Our Chief People Officer Anne Erni on Building Inclusion and Access
Anne Erni joined Audible as Chief People Officer in 2016, after spending more than 25 years on Wall Street working in investment banking and trading, and then, driven by a passion to make the industry more inclusive, moving into human resources leadership. As Lehman Brothers’ first chief diversity officer, and later as head of human resources at Bloomberg, Erni introduced return-to-work programs that empowered women to resume careers that had been paused for raising families or caregiving. In 2020 she brought this experience to the launch of Audible’s returnship program, just one of the countless ways Erni is helping to actualize our People Principles and integrate Spectrum and Belonging even more deeply into our workplace culture.
Under her leadership, Erni’s teams have developed a modern hybrid work model called Hub+Home that gives employees flexibility to do their best work, whether they’re collaborating at the office or focusing at home; they have conducted a major renovation of our Newark headquarters and redesign of hubs around the globe, creating inspiring new spaces for Audible’s employees to gather; and her teams continue to design and implement policies and communications that integrate wellness into our everyday work.
How long have you been with Audible?
I celebrated my seventh year with Audible on February 2! It has been the best part of my career. For most of my career, I worked on Wall Street in corporate finance, on the trading floor (fixed income and equities), and then transitioned to their diversity and human resources team. At Audible, I have learned so much about being customer obsessed, where the customer is enjoying a product that I love. It’s hard to get passionate about an equity derivative, but it is wholly satisfying to drive Spectrum and Belonging and to create meaningful change at a global consumer company.
What are some “left turns” you took on your career journey?
The biggest “left turn” I took was moving off the trading floor to take on the role of chief diversity officer at Lehman Brothers. After the bankruptcy in 2008, I had a choice to either go back to the business or stay in the human resources space. I chose the latter, as I’d never realized how intellectually interesting it was. I also enjoyed the creative aspect of transforming cultures to nurture the modern workforce.
What do you like best about your work?
On the people and places team at Audible, no two days are ever the same. I am an extrovert and love working with people and driving caring, fair, and inclusive cultures through cutting-edge policies and practices. We make sure people are best set up to give contributions that have purpose and meaning for Audible.
What have you found most helpful for balancing a leadership role with your personal/family life?
As a mom of two children, I was determined to stick with my career while being the best mom I could be. I learned quickly that quality time is not measured in hours or days, it is measured by the moments together and the focus I give to them. I also learned early in my career that, even though it was hard, help with childcare was necessary for balancing the professional and personal. I had wonderful caretakers for my children, each of whom became important parts of my life. I was able to work late when required, or work from anywhere with my Blackberry, so that I could attend school and sports events, host playdates, and stay in touch with teachers and parents of my children’s friends. I was also able to experience the benefits of flexible work in the early 2000s, when it was still rare, and I learned the impact of having leaders who trusted me to work from home on Fridays.
I am super committed to keeping women in the workplace, and while I was at Lehman, I was able to use my platform to put into place flexible work policies, including a returnship program called “Encore.” Since then, I have brought return-to-work programs to subsequent companies, including Audible. My goal has been to use my personal experience and empathy to change the norms and policies so caregivers can stay in the workplace or flex back to work after a period of staying at home. Today, I believe the workplace is evolving to respect childcare responsibilities and put in place programs that better retain women.
Lightning Round
Coffee or tea? Wow, that is a huge toss-up for me. I love a coffee in the morning. In fact, I wake up excited to have a delicious coffee and then I enjoy all kinds of black and green teas in the afternoon, and always a Sleepytime tea before bed.
Morning person or night owl? I am definitely a morning person. My mood and energy are at their highest, and I get my best work done, in the morning. Mornings are better to stick to my routines like working out, writing, or making important calls, as there are fewer distractions.
Where are you working from currently? I am a hybrid: I work Mondays and Fridays from home—Mondays, it helps me get serious work done in preparation for a productive week, and Fridays I can return every email and phone call that fell through the cracks. Tuesday through Thursday, I am in the office engaging with my direct reports, the people and places team and our CEO, Bob Carrigan, and the leadership team.
If you were stuck on a desert island with only one piece of tech, what would it be and why? A phone with fast Wi-Fi.
If you could have any super power what would it be? I would love to fly.
If we made an Audible Original about your life, what would the title be? Glass Half-Full.
Who is your biggest inspiration, career-wise? My friend and former boss Melinda Wolfe. She is kind but driven, empathetic yet commercial, and the ultimate subject matter expert in her field. When I was appointed Chief Diversity Officer at Lehman Brothers, she was the epitome of who and what I wanted to be when I “grew up.”
Dine in or take out? Hands down: dine in. I love food. I love to plan menus, cook, host parties, research restaurants and new dining options near my home. Take out is never the same experience.
Favorite weekend activity? I love to entertain friends and, in the summer, spend time in my garden. I am obsessed with trees, plants, and flowers, and work hard to create an oasis. I also engage as a board member in several not-for-profits that are related to the environment, the arts, and education. That often takes up time on my weekends and brings a different type of joy.
Favorite Audible listen, go. Lately, I just loved the Audible Original The Miranda Obsession. Overall, Trevor Noah’s Born a Crime.
