Kuehne+Nagel Australia

Tracey McPherson, Human Resources Director at Kuehne+Nagel Australia, brings over three decades of experience in HR and corporate communications. In her current role, she leads HR strategy across 12 sites, emphasizing alignment with Kuehne+Nagel’s global leadership aspirations, principles, and framework.

Driving People Strategy in a Shifting World

As HR Director, I lead the HR function across Australia within the Kuehne+Nagel Group, recognized globally as a logistics leader and a constituent of the Swiss SMI index. My role integrates local execution with the Global HR vision, ensuring that our strategy and operations reflect the company’s leadership aspirations: empowering people, driving high performance, and fostering a culture of trust, collaboration, and innovation.

Kuehne+Nagel’s global leadership framework is grounded in principles such as lead by example, empowering and encouraging our people, collaborating for success, delivering customer value, and driving change. These guide our practices nationwide, particularly as we navigate external disruptions—from geopolitical shifts to climate-related crises—requiring resilient, agile teams.

Supporting employees’ adaptability aligns with our global intent to nurture leaders at every level. We invest in digital tools and upskilling, making sure every employee feels confident and supported—consistent with our principle of empowering and encouraging our people. The digital transformation sweeping our industry is reflected in how we help people embrace change and take ownership in shaping tomorrow’s success.

With over 700 employees in Australia, our commitment is to provide opportunities for continuous growth, learning, and inclusion, echoing the global focus on developing capability and unlocking individual potential. Hybrid work, a post-pandemic mainstay, is managed through global best practices that encourage both flexibility and connection. Managers are equipped to foster engagement and productivity, upholding our aspiration to lead by example.

Kuehne+Nagel remains an employer of choice globally and locally, recognized as a Great Place to Work in multiple regions. Our ongoing efforts to attract and retain talent are deeply rooted in our global principles—ensuring the right fit in skills, values, and mindset.

HR as a Strategic Business Partner

The HR function at Kuehne+Nagel has evolved beyond policy administration. Our global leadership framework positions HR as a strategic partner—coaching, advising, and enabling. We are embedded in decision-making processes, providing people centered insights that help shape long-term business and talent strategies.

Our value lies in understanding both commercial goals and the human dynamics that power them. We champion the principle of collaborate for success by building cross-functional partnerships and ensuring the voice of employees is heard in every key business initiative.

“Extraordinary employee experiences do not happen by chance; they are built through intent, action and listening at every level of the organization”

At the leadership table, the synergy between the Managing Director, Finance, and HR is central. Through trust and shared strategic vision, we focus on delivering customer value, balancing financial strength with robust people strategies to support growth and resilience.

Driving Shared Leadership Goals

Our leadership model is directly informed by the Kuehne+Nagel global leadership framework. Clarity, communication, and collaboration underpin every layer of management. From the MD to the frontline, we commit to living our values, demonstrating lead by example and fostering inclusive environments where every team member is encouraged to contribute.

We invest in leadership development at every level, supporting managers to become authentic leaders. This is achieved through programs aligned with the global framework, focusing on empowerment, succession planning, and continuous self-improvement.

Meeting customer needs and investing in our people are inseparable priorities. Through regular leadership dialogues and recognition programs, we ensure that leadership behavior is measured, rewarded, and developed, supporting our aspiration to own today and shape tomorrow.

Crafting an Extraordinary Employee Experience

Employee experience is a strategic priority, measured and actioned consistently with Kuehne+Nagel’s leadership aspirations. Our annual participation in the Great Place to Work assessment is part of a global approach to listening and continuous improvement. Feedback drives targeted action, with results shared transparently and improvements tracked through our inclusion and social teams.

We recognize that employee needs evolve, and our global framework guides our response with meaningful interventions at every career stage. Partnerships, such as with Conservation Volunteers Australia, reinforce our commitment to purposedriven leadership and ESG objectives.

Advice for HR Professionals Seeking Impact

For HR professionals aspiring to align with global leadership standards, my advice is to lead authentically, stay curious, and maintain a learning mindset. Consistent with Kuehne+Nagel’s global principles, bring a coaching approach to every interaction, guiding, supporting, and challenging constructively.

Build teams for both capability and potential and invest in their growth. The ultimate reward is seeing team members thrive as leaders, contributing to a culture of resilience, collaboration, and transformation.

In today’s world, HR leadership must embody empathy, drive measurable impact, and act as a catalyst for change. At Kuehne+Nagel, these are not just aspirations, they are the foundation of our global leadership framework and our ongoing success.