#MissionPossible: Level Up

We’re back — and bigger than before!

On 18 November, the International HR Tech Conference returned to SpinLab in Leipzig, bringing together an even more diverse and dynamic group than last year. Over 110 passionate professionals joined us onsite, and for the first time ever, we also launched a global Online Edition for participants from around the world.

This hybrid approach allowed even more voices to join the conversation — and became a powerful real-world lesson in resilience, problem-solving, and the future of digital collaboration.

And that’s exactly what HR Tech is all about.

Creating Space for Real Conversations and Real Solutions

Just like last year, SpinLab — The HHL Accelerator proved to be the perfect venue. Its atmosphere of innovation continues to inspire the kind of open dialogue our industry needs.

Throughout the day, participants explored the most pressing topics in Global Mobility and HR Tech – from AI implementation and digital transformation to compliance, recruitment challenges, and the evolving role of HR. Discussions were honest, bold, and deeply solution-oriented.

This conference once again proved that global people collaboration is not a buzzword – it’s a necessity.

Highlights from the Main Event

Opening Session & Keynotes

The conference kicked off with welcoming remarks from moderator Stefan Ganß. Our keynote speakers, Rudi Bauer (WeAreDevelopers) and Ratnesh Jha (ETS Global), delivered inspiring sessions on Community Power: From Tech to Impact and on Skills, Mobility, and the Future of Talent Verification, offering fresh perspectives on d the future of global workforces. Their message was clear: HR must lead the shift toward agility, technology, and human-centered innovation.

Co-organisers Daniel Zinner, Johanna Lehmann, and James Parsons reflected on the incredible growth from last year to today. Their vision and leadership set the tone for a forward-thinking and collaborative event. A huge thank you to EY and ETS, whose support enabled us to ensure the success of this conference.

Panels & Keynotes on the Main Stage: Where Insights Met Action

Attracting Skilled Workers to Saxony: A Success Story

Alexander Welk (Head of HR, Deutsches Zentrum für Astrophysik Görlitz), James Parsons (ETS Global), and Theresa Brox (Berlitz Deutschland) shared how regional ecosystems, language enablement, and long-term integration strategies can successfully attract international talent – even beyond major metropolitan hubs. They highlighted that sustainable talent attraction is not driven by employer branding alone, but by the full journey: clear onboarding pathways, early language support, cultural orientation, and the local connections that turn a job offer into a real arrival.

At the heart of the session was Alexander Welk’s work at the Deutsches Zentrum für Astrophysik (DZA) in Görlitz as a role model for what this can look like in practice: building a world-class research hub while recruiting globally for highly specialised profiles – and doing it in a way that doesn’t just bring people in, but helps them stay. The takeaway: when a bold mission meets a human integration experience, ambitious growth becomes realistic – and skilled workers don’t just join a project, they join a place.

How Will AI Enablement Shape the HR Tech Ecosystem

The integration of new AI tools continues to challenge organisations. Panelists Rudi Bauer, Guy Perraudeau, Johanna Lehmann, and Daniel Zinner unpacked what AI enablement really means in practice – and why the biggest lever isn’t the next tool, but the ability to build capability at scale.

The panel explored how organisations can move from curiosity to confident adoption by creating simple entry points (AI basics, prompting fundamentals), anchoring learning in real workflows, and building communities that accelerate peer-to-peer learning. Drawing inspiration from developer ecosystems, the conversation highlighted the power of curated content, continuous practice, and shared standards — so people don’t just “try AI”, but actually integrate it into their day-to-day.

Key takeaway: sustainable AI transformation happens when enablement is designed as a journey — with clarity, psychological safety, and a strong #MissionPossible mindset. Less hype. More habit. And a clear mission: turning AI from a black box into a shared capability.

Global Work, Local Belonging: Why HR Must Go Beyond Processes

This keynote by Linh Grethe, the founder and CEO of HR Collective, examined the complexities of global HR operations – and made one thing crystal clear: Global Mobility and belonging must be designed side by side. Strong Global Mobility frameworks create structure and fairness; belonging creates orientation, trust, and long-term commitment. In true #MissionPossible spirit, Linh showed how HR acts as the bridge between business, culture, and people by intentionally designing connection: from local buddy systems and short culture check-ins to a localised welcome experience with clear access to contacts and resources. The takeaway: when operational strength meets human connection, global work becomes scalable and human – and people don’t just move, they truly arrive.

Transfermarket – Performance Matters in International Competition

With insights from Julian Schröder (Fuxam & National Squad Ex-Athlete) and Lasse Bohmbach (Oranje Berlin), this session examined the complexities of performance-driven decision-making in highly competitive, international environments – and what HR and Global Mobility can learn from elite sports. Drawing parallels to the football transfer market, the panel explored how transparent data, clear performance criteria, timing, and team fit determine success far beyond individual talent. The discussion highlighted that sustainable performance is not about short-term wins, but about building systems that enable talent to develop, perform, and stay resilient under pressure. The takeaway: when organisations treat talent decisions with the same strategic clarity as top-tier sports teams, performance becomes measurable, comparable, and scalable across borders.

