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Establishing and developing global Human Resources: Get to know Maren Uzarek

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Establishing and developing global Human Resources: Get to know Maren Uzarek

Many of you have probably heard or read about it by now on one of our communication channels: Maren Uzarek joined NKG’s Board of Management on October 1st! This is not only great news because she is an absolute Human Resources expert with outstanding skills but also because of her way of thinking beyond HR topics. In many of our previous articles, we have emphasized the importance of employees for business success. Thus, it also means committing to this topic and giving it the relevance it needs and deserves. To get to know her better and gain a better understanding of the work she does, Maren kindly answered us some questions.

On 1st of August 2012, Maren started her career at NKG as Head of HR Neumann Gruppe. Together with her growing team, she optimized existing processes and established new ones, like for example on- and offboarding, personal development, the implementation of a digital HR tool and much more. In the course of the years, Maren additionally started participating in international HR issues with David M. Neumann. It soon became clear that there is a lot of potential in building a groupwide HR structure and therefore, Group HR was separated from NG HR in Hamburg. This is also due to the changing demands of employees worldwide, who ask themselves (and the companies) many questions when applying for a position in a new company: What can I contribute to the company? What is the purpose of my job? How is the leadership culture and the working environment? So, Group HR is also concerned with strategic questions like how to become and stay attractive for many different people all over the globe in the long term and how to retain and further develop talents at NKG.

Maren Uzarek, Director Group Human Resources

“To be able to stay interesting for our current and future employees, a groupwide HR structure is crucial. Regional HR Managers will be responsible for the local implementation of what we decide on a conceptual and strategic level. This will of course be in close collaboration with their local HR teams. We already started in North America with Lily Gul in 2017 and have so far been able to also establish Marcelo Nogueira for Brazil and Hellen Akumu for East Africa.”

In September this year, Maren joined other colleagues from NKG group companies at the Asia Summit to introduce the new HR structure and also celebrate the Asian companies’ jubilees. “It was of course a great opportunity on a personal level, as I got to meet many well-known and new colleagues. I also got a feeling for the atmosphere and the work environment at the Asian companies”, she explains. “On a professional level, this helped me a lot, because we were finalizing and publishing the job as Regional HR Manager for Asia Pacific. Knowing the people and the environment makes it a lot easier to decide on whom to choose for the position.” So, we are very excited about who is going to be announced in the course of 2023!

Personal questions

What do you particularly appreciate about your work at NKG?

As an employer, NKG combines the advantages of a family business and an international group in the best possible way. This mix of short decision-making processes, very personal interaction and the opportunity to work with other cultures makes the work attractive for me.

In recent years, my team and I have been able to establish HR in Hamburg and build up a solid structure that is constantly being developed. Responsibility for shaping group-wide HR is the next step, which I gladly accept as a positive challenge.

What is of particular concern to you in your work on the Board of Management?

HR and leadership are among the strategic issues of our time, which has become even more apparent in the last few years of the pandemic. It is therefore necessary to establish this competence as a strategic sparring partner for the management. When I joined the management of Neumann Gruppe GmbH, David Neumann and the other board members showed that they take this development seriously and also want to focus on HR. Together with my Hamburg and international HR colleagues, I would like to contribute to creating a modern and sustainable corporate culture and working environment, thus ensuring the long-term attractiveness of NKG as an employer.

How do you prepare your coffee in private and how do you prefer to drink it?

At home, I use a filter coffee machine or a fully automatic coffee machine, which my husband and I received by the Neumann Gruppe as a wedding present. I prefer drinking my coffee black, and now and then I also like cappuccino. In the afternoons, I am happy to receive an espresso from my colleagues in the coaching team.

What is it that you can laugh about a lot?

Situational comedy, everyday things and the wisdom of my six-year-old daughter. And one should never forget not to take yourself too seriously.

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