In this episode of the ‘amtlich voran’ podcast, I speak to Katarina Karadzic, Employer Branding Manager at Industrielle Werke Basel (IWB) – the energy provider for electricity, heating, water, transport and telecommunications in the Basel region. Katarina’s path into employer branding was anything but traditional: after studying linguistics and spending several years in corporate communications, she moved into HR, where she discovered her passion for authentic employer branding. One sentence from our conversation really stuck with me: “Employer branding is a marathon, not a sprint.”
Among other things, we discuss:
💙 Employer branding starts within the organisation
A credible employer brand isn’t created through advertising, but through the day-to-day experiences of employees. Only when the internal culture is right will the external image be convincing.
🚀 From the employer promise to everyday reality
Developing an Employer Value Proposition is only the first step. What matters most is how managers and employees bring this promise to life every day.
🤝 AI needs people
AI is also playing an increasingly important role within energy suppliers. At the same time, Katarina shows why empathy, personal relationships and genuine human contact remain indispensable in HR.
🔗 Further links
- LinkedIn: Katarina Karadzic
- IWB careers page
- amtlich voran website with all the information, including details of the amtlich voran forum on 1 October 2026 in Berlin, featuring Julia Jäkel, Enzo Weber and Dr Dorit Bosch, amongst others
- ‘amtlich voran’ Spotify playlist featuring all previous episodes
🎧 Listen now: