Themes discussed:

• HR in Fintech and High-Growth Companies: Kim shares what it means to be an HR leader in rapidly growing tech organizations — where HR is not just support, but a strategic driver of culture and structure.
• Strategic Outsourcing Done Right: A central part of the episode covers how Kim led the outsourcing of 800 roles to two vendors, with a strong focus on protecting employees' interests, ensuring cultural alignment, and maintaining operational delivery.
• Transparency as a Leadership Principle: The importance of being radically transparent in communication is emphasized — not just what decisions are made, but why they’re made and how they affect people.
• Leading Complex Change: Kim describes how she formed and led a SWAT team with legal, people, regulatory, and operations expertise to execute the transition smoothly and at high speed.
• Imposter Syndrome and Self-Awareness: The episode ends with reflections on self-doubt, and how imposter syndrome — when harnessed correctly — can be a motivating force for growth and excellence.

Key Takeaways:

• Transparency builds trust. In large organizational changes, clear and open communication is essential — people want to understand the "why," not just the "what."
• Deep operational understanding is a strength. Knowing the day-to-day reality of employees’ work helps leaders design better, more human-centered change.
• Successful transformations rely on cross-functional teams where legal, people, business, and strategic perspectives come together.
• Vendor culture matters. When outsourcing, it's not just about cost or efficiency — cultural alignment and shared values play a key role in long-term success.
• HR is a strategic function. In fast-growing companies like Custom and Klarna, People teams must act as key partners in shaping the future of the business.

Shownotes:

• [00:00] – Introduction: Morning routines, sleep, and getting to know Kim
• [03:15] – Kim’s role at Custom and her broad operational responsibilities
• [06:42] – Career journey: From summer jobs to leadership roles in finance and HR
• [10:58] – Leading People Operations globally at Klarna and lessons learned
• [12:12] – Creating HR visibility and trust in large, fast-moving organizations
• [20:21] – Taking on a complex challenge: Outsourcing 800 people globally
• [22:08] – The rationale behind outsourcing and how the decision was made
• [25:10] – Building the SWAT team: Key competencies and team structure
• [32:02] – Communication strategy: Radical transparency in action
• [41:30] – Personal growth and insights from leading through major change
• [49:48] – On imposter syndrome and using it as a driving force

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