The TechWolf Podcast

In this episode of the TechWolf Podcast, we travel to Stockholm to meet Cecilia Sandberg, Chief HR Officer, and Dorna Shafiei, VP Talent Management at Atlas Copco Group. Together, they break down the practical journey of making a 55,000-person industrial tech company skills-enabled, without introducing a new platform or compromising on cultural values. The conversation covers internal mobility, skills-based hiring, and job architecture transformation. Packed with learnings from the field, this episode offers a blueprint for embedding skills across a decentralized global enterprise.Cecilia Sandberg is CHRO of Atlas Copco Group, leading strategic people transformation across a decentralized, 70-country industrial organization. Dorna Shafiei is VP Talent Management and a driving force behind the Group’s skills-based talent acquisition and development strategy.

Why do so many companies say they’re going skills-based, but still hire like it’s 2005? In this episode of The TechWolf Podcast, Julius sits down with Harvard Business School Professor Joe Fuller to uncover the disconnect. From the real business case for skills to the hidden role of AI, Joe makes one thing clear: skills are more than an HR experiment—they’re your edge in a high-stakes transformation race.🎙️ This episode is a wake-up call for:CHROs navigating AI disruptionStrategy leaders stuck in job-first thinkingAnyone tired of skills theater and ready for results👀 Filmed live in Ghent, this episode blends global insight with raw honesty—and might just rewire how you think about your HR function.

In this in-person episode of The TechWolf Podcast, we sit down with Ben Wein, Director of Workforce Skills Enablement at Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS), live from the Flanders House in New York City.Ben shares the inside story of how one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies is becoming a skills-based organization—starting with a business-critical talent shortage in cell therapy manufacturing. He explains how BMS uses skills data to drive faster hiring, smarter workforce planning, and ultimately, patient impact.💡 Final Takeaway: In pharma, solving the right talent problem isn’t a nice-to-have—it can literally save lives. Skills data is how BMS gets there.Ben shares:✔ Why time-to-fill became a life-or-death metric at BMS✔ How skills helped solve a manufacturing talent crisis in cell therapy✔ What not to focus on in your first year of becoming skill-based✔ Why AI and task-level data will define the next wave of skills strategy✔ What pharma gets right about workforce planning—and what others can learnTime stamps:00:00 – Welcome & Introduction of Ben Wein (Bristol Myers Squibb)01:11 – The cultural traits powering skills strategy: Trust & transparency02:33 – Timeline: How long BMS has been on the skills journey03:15 – What is a skills-based organization? Ben’s definition04:30 – Why now? AI, business urgency & talent shortages06:40 – Cell therapy as a high-stakes use case for skills07:53 – Skills data in pharma: Planning 5–10 years ahead09:18 – BMS’s starting point: Talent acquisition and internal mobility11:42 – Skills data quality: “From zero to one” and evolving governance13:37 – Managing expectations with the business15:18 – Speaking two languages: Business vs. HR16:23 – How the BMS skills team is structured and evolving18:34 – Internal mobility as the first North Star use case20:35 – Roles, tasks, and skills: Why jobs still matter23:56 – Still cracking the model: Tasks and the future of work25:10 – Change management: The real skills transformation hurdle28:44 – What’s next? Planning for AI & the future of the pharma workforce31:02 – Where Ben goes to learn: Peers, forums, and building internal trust33:11 – Ben’s question for the next guest

In this episode of The TechWolf Podcast, Marc Ramos, industry learning leader with Google, Novartis, Microsoft, Cornerstone, and EdTech advisor to leading HR tech companies, joins TechWolf CTO Jeroen Van Hautte to explore the emerging frontier of task-based intelligence. Live from New York, we unpack how tasks are reshaping the future of work, why task data may be even more actionable than skills, and how AI is accelerating both. From change management to job architecture to AI’s role in redefining value, this is a masterclass in what’s next for skills strategies.[00:08] — Welcome and guest intros: Marc Ramos & Jeroen Van Hautte[01:44] — How to navigate change in skills strategy: Marc’s reflections from Novartis[07:24] — What is task-based intelligence and why is it emerging now?[11:25] — Skills → Tasks → Outcomes: A framework for linking strategy to execution[13:40] — Is this a new initiative or part of the skills-based journey?[16:56] — Why tasks help define work better than job titles[18:28] — TechWolf’s internal case study: Automating tasks and shifting skill needs[21:41] — Re-skilling & internal mobility: Tasks bring clarity to re-skilling paths[23:28] — How tasks reduce resistance to change & align skills to business goals[28:40] — How AI helps map tasks and extract intelligence from work data[30:07] — Sales example: Tasks over skills when validating pipeline success[33:17] — Proficiency: Replacing subjective ratings with task completion evidence[35:14] — Marc: “I hope proficiencies go away” — and what replaces them[43:38] — Who owns task data? IT vs HR vs Infrastructure[49:48] — Task intelligence leaders: Entropic, Novartis, and the rise of TOS (Task Operating System)[53:47] — Prediction: Skills or tasks—what drives value in 2030?[58:42] — Gig economy and task-driven value: where the future might go[1:00:08] — Where Marc & Jeroen go to learn about AI, skills, and task data[1:03:24] — Marc’s question for the next guest: What cultural attributes drive your skills strategy?

Kason Morris, Global Director of the Future of Work and Skills-Based Organization Strategy at Merck, shares insights from his extensive experience with skills transformation. He emphasizes that skills are foundational infrastructure, not just trendy topics. Organizations should view skills as a data opportunity and leverage AI for scalability. Kason discusses the urgency of skills governance, stakeholder engagement, and the importance of momentum over perfection. He also highlights the potential of talent marketplaces for enhancing career mobility and aligning employee skills with business needs.

Sarah Gretczko, Head of Talent & Belonging at PayPal, brings over 20 years of HR strategy experience to the table. She dives into why skills are just one piece of the human potential puzzle, sharing tales of transformation and lessons from failed initiatives. Sarah discusses the importance of aligning skills with real business challenges, strategies for effective change management, and how building relationships with tech vendors is crucial. Finally, she emphasizes that any skills data must address genuine problems to be truly impactful.

Nico Orie, VP of People and Culture at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, discusses the crucial intersection of technology and human capital. He emphasizes that tech investments fail without a focus on skills-based transformation. Orie critiques traditional job structures and advocates for a personalized approach that values human capital. He shares insights on managing expectations with AI, the challenges of fostering a skill-centric work environment, and how HR must adapt to evolving skill requirements in today's dynamic landscape.

Robert Gibby, Data Science Director at Cox Enterprises and former Director of People Analytics at Meta, dives into the transformative power of AI in workforce planning. He highlights the pitfalls of self-reported skills data and how AI can enhance accuracy. Gibby also discusses the shift from job-based to skill-based models, pinpointing the importance of adaptability in HR practices. Key takeaways include that skills-based organizations require actionable AI-driven strategies to truly leverage skills intelligence for business impact.

Meredith Wellard is the former VP of Group Talent Acquisition, Learning, and Growth at DHL, where she spent nearly five years laying the foundation for one of the most ambitious skills-based transformations in a global enterprise. At DHL, she championed internal mobility, launching innovative initiatives like ‘Talent Tinder’ to shift hiring from external to internal placements, reduce onboarding costs, and future-proof the workforce.Now, Meredith is taking her expertise beyond DHL, helping organizations navigate the people and change management side of tech-enabled transformations—particularly around skills. A true pragmatist with a deep understanding of HR tech, she’s on a mission to help companies move beyond the hype and make skills work in the real world.In Today’s Episode with Meredith, We Discuss:Why the skepticism around a skills-based organization?Is a skills-based transformation really worth it to pursue?What verticals are in most need to pursue a skills-based transformation NOW?How did Meredith go to pursue one of the boldest skills-based transformations at DHL?Should HR professionals go out to buy tech & AI, and if so - where do you even start?How did DHL get started on their skills journey?How to convince SVP-level leaders to go along on a 5-year-long talent transformation journey?What did DHL do to avoid the business losing patience with the program in those 5 years?What was the business case presented to business leaders?How would you advise companies to get started TODAY?What is beyond the use case of talent mobility?What are companies you look up to for their skills-based approach?Question to our next guest?

Sandra Loughlin, Chief Learning Scientist at Epam Systems, discusses the intricacies of transforming organizations into skills-based models. With over three decades of advocacy at Epam, she emphasizes the importance of accurate skills data in navigating workforce needs. They explore whether every organization should adopt this model, addressing common skepticism and misconceptions. Sandra highlights the necessity for long-term commitment and collaboration across business units, advocating for strategic use of technology to streamline skills management.