
The People Factor
Welcome to "The People Factor," where we explore the role of the people function in driving business success.
We dive into the strategies, tactics, learnings & failures from top organizations to drive strategic objectives impacted by the people function.
Weekly, Thomas chats with industry experts and thought leaders about news, the latest trends and best practices related to develop an organization.
Tune in to "The People Factor" to learn how to unlock the full potential of your team and organization.
Latest episodes

May 7, 2025 • 35min
#123 - Milena Warner | The Human Element in Recruitment: Why It Matters
Milena Warner is an accomplished Talent and People leader with extensive experience in building and scaling high-performing teams. As a strategic partner to business leaders, she is passionate about creating inclusive and empowering environments that unlock potential and drive sustainable growth. With a proven track record in talent strategy, leadership development, and positive culture transformation, Milena is dedicated to fostering workplaces where people and businesses thrive together.Shownotes00:00 - The Evolution of Recruitment05:40 - Empathy in Recruitment10:39 - The Role of Technology and AI15:40 - Feedback and Communication Challenges20:21 - Understanding Candidate Needs25:32 - Balancing Personal and Professional LifeLinksGuest Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/milenadwarner/Yeliz Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yeliz-castillo/Yeliz e-mail: yeliz.castillo@pplwise.compplwise: https://pplwise.com/

Apr 30, 2025 • 23min
#122 - Frederic-Louis Claudius | KPIs in Verbindung mit Automatisierung
Frederic is People Director at a FinTech scale-up, bringing a unique blend of HR leadership and tech expertise to fast-growing organizations through the senior roles he held. Based in Berlin, Frederic worked at companies such as Tesla, Zalando, and other leading tech-driven firms across real estate, fashion, automotive and travel sectors. With a background in computer science and HR Management, Frederic combines a deep understanding of technology with a passion for people strategy, leadership development, and organizational growth. Known for building scalable teams and fostering innovation, Frederic is committed to creating sustainable success through strategic, tech-enabled people practices.Shownotes00:00 - Intro & Context02:13 - Die Implementierung von KI in HR-Prozesse08:40 - Automatisierung und Effizienzsteigerung durch KI11:12 - Zukunftsvisionen: KI im Recruiting und People Management17:36 - Die Rolle von KI in der Zukunft der ArbeitLinksGuest Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/flclaudius/Thomas Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-kohler-pplwise/Thomas e-mail: thomas@pplwise.compplwise: https://pplwise.com/

Apr 23, 2025 • 29min
#121 - Peter van Kersen | Streamlining HR for Startups
Peter is a seasoned People/HR Leader with a track record of aiding startups in achieving sustainable and rapid growth. He emphasizes the significance of establishing a strong foundation, likening it to building a structure. Having contributed to the expansion of companies such as Catawiki, Delivery Hero, Glovo, REMY Robotics, and Docplanner, Peter excels in fostering empowering experiences and solid frameworks. His proficiencies encompass diverse areas like People analytics, Business unit management, Talent development, HR Operations, Digital Transformation, Performance management, Compensation & Benefits, and Leadership growth.Shownotes00:00 - The Challenge of Disconnected HR Systems03:11 - Navigating HR Tools for Startups05:58 - Data Flow and Workforce Planning09:08 - Streamlining Data Collection for New Hires12:02 - Integrating Systems for Efficient HR Operations15:00 - Leveraging Data for People Analytics18:02 - The Importance of Macro and Micro Data20:59 - AI in Recruitment and Performance Management24:00 - Building a Comprehensive Hiring Framework27:00 - Connecting Startups with HR SolutionsLinksPeter Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/petervankersen/Thomas Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-kohler-pplwise/Thomas e-mail: thomas@pplwise.compplwise: https://pplwise.com/

Apr 16, 2025 • 28min
#120 - Daniel Hanlon | From Agency Recruitment to Internal Recruitment
After 3.5 years of agency experience specialising in graduate sales recruitment within Fast Moving Consumer Goods, Dan transitioned to internal recruitment at Attensi. Over the past four years, he has been dedicated to attracting top talent across Attensi’s UK, Oslo, and Boston offices. Working alongside the brilliant Talent team, Dan has played a key role in establishing best practice within the function and successfully doubling the company’s headcount.Shownotes00:00 - Intro & Context06:09 - Understanding the Differences in Recruitment Roles08:53 - The Challenges of Internal Recruitment15:01 - Strategies for Successful RecruitmentLinksGuest Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielhanlon1/Yeliz Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yeliz-castillo/Yeliz e-mail: yeliz.castillo@pplwise.compplwise: https://pplwise.com/

