Marshall Van Alstyne
Questrom Professor of Management, Boston University | MIT Digital Fellow | Co-Author of Platform Revolution | Authority on Platform Strategy & Network Effects
Janina Kugel
Former CHRO, Siemens | Senior Advisor, Boston Consulting Group | Non-Executive Director & Bestselling Author | Leadership, Diversity & Future of Work
Janina Kugel is one of Europe's most influential business leaders and a leading voice on leadership, diversity, and the future of work. As former Chief Human Resources Officer and a Managing Board member at Siemens, she shaped the people strategy of a company employing more than 300,000. Now a senior advisor to Boston Consulting Group and a non-executive director at firms like TUI and Kyndryl, she challenges audiences to rethink talent and culture.
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Janina Kugel biography
Janina Kugel is one of Europe’s most influential business leaders and a globally recognized authority on leadership, diversity, and the future of work. As the former Chief Human Resources Officer and a member of the Managing Board of Siemens, she shaped the people strategy of one of the world’s largest companies, and she is now a sought-after non-executive director, senior advisor, and author who helps organizations navigate transformation.
HR speaker Janina Kugel is best known for her tenure as CHRO of Siemens, where she held global responsibility for a workforce of more than 300,000 people and helped transform the company’s culture and reputation. She championed diversity, modern leadership, and lifelong learning, and was instrumental in reframing how a storied engineering giant attracts, develops, and inspires talent. In 2018, Manager Magazin named her First Among Equals on its list of the 100 most influential women in business.
Kugel began her career in 1997 as a management consultant at Accenture, advising international firms across Europe and the United States on restructuring and organizational design. She joined Siemens in 2001, holding leadership roles in HR and strategy in Germany, Italy, and China, served as CHRO of the Siemens subsidiary Osram, and returned to lead Siemens’ global HR function as Chief Diversity Officer before her appointment to the Managing Board. She is the author of It’s Now: Live, Lead, Work, a Der Spiegel bestseller on rethinking the rules of leadership and work.
A Leading Voice on the Future of Work
Since leaving Siemens, Kugel has built a portfolio of high-profile governance and advisory roles. She serves as a senior advisor to Boston Consulting Group and sits on the supervisory and non-executive boards of companies including TUI, Kyndryl, and Swissport. She also contributes to institutions such as the Technical University of Munich and IESE Business School, and co-chairs the digital council of the Confederation of German Employers’ Associations, lending her voice to the debate on work, technology, and society.
As a speaker, Janina Kugel is candid, energizing, and refreshingly direct, drawing on decades at the top of global business to challenge outdated assumptions about leadership and talent. With her trademark conviction that “change nothing, and nothing will change,” she shows senior audiences how diversity, curiosity, and human-centered leadership drive performance, leaving executives and HR leaders with practical ideas they can act on immediately.
Janina Kugel Speaking Videos
Using the power of being different | Janina Kugel | TEDxBerlinSalon
Leading With Strengths | Janina Kugel
Janina Kugel Keynote Topics
Artificial intelligence is no longer a future consideration; it is already reshaping roles, teams, and entire ways of working. In this keynote, Janina Kugel tackles the leadership challenge at the heart of that shift: how to redesign work so that people and machines each do what they do best. Drawing on her years leading people strategy at one of the world's largest companies and her current work advising boards on transformation, she shows leaders how to move beyond automation anxiety toward a deliberate, human-centered model of collaboration, where AI augments judgment, creativity, and trust rather than eroding them.
The old assumption that roles, structures, and skills stay fixed has quietly collapsed. Today the work itself is in constant motion, and leadership has to move with it. Kugel explores what it takes to lead when there is no stable ground: how to build adaptable teams, foster continuous learning, and give people the clarity and trust they need to perform amid permanent change. Audiences leave with a practical mindset for leading through ambiguity and turning constant change from a threat into a source of advantage.
As digital tools and AI reshape the workplace, human resources is being asked to lead transformation rather than simply support it. From her vantage point as one of the world's most respected former CHROs, Kugel cuts through the buzzwords to show what the digital transformation of HR really looks like in practice, and how it delivers real business value. Audiences learn how to connect people strategy to business strategy, modernize talent and culture, and turn HR into a genuine driver of competitive advantage.
The world of work is changing faster than most organizations can adapt, yet many leaders still cling to the playbooks that brought them past success. Drawing on her years on the Managing Board of one of the world's largest companies, Janina Kugel argues that the greatest danger is not change itself but the refusal to embrace it. With characteristic candor, she challenges leaders to question their own assumptions and shows how curiosity, courage, and a willingness to let go of old certainties create organizations that thrive amid disruption.
Diversity is far more than a compliance exercise; it is a source of creativity, resilience, and better decisions. Speaking from personal experience and decades of leading global teams, Kugel makes a compelling, evidence-based case for why difference is a strength and why organizations so often fail to capture its value. She gives leaders concrete strategies for building inclusive cultures where people can bring their whole selves to work and perform at their best.
Speaker topics
FAQs on Booking Janina Kugel
Why Janina Kugel?
Booking Janina Kugel brings your audience one of Europe's most influential and respected business leaders. As the former Chief Human Resources Officer and Managing Board member of Siemens, she led people strategy for a workforce of more than 300,000 and earned a reputation as a bold, modern voice on leadership and culture. Candid, energizing, and deeply credible, she challenges outdated thinking and offers practical insight on diversity, transformation, and the future of work. For events focused on leadership, HR, diversity, or organizational change, Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you bring her perspective to your stage.
What is Janina Kugel known for?
Kugel is best known as the former Chief Human Resources Officer and Managing Board member of Siemens, where she had global responsibility for a workforce of more than 300,000 and helped modernize the company's culture and approach to diversity. She is also a bestselling author and, since leaving Siemens, a prominent non-executive director and senior advisor. Spiegel has described her as one of Germany's most significant managers.
What is Janina Kugel's book about?
Her book It's Now: Live, Lead, Work, a Der Spiegel bestseller, examines the cultural shifts reshaping large organizations and makes the case for more flexible, people-centered approaches to leadership and work. Drawing on her experience at the top of global business, Kugel argues that the familiar rules of work no longer fit the world we live in, and that it is time to rewrite them.
What topics does HR speaker Janina Kugel cover?
Her keynotes focus on leadership in the age of AI and human-machine collaboration, leading through constant change, the digital transformation of HR, and diversity as a competitive advantage. Beyond keynotes, she is also a natural fit for fireside chats, panels, and executive masterclasses, valued for her directness and real-world experience at board level. To check her availability and tailor a session to your event, contact Aurum Speakers Bureau.
How to book Janina Kugel as a keynote speaker?
Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you book Janina Kugel as a speaker for your next event, conference, or board meeting. Simply fill out our contact form to inquire about Janina Kugel's availability for a speaking engagement. One of our booking agents will respond to your request immediately and contact the speaker to let them know you want to hire them. We will assist you with obtaining speaking fees, booking information, and confirming availability for Janina Kugel or any other top keynote speaker or celebrity of your choice.
How much is Janina Kugel speaking fee?
Janina Kugel speaking fees are determined by several factors, including the event's date, whether it's a virtual or in-person event, the duration, format, preparation required for their speech, and more. The same applies to the cost to hire any other top expert speakers and celebrities. The Speaker Fee Range listed on our website is simply a guideline and is subject to change without notice. If you would like to hire Janina Kugel to deliver a keynote speech for your event, please fill out the contact form or email us at info@aurumbureau.com with as much detail as possible. One of our experienced agents will get in touch with you and let you know exactly how much it will cost to book Janina Kugel.
How can I contact Janina Kugel?
We only work with Janina Kugel on paid speaking engagements. Aurum Speakers Bureau can assist you in booking Janina Kugel and will handle all negotiations, contracts, and logistics associated with having Janina Kugel speak at your event. We will be your sole point of contact throughout the process. Get in touch with Aurum Speakers Bureau today, and we will reach out to any motivational speaker or celebrity you want to enquire about speaking at your event. If you wish to contact Janina Kugel for any other reason, we will be unable to assist you as we are not authorized to provide personal contact information.
Can I book Janina Kugel for a virtual keynote?
Yes, Janina Kugel is available for virtual keynotes and webinars. To book Janina Kugel for a virtual event, please complete the contact form or send us an email to inquire about the special fees for virtual engagements.
