Storytime for Global Mobility Padawans

Posted on 16 March, 202616 March, 2026 by Angie Weinberger

When I was working as a Global Mobility Leader at one of the Big Four consulting firms, I sometimes had a hard time explaining to my team members why they were not compensated at the same level as an HR Manager (or HR Business Partner, as they used to be called back in the day). I told them about my vision of Global Mobility Managers reporting directly to the Head of Human Resources or even the Head of Business Development.

I encouraged them to learn more and gain deeper knowledge and expertise to talk to line managers about international assignments from a business perspective (not just through talent development glasses). I was frustrated about the lack of recognition and good education. When I left my well-paid manager job to start Global People Transitions, one of the most exciting projects was running an online Global Mobility course (back in 2013, when that wasn’t a thing yet) for a large global team in a well-known industrial company.

The Start of Global Mobility Education

As recently discussed with one of the participants, we did not even have a functioning phone line with China and India then. Still, we got the ball rolling in global mobility education. Suddenly, I had a good reason to start writing what later became “The Global Mobility Workbook”. Through that book and my ever-increasing networking efforts, I was kindly introduced by Arend Reijm (THANK YOU AGAIN) to the lady who had already done this in the Netherlands.

The Global Mobility Workbook, 2nd Ed. — The Global Mobility Workbook by @angieweinberger (2016 Print Edition)

When I first met Inge Nitsche, I could not stop admiring her. She had built Expatise Academy with her business partner, Ernst Steltenpoehl, and they ran courses for Compensation and Benefits Managers and Global Mobility Managers. She had just convinced the reputable Erasmus University to create an academic Master’s course in Human Resources and Global Mobility. Inge Nitsche, the CEO of Expatise Academy, says “Global Mobility is Rocket Science,” and I agree with her. Because of the interdisciplinary nature of the field and the vast body of research and functional knowledge that goes into Global Mobility, it was always underestimated and often misunderstood as a purely administrative and transactional function.

The Global Mobility Education Guild House

Today, after many global traumatic events, the demand for Global Mobility Managers and Recruiters is rising—people in HR who can support the movement of people within companies and international organizations. We still don’t have a clear brand, and there’s still some confusion about what we do (Hint: We are not a global taxi service). But I see a bright future ahead of the profession.

The Global Mobility Guild is finally receiving the recognition it deserves! Suppose you’re ready to dive into this unique area of Human Resources, but feel you lack the technical foundation.

Enroll in Global Mobility Education
This course is an exceptional opportunity to build the skills and knowledge you need to thrive in Global Mobility and Recruiting, from understanding corporate dynamics to mastering the complexities of cross-jurisdictional decision-making.

I want to thank Inge Nitsche for her continuous engagement in ensuring high quality and bringing world-class lecturers to the class since 2015. I am proud to have joined the team in 2016. Inge once told me, “Global Mobility is Rocket Science” because of its interdisciplinary nature.

What is a Padawan?

Conference Recommendations 2025

26 to 28 June 2025: Lucerne, Switzerland, from SIETAR Switzerland https://sietar.ch/sietar-congress-2025-announcement/

11 to 15 November 2025 Portland, Oregon, USA – SIETAR USA – info@sietarusa.org

Expat Coaching

We coach Expats, Expat Spouses, Global Mobility Managers, Recruiters, HR Managers, and local (non-expat) Leaders of Global Virtual Teams. www.globalpeopletransitions.com.