Michaela Merk, CSP
Certified Speaking Professional
Sevres - Paris, France
CSP since 2025
Expertise
Leadership & Achievement, Customer Service, Women in Leadership, Inspiration & Motivation, Diversity & Inclusion
About
Michaela Merk is a Franco-German award-winning international speaker, professor, coach and author specializing in leadership and customer experience through the power of Relational Intelligence.
Recognized as one of Europe’s foremost voices on human connection in business, she is the only female European speaker to hold both the Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) and Global Speaking Fellow (GSF) titles.
Known for her work with leading service and excellence driven premium and luxury brands such as Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Dior, Chanel, Four Seasons Hotels and other global corporations in sectors of banking, real estate and insurance she has delivered conferences and workshops across the world in English, French, and German.
Merk has held senior executive positions at L’Oréal and Estée Lauder Companies (General Manager) and serves on the board of Group Champagne Lanson-BCC and the Association Française des Conférenciers Professionnels (AFCP).
Holding a PhD in Marketing from Sorbonne and HEC Paris, she is Professor of Marketing at Audencia Business School and directs the MSc in Sustainable Luxury Management.
She is the author of several books, including „The Power of Relational Intelligence: 30 golden rules for successful leadership and high performing teams » also hosts the podcast Luxury Leadership Talks, exploring innovation, sustainability and leadership in the luxury world.
Among her main sources of inspiration are her travels to nearly 100 countries, where she has explored diverse cultures and remote natural environments in search of authentic human and environmental richness. Michaela is also a former gymnastics champion and includes
Listed in the Global CSP® Directory, checked against NSA records October 2026. Back to the directory