transparent about both successes and challenges, reporting issues early to allow for better problem-solving. This pragmatic approach has been vital in managing complex programmes and the diverse people involved. My background as a programme manager differentiates me from many CEOs, as I bring structure and a unique perspective to my role. Ultimately, I see life itself as a project to be managed in manageable steps, which makes challenges feel less daunting.

I believe in being transparent about both successes and challenges, reporting issues early to allow for better problem-solving.

You have worked in many different countries, including Denmark, Dubai, Qatar, South Africa, Philippines, Czech Republic, and Germany today. How would you say your international experience has influenced both your leadership style and current areas of expertise?

My international experience has significantly shaped my leadership style and expertise. I never really chose my career; it chose me, and I've always approached it fluidly, driven by a love for adventure and travel. Opportunities often came through headhunting, and I embraced them because my project management skills are transferable across various situations. I approach challenges with a clear, analytical mindset, balancing compassion and directness in my interactions.

Adaptability is crucial in different cultural environments, and I focus on listening and treating people with respect. I understand that results-driven approaches require investing time in team members to foster engagement and collaboration. For instance, when my family moved to the Czech Republic, it took us 18 months to feel settled, highlighting that each move presents unique challenges.

I believe in giving clear structure around deliverables while standing alongside my team to help them achieve their goals. Building rapport through humour and open communication has also been key, especially in diverse settings like Germany. Overall, my aim is to leave a place better than when I arrived, focusing on developing people and creating sustainable approaches that ensure everyone enjoys their work.

I approach challenges with a clear, analytical mindset, balancing compassion and directness in my interactions.

With AI becoming smarter at an exponential pace, fostering digital culture quickly has undeniably become a must for the survival of any enterprise. You were invited to talk about this phenomenon in April on the podcast Bots & People. What are some opportunities, challenges, and strategies about the process of digitalisation that you could share with us?

The digitalisation process presents both opportunities and challenges. Fostering a digital culture is essential for survival in today's AI-driven environment. Adaptability is crucial in this context. We're redesigning our architecture to be leaner and lighter, moving away from over-investment in self-developed tools. We began our technical journey in 2015 and realised, while we are digital, our agility is lacking due to the sheer volume of tools we own, which is no longer sensible in today’s environment.

Internally, we are challenging ourselves to become leaner and lighter without discarding our previous investments. We are exploring low-code and no-code solutions and developing power applications. Admittedly, it has been difficult to assess our systems critically, especially since we built many of them ourselves. However, we recently started working on two proofs of concept with Microsoft Fabric, reinforcing our belief that data is king.

Our roadmap for the next 12 to 18 months focuses on making operations more effective and cost-efficient, with a commitment to transparency and stakeholder management. We have created a roadmap and secured budget for these initiatives because we demonstrated to our board that achieving cost-effectiveness requires investment. We've gained board support for this core part of our strategy, which includes ensuring that all employees have access to the data they need and building customer portals to further democratise our applications.

Success hinges on being aligned with the board. It’s crucial to have their support, as they should be your biggest advocates. To maintain this relationship, I provide regular updates every two weeks and share financial information monthly to build trust in our decision-making. Effective stakeholder management ensures the board feels included in our processes. A supportive board is vital for implementing innovative ideas, and I am fortunate to have a pragmatic board that is open to listening and providing guidance. While it requires significant effort, their backing is invaluable for driving our initiatives forward.

Success hinges on being aligned with the board. It’s crucial to have their support, as they should be your biggest advocates.

The tech and digital worlds tend to be heavily male dominated. What advice(s) would you give a young woman striving to catch up and transform digitally, but feeling out of her depth and not knowing where to start?

For young women striving to catch up and transform digitally, my advice is to start with practicality and pragmatism. It’s crucial to create an environment where you can hang on to something solid amid the overwhelming information. You don’t have to have all the answers; instead, focus on setting pragmatic goals and giving people choices, that aren't truly choices but rather guide them toward the right decision.

