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Let's start with the most exciting news – winning the award for HR Leader of the year at TLC Lions Human Awards Europe 2026! And to simply smash the records, The Access Group was also awarded Human Company of the Year! Congratulations – we are curious to know what does receiving a European‑level award mean to you personally and professionally?
Honestly, when I heard the news, my first thought was about my team and these fantastic people that surround me. This award doesn't sit on my shelf, it belongs to every single person I have had the chance to work with and learn from, and to all the employees across Access who show up every day and make this company so amazing. Professionally, it's a validation that doing HR with heart, with rigour, and with courage actually matters. And The Access Group being named Human Company of the Year alongside it? That tells me we're building something real here, not just processes, but a culture people are proud to be part of.
This award speaks loud about your leadership style and the achievements you and the teams have been earning throughout the past years. What part of your HR vision do you feel this award recognises most strongly?
I've always believed that HR is not a support function - it's a strategic engine. My vision has been to build an Employee Success operation that genuinely connects people to purpose, and that's resilient enough to hold through change - whether that's a major system transformation, collective bargaining negotiations, or scaling across very different European countries. I think this award recognises the courage to do HR differently - to invest in people relationships, to promote from within before talent walks out the door, and to use technology as a tool for human connection, not a replacement for it.
Now moving to the celebration of International Women's Day, this year's theme is Give to Gain, which after mentioning the award feels very fitting. How do you experience balancing the "give” and the "gain” in the ever-changing domain of HR?
HR is, by nature, a giving profession. You give presence, you give solutions, you give energy - often invisibly. But the "gain" is also real, if you know where to look. For me, the gain is watching someone step into a leadership role they didn't believe they were ready for. It's seeing an engagement score rise because people feel genuinely heard. The balance I've learned, and it took time, is that you cannot sustainably give from an empty cup. Investing in your own growth, your own boundaries, and your own team's capacity is not selfish. It IS the strategy.
For those who are just starting their careers in HR, what advice would you give to women especially who aspire to take on leadership roles?
Three things. First, own your curiosity and ambition. Don't shrink that curiosity to make others comfortable. Second, build your expertise deeply, not just broadly. Know employment law, know data, know finance well enough to speak in the boardroom, not just the HR office. And third, find your people. Mentors, peers, allies - and be that person for others too, because leadership is not a solo sport. The award I received is proof that when women invest in each other and in their craft, the recognition follows. Lead from your values, and the rest will come.
And since we mentioned trends and AI is injected into all Access business areas, how do you see the role of HR transforming in the next 3–5 years?
We're already living it. We piloted career and benefits apps and Virtual Assistants, that's real capacity freed up for human-centred work. Hard to tell what will happen in the next 3 to 5 years, because of the speed and agility of change, but I believe HR world should be vigilant and ready to change the mindset. It’s very important to mention that HR will become more critical than ever, with a focus on humanity and skills to support business growth. The professionals who thrive will be those who can use AI to analyse, predict, and personalise the employee experience while still walking into a room and reading what the data can't. My advice? Embrace the tools, but double down on your human skills. Empathy, judgment, cultural intelligence - those are the skills AI will never replace, and the ones that will define the next generation of HR leaders.