Meeting Anne Erni - A blend of humanity and innovation
I’m in Newark, on my way to Audible’s headquarters to meet Anne Erni, the company’s Chief People Officer.
We sit down in one of the lounge areas. There is artwork on the walls and a few quotes from books nearby, a quiet reminder of Audible’s roots. The space feels open and calm, and before long we are talking about work, leadership, and what has changed for companies in recent years.
I ask Anne what it has been like helping lead the people side of the business through so much change.
“A lot shifted very quickly,” she says. “And I think it forced all of us to look more closely at how people work, what they need, and how companies show up for them. We’ve tried to stay focused on that.”
She does not talk about talent strategy in abstract terms. She talks about staying close to people and paying attention.
“We spend a lot of time thinking about what employees are experiencing,” she says. “Not only what the business needs, but how people are actually feeling their way through change.”
That shows up in the way she leads.
“One thing that matters to me is staying connected,” she says. “I do something called Plenty in Twenty, where employees from across the company can sit down with me over coffee and talk. They share ideas, concerns, questions, whatever is on their mind. I learn a lot from those conversations.”
There is something straightforward in the way she says it. She is not describing a program. She is describing a habit.
When I ask about data, she answers in the same practical way.
“It helps us see patterns,” she says. “It helps us understand where people may be doing well, where they may be struggling, and where we need to pay more attention. But it only matters if you connect it back to real people and real choices.”
We talk about learning next, and it is clear she sees it as part of the everyday rhythm of work.
“We want people to keep growing,” she says. “That means building learning into the work itself, not treating it like something separate.”
When the conversation turns to generative AI, she does not overstate it.
“New tools make people curious, but they can also make people uneasy,” she says. “That’s normal. What matters is giving people room to learn, ask questions, and try things out. Leaders need to do that too.”
Later, we talk about diversity and inclusion, which she discusses in simple terms.
“The work is stronger when you have different perspectives in the room,” she says. “That changes the conversation. It changes the decisions.”
She also brings up returnship programs, which help caregivers return to work after time away. It is one of the examples that makes clear how she thinks, not only about performance, but about access and opportunity too.
By the end of the conversation, what stays with me is how grounded Anne is. She talks about workplace change without jargon. She talks about people in a way that feels real. Not as a concept, but as the center of the work.
