1977 – 2007

Connecting with people has always been essential to me. In deep, honest conversations, I lose track of time and my thoughts become focused.
From my childhood, teenage years and twenties, what matters most to me are the friendships and bonds that formed during that time and continue to sustain me to this day. My family – my great-grandmother, grandparents, parents and siblings – with whom I grew up, all under one roof, including guests at a hotel and restaurant business in Koblenz in the Rhineland. This has given me, in particular, my independence, sociability and customer focus. My friends from school, sport and the Scouts, whom I still meet today when I’m in Koblenz. My formative friendships from my student days. Even today, we meet regularly throughout the year at our place in Provence, at celebrations in Cologne, during the grape harvest in the south of France and on holidays together.

…

…

Being able to live out my versatility is one of the fondest memories and experiences from that time. Learning languages, acting in plays, carnival performances, competitive rhythmic gymnastics, which took me as far as the podium at the German Championships with the group. Ballet and basketball. Going out, meeting friends and discovering my great love of travel. With just a rucksack and a plane ticket in hand, I set off alone to Australia and New Zealand straight after leaving school – with no email or mobile phone back then.
That shaped me and sparked a great desire to travel across six continents and through more than 30 countries.
Ideally, I would have liked to have studied medicine, architecture and design, politics and economics all together. In the end, I opted for economics and political science, graduating with a diploma from the University of Cologne/Germany and a Majeur du 5ème année from HEC (École des hautes études commerciales de Paris) in Paris/France.
The appeal of working internationally and across many different fields led me, after my studies, to a major international corporation/Airbus. Positions and career steps in corporate and procurement strategy, leading major transformation projects for the Executive Board, programme and project management, heading the global maintenance and repair division for civil helicopters, establishing an international organisation in after-sales and marketing… all of this perfectly suited my desire for diversity, learning and staying on the move. And what I loved most was working as part of a team, not just leading employees, but also being able to develop and support them. I am convinced that there is always the right place for an employee within a company where they can be valuable, and I have always sought that out for my employees and actively supported their leadership development.

…

Being able to live out my versatility is one of the fondest memories and experiences from that time. Learning languages, acting in plays, carnival performances, competitive rhythmic gymnastics, which took me as far as the podium at the German Championships with the group. Ballet and basketball. Going out, meeting friends and discovering my great love of travel. With just a rucksack and a plane ticket in hand, I set off alone to Australia and New Zealand straight after leaving school – with no email or mobile phone back then.
That shaped me and sparked a great desire to travel across six continents and through more than 30 countries.
Ideally, I would have liked to have studied medicine, architecture and design, politics and economics all together. In the end, I opted for economics and political science, graduating with a diploma from the University of Cologne/Germany and a Majeur du 5ème année from HEC (École des hautes études commerciales de Paris) in Paris/France.
The appeal of working internationally and across many different fields led me, after my studies, to a major international corporation/Airbus. Positions and career steps in corporate and procurement strategy, leading major transformation projects for the Executive Board, programme and project management, heading the global maintenance and repair division for civil helicopters, establishing an international organisation in after-sales and marketing… all of this perfectly suited my desire for diversity, learning and staying on the move. And what I loved most was working as part of a team, not just leading employees, but also being able to develop and support them. I am convinced that there is always the right place for an employee within a company where they can be valuable, and I have always sought that out for my employees and actively supported their leadership development.

2007 – 2018

The rush hour of life – opportunities, major life changes and everything at once
My thirties, like for many, were the decade when people – and women in particular – feel like they’re juggling everything at once. And it was great fun; I felt very alive and capable. I was able to turn a long-held dream – not just to travel extensively, but also to live abroad – into reality. I actively applied for jobs abroad and was posted to the south of France. My husband gave up his executive management positions in Germany so that we could embark on this adventure abroad together. And what was initially planned as 2–3 years turned into a decade of full integration into a wonderful new culture and language, with an international career and the birth of our three children. In the process, we broke free from ‘traditional gender roles’ and tested our limits to see how children, career, international living, role models and self-care could all fit together.

2018 – 2023

This also involved recognising my own limits and needs. And for me, this path led down a dead end. A dead end of wasting energy in the wrong place, feeling overwhelmed and bored at the same time, over-adapting and losing sight of myself. During this time, I had to recharge my batteries and summon the courage to look closely and continue learning who I really am, what defines me and what I’m passionate about. My children opened my eyes to the topic of neurodiversity, practically nudging me in that direction and making it one of my life’s missions. Just like the joy and fulfilment I’ve always felt in connecting with people and supporting them.

2018 – 2023

This also involved recognising my own limits and needs. And for me, this path led down a dead end. A dead end of wasting energy in the wrong place, feeling overwhelmed and bored at the same time, over-adapting and losing sight of myself. During this time, I had to recharge my batteries and summon the courage to look closely and continue learning who I really am, what defines me and what I’m passionate about. My children opened my eyes to the topic of neurodiversity, practically nudging me in that direction and making it one of my life’s missions. Just like the joy and fulfilment I’ve always felt in connecting with people and supporting them.

2023 to the present

In the second half of my life, I am following the path that feels right, and I am devoting myself entirely to supporting people as a certified coach.
After 20 years of experience in international management roles at Airbus, I decided to pursue what I felt was my true calling full-time: helping people to discover themselves and to live and shape their lives, careers and relationships in an authentic and harmonious way. Looking back, it was one of the most important decisions I have ever made. Above all, because it took me a great deal of courage to leave behind familiar and secure ground.
With many years of international experience in the HR development of hundreds of employees, mentoring, and team and individual coaching, I completed a training programme at the HOCHiX® Academy to become a certified coach and started my own business. Since then, I have been supporting special people and companies in finding their own path with great joy and energy.
When my children, who are in primary and secondary school, get upset about school, I like to tell them that this is only the beginning and that, fortunately, you can and should keep learning throughout your whole life. For me, these are currently singing and surfing.