Achim Lüder succeeds Marcelo Modica as Mercer's People boss

Mercer has a new Chief People Officer. After eight years in the role, New York-based Marcelo Modica has passed on the baton to Frankfurt-based Achim Lüder.

Based in Germany, Achim Lüder is now responsible for all human capital efforts of Mercer and its 25,000-strong workforce across 44 countries. Lüder is a veteran of the firm, having joined the global leader in human resourcing consulting in 2005 after spells at a venture capital firm and Big Four giant KPMG.

Throughout his 15-year tenure at Mercer, Lüder has held a number of senior leadership positions. Most recently he was the CEO of Mercer Germany, and before that he was the firm’s Leader of the Central and Eastern Europe region, COO of the EMEA retirement business and CFO of the EMEA region.

Martine Ferland, the CEO of Mercer, said: “We are delighted to announce Achim as our new Chief People Officer. He brings real passion for the success of our colleagues and a deep knowledge of our business to the role.”

“During his time with us, he has honed his understanding of our culture, our business and what makes our people successful. He leads with a combination of clear strategy, care for colleagues and clients, and strong execution focus – ideal capabilities as we reinvent to be successful in an evolving ‘new normal’.” 

With revenues of just over $5 billion in its latest financial year, Mercer is one of the globe’s largest human capital consultancies, alongside chef rivals Aon and Willis Towers Watson (which are merging in 2021). The firm also competes with the human capital advisory arms of the Big Four, the large strategy houses, and the well-known IT giants. Meanwhile, Mercer also has a large pensions business, as well as an investments wing.

Lüder has been tasked with navigating Mercer through the coronacrisis, which according to Marsh & McLennan Companies’ latest financial release is impacting the group, which further consists of Marsh, Mercer, Oliver Wyman and Guy Carpenter. However, the group and its CEO Daniel Glaser has been praised for how its people first during the Covid-19-induced downturn, holding on to its workforce at a time when many of its rivals put profit before their people. 

As part of the appointment, Lüder joins Mercer’s Executive Leadership Team led by Martine Ferland, further consisting of David Anderson, Hervé Balzano, Ilya Bonic, Gail Evans, Louis Gagnon, Jackie Marks, Rian Miller, Rich Nuzum and Bala Viswanathan.

He will also work closely with Carmen Fernandez, the Chief Human Resources Officer of Marsh & McLennan Companies.