Each time you set clear expectations and deliver against them, you begin to build your credibility and confidence. Remember, if you challenge others, you must be ready to deliver on your promises. Over time, this consistent delivery will reduce the questions others have about your abilities, allowing you to move in the right direction with a solid foundation.

What are some of your interests and passions, and how would you say they relate to your professional journey?

My interests and passions revolve around collaboration and recognising the value each individual brings to a team. I’ve learned that I may not be the smartest person in the room, but my ability to work with others is a vital skill. I have no formal qualifications in technology or business, yet I've found success by holding my own with diverse teams, including at major companies like Microsoft.

It’s essential for women to recognise that bringing people together and facilitating connections is just as important as technical skills. Often, we undervalue our ability to connect and ease communication among team members. This skill is critical; without it, many projects would struggle to come together. So, know your value, understand that you bring something important to the table, and don’t hesitate to celebrate your role in making collaborations happen.

Video edited by Morgan Geyer

Meet Elizabeth Kassinis, Executive Manager of Caritas Cyprus. In this interview, she shares her personal experience of migration and provides insight into the future of migration in Europe. She elaborates on working with many different stakeholders as the leader of an NGO and the challenge of finding time to prioritise mental health and wellbeing.

Interviewed by Abigail Stoffer Ghercea

You have decades of experience in conflict resolution and economic development, working with multilateral, bilateral, and civil society organisations. Where did your particular interest in migration come from?

I cannot help but see the world through a lens of people on the move. I was raised as a first generation American in New York City in the 70s, and then moved to a very different state, Florida, in the 1980s. One of my parents was an intentional immigrant, the other was an accidental one, and both were shocked when I decided to return to Europe – specifically to Cyprus - to live. Interestingly, it took me decades to actually call Cyprus home. All my journeys were very privileged: they were on the basis of choice. I had the luxury of resources and that's not the case for most of the people in the world. People move, they struggle to settle, and yet they never really forget where they came from or where their ancestors came from. I think this is where my fascination with migration is rooted.

While my master’s thesis had a refugee focus and dealing with displacement was germane to my work with USAID in Cyprus, working with Caritas more recently has made migration a major focus of my work day-to-day. Migration is one of those ‘wicked’ issues. It has multiple facets—affected by everything and in turn affecting everything. Climate change and conflict force people from their homes; economic possibilities attract people to new places; markets need newcomers who then change the dynamic of the societies that host them. I'm not sure I set out to work on migration but it has been part of most of my professional life. Maybe it was meant to be?

Migration is one of those ‘wicked’ issues. It affects everything.

Migration is also a leading issue in Europe, reflected in the recent European Parliament elections. The New Pact on Migration and Asylum has also been adopted after years of negotiations. In light of this, how do you see the future of migration in Europe?

The word that comes to mind is “contentious”! Solutions to some of the issues created by contemporary migration flows are elusive. It's hard to know where to start when something is as complicated. I think Europe is struggling to reconcile a number of different conflicting forces. For example, we have an aging population in Europe that, on some level, recognises the important contributions that migrants have made over the years and can make in filling critical gaps. People of a migrant background are part and parcel of European societies, and they have brought and bring skills, energy, and innovation. But there's a part of Europe that's more concerned about the changes that newcomers bring and the increase in irregular (or what is perceived as irregular) migration means. A lot of the EU’s new Pact on migration is about managing what we've now come to understand are going to be unavoidable flows that will likely meet increasing skepticism and empathy fatigue at a societal level. Let’s face it; it is unlikely that the pressures of conflict, poverty, and climate change will let up and so neither will desires to get to Europe.

The reality is that most of the people who are forcibly displaced in the world stay within the borders of their own country or in those of a neighboring country. In 2021 Europe hosted around 10% of the world's refugee population and, after the war in Ukraine, this figure went up to about 20%. Although that's still a small percentage of the total worldwide, that's not how many Europeans feel. Nor is it necessarily the way it's portrayed by the media and by politicians and so this then leads us to the results of the recent EU parliamentary elections, which suggest that people feel under crisis. This sense of being in crisis is going to drive how migration is managed and governed in Europe in the coming years.

