Severine Riviere-Gerstner
Chief People Officer
Sportradar
Episode 206
Beyond the Org Chart: Empowering People Redefines Modern HR Leadership
Current chapter: Built by People Podcast features insights from world's top HR leaders
Built By PeopleMay 5, 2025 · 14:07
Thesis
“Effective HR leadership is characterized by a commitment to continuous learning, cultural adaptability, and a human-centric approach that prioritizes listening and empowering individuals, regardless of organizational hierarchy, especially amidst technological evolution and change.”
Show notes
You don't lead the same way in Germany, Nigeria, Hong Kong, and New York. The leader who forgets that — or who never learns it — leaves impact on the table in every market they touch. Ayo Dawodu learned this early, and it became the throughline of a global HR career spanning multiple continents and industries.
As Global VP of People & Culture at Ecolab, Ayo brings a perspective shaped by genuine cultural immersion: years of working across vastly different organizational and national contexts, each demanding a different version of leadership. His core conviction is that adaptability isn't just a business competency — it's a personal discipline. And for HR leaders specifically, active listening is the foundation everything else is built on. He's watched leaders lose credibility not because they lacked authority, but because they spoke more than they listened. "Once you put your foot in as an HR leader," he observes, "your voice can only amplify when it's informed by what you've genuinely heard."
He's also done the hard work of driving significant HR initiatives without always having teams or budgets in place first — building plans, piloting programs, and finding internal champions. In emerging markets especially, that entrepreneurial approach isn't optional. Integrity, simplicity, and a commitment to making things as clear as possible for employees: those are the constants regardless of geography.
- Leading across cultures — why global HR effectiveness requires genuine adaptation, not one universal playbook
- Driving initiatives without authority or budget — how to build, pilot, and champion HR programs from within
- Using integrity as a leadership anchor — especially during organizational changes that affect employees most
- Active listening as a strategic tool — why the most influential HR leaders speak less and hear more
- Embracing continuous unlearning — why adapting to AI and evolving technology requires letting go of old practices
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What you'll take away
- 1Adapt your leadership style to different cultural environments to be effective globally.
- 2Significant HR initiatives can be driven from any level, even without direct teams or budgets, by building a clear plan, piloting, and involving champions.
- 3Organizational values are critical guides during difficult times like organizational changes, ensuring people are treated with respect and transparency.
- 4For HR leaders, active listening is paramount; it amplifies your voice and allows for self-management and self-correction.
- 5Proactively adapt to evolving technology in HR by continuously unlearning old practices and relearning new ones.
What most organizations get wrong
- •You don't need to be at the top to create your success and overcome actually the challenges.
In Severine's words
“You do not lead the same way in Germany or in Nigeria or Hong Kong or New York, right? So you need to adapt to your environment in the workforce, and more importantly, adopt different tools to lead.”
This highlights the necessity of cultural intelligence and adaptability in global leadership.
“You don't need to be at the top to create your success and overcome actually the challenges.”
This quote emphasizes that impact is not solely tied to hierarchical position but to initiative and execution.
“One of the key to success in everything that one can do, and it's dear to my heart, is make things as simple as possible.”
This provides a practical principle for designing and implementing effective programs.
“Integrity governs what we do, first of all, with our employees, but also with our clients, partners, colleagues.”
This underscores the foundational role of integrity across all aspects of a company's operations and relationships.
“Once you put your foot as an HR leader, you need to be mindful that you have a voice, but that voice can only actually amplify if you first listen.”
This offers crucial advice on the foundational importance of listening for HR leaders to gain influence.
“The watch out that I would give, and the last piece maybe from a context perspective and timing perspective, is really making sure that we adapt to the technology, right? And making sure that we take technology into account in what we do. That requires us to unlearn a lot and relearn a lot.”
This highlights the critical need for continuous adaptation and learning in the face of rapid technological advancements in HR.
The problems this episode addresses
- •Organizations struggle with upgrading capabilities in emerging markets, often lacking initial budget or dedicated teams.
- •Implementing significant HR programs, especially organizational changes, is inherently difficult and requires careful management of employee respect, transparency, and alignment.
- •HR professionals face the challenge of continuously adapting to and integrating rapidly evolving technology into their practices, requiring significant unlearning and relearning.
In this episode
Built by People Podcast features insights from world's top HR leaders
Built by People
Moving abroad has shaped me as an HR professional, and it has shaped my career
WSJD Live: Career Journey
Sportradar DEIB aims to create an inclusive workplace culture
Diversity in the Workforce
Can you tell us about a challenging obstacle you faced while implementing a significant HR program
One of the challenges I faced while implementing HR program
Sportradar's mission and values influence major decisions and projects
Sportradar's mission and values
Catherine Severin offers advice on becoming an HR leader on Built by People
Catherine Severin on Her Final Words
Topics covered
Organizations and entities mentioned
Full transcript
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