What Great Leadership Looks Like at Qlik

Last week, I had the opportunity to step out of my day job as Vice President, Global Employment & Compliance, to lead a panel of people leaders and discuss their secrets for creating great teams.   

The four managers were chosen, not only for their exceptional employee engagement scores, but also for their leadership, mentoring, and involvement in Qlik for All — our global diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) initiative. Their perspectives were thoughtful, grounded, and incredibly inspiring.  

I wanted to share a few salient points from these impactful leaders who are not only driving change within Qlik but also building inclusive, high-performing teams. Their approaches offer lessons that go well beyond our company walls.

Conversation highlights

Anne Arnoult - Director Global Support, EMEA, based in France:

Anne shared real examples that brought her cross-regional team together, especially during times of change. Following Qlik’s acquisition of Talend, her team included both legacy organizations, making integration a key challenge. She looked for simple, meaningful ways to help people connect and build trust.   

At the end of team meetings, she would encourage people to share fun facts and highlights of their work within the support organization. 

“Through these conversations, the team started to see that we had a lot of common ground and understand how much we can learn from both sides to become a great team. This is where we started to have a belief that we were one team.”  

This straightforward and easy-to-implement tactic helped build team identity across geographies and different corporate cultures.   

Maria Darke - Senior Presales Director, NEMEA, based in UK:  

Maria shared her style of leading with authenticity and transparency to promote trust within her team — an approach that has directly contributed to higher engagement.  

“Each year, we have a focus word for our Northern EMEA region. For the last 12 months, our keyword has been BELIEVE, maybe inspired by Ted Lasso. For me, having the team ‘believe’ means being an authentic leader — trying to give people a sense of direction and making sure that we're transparent with information as it's coming through. This resonates with our core value of being genuine.”   

Maria also promotes authenticity by encouraging work-life balance and prioritizing time for personal connection through service projects, team events, and shared experiences.    

Anushree Dutt - Senior Director of Execution Strategy and Data Operations, based in India:

Anushree reminded us of the power of helping team members see how their work directly aligns with the company’s mission — and how they contribute to broader momentum. 

“As a leader, I try to create a transparent and trustworthy environment by providing not just the win stories but also the challenges. Sharing stories of my own journey in a very real and human way helps my team to relate to each other and instill motivation.” 

Being a leader, she added, means being both a role model and a teacher. Anu lives this philosophy by consistently reinforcing the value of each person’s contributions. 

Francisco Lara-Romero - Revenue Operations Manager, based in USA:

Francisco emphasized the importance of nurturing a sense of belonging — both within his immediate team and across Qlik as a whole. He highlighted the role of employee resource groups (ERGs), such as Latinos Unidos, as well as volunteering during Change Our World Day — a company-wide day of service where employees take paid time off to support a cause that matters to them. 

“I don't think it's a surprise that if an employee feels like they belong, not only are they going to enjoy coming into work, but they're going to be more productive and efficient in their work. I encourage my team to either be an ally to our ERGs, get involved, or start their own. Being a part of Change Our World Days have been some of my favorite team moments that helped create a sense of belonging and team.”  

 Getting personally involved — and encouraging others to do the same — helps build stronger, more connected teams. 

Final Thoughts 

What stood out most in this conversation was that great leadership doesn’t come from one playbook — it comes from showing up with purpose, empathy, and a genuine commitment to people.  

Each of these managers reminded us that culture is built in everyday moments. Their insights are a testament to the kind of leadership that empowers individuals and unites teams, not just at Qlik, but in any organization focused on growth, inclusion, and impact. 

Thank you to Anne, Maria, Anushree, and Francisco for sharing your stories and for the example you set.