A Business Partner by heart, Sonja has spent her career so far in the music, advertising, fashion ecommerce (Zalando), hospitality (Airbnb), SAAS (Miro) and classifieds business (AVIV group), among others. She started in Marketing and moved to HR, where she holds more than 15 years of experience in various HR leadership roles, always striving to design and execute the right organizational and people strategy that best fulfills the needs of the given business and organizational context. Scaling through organic and inorganic growth, reorganizing, internationalizing, going public, response to economic crises, and restructuring are the various phases of the organizational lifecycle Sonja has led through. Sonja is a certified coach.

Shownotes

00:00 - Intro & Context
02:59 - Navigating Organizational Changes
05:54 - Building Trust as a Business Partner
08:50 - The Role of Communication in HR
11:50 - Understanding Different Business Partner Types
14:40 - The Importance of Context in HR Decisions
17:50 - The Dynamics of Manager-Business Partner Relationships
20:37 - Effective Communication During Organizational Changes

Links

Guest Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonja-sinterhauf-448a7a51/


Thomas Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-kohler-pplwise/
Thomas e-mail: thomas@pplwise.com
pplwise: https://pplwise.com/

#129 - Sonja Sinterhauf | Business Partnering

Ralph Linde ist Ex-Top-Manager bei der Volkswagen AG und war der Leiter der Konzernbildung. Aktuell ist er der Präsident von “42”, das sind zwei Softwareschulen in Berlin und Wolfsburg, sowie Lyriker. Er hat gerade sein erstes Buch, “Die Gefälle dieser Tage” publiziert, welches beim Athena Verlag erhältlich ist.

Shownotes

00:00 – Intro
02:33 – Transformation
05:56 – Was es wurde
12:04 – Kommunikation
14:10 – Was wird sein
16:32 – Tidenhub
20:17 – In meinem Land
22:28 – Kai Zen
26:08 – Der Raum vor mir
27:56 – Der Mai
29:56 – Rastlos
33:42 – Und ich?
34:46 – KI Männlich
35:39 – Karibu
36:22 – Trauer
37:17 – Zustände

Links

Guest Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ralph-linde-b14865149/

Thomas Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-kohler-pplwise/
Thomas e-mail: thomas@pplwise.com
pplwise: https://pplwise.com/

#128 - Ralph Linde | Gedichte als Denkanstöße für Transformation und das Leben

Christoph Zoeller begeistert sich seit seiner Jugend für Unternehmertum – erste Jobs, eigene Events und viel Energie prägten seinen Weg. Während seines dualen Studiums gründete er Instaffo, eine Plattform, die Recruiting durch intelligente Matching-Technologie neu denkt. Heute ist er CEO eines erfolgreichen Start-ups mit achtstelligem Jahresumsatz.

Shownotes

00:00 - Intro & Context
06:06 - Entwicklung des Recruiting-Marktplatzes
11:59 - Liquidität im Recruiting-Marktplatz
17:26 - Zukunft des Recruitings und die Rolle von AI
17:26 - AI-gestützte Interviews und Chancengleichheit
19:27 - Die Zukunft des Recruiting-Marktes
22:12 - Herausforderungen und Chancen durch KI
27:06 - Gesellschaftliche Auswirkungen der Automatisierung

Links

Guest Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christoph-zoeller/

Thomas Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-kohler-pplwise/
Thomas e-mail: thomas@pplwise.com
pplwise: https://pplwise.com/

#127 - Christoph Zöller | Wie kann Recruiting in der Zukunft aussehen?

Matthew is a global talent leader with a track record of building and scaling high-performing teams across Amazon, Meta, Deliveroo, and more.
A former U.S. Marine, he brings a leadership-first mindset to everything grounded in ownership, trust, and accountability.
His work focuses on developing recruiting teams, growing leadership capabilities, and aligning talent to business outcomes.
From hypergrowth scale-ups to global tech giants, he’s helped organizations unlock the systems and people that drive scale.
This episode dives into what it really takes to build teams that grow fast and lead well.

Shownotes

00:00 - Intro & Context
05:59 - Key Components of Successful Teams
12:02 - Developing Existing Teams for Success
18:12 - Leadership Mindset and Allowing for Failure
18:58 - The Role of Leadership in Revenue Generation
20:40 - Cultural Nuances in Leadership
23:43 - Empowering Teams Across Cultures
27:58 - Building Effective Teams
30:49 - Humanizing Leadership and Team Dynamics
32:21 - Personal Development and Readiness for Opportunities

Links

Guest Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattdoucette/

Yeliz Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yeliz-castillo/
Yeliz e-mail: yeliz.castillo@pplwise.com
pplwise: https://pplwise.com/

#126 - Matt Doucette | Building Great Teams

Mat Middlemass, a diverse people professional from London. Having worked within the people space for 18 years, Mat is passionate about people, development, DE & I and wellbeing.

