Who I am,
where I come from,
what is important to me
Where I come from and what I studied
My name is Anna Trunk and I come from Bamberg (Upper Franconia / Bavaria). After graduating from high school, I studied business administration near Wiesbaden, Germany, with two semesters abroad in Québec (Canada) and Shanghai (China), focusing on finance, logistics and international networks. In August 2012, I graduated with a Master of Science degree.
My start at Audi in corporate communications: not logical, but influential!
My first position at Audi is anything but a logical conclusion from my studies and their focus: I started as a consultant to the Head of Corporate Communications, here primarily focusing on product and technology. For me, this meant "getting out of my comfort zone," which from that point on at the latest became a kind of "red thread" for my résumé - and is therefore, from my point of view, something that defines me, shapes me, that I like to talk about and share my experiences about. The five years were also very enriching for me because I was able to get to know the entire company and experience the diesel crisis first-hand.
Start into work life (=within automotive industry)
Setting up
Audi Denkwerkstatt
"Go to Berlin, do something with start-ups!"
Setting up Audi Denkwerkstatt
In 2017, I was given the great opportunity to move to the area of R&D strategy and build up Audi's Innovation Hub in Berlin, the Audi Denkwerkstatt. As project manager, I was able to develop the best organizational form for such a hub for Audi without any major specifications or framework conditions and with a small motivated team, but also to define the corresponding objective and service portfolio: The development of business models for the future of mobility. Especially in the cooperation with the headquarters, I also learned here what corporate policy means, how roles are lived, and what an incredible effect communication can have in all these contexts.
After the set-up, I took on the role of Head of Communications and Relationship Management in Berlin, which included internal and external relationships. In addition, we worked agilely and in extremely diverse teams at Denkwerkstatt, which was not always easy, but made me an absolute fan after a certain start-up phase.
My first management responsibility and again a new environment:
HR Strategy and Innovation
In 2019, I decided to take on a new challenge and, back in Ingolstadt, helped to build up the strategy department in the HR area, part of which I later took over as Head of HR Innovation.
During this time, I also got the opportunity to become one of the youngest (female) executives in the company at the age of 32. This path was not always easy, marked by many supporters, but also by some hurdles and a lot of initiative. All of this has made me who I am. Today, I am glad I never gave up.
Start into Leadership within HR Innovation
Back to the roots:
Audi Financial Communica-tions
Finally back to the roots:
Head of Financial Communications and the first digital Annual (Finance and Sustainability) Report
My subsequent position as Head of Financial Communications also allowed me to combine the skills and passions I had already acquired: communications and my business studies. Together with my team, I was implementing Audi's annual report for the first time in purely digital form, but also as a combined financial and sustainability report. Also a kind of transformation, especially within the company.
A real "get out of the comfort zone": Change to CARIAD and move to Berlin
In October 2021, I moved to CARIAD in Berlin. CARIAD is Volkswagen's software subsidiary, founded in 2020. Since its founding, the company has been undergoing transformation and continues to do so, making it an incredibly exciting environment for me and my passion for process optimization, structuring, and supporting my teams in these uncertain times.
As Head of Employer Branding, I first developed an employer brand with my team. Here, we involved all of the company's employees, because a brand is only as strong as its fans.
In September 2022, I was offered the opportunity to take over part of the recruiting department in order to professionalize the processes here too and support employees in their further development. In January 2023, I also took over my colleague's department for six months as she had decided to take a sabbatical. I was now responsible for business recruiting, the talent programs and, on an interim basis, management recruiting. It was an exciting and challenging time.
In September 2023, I was then able to build up a new department as Head of HR Management CARIAD Group. My team was responsible for the strategic HR advisory for all subsidiaries in Germany and abroad as well as Global Assignments.
I have been Vice President / Head of Corporate Infrastructure, Health & Services since June 2024 and, reporting directly to the Executive Board, I am responsible for all of our company's mobility, travel, locations, employee benefits, as well as corporate security and Health&Safety. I took up this position directly after my maternity leave in fulltime.
Change to CARIAD
My PhD
And meanwhile: My part-time PhD on resilience from 2016-2022.
At the turn of the year 2015/2016, I decided that I wanted to take on the adventure of a part-time doctorate. Under the title "Insights on organizational and supply network resilience: Combining personality, collaboration and technology", I analyzed until December 2022 the influence of technology, such as AI, on strategic decision-making in organizations, to what extent such technologies can support this (and to what extent not), and what role they play when it comes to organizational resilience, the resilience of decision-makers and team members - but also what else is needed to achieve this. My research spanned the Corona period, which provided me with additional exciting insights and findings that I can now also use in my coaching and lectures.
A real "get out of the comfort zone": Change to CARIAD and move to Berlin
In February 2024, I became mother. As soon as I found out I was pregnant, it was clear to me that I wanted to return to work full-time straight after maternity leave. It works thanks to a great employer, team and, of course, my partner - but above all because it's the right thing for me. And to be honest: there are such and such days and of course I know what it is like to be a ravenous mother.
Working Mum
So what does all this have to do with my coaching and speaking offers?
That is what I am more than happy to explain on the following pages.