When I started, people from more than 20 nations were working here.
This diversity fascinated me from the very beginning.
At the same time, it took me a moment to find my footing in this new environment.
But it didn’t take long until colleagues started reaching out to me. I felt welcome.
And I began to understand where the company came from – and how the founder had shaped the culture and the way people treat each other.
People have always been at the center of everything.
For many years, I was something of a one‑woman show.
I had a colorful mix of tasks on my desk: compliance, negotiating benefits, organizing events – sometimes even topics related to buildings and safety.
If something needed to be done, I got it done.
One thing was always crucial – for me and for the teams at our site:
staying flexible.
When the tobacco market changed.
When restructuring hit.
Nobody gave up.
The question was always: How do we move forward from here?
That period shaped me.
Not only because of what happened, but above all because of what came afterward.
The uncertainty, the many questions, the emotional strain.
But we overcame that challenge as well.
When I first arrived, Richmond felt like a small island.
Our contact with other Körber sites around the world was still rather sporadic.
Over the years, that has changed significantly.
Working together across businesses and locations is now part of everyday life.
The role of HR has also evolved.
By the end of my career, my department was no longer an isolated function.
We became part of a global team: OneHR.
And I’m proud that I was able to contribute to this development.
Looking back on my 34 years at Körber, one insight remains:
Leadership styles change. Expectations change. Strategies change.
What endures is the ability to adapt.
What I am most proud of is this:
that people have always remained at the heart of what we do.
And that is exactly what will matter in the future, too.
