Meet the team at Lengoo: Meike (Head of People)!

Even though our chat with Meike, Lengoo’s Head of People, didn’t take quite as long as her ten-hour coffee date when she first met the team - she still managed to tell us about her favourite TV shows and why no two days in the people’s team are ever the same.

Meet the team at Lengoo: Meike (Head of People)!
By:
Lengoo Marketing Team
Date:
Jun 9, 2020

At Lengoo, we are all about people, tech, and language. That is why we want to introduce you to the friendly faces behind the technology.

This time around we are talking to Meike Zwigart, Lengoo's Head of People.

Meike talks about how her love for medical TV shows caused early ambitions to be a doctor, why there's no typical day in the People's team, and how she joined Lengoo after a ten-hour coffee date.

What’s your role and how does a typical day at Lengoo look like for you?
I am Head of People, so I am responsible for everything regarding people and their experience at Lengoo. That also means that there is no typical day for me - but that is what I love about my job! I am involved in people operations like helping new starters with relocating and settling in at Lengoo but most importantly, I make sure that everyone has an awesome experience at Lengoo. Furthermore, I support our company growth by hiring outstanding talent as well as implementing new processes and structures. I also help to foster our culture and our values so that Lengoo can grow healthily while keeping a very high business pace.

What did you do before joining Lengoo?
After 3 years of gaining experience in enterprises like Siemens and Deutsche Telekom, I worked in managing consulting for 5 years. Building international teams and implementing processes across the globe brought me to Cologne, London, and New York. After coming back to Germany, I worked for 1.5 years at a health and wellbeing startup before I eventually joined Lengoo.

If you had pursued your childhood career dream, what would you be doing today?
I always cared greatly about people but also hugely about medical TV shows - especially Grey’s Anatomy. This combination probably led to my childhood ambition of becoming a doctor.

What gets you excited about Lengoo?
What excites me the most are clearly our people, the culture, and our diversity. Our team is composed of members from all over the world, in fact from 15 different countries! Seeing everyone embracing differences and working together towards a common goal is very inspiring.

What is the biggest challenge when it comes to your position?
The biggest challenge is definitely the hiring process. All of our positions across Lengoo require specific skill sets which can add quite some complexity to the hiring process. Our combination of language and tech also attracts a lot of talent from all over the globe, so hiring often involves relocation for new team members. We want to make sure that everyone who joins Lengoo is off to a great start, so we are working very closely together. I have experienced moving countries several times in my professional career and I understand the challenges that can arise.

If you didn’t work in the people department, in what department would you be?
I would probably be an Entrepreneur in Residence.

I decided to join Lengoo after a ten-hour coffee date with half of the team.

What made you decide to join Lengoo?
The impressive diversity at Lengoo that I got to know during a ten-hour coffee date with half of the team made a lasting impression on me. But also the founder's vision and motivation have really sparked my interest.

What does language mean to you?
Language can build bridges. For me, it represents the ability to communicate on various levels, which enables everyone to express their emotions.

Which morning routine is essential for a successful day for you?
For me, a great morning starts with a workout followed by very generous amounts of coffee.

Why do you believe in AI?
I believe AI, as a way of superpowering people, is the future.

What are you most excited about at Lengoo?
It is exciting to experience the rapid growth journey and potential of our team every day. We have grown quite a bit since I started and I am excited to see what is yet to come.

In which district do you live and why is there nowhere else to be in Berlin?
I live in Friedrichshain because the opportunity to move into a flatshare with my friends came up - and who doesn't like to live with friends?

What is your long-term goal at Lengoo?
My long-term goal is to help Lengoo grow the team, but also as a team. Ultimately, I see Lengoo as one of the top language service providers globally.

If you want to be part of our amazing team too, go and head over to our open positions!