The reality is that most of the people who are forcibly displaced in the world stay within the borders of their own country or in those of a neighboring country.

Caritas Cyprus is dedicated to assisting vulnerable populations by providing direct support and by advocating for improved policies and services to benefit these groups. As Executive Manager, you oversee all these operations and functions, including programming funding from a variety of donors. Could you explain what a typical day looks like for you and what you enjoy the most in your role? How do you balance working with such a wide range of stakeholders?

Caritas works at the grassroots level—it strives to meet its beneficiaries where they are and accompany them when needed. This perspective makes us better able to advocate for individual cases, for policy change and for social justice overall. The biggest challenge—no surprise—is of course attracting and maintaining the resources required to keep the doors open and the bills paid. A typical day for me reflects all of this. Typically I will have some contact with those who come to Caritas for assistance and of course with the very dedicated team on the frontlines. In fact, my day today started this way. I got out of my car and being the first one in answered some questions from someone who had come out of camp of first reception a few weeks ago and still didn't have a job or a place to live. Most days, I spend time interacting with the government in some way or with our many partners which include other organisations supporting vulnerable groups and embassies or UNHCR who are often trying to understand or influence decisions and policies that might improve circumstances on the island. Then, of course, there's the donor piece. I spend a lot of time reporting back on projects that we run, cultivating new contacts that might lead to additional resources, and applying for European or other international funding where possible.

The most gratifying part is talking to so many different people—I feel fortunate to be able to interact with refugees, researchers, interns, journalists, donors (big and small) all on the same day.

Do you have any advice for women aiming to have a leadership position in an NGO? What advice would you have liked to hear earlier in your career?

Leading an NGO is no different to leading any other organisation. You need soft skills and the technical skills for the field. But I think that the stakes are—and can feel—a little higher leading an NGO. For companies, profit is a key motivator and an easy metric, but this does not apply to NGOs.  Success is harder to measure and sometimes impossible to prove. Being an NGO leader, you have to be clear about defining your purpose and vision, and then making sure that your resources match what you're trying to do.

If I could go back, the advice I would give is to look for and cultivate mentors. We're often afraid to expose vulnerabilities or to seem needy or even opportunistic, and so people don't necessarily reach out and ask questions or for advice. We don’t ask potential mentors to help or to share their experience. Networks, like WIL, help with being able to talk to others and hearing about others’ experiences. This brings new perspective and ideas. Not every interaction has to be a ‘lead’, but every interaction is a learning opportunity.

For companies, profit is a key motivator and an easy metric, but this does not apply to NGOs. Success is harder to measure and sometimes impossible to prove. Being an NGO leader, you have to be clear about defining your purpose and vision, and then making sure that your resources match what you’re trying to do.

Working in an NGO that assists vulnerable populations often means facing heavy realities on a daily basis. How do you prioritise your mental health?

This question made me hopeful that we're all finally recognising the importance of mental health at work, because it's long been neglected. In an organisation like Caritas, which is small and front facing, we experience a tremendous amount of burnout. One of the things we did to combat this was to institute a ‘wellness hour’ every week where we insist that everyone take an hour, somewhere between the core hours of 9 and 4, to do something that relieves stress. People take walks, a yoga class or even a longer lunch. We feel pretty privileged as an organisation to be able to offer this, but I think it is something that needs to be done by most organisations that rely on their people to stay well.

For me, personally, I like to read, and I particularly love historical fiction. I have a book club that has provided me with a wonderful refuge for years. I love about a book I’ve read in a group setting, but in fact we end up talking about everything else too, which is therapy in and of itself. I also really enjoy cooking and watching competitive cooking shows.

What do you consider your greatest achievement? This can be professional, personal, or even both.

It sounds so lofty to talk about achievements, but one of the things I am most proud of is the work I did on cultural heritage in Cyprus with the US Agency for International Development. I worked on projects that brought together people from both sides of the divide to restore historical monuments, ancient site and artifacts, religious buildings and neighborhoods. Despite their differences, people were willing to work together, for the sake of things they cared about and which were part of their shared history—and the world’s cultural heritage which is significant for all of us.

On a more personal note, I am proud to think that I, in a small way, contributed to the development of the young people that I've had the opportunity to work with in the last few years, whether as interns or as students or just as encounters. It’s been gratifying to spent time working with young people looking to find their voice. I am humbled to think that I have been part of their story. I'm also proud to see how some of the young people I love most, my nieces and nephews, the children of my friends, my goddaughters, and my daughters have developed and come into their own. Closest to home, I see a social and environmental consciousness and a capacity for empathy in my  two wonderful daughters. This makes me hopeful because think the world needs these things more than ever. We're lost otherwise.

Video Edited by Tara Arnott

Meet Emanuela Palazzani, Founder & CEO of Atman Advisory, dedicated to sustainability and ethical leadership. She shares her journey from a family-owned industrial company to founding her own ventures, emphasising hard work, strategic vision, and integrity. As a WIL Board Member, she highlights her role in supporting young leaders and shares her guiding motto from Seneca, inspiring proactive and courageous leadership.

Interviewed by Meike Schneiders

You have been a CEO for more than 20 years. What are the lessons and memories from earlier times that have stayed with you and that guide you in leading your company?

As I reflect on my journey of more than 30 years, first in my family-owned industrial company and then in the company I founded and own, I am reminded of several key lessons and cherished memories that have profoundly influenced my approach to leadership.

The value of hard work and perseverance: Starting in the marketing department and then moving into strategic planning, I quickly learned that success is built on dedication and perseverance. I remember the long hours spent understanding the needs of our customers and stakeholders, embracing technological advances, and weathering economic downturns. This experience taught me that hard work, coupled with resilience, is essential to achieving long-term goals.

Strategic vision and execution: My daily involvement in strategic planning reinforced the importance of having a clear vision and meticulously executing strategies. As a business leader, you must ensure that your goals are aligned with your long-term objectives, while being pragmatic and adaptable in your approach.

Integrity and Ethical Leadership: Becoming an entrepreneur, I saw firsthand the importance of conducting business with integrity and ethical principles. This legacy of trust and honesty continues to guide my decisions and interactions, fostering a culture of transparency and respect.

Hard work, coupled with resilience, is essential to achieving long-term goals.

Sustainability, both economic and environmental, has been a driving force in your career. Where does this commitment come from and how do you embed it in your leadership role at Atman Advisory? 

Sustainability, both economic and environmental, has been a guiding principle throughout my career and remains a cornerstone of my leadership approach.

In June 2009, thanks to a highly innovative faucet production that has been put in place since 2006 and that provides water saving results, my company was awarded the renovation of the G8 meeting headquarters in L'Aquila, Italy, as ESG policy was one of the main topics of the G8 summit.

As a leader in the consulting sector, I now guide other organisations in adopting sustainable practices, seeking the best solutions for financing their investments in renewable energy and other ESG requirements to be compliant in terms of diversity and inclusion, community engagement and partnerships, and legacy and future vision.

In summary, my commitment to sustainability is both a personal passion and a professional obligation. As a woman leader and WIL Board member, I am also committed to empowering young leaders through the WIL Talent Pool programme, emphasising that inclusive leadership is essential to sustainable and long-term success.

As a woman leader and WIL Board member, I am also committed to empowering young leaders through the WIL Talent Pool programme, emphasising that inclusive leadership is essential to sustainable and long-term success.

In the past, you have dedicated yourself to creating and enabling environmentally friendly luxury products. This sounds like a contradiction to many people. How can we create high quality and exclusive products and services and still do it in harmony with planetary boundaries?

