Presentation Panel
Winning the Race for Talent: Superfueling L&D
Date Thursday, Dec 4 Time – Room: Köpenick II/III
Struggling to attract and retain talent while traditional recruitment channels fall short? Explore how to build internal academies and alternative pathways that create your own talent pipeline, discover how merging two companies' learning cultures became a strategic advantage during organisational change, and learn how L&D transforms from cost centre to talent magnet that makes organisations irresistible to top performers. Speakers will demonstrate how strategic L&D investment directly impacts your ability to win in today's competitive talent landscape.
Kirsten Mueller
Head of Learning & Development, MSIG Europe SE
Kirsten is Head of Learning & Development at MSIG Europe SE, shaping Learning, Change, Culture, DE&I, Wellbeing and Social Responsibility for over 1,300 employees across eight countries. Her focus is on building modern, skill-based structures and international learning networks that connect strategy with practice. With many years of HR experience and a CIPD background, she brings perspectives that drive sustainable transformation and make learning culture tangible.
Mariana de Heredia
Learning Experience Designer, SoftwareONE
Originally from Mexico City, I hold both an MA and a PhD from Stanford University, where I began shaping my passion for the intersection of education, technology, and innovation. My work focuses on advancing instructional design and driving technical skills development to prepare learners for the workforce of the future. Over the years, my career has taken me from California and Washington, D.C. to the Philippines, Nepal, and Myanmar, before landing in Berlin, where I now call home. When I’m not experimenting with new EdTech tools or designing role-based learning strategies, you’ll likely find me with a book in hand or on a yoga mat.
James Swift
Director of Talent Development, Leyton UK
James Swift is Director of Talent Development at Leyton, a global consultancy firm accredited as an exceptional learning organization. Twice a finalist for Learning Leader of year, he leads the strategy that creates an environment that empowers performance across all levels of the organization. James is passionate about AI, skills, and data, and has been published as a leading case study for his work with AI. He is a proponent of using AI to support human capability, and has created the "swift Model" of organizational performance.
Moderator
Jo Cook
Director, Lightbulb Moment
Jo Cook is Director of her company Lightbulb Moment, which specialises in developing, facilitating and training others to deliver great live online training sessions, virtual classrooms, webinars and blended, digital programmes. Jo has a background in teaching, technology and journalism. She facilitates, speaks, writes, blogs and tweets on L&D topics and part-time is the Deputy Editor of Training Journal magazine and website. Jo’s background includes further and higher education, the charity sector, small and large organisations, including CNN News and Bupa International.
From Education to Employment: DIY Talent Strategies for a Skills-Driven Workforce, Mariana de Heredia
Many people starting their professional careers feel over-educated and yet under-qualified. In this session, we will explore how skills are the new currency and why in-house, role-based training grounded in skills taxonomies offers a powerful DIY talent strategy to bridge education and employment while keeping pace with industry trends.
Two Companies, One Learning DNA: How We Built L&D in the Midst of Change, Kirsten Mueller
How can Learning & Development drive cultural integration in times of disruption? Discover how we transformed two separate L&D strategies into one shared vision that anchors identity, culture, and change.
Beyond Capability – Real Strategies on Making L&D Your Market Differentiator, James Swift