Katharina Dürbaum is Head of International Assignment Management and Gabriele Braun Sr. Vice President Corporate People and Organisational Development at Continental (tyres, automotive systems and parts), which has its headquarters in Hannover (Germany). They talked to us for the March issue of Global Connection Magazine. Here are some excerpts from the full interview:
Expat experience important
“The international exchange and internationality itself are true strategic goals for Continental. We really try to make the most out of it. Expatriation is therefore of great importance to us. Since last year we have adopted a policy whereby from 2014 all newly appointed top managers will have to have had international experience of at least one year.”
Dual Career issue
“We believe a personal approach is necessary to handle dual career as well as family issues. Don’t forget: you are not dealing with a commodity, you are dealing with people – people with a specific life and a specific history.”
On-going support
“We think on-going support for the partners is really necessary, and in that respect Global Connection is very important to us in a number of ways. For instance, there is an existing network, which means that expats and their partners can share their experiences. The on-going information that is offered is also very valuable.”
Repatriation
“Repatriation is one of the most challenging parts of an expatriation. It’s only successful if the expat and the responsible executive work closely together, both before and during the assignment.”