The idea of creating eco-friendly luxury products often seems contradictory, but it is not only possible, it is essential for the future of both the luxury industry and our planet. My commitment to this goal is rooted in the belief that high quality, exclusive products and services can and should be produced in harmony with our environmental limits.

Consumers today are increasingly aware of the environmental and social impact of their purchases. By providing transparency and traceability, luxury brands can build trust and demonstrate their commitment to sustainability. This includes clear communication about the origin of materials, the environmental practices of suppliers, and the entire lifecycle of the product. Certifications and eco-labels can also play a role in assuring consumers of the product's sustainability credentials.

Embracing circular economy principles is another way to align luxury products with environmental sustainability. This includes designing products for durability, repairability and recyclability, as well as implementing take-back programmes and encouraging the resale or recycling of used products. By closing the loop, luxury brands can reduce waste and resource consumption while providing value to their customers.

In conclusion, creating high-quality, exclusive products in harmony with planetary boundaries is not only possible, but necessary for the future of the luxury industry. By integrating sustainability into every aspect of the product lifecycle-from sourcing and design to manufacturing and consumer education, we can offer products that meet the highest standards of luxury while respecting and preserving our environment. This approach not only enhances the value of luxury products, but also meets the growing demand for responsible and sustainable luxury from consumers around the world.

Creating high-quality, exclusive products in harmony with planetary boundaries is not only possible, but necessary for the future of the luxury industry.

You are a strong believer that digitalisation is a driving force for economic development and progress. What in your view is one step towards a more digital business world that so many leaders and companies are missing?

Digitalisation is indeed a powerful catalyst for economic development and progress, offering countless opportunities for innovation, efficiency and growth. However, a critical step that many leaders and companies often overlook is the importance of fostering a digital culture within their organisations.

Embracing digitalisation isn't just about implementing the latest technologies; it's about creating an environment where digital thinking and behaviors are ingrained in the company's DNA. This includes cultivating a mindset that values agility, continuous learning, and collaboration across all levels of the organisation.

A digital culture encourages experimentation and embraces the possibility of failure as a learning opportunity. Leaders should empower their teams to try new ideas and approaches without fear of repercussions. This can be achieved by fostering an environment where innovation is celebrated and iterative processes are the norm. Providing the right tools, resources, and support for experimentation is critical to fostering a culture of innovation.

Embracing digitalisation isn't just about implementing the latest technologies; it's about creating an environment where digital thinking and behaviors are ingrained in the company's DNA.

You have been a member of the WIL Board of Directors since 2014, so there must have been many memorable moments. What was your favourite WIL moment?

Thank you for this question, which gives me the opportunity to express how honored and proud I am to serve WIL as a Board Member. Serving, creating opportunities, supporting the young leaders in WTP are the key words. At Harvard Business School in Boston, I developed new tools to implement strategy and foster new visions as a senior leader. There are so many memorable moments: The annual meetings in Madrid, Athens, London, Rome and especially the one in Milan, which I had the privilege of organising. Incredible meetings at the European Parliament with Michelle Barnier, Margrete Vestager and all the great speakers.

Last but not least, let's end this interview with a Proust question: What is your motto that has guided you through your life and career and that always comes back to you?

My motto, which has guided me throughout my life and career, is a quote from Seneca:

"It is not because things are difficult that we don't dare, but because we don't dare that they are difficult."

This powerful statement is a constant source of inspiration for me. It reminds me that many of the challenges we face can be overcome if we have the courage to take the first step. It encourages me to approach difficulties with a bold and proactive mindset, turning obstacles into opportunities. By taking risks and pushing boundaries, I have been able to achieve growth, foster innovation and lead with confidence. This motto captures the essence of my leadership philosophy and continues to inspire me to strive for excellence and make a meaningful impact. It’s important to empower women and people around you to have the courage to dare. The ones who dare, succeed.

It’s important to empower women and people around you to have the courage to dare. The ones who dare, succeed.