German Audio Equipment Company D&B Hires Chief People and Sustainability Officer: 4 Things to Know

D&B Audiotechnik has hired Nicola Wagener to succeed Karen Wefelmeyer as chief people and sustainability officer, the German audio equipment maker announced.

Here are four things to know about D&B's business, and Wagener's executive experience.

1. Business Scope and Scale: D&B, founded in 1981, is based in Backnang, Baden Württemberg, Germany. The company, backed by roughly 700 employees, develops professional audio equipment -- including speakers, amplifiers, subwoofers, and more.

2. Sustainability Strategy: D&B since 2018 has "committed itself voluntarily to meeting the requirements of effective sustainability by participating in several initiatives promoted by the state, the federal government, and following the international principles of the United Nations," the company asserts. On the services front, D&B promotes SustainSymphony sustainable event management to "support the green transition of the live event industry." We don't know if the company publishes an annual sustainability report or if the firm has a net-zero target deadline.

3. Executive Experience: New Chief People and Sustainability Officer Nicola Wagener has more than 20 years experience that spans consulting, business group strategy and organizational change. She previously held key posts at ghSmart, Thyssenkrupp, Timmermann Partners, McKinsey & Co., and more.

Wagener succeeds Karen Wefelmeyer, who is exiting the business after nine successful years leading various HR and sustainability initiatives, D&B said.

4. Executive Perspectives: In a prepared statement, D&B Group CEO Amnon Harman said: “I have had the honour of working alongside Nicola in the past and treasure her strong analytical skills and her impact-driven mindset. I am very confident that her pragmatic, systematic working style and her extensive expertise in people development will greatly benefit d&b’s future growth and our staff. I am thrilled to welcome such a talented leader to our executive team.”

Added Wagener: “I am excited to join this exceptional company. What stands out to me most is the vibrant, positive culture, the hands-on mentality, and the pride people take in being part of the d&b family. I look forward to getting to know the d&b community better, supporting change processes and enabling the organisation’s next phase of growth from a people and sustainability perspective.”

Chief Sustainability Officers: Why Technology Partners Should Care

By 2027, 25% of Global 2000 companies will have assigned a chief sustainability officer (CSO) responsible for meeting their organization’s ESG goals and making ESG-related IT purchasing decisions, according to IDC.

The bottom line: Technology partners need to extend their sales, marketing, engagement and support strategies to successfully fulfill those CSO customer needs, Sustainable Tech Partner believes.