#6 – Emma Carter – Authentic Leadership, Navigating Change, and Leading with Vulnerability

What does it take to lead thousands through change while staying true to who you are? Emma Carter is an inspiring senior HR leader who embodies authenticity and whole-person leadership. Currently Head of HR for the North Europe Cluster at Bayer, Emma leads a multicultural team across 13 countries, guiding over 4,000 employees through transformation and growth.

With a career spanning top roles in both the automotive and life sciences industries, Emma’s approach is grounded in openness, integrity, and genuine connection, with a track record of leading by example, especially through times of organisational change.

In this episode, we talk about:

(04:15) From HR to life sciences transition

(06:36) Owning your career path

(10:26) Balancing work and motherhood

(16:30) Reaffirming change with transparency

(20:00) Experiencing job role changes

(21:53) Leading with empathy

(26:46) Embrace vulnerability at work

(30:04) Workplace culture impacts confidence

(31:42) Gaining confidence over time

Emma’s candid reflections on owning your voice, supporting one another, and thriving through ambiguity make this conversation both relatable and transformative. Whether you’re managing change or looking to strengthen your leadership style, you’ll find not just wisdom but also actionable steps in Emma’s story. Tune in for a motivating dose on authentic leadership!

About the host

Sarah Perugia is an expert women-in-leadership coach and whole-person leadership transformation specialist, dedicated to empowering female leaders to thrive. With 20 years of experience, she partners with organisations across the globe to develop and retain top female talent, strengthen the female leadership pipeline, and promote gender equality in senior roles. Drawing on her background in acting, neuro-linguistic programming, and Positive Psychology, Sarah empowers leaders to advance their careers, build confidence, enhance performance, and ultimately flourish and thrive. Her offering includes one-on-one executive leadership coaching, group workshops, and bespoke programmes.

If you’d like to learn more about Sarah and her work with women in leadership, you can find out more here: https://www.sarahperugia.com/women-in-leadership/

In this show, we cover

Authentic leadership, Women in Leadership, Navigating Change, Career Development, Vulnerability, Work-Life Balance, Team Building

Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and more!

Contact and Connect

Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-perugia-leadership-coaching/

Connect with Emma on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-carter-13487219/