Annette Kroeber-Riel is Vice President of Government Affairs and Public Policy at Google in Europe. As a member of the executive team, she oversees political strategy and operations and is an ardent advocate for an open and inclusive web. She frequently engages policy makers and regulators, and advises the most senior leaders at Google strategically on policy trends affecting Google in Europe and beyond.
Annette joined Google in 2007, first building the public policy team in Germany,Austria and Switzerland, and later Central and Eastern Europe. She extensively supported the industry contribution towards the EU Copyright Directive. As the first Google employee in Berlin, Annette built out the company’s corporate presence, overseeing and advising as Site Lead with 300+ office employees.
Before joining Google, Annette had worked in legal roles in Germany, France, the USA and Malaysia. After studying Law in Frankfurt and Paris, she did her legal clerkships at a law firm in Frankfurt and at the German Embassy in Kuala Lumpur. Annette specialised as an attorney in telecommunications and media at a US law firm, spending considerable time in Washington. She then moved to Berlin to work for Jamba! and VeriSign where she was responsible for Government Relations across the European Union.
Annette cares deeply about human rights issues. For decades she has been supporting several organisations dedicated to the cause, including Human Rights Watch. She actively supports women in technology through her mentorship of numerous female leaders.
She is an avid diver and freediver.