Janina Kugel

Former Siemens Chief Human Resources Officer, Boston Consulting Group Senior Advisor, Seatti Chairwoman, Diversity & Future-of-Work Keynote Speaker

Janina Kugel’s Biography:

Janina Kugel is a renowned German business leader, keynote speaker and human resources strategist, best known as the Former Corporate Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer of Siemens. Having overseen HR strategy for more than 350,000 employees worldwide, she became widely recognised for reshaping workplace culture and championing diversity within one of the world’s largest engineering companies. Today, Janina is Chairwoman of Seatti, Senior Advisor at Boston Consulting Group, and a respected voice on leadership, organisational transformation and the future of work.

After completing a Master of Economics at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, alongside studies at the University of Verona, Janina began her career in 1997 as a Management Consultant at Accenture. In this role she worked across Europe and the United States on major restructuring and organisational transformation projects for global businesses. Her work focused on change management, process redesign and communication strategies, helping organisations navigate complex transitions. These early experiences gave Janina a strong understanding of how companies evolve and the critical role that leadership and people development play in driving long-term success.

In 2001, Janina joined Siemens as Director of Strategy Business Transformation, working on strategic projects directly supporting senior leadership. She later progressed to Director of Corporate Development and then Director of Human Resources, where she led initiatives focused on talent development and leadership programmes. In 2012 she briefly moved to Chief Human Resources Officer of Osram Opto Semiconductors, where she launched a global diversity strategy and led cultural transformation during a key period of organisational change. Returning to Siemens in 2013 as Corporate Vice President of Human Resources, Janina was promoted in 2015 to Member of the Managing Board and Chief Human Resources Officer of Siemens, becoming one of the youngest members of the executive board. During this time she led global HR strategy, diversity and inclusion initiatives, learning and education programmes, and sustainability efforts across the organisation.

Today Janina is an in-demand keynote speaker who draws on decades of executive experience to help organisations understand the future of work and how to build inclusive, innovative cultures. As Senior Advisor at Boston Consulting Group, Board Member of Kyndryl, and Supervisory Board Member of TUI, she continues to shape conversations around leadership and global business transformation. Janina’s keynote speeches explore topics such as digital transformation in HR, diversity and inclusion, leadership during change, and empowering people through education. Her insights help leaders understand how investing in people drives long-term business success, making her a compelling and highly relevant speaker for corporate audiences worldwide.

Why Hire Janina Kugel?

Janina Kugel is an influential keynote speaker who brings first-hand insight from the highest levels of global business leadership. As the former Chief Human Resources Officer and Managing Board member at Siemens, she led HR strategy for more than 350,000 employees and played a central role in transforming workplace culture while advancing diversity and inclusion across the organisation. Today, as Chairwoman of Seatti and Senior Advisor at Boston Consulting Group, she helps companies navigate change and the future of work. Janina’s talks offer clear, practical perspectives on leadership, talent development and organisational transformation, showing how strong people strategies drive innovation, resilience and long-term business success.

Janina Kugel’s Career Highlights:

Here are some of the key milestones that define Janina Kugel’s remarkable career in HR and the future of work:

• 2025 – Serving as Board of Directors Chair of the Remuneration Committee at Swissport
• 2023 – Appointed Chairwoman and Board Member of Seatti
• 2022 – Named a LinkedIn Top Voice for thought leadership
• 2021 – Appointed Board Member of Kyndryl and Supervisory Board Member of TUI
• 2020 – Became Senior Advisor to Boston Consulting Group and EQT Group
• 2016 – Joined the Board of Directors of Konecranes
• 2015 – Appointed Member of the Managing Board and Chief Human Resources Officer of Siemens and delivered the TEDx Talk “Using the Power of Being Different”
• 2013 – Became Corporate Vice President of Human Resources at Siemens
• 2012 – Appointed Chief Human Resources Officer at Osram Opto Semiconductors
• 2009 – Promoted to Director of Human Resources at Siemens
• 2005 – Became Director of Corporate Development at Siemens
• 2001 – Appointed Director of Strategy Business Transformation at Siemens
• 1997 – Began career as Management Consultant at Accenture