“I want to understand the idea behind a project.”
Proactively shaping change, inspiring people, achieving success as a team, and creating a positive impact for clients: Isabelle Ehrler is a Change Manager at cbs.
From Mannheim to Madrid and on to cbs – Isabelle’s journey is defined by curiosity, drive, and a passion for change. Today, as a Change Manager, she supports companies in actively shaping transformations and change processes. What motivates her most? Working with people, seeing the bigger picture, and the conviction that real change can only succeed together.
Education and professional background
Isabelle Ehrler, 29 years old and originally from Mannheim, has been with cbs since May 2023. After completing her bachelor’s degree in International Business at Worms University of Applied Sciences, she earned a master’s degree in Change Management in Spain at the Universidad de Alcalá near Madrid. What fascinated her most was the international context: the consulting business in Spain works differently than in Germany. The scope of tasks is somewhat smaller, and the focus more narrowly defined. Due to the COVID pandemic, she returned to Germany and worked in industry for several years. From day one, she worked with SAP – first as a trainee in Supply Chain Management, later in operational purchasing.
Early on, she took responsibility for smaller projects, including the implementation of a tool for automated order confirmations, which she rolled out across multiple locations and for which she also conducted training sessions. She then became part of a large SAP transformation project with international rollouts, working closely with executive management.
“Consulting has always appealed to me – the environment, the high standards, and the variety of topics,” Isabelle explains. She first learned about cbs through an acquaintance whose positive experiences convinced her to consciously choose cbs.
Isabelle’s day-to-day work in Change Management and key projects
Her daily work is diverse and shaped by customer situations and change processes. She designs, moderates, and facilitates workshops, defines measures, and provides both operational and strategic support. In doing so, she works with a wide range of stakeholders – from end users to CIOs. Typically, she has several meetings per day and is in close contact with her clients.
Growing together as a team
The Change Management team at cbs has grown steadily over recent years, though not always linearly. Some colleagues have moved in different directions, while others have joined the team. As a Manager, Isabelle now also has people responsibility. She particularly values being a sparring partner for others, giving feedback, and developing solutions together. She sees it as an advantage not necessarily working on the same projects as her team members, as this allows her to take a more neutral perspective and provide valuable impulses.
Working at the intersection of people, projects, and organizations
For Isabelle, the most rewarding aspect of her role is working with people. She wants to understand what drives others, where their challenges lie, and how change can be shaped together. She operates at the interface between project streams, project management, C-level executives, and end users – a level of complexity she truly enjoys. She especially appreciates the freedom within Change Management to experiment with new methods and creative formats. For example, together with an organizational development specialist and a dramaturge, she developed a leadership workshop that combines business elements with lessons learned from the theater. According to Isabelle, there are fascinating parallels between theater and business: “You’re also working toward ‘that one moment’ – whether it’s a go-live or a premiere. Everyone has to work together, understand what the other person is doing and when their cue is. Different strengths come into play and complement each other.”
Balance and personal interests
To clear her head, Isabelle spends a lot of time outdoors, going jogging or cycling. Traveling is another passion of hers, especially to South America, as she is fluent in Spanish. She prefers traveling with a backpack, without extensive planning – simply setting off and seeing where the journey takes her. She seeks adventure. In addition, she loves cooking, which provides the perfect balance to everyday project work.
Raising awareness for Change Management
A few years ago, Change Management was still an abstract concept for many. Today, it has become much more tangible: a push approach (“We need to explain what we are doing”) has increasingly evolved into a pull approach (“Project managers actively request Change Management as support”). Isabelle’s goal is to make change tangible – whether through external communication, internal formats, or directly within projects. She sees the next steps in further developing methodologies, learning from one another, and embedding Change Management even more deeply within cbs and client projects.
Making Change Management visible – on LinkedIn as well
To this end, Isabelle is also very active as an influencer on the social platform LinkedIn. What drives her, and what is her goal?
“I want to make Change Management more visible and position it more clearly. My goal is to engage in dialogue beyond the ‘consulting bubble,’ contribute my own ideas, and receive feedback from the community,” she explains.
Corporate culture at cbs: The Power of Orange
Isabelle appreciates that corporate culture plays an important role at cbs. For her, the “Power of Orange” means having the courage to try things out and receiving honest feedback. She experiences close collaboration at cbs, characterized by trust and a shared focus on solutions. Everyone supports each other – regardless of whether they have worked together before or not. For her, this culture makes all the difference.
