We have been an established player in the German strategic communications market for 30 years now. Over the course of our company’s history, a number of our colleagues have moved on to other companies, associations, institutions, start-ups or other consultancies. We have maintained collegial, friendly contact with many of them since. From now on, every six weeks we will ask one former colleague: What are you up to right now?

We interviewed our former colleague Florence Schneider for our “What moves our alumni?” series. Florence left us in 2002 to join Deutsche Bank, where she has held numerous positions over the past almost 24 years. Since 2023, she has been Head of People Engagement / Transformation AFC. We were delighted that she agreed to give us an insight into her day-to-day work.

How has your experience in strategic communications consulting been helpful in your in-house position?

My time at H/Advisors Deekeling Arndt (which at the time was called Deekeling Identity & Change) was brief, but it had lasting impact and gave me an excellent start to my career at Deutsche Bank. Strategic communications consulting taught me how to interact confidently with senior managers, maintain a clear position, even in stressful situations, and communicate complex change topics clearly and precisely. In my search for communications approaches and solutions, I learned to see things from the perspective of the target group. This way of thinking has stayed with me to this day and continues to shape my work in the area of change and transformation.

Over the years, you have become familiar with various areas of Deutsche Bank. What do you find most appealing about working for a global corporation?

What I particularly appreciate about working at a global corporation is the diversity of people, profiles, and languages. When I walk through the corridors here, it often feels like I’m at an international airport. Everywhere I go, I encounter different voices, perspectives, and cultural backgrounds. Over the past 24 years, I have had the opportunity to work in many different areas of the bank – both on the business side as well as in infrastructure. Each of these areas has its own subculture under the larger corporate umbrella. This combination of internationality and cultural diversity makes working in internal communications at a global corporation incredibly exciting and enriching for me.

You are currently responsible for a unit dedicated to “people engagement.” What trends do you foresee for this area in the coming years?

I have observed that large corporations today are running numerous people engagement initiatives in parallel, and employees are being much more critical and selective in judging how relevant they are. As a result, people engagement will become more strategically oriented in the future, focussing on personalised formats that take into account different life stages, work realities, and needs. Hybrid models and AI tools will further professionalise learning and communications. The key will be to create transparency, further hone digital skills, and actively support people through transformation – throughout the entire lifecycle of each employee.

More about Florence Schneider on LinkedIn.