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Areas of Expertise
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Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) - strategy, design, and delivery for multinational clients
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Building and scaling talent acquisition operations across Europe
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Active sourcing and AI-driven recruitment innovation
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Employer branding for international companies
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Managing high-volume EMEA recruitment campaigns
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Strategic M&A in the HR services sector
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Subscription and package-based recruitment models (RaaS)
EDUCATION
Master of Business Administration (MBA) — Marketing & Finance
University of Cologne, 1987–1991
Languages
German (native)
English (fluent)
French (conversational)
People often assume that consistently hiring top talent is something only large, global corporations can achieve. I strongly disagree — and proving that has been the driving force of my career.
Professional Background & Career Journey
Claus-Peter Sommer has spent over 20 years at the forefront of talent acquisition and Recruitment Process Outsourcing in Europe and globally.
His recruitment career began in the early 1990s, and by 2002 he had already introduced RPO as a service model to Central European clients — well ahead of the market curve. As Founder and CEO of access AG, he built one of the leading talent sourcing and RPO providers in Central Europe from scratch, growing it to more than 120 employees over 15 years.
He then joined Kelly Outsourcing and Consulting Group as Global Head of RPO, where he established the Global Centre of Excellence for RPO, managed US and European operations, and initiated RPO activities in APAC.
Today he leads Serendi, a Swiss-based RPO company delivering tailor-made talent acquisition solutions for national and international clients across EMEA, Asia, North America and the Americas. His focus areas include active sourcing, AI in recruitment, employer branding, and long-term RPO partnerships.
Role at Serendi
As CEO of Serendi, Claus leads the company’s strategy, business development, and operational management across Europe. He works with larger national and international companies to design and run customised RPO and talent sourcing programmes. His day-to-day spans executive leadership, client relationship management, account growth, and overseeing the delivery team’s performance against KPIs.
Beyond the Office
Outside work, Claus is an avid snowboarder who spends winters in the Swiss Alps and an adventure cyclist with a taste for remote bikepacking routes — he brings the same spirit of exploration to navigating complex talent markets.
What Drives Claus
Claus believes that every company — regardless of size — can achieve consistent, high-quality hiring if it has the right talent acquisition structure in place. His professional mission is to make that possible: combining strategic thinking with the operational rigour of a seasoned recruitment specialist.
Articles by Claus
External Recognition & Publications
Two decades leading RPO operations across three continents, from his own founded companies to Kelly's global organisation.
20+
years IN RPO
Brought Recruitment Process Outsourcing to Central Europe in 2002, well ahead of the market.
RPO Pioneer
SINCE 2002
Founder and CEO of Serendi, a Swiss-headquartered RPO provider operating across EMEA with a newly launched global service hubs.
Founder
AND CEO OF SERENDI