Shownotes

00:00 - Intro & Context
03:19 Trends in Mental Health Awareness
06:01 The Impact of Social Media
09:37 Finding Balance in a Digital World
12:25 Implementing Boundaries with Technology
18:25 The Reality of Comparison
28:13 Practical Tips for Mental Well-being

Links

Guest Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mathew-middlemass-b8a297121/

Yeliz Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yeliz-castillo/
Yeliz e-mail: yeliz.castillo@pplwise.com
pplwise: https://pplwise.com/

#125 - Mathew Middlemass | Mental Health - Comparison 

Navid Nazemian helps executives and leadership teams transition smoothly into new roles. He is the author of Mastering Executive Transitions - The Definitive Guide, a #1 new release and international bestseller. With experience across five countries and six sectors, he coaches C-level leaders on executive transitions. His two-decade HR career spans top global companies in emerging and developed markets. Recognized as HR’s Most Influential Practitioner by HR Magazine, he has been ranked #1 Coach globally by CEO Today for three consecutive years and received multiple prestigious awards

Shownotes

00:00 - Intro & Context
07:35 - Starting from Scratch: First Steps into Coaching
15:20 - Challenges Along the Way: Navigating the Unknown
22:45 - Advice for Aspiring Coaches: Key Lessons Learned

Links

Guest Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/navidnazemian/

Thomas Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-kohler-pplwise/
Thomas e-mail: thomas@pplwise.com
pplwise: https://pplwise.com/

High-Res Images: https://app.box.com/s/jy4lwf9xez3v8fy9o9oaub6jvlxdpaj8

Free Book Sample (with suggested Qs for busy podcast hosts on the last page): https://app.box.com/s/4c3pkmm3gva1qcrzfb1c9hq0laq8g9hw

#124 - Navid Nazeman | Mastering Executive Transitions

Milena Warner is an accomplished Talent and People leader with extensive experience in building and scaling high-performing teams. As a strategic partner to business leaders, she is passionate about creating inclusive and empowering environments that unlock potential and drive sustainable growth. With a proven track record in talent strategy, leadership development, and positive culture transformation, Milena is dedicated to fostering workplaces where people and businesses thrive together.

Shownotes

00:00 - The Evolution of Recruitment
05:40 - Empathy in Recruitment
10:39 - The Role of Technology and AI
15:40 - Feedback and Communication Challenges
20:21 - Understanding Candidate Needs
25:32 - Balancing Personal and Professional Life

Links

Guest Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/milenadwarner/


Yeliz Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yeliz-castillo/
Yeliz e-mail: yeliz.castillo@pplwise.com
pplwise: https://pplwise.com/

#123 - Milena Warner | The Human Element in Recruitment: Why It Matters

Frederic is People Director at a FinTech scale-up, bringing a unique blend of HR leadership and tech expertise to fast-growing organizations through the senior roles he held. Based in Berlin, Frederic worked at companies such as Tesla, Zalando, and other leading tech-driven firms across real estate, fashion, automotive and travel sectors. With a background in computer science and HR Management, Frederic combines a deep understanding of technology with a passion for people strategy, leadership development, and organizational growth. Known for building scalable teams and fostering innovation, Frederic is committed to creating sustainable success through strategic, tech-enabled people practices.

Shownotes

00:00 - Intro & Context
02:13 - Die Implementierung von KI in HR-Prozesse
08:40 - Automatisierung und Effizienzsteigerung durch KI
11:12 - Zukunftsvisionen: KI im Recruiting und People Management
17:36 - Die Rolle von KI in der Zukunft der Arbeit

Links

Guest Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/flclaudius/

Thomas Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-kohler-pplwise/
Thomas e-mail: thomas@pplwise.com
pplwise: https://pplwise.com/

#122 - Frederic-Louis Claudius | KPIs in Verbindung mit Automatisierung

Peter is a seasoned People/HR Leader with a track record of aiding startups in achieving sustainable and rapid growth. He emphasizes the significance of establishing a strong foundation, likening it to building a structure. Having contributed to the expansion of companies such as Catawiki, Delivery Hero, Glovo, REMY Robotics, and Docplanner, Peter excels in fostering empowering experiences and solid frameworks. His proficiencies encompass diverse areas like People analytics, Business unit management, Talent development, HR Operations, Digital Transformation, Performance management, Compensation & Benefits, and Leadership growth.

Shownotes

00:00 - The Challenge of Disconnected HR Systems
03:11 - Navigating HR Tools for Startups
05:58 - Data Flow and Workforce Planning
09:08 - Streamlining Data Collection for New Hires
12:02 - Integrating Systems for Efficient HR Operations
15:00 - Leveraging Data for People Analytics
18:02 - The Importance of Macro and Micro Data
20:59 - AI in Recruitment and Performance Management
24:00 - Building a Comprehensive Hiring Framework
27:00 - Connecting Startups with HR Solutions

Links

Peter Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/petervankersen/

Thomas Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-kohler-pplwise/
Thomas e-mail: thomas@pplwise.com
pplwise: https://pplwise.com/

#121 - Peter van Kersen | Streamlining HR for Startups

After 3.5 years of agency experience specialising in graduate sales recruitment within Fast Moving Consumer Goods, Dan transitioned to internal recruitment at Attensi. Over the past four years, he has been dedicated to attracting top talent across Attensi’s UK, Oslo, and Boston offices. Working alongside the brilliant Talent team, Dan has played a key role in establishing best practice within the function and successfully doubling the company’s headcount.

Shownotes

00:00 - Intro & Context
06:09 - Understanding the Differences in Recruitment Roles
08:53 - The Challenges of Internal Recruitment
15:01 - Strategies for Successful Recruitment

Links

Guest Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielhanlon1/

Yeliz Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yeliz-castillo/
Yeliz e-mail: yeliz.castillo@pplwise.com
pplwise: https://pplwise.com/

#120 - Daniel Hanlon | From Agency Recruitment to Internal Recruitment 

Welcome to "The People Factor," where we explore the role of the people function in driving business success. We dive into the strategies, tactics, learnings & failures from top organizations to drive strategic objectives impacted by the people function. Weekly, Thomas chats with industry experts and thought leaders about news, the latest trends and best practices related to develop an organization. Tune in to "The People Factor" to learn how to unlock the full potential of your team and organization.

Thomas Kohler

Shows