Karien’s career began with the South African National Defense Force, where she developed an interest in the selection and development of military leaders and, later, elite soldiers for special forces training. Having risen to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, Karien decided to transition from the military to corporate business in 2004.
She has journeyed across diverse landscapes throughout her career, undertaking various corporate and consulting roles in South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, and the United Arab Emirates. In addition, she has presented papers at conferences across the globe and has been part of an advisory group for pilot and air traffic control selection for the European Association for Aviation Psychology. The vast array of experiences she accumulated during her global ventures allowed her to connect with clients in 85 countries, thus enriching her understanding of cultural nuances and organisational dynamics.
Leveraging cutting-edge technology, Karien champions the transformative power of assessment technology combined with psychology and neuroscience, to provide invaluable talent insights. As an advocate for continuous growth, she keeps her finger on the pulse of industry trends and conducts extensive research.
Karien’s mastery of industrial and aviation psychology sets her apart as a specialist in crafting scalable talent identification and development solutions for individuals and organisations.
She has a master’s degree, is a registered industrial psychologist with the Health Professions Council of South Africa and is a certified aviation psychologist with the European Association for Aviation Psychology.
In essence, Karien is a trailblazer; she is an architect of change, dedicated to transforming the application of assessments to identify potential, predict performance and mitigate behavioural risk.