Dr Annelen Schär: Luxury Cars, Marketing Architecture and Choosing Positivity
This week's guest is Dr Annelen Schär, Head of Omnichannel Portfolio Management at Mercedes-Benz in Stuttgart - a digital leader working at the intersection of e-commerce, customer experience and business architecture in one of the world's most iconic car brands. Annelen has spent almost 15 years at Mercedes-Benz, completing a Doctorate of Business Administration along the way, all while raising two young children. She embodies resilience and a very deliberate choice to stay positive.
In this episode:
• What omnichannel portfolio management actually means, and how Annelen's team connects Mercedes-Benz's digital channels, e-commerce and business architecture from customer awareness all the way through to retention.
• How a childhood cello player who wanted to be a vet ended up in the luxury automotive industry, via a multicultural degree, a year abroad in the US at 15, time in France, and a Porsche internship that sparked her love of the product.
• The moment the financial crisis derailed a signed job offer and how Annelen navigated her way back, through a smaller company, a promotion, a tyre company detour, and eventually the Mercedes-Benz trainee program.
• What Annelen loves about working for Mercedes-Benz after almost 15 years, including the brand pride, the pioneering digital agenda, and the thrill of the annual product forum where new models are unveiled under strict secrecy.
• Why Annelen completed a doctorate alongside two babies and a leadership career, what she found hardest about the process, and what it actually added to the way she thinks and works.
• How returning from parental leave to find her whole division dissolved led, unexpectedly, to the best job she has had at the company.
• The strengths Annelen credits for her success: perseverance, resilience, having a plan without being rigidly attached to it, and a deliberate choice to believe that whatever comes is the right thing.
• How Annelen manages her mental health across an intense professional life, including presence with her children, playing cello, and building a positive mindset deliberately.
• What success means to Annelen: family, team celebration, reaching a management level she is proud of, and learning to be happy where you are rather than always looking ahead.
Annelen's career philosophy:
"I believe that whatever comes is the right thing. So if something doesn't work out, I'm not getting really down. I believe, okay, then it's the right thing that I didn't get, for example, this job."
Resources mentioned:
All opinions are the guest's own.
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Career Stories is hosted by Dr Luella Forbes, who works with organisations on leadership, change and storytelling. To find out how she can support your leaders and teams, visit luellaforbes.com/services
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Creators and Guests
Host
Dr Luella Forbes
Dr Luella Forbes is a consultant specialising in Organisational Change and founder of The Career Library and it's podcast, Career Stories.
Guest
Dr Annelen Schär
With sixteen years of experience in the automotive industry in all Sales Levels (HQ, Region, Wholesale, Retail), I have a strong record in delivering Sales & Marketing results, paired with excellent communication, analytical, and management skills. Living and working in international environments, and leading cross-functional and international project teams, has helped foster my ability to adapt quickly in dynamic settings, develop strong leadership skills, and become accustomed to taking a proactive, results-oriented approach