Apr 9, 2025 • 33min
#119 - Marie Kanellopulos | HR: Zwischen Skalierung und Stabilität
Marie Kanellopulos ist Managing Partner bei DONE!Berlin – einer Boutique-Beratung, die seit 2013 mehr als 800 Unternehmen, darunter Airbnb Europe, N26 und H&M, dabei unterstützt, zukunftssichere People & Culture-Strategien zu entwickeln. Ihr Fokus liegt auf nachhaltiger Skalierung, modernem Leadership und der Transformation von Unternehmen in resiliente Organisationen.Shownotes00:00 - Intro & Context03:08 - Die Rolle von Recruiting und HR Operations12:02 - Digitalisierung und interne Stärkung von Unternehmen16:24 - Teamentwicklung und Kommunikation20:21 - Führung und Feedback-KulturLinksGuest Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marie-kanellopulos/Thomas Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-kohler-pplwise/Thomas e-mail: thomas@pplwise.compplwise: https://pplwise.com/

Apr 2, 2025 • 53min
#118 - Yeliz Castello | Funnel Analysis and Forecasting
Yeliz Castillo is a dedicated TA professional starting her journey in London with little English, she embraced the challenge and became fluent in her third language while developing a passion for recruitment. Yeliz thrives on connecting with people, making an impact on their lives, and building meaningful relationships. She values authenticity, collaboration, and stepping out of her comfort zone to pursue her goals. Liz is currently TA Lead & Sr. Talent Partner at pplwise.Shownotes00:00 - Intro & Context05:00 - The Importance of Clear Communication10:45 - Candidate Feedback Strategy18:30 - Recruitment Market DynamicsGuest Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yeliz-akin/Thomas Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-kohler-pplwise/Thomas e-mail: thomas@pplwise.compplwise: https://pplwise.com/

Mar 26, 2025 • 33min
#117 - Kathrin Holzfurtner | Live Funnel Analysis hiring German AEs
Kathrin is a global talent leader with 16 years of experience shaping and implementing commercial people strategies. Deep expertise in talent acquisition for go-to-market, product & engineering in scale-up and big tech environments.Having lived in Singapore, Paris, London, Warsaw and Munich, she brings a global perspective and track record in hiring talent worldwide. From adtech to cloud, SaaS, cybersecurity and AI, she has enabled and led teams towards transformative outcomes.Shownotes00:00 - Intro & Context02:45 - Understanding Funnel Analytics and Data Literacy05:26 - Practical Application of Funnel Data07:01 - Optimizing Hiring Processes for Increased Efficiency12:43 - Aligning Hiring Managers and Recruitment Goals17:41 - Improving Quality and Efficiency in Hiring21:37 - Creating Alignment and Clear Expectations25:07 - The Art and Science of Talent Acquisition27:21 - Leveraging Financial Impact in Talent Acquisition31:32 - Closing Thoughts on Data-Driven RecruitmentLinksGuest Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathrinholzfurtner/Thomas Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-kohler-pplwise/Thomas e-mail: thomas@pplwise.compplwise: https://pplwise.com/

Mar 19, 2025 • 27min
#116 Milena Warner | Finding Balance: The Role of Collaboration in Career Growth
Milena Warner is an accomplished Talent and People leader with extensive experience in building and scaling high-performing teams. As a strategic partner to business leaders, she is passionate about creating inclusive and empowering environments that unlock potential and drive sustainable growth. With a proven track record in talent strategy, leadership development, and positive culture transformation, Milena is dedicated to fostering workplaces where people and businesses thrive together.Shownotes00:00 - Intro & Context06:50 - The Importance of Collaboration and Balance11:41 - Overcoming Personal Barriers and Self-Doubt16:42 - Understanding Power Dynamics in the Workplace21:55 - Practical Tips for Building Confidence and SuccessLinksGuest Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/milenadwarner/Yeliz Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yeliz-castillo/Yeliz e-mail: yeliz.castillo@pplwise.compplwise: https://pplwise.com/

Mar 12, 2025 • 32min
#115 - Laura Wilkinson | Behind the Curtain: How TA Shapes Candidate Experiences
"A true recruiter who has come up through the ranks and is now Global Head of Talent, a serious hustler from the university of life and dedicated mum.”Shownotes00:00 - Intro & Context08:38 - The Importance of a Positive Mindset21:25 - The Role of Employers in Supporting Working Parents28:47 - Top Tips for New Moms Returning to WorkLinksGuest Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-wilkinson-007197245/Yeliz Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yeliz-castillo/Yeliz e-mail: yeliz.castillo@pplwise.compplwise: https://pplwise.com/

Mar 5, 2025 • 26min
#114 - Alexander Oldewage | Talent Acquisition Lead at HiveMQ
Alex is an experienced leader in Talent Acquisition and has worked in the field of Recruitment for more than 12 years, working for both agencies and tech product companies in South Africa and Germany. He has recruited internationally in EMEA and North America, predominantly focusing on Product and Engineering Recruitment.In his current role, Alex is the Lead Talent Acquisition Manager at HiveMQ, a startup whose product is focused on Industrial IoT connectivity. Some of his past employers include Successful Berlin based startups such as Klarna and Adjust.Shownotes00:00 - Intro & Context06:57 - Challenges in Talent Acquisition12:23 - The Importance of Retention in Hiring21:47 - Fighting for CandidatesLinksGuest Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexander-oldewage-08b74674/Yeliz Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yeliz-castillo/Yeliz e-mail: yeliz.castillo@pplwise.compplwise: https://pplwise.com/