About Us - Talent Interlock

HI, WE ARE NICOLE AND LEA!

Our story

As we both moved to Leuven, Belgium, as an accompanying partner, we both faced a career change as a result. We had more questions than answers (at that moment) and we were looking for that next step, some answers, a sense of purpose, a new network. We clearly felt the lack of services and offers for our situation. Changing this was our mission since we met, and we are proud to have developed Talent Interlock together over the years. (#female founders) Turning challenges into opportunities has become our motto.

Learn more about our (founding) story in this video

Our Mission

Our mission is to connect international talents with their valuable expertise to the local labour market. We stand for empowering expat partners and other highly qualified internationals to make their next (career) step, for providing support through career changes, and for helping public institutions, cities and companies being more attractive for international employees and their families. We thereby work towards more diverse work places well as towards more equal career opportunities.

Talent Interlock Team

Lea Sophie Suhr

Caught by surprise by the immense influence and unexpected consequences of being an accompanying expat partner, Lea took advantage of this challenge and founded Talent Interlock to support other accompanying partners in pursuing their professional careers abroad and to push equal career opportunities a little bit further.

She truly enjoys giving training as well as moderating career events in the science context and has, true to style for an “accompanying partner”, lived and worked in several countries and places.

Nicole Wedell-von Leupoldt

Prior to joining KU Leuven, Nicole was a founding member of a university in Hamburg, Germany; This experience fostered her entrepreneurial spirit and helped solidify her belief that one can tackle and improve anything.
Under the motto ‘Detours broaden horizons’, Nicole co-developed the very first Dual Career Programme at university of Leuven and subsequently founded Talent Interlock, connecting international talent with the labour market.

What makes her tick? Proactivity, daring to go out and try things, speaking to people, and risking to fail but taking it as a learning opportunity.

Andy Whittle

Andy is a Professional Certified Coach for ICF and an EMCC accredited Life and Wellbeing Coach for Internationals who are looking for support. He is also an experienced Facilitator and Trainer. He is a highly competent speaker and event host, runs the Brussels Imagination Club and organises a range of public workshops and events.