Book Talk: How Thought Leaders Rethink the Future of HR, People Tech & Global Mobility

Maike July (Women Way Up Coaching), Alexa Gorman (encourageventures), and Daniel Zinner (Co-Founder People Mobility Alliance) presented key ideas from their books and used them as a lens to rethink what’s next for HR, People Tech, and Global Mobility. They highlighted – that real progress won’t come from buzzwords, but from designing systems that work in real life: clearer journeys, stronger leadership habits, and ecosystems that make innovation, performance, and belonging scalable. Across start-up realities, investment and innovation ecosystems, and international mobility, the shared message was clear: the future belongs to organisations that intentionally build the conditions for people to thrive -wherever they work and whatever they build.

Books featured: Daniel Zinner – People Mobility – A modern review of expatriate journeys, Alexa Gorman – Innovationen. Frauen schaffen Zukunft, Maike July – HR im Biotech-Start-up.

Workshops: Hands-On Problem Solving

Our workshops once again offered practical, immediate insights. Participants could choose from sessions covering the biggest challenges in global mobility and HR tech, including:

• Employee Participation – Tax-Efficient Ways to Boost Motivation and Retention with Gerrit Wagner (EY)
• Partner Support in Global Mobility – What are the core success factors with Dr. Winfried Guba (NetExpat) & Kerstin Westebbe (NetExpat)
• From Silos to Scalable Shared Services with Global Mobility Platform Automation with Johannes Hillebrandt (premote) & Erika D’Attis (KUKA)
• Speak to Lead: How to Communicate Complex Topics with Clarity and Conviction with Stefan Ganß
• Structure Creates Security – How Global Mobility Organizes Compliance with Fabian Kuhnt (EY) & Sabrina Cunsolo (Grünenthal Gruppe)
• Innovation Sprint for International HR Leaders with Frank Jura (BLUE HILLS Consulting)
• Employing Staff Outside Germany with Vanessa Imhoff (Safeguard) & Jost Kasparek (Safeguard)
• From Offer to Arrival: Connecting Global Hiring with Real Human Experience with Katrin Ruland (Noah Mobility) & Niklas Köppelmann (Stepstone)
• Agility Meets Compliance: How to Turn Rules into Real Impact with Johanna Lehmann (PMA)

These sessions offered practical frameworks, new methodologies, and real examples participants could take back to their organisations.

If you are interested in exploring any of these topics or finding out how to implement them in your organisation – CONTACT US NOW

People Tech Award

We continued the tradition of celebrating innovation with the People Tech Awards 2025, initiated by James Parsons and supported by Rudi Bauer and Johanna Lehmann. Thank you to the jury members for your expertise and contribution.

This year’s winners:

• Audience Award: Felix Nawroth, Jobswoop.io with Gerrit Wagner (EY)
• Jury Award: Florian Dyballa, Aivy:
  https://galerie.strom-fotografie.de/share/B1h6i99EZg

People Tech Participants:

• Olivia Jaron, intalento
• Felix Nawroth, Jobswoop.io
• Theresa Hümmer, Walk15 App
• Jerome Burmeister, upsmart
• Annika Augner, HYBEAM
• Florian Dyballa, Aivy
• Robert Schneider, TAS
• Sandra Zemke, Anonyfy
• Tim Heitmann, Business Escape Games

Their solutions showcased the creativity and forward-thinking spirit driving progress in HR Tech.

Connections That Move the Industry Forward

Throughout the day, there was a sense of momentum — people weren’t just talking, they were connecting, collaborating, and brainstorming solutions together.

Our ecosystem partners provide the infrastructure for our #MissionPossible: AIRINC, Netexpat, Noah Mobility, Premote, Safeguard, Stepstone.

Ideas turned into plans.

Conversations turned into partnerships.

And a true community continued to grow.

The Online Edition: A New Milestone — and a New Learning Opportunity

For the first time, we launched an Online International HR Tech Conference running parallel to the onsite event. The goal: allow international participants to fully engage, learn, and connect regardless of location.

The response was overwhelmingly positive — the online community was active, diverse, and highly engaged.

Unfortunately, due to a major global Cloudflare issue, the platform stopped working around midday, which forced us to cancel several online workshops.

While disappointing that they must be rescheduled, this situation presented a valuable lesson for us and the entire HR tech ecosystem:

• What do we do when digital tools fail?
• How can we design hybrid events that stay functional even when the internet doesn’t?
• How do we ensure continuity in a tech-powered global workplace?

This experience will directly shape our planning, risk management, and event design moving forward — making next year’s hybrid setup even stronger. Further, we will address the topic ‘How to deal with digital failure and build resilience’ in future webinars.

#MissionControl

STAY UP TO DATE ON OUR WEBINARS BY SIGNING UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER

Looking Ahead: The Journey Continues

The feedback from participants — both onsite and online — has been incredibly motivating. People left inspired, energised, and ready to take action.

We are already planning next year’s edition, and after two successful years, the conference is firmly establishing itself as the annual meeting place for HR, Global Mobility, and HR Tech professionals.

We also remain committed to expanding English-language content to ensure accessibility for our international community.

A heartfelt thank you to all our sponsors, speakers, partners, and participants for making this event possible.

The future of international HR and global mobility is bright — and we’re building it together.