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Inspiring People to put their Soul into their Work

Raf Lamberts

About me

Thank you for visiting my website and welcome to my new venture Cornucopia. Inspired by the concept of abundance and nourishment, Cornucopia symbolizes my commitment to holistic leadership, fostering environments where individuals and organizations can thrive, grow and develop to achieve their full potential, leading to remarkable results.

My name is Raf Lamberts and I am a former CHRO and Business Executive with over 28 years of experience driving large scale business transformations and culture change across diverse industries, including FMCG, Retail, Lighting and Logistics Automation.

I have a passion for creating environments where senior executives, leadership teams and their entire organizations align with their soul purpose and bring their authentic selves to work.  Inspiring people to grow beyond what they thought capable of and watching them turn their highest dreams and aspirations into reality.

That’s why I have chosen to follow my dream and founded Cornucopia, making my extensive knowledge and hands on experience leading large scale business transformations, creating high performance cultures and enabling personal and organizational growth available to organizations of all sizes.

If this resonates also with you, I invite you to connect or schedule an appointment with me. I would love to explore with you how I can support you and your business in overcoming challenges and seizing opportunities for growth and success. Reach out, and let’s discover the strategies and interventions available for you to achieve your highest aspirations. I am excited to connect and to explore how I can help.

Career Experience

Almost 30 years of experience driving large scale business transformations and building high performing cultures across a variety of industries.  I have a track record adding value to organizations in a sustainable way by:
  • Realizing business strategies leveraging the human capital of the organization
  • Aligning HR strategy and processes with business goals and strategic objectives
  • Acting as a strategic business partner to the CEO and senior leadership teams
  • Leading culture transformation whilst improving employee engagement
  • Driving talent management, leadership assessment and succession planning for growth
  • Building organizational and individual capabilities and fostering a true learning culture
  • Driving top team effectiveness through coaching, counseling and mentoring
  • Optimizing organizational effectiveness and driving strategic workforce planning
  • Implementing HR Technology to drive efficiency and functional excellence
  • Managing headcount, driving productivity and improving top & bottom line performance
  • Recruitment, performance management, compensation & benefits, employee retention
  • Constructively and effectively managing labor relations and works councils
  • Leading all HR aspects of mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures

 

My professional journey so far:

Vanderlande Industries (2018-2024)

Chief People Officer and Member of the Management Board

Played a pivotal role in transforming the company from an engineer-to-order to a configure-to-order business, from a hardware only to a hardware- and software-driven business and from a European to a truly global business.

Introduced High Performance Culture and Next Generation Leadership programs as the key drivers behind the rapid growth and internationalization of the Company, enabling the business to double in size and revenues and becoming truly global.

Implemented a comprehensive People Strategy focusing on high volume talent acquisition, accelerated capability building, targeted leadership development and high performance culture, exceptional employee engagement, and organizational effectiveness.

Lead an large scale HR transformation and implemented a global operating model to leverage economies of scale and enhance the quality and effectiveness of HR services across geographies.

AGC Glass Europe (2017-2018)

Head of HR, Processed Glass a.i.

Enabled a business and cultural turnaround required to bring the business back to profitability and put it on a sustainable growth trajectory.

Belden Inc (2016-2017)

Head of HR, Industrial Connectivity & Head of HR, Belden EMEA

Combined role with global responsibility as HR Business Partner for the Global Industrial Connectivity Business Unit combined with the regional responsibility as Head of HR for all Belden businesses in the EMEA region. 

Colruyt Group (2015-2015)

Interim Change Management

Revamped a leadership transformation project to empower each and every employee in the Group to assume full ownership for their professional development. Enabled by new technology, rolled out a project that fundamentally changes the way of working for all 27,000 employees, elevates the role of leadership to higher professional standards and serves as the first stage of a longer-term culture transformation journey at Colruyt Group.

Philips Lighting, now Signify (2009-2014)

Senior Vice President HR

In an industry undergoing a technological revolution, I enabled the transformation of sales and marketing organizations in 11 markets in EMEA to win in LED and laid the foundation for LED Lighting rapidly growing towards 1/3 of the total lighting business at the time.

Subsequently shifted focus to make the innovation machine more customer centric and lead the transformation  of the R&D, Product Management and Industrial activities across for the Professional Lighting Business globally.

Foot Locker Europe (2004-2008)

HR Director, Foot Locker Europe

Kraft Foods International (1994-2003)

Various talent management and generalist HR roles in Belgium, Austria and the United Kingdom
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