Amando Aust

Background

About Amando Aust

My most valuable leadership lessons didn't come from a textbook. They came from the locker room and the pitch, where I spent 27 years as a professional footballer and team captain. On the field, I learned that a team of 11 superstars will lose to a united club. I learned that data (goals, assists) doesn't capture the "invisible work" of culture, trust, and communication that truly drives wins. And I learned that performance isn't possible without psychological safety. A lesson I learned the hard way in a cup match that rested on my shoulders (a story I'll gladly share). I've translated that captain's armband into a career building high-performance teams in the business world. After learning the corporate "playbook", owning the ropes in contracting and taxation at TUI Cruises, I joined the fast-paced world of a scale-up, airfocus. I quickly saw that my passion wasn't just in managing projects; it was in managing the team. My role naturally evolved, and I stepped up to lead our People and Culture function. Now, as part of the airfocus by Lucid team, I'm guiding our 40-person "club" through our biggest season yet: integrating with the person global team at Lucid Software. My mission is simple: To build a culture where every person feels valued, knows their role, and has the psychological safety to perform at their absolute best. Because in business, just as in sport, you're only as strong as your team. Passionate about the intersection of high performance, sports, and people-first culture? Let's connect.