Introduction
Modern leadership is no longer defined by a single profession or a prestigious title.
The most influential women are those who combine expertise, strategic thinking, social responsibility, and the courage to lead through periods of significant change.
Anahita Thoms is an outstanding example of this new generation of female leadership.
A highly respected international trade lawyer and business adviser, Thoms has built a career at the intersection of law, international business, sustainability, compliance, and global governance. In 2026, she took another major step in her career when she became Country Managing Partner of Baker McKenzie Germany, following her election to the position for a three-year term beginning July 1, 2026.
Her influence extends well beyond the legal profession. She has served in leadership and advisory roles involving sustainability, governance, inclusion, international trade, and social initiatives. In June 2026, she was also named to Germany's Top 50 – The Power List, recognising individuals considered influential in shaping Germany's future.
At Zyvera, we celebrate women who create meaningful careers, challenge traditional expectations, and use their expertise to influence the world around them.
Anahita Thoms represents exactly that kind of achievement.
Building a Career at the Intersection of Law and Business
A successful legal career requires much more than understanding legislation.
For leaders working with international companies, law intersects with economics, geopolitics, technology, sustainability, and corporate strategy.
Thoms built her career in precisely this environment.
Her professional expertise has centred on international trade, compliance, investigations, sustainability, and business and human rights. Baker McKenzie's profile describes her as head of its International Trade Practice in Germany and a global sustainability leader for its Industrials, Manufacturing & Transportation group.
This combination of legal and commercial knowledge has enabled her to advise organisations facing some of the most complex challenges in global business.
Her career demonstrates an important principle for ambitious women:
Expertise becomes more powerful when you understand how different industries and disciplines connect.
From International Experience to Executive Leadership
Thom's career has been international from the beginning.
Before joining Baker McKenzie, she gained experience in major legal markets including New York, Berlin, and Düsseldorf. Her international exposure helped her understand different approaches to business, regulation, negotiation, and professional leadership.
In an interview published by Baker McKenzie, she described her New York experience as particularly valuable because it exposed her to a faster-paced professional environment and different approaches to client work.
That international perspective became one of the defining strengths of her professional identity.
Rather than limiting herself to one market, she developed the ability to operate across borders.
For women seeking global careers, her journey offers an important lesson:
International experience can expand not only your professional network but also the way you think.
Becoming Country Managing Partner of Baker McKenzie Germany
One of the defining achievements of Thoms' career arrived in 2026.
Baker McKenzie announced that she had been elected Country Managing Partner of Baker McKenzie Germany, effective July 1, 2026, for a three-year term. She succeeded Dr Alexander Wolff in the role.
Her responsibilities extend beyond traditional legal work.
As country managing partner, she is part of the leadership responsible for the direction and development of the firm's German operations.
At the same time, she continues to hold significant professional responsibilities, including leadership of the German International Trade Practice and co-chairing the firm's Global Crisis Management and Strategic Response Group.
This combination of responsibilities illustrates the scale of modern executive leadership.
A senior leader must understand clients, employees, markets, technology, regulation, risk, and long-term strategy.
Thom's career has prepared her for precisely this environment.
Leadership During a Changing World
The business environment is changing rapidly.
Geopolitical tensions, supply-chain disruption, technological transformation, sustainability requirements, and changing regulations are forcing companies to rethink how they operate.
Thoms works directly at the intersection of many of these issues.
Her expertise in international trade, compliance, sustainability, and crisis management places her at the centre of major questions facing multinational businesses.
Her leadership philosophy emphasises providing clarity during uncertainty.
This is one of the most valuable qualities of modern leadership.
When circumstances change quickly, organisations need leaders who can interpret complexity and turn it into practical decisions.
A Voice for Sustainability and Responsible Business
One of