Hall of Femmes

(1) What I love about my current job is...
…being able to use creative freedom, take responsibility and leverage my skills and expertise. I get to implement my own ideas and am constantly learning new things as an investor in start-ups – in line with my motto in life: Stay curious.

(2) I’ve long been passionate about...
...new work, leadership and diversity.

(3) One of the highlights of my career so far has been...
…constantly having the opportunity to meet interesting people: people from different cultures and hierarchies, people in the public eye and total strangers. As an HR board member, I’ve been able to make big, far-reaching decisions that actively shape issues such as new work and transformation for employees – these have also been highlights for me.

(4) When I look back on my career so far, I’d say that what has particularly shaped me has been...
...the fact that I’ve always worked in very large organisations – the complexity of decisions, teamwork and the breaking down of silos. Being in the front row of such organisations and being responsible for my own decisions is what has driven me.

(5) I’d advise any young women wishing to pursue a career similar to mine to...
...exploit all your professional expertise and believe in yourself. Also set yourself a clear goal and work towards it. It helps to have an inner compass, i.e. to know your strengths and weaknesses and your values. This might sound a bit abstract if you’ve just finished your degree. But the earlier you set yourself goals and determine your values, the more strategically you’ll be able to make professional and personal decisions.

(6) I believe that female role models are important in university and professional life today because...
…they can inspire you, show you potential paths and motivate you.

(7) Networking with other women in my field is important to me because...
…it enables me to continuously learn, get valuable feedback and be inspired by what other women have achieved.

(8) I associate my time at Paderborn University with...
…a great opportunity to constantly apply and question things I learned there in my professional life: I completed my undergraduate degree in 1987, and my doctoral degree in Paderborn in 2014 was the perfect follow-on to this content wise and was extremely interesting, too.

(9) For the next 50 years, I wish Paderborn University...
...to continue to keep its finger on the pulse and every success with its digital transformation. For me, this also includes agile working methods in research and teaching, as well as closely interlinking theory and practice. I’m interested to see how Paderborn University shapes its own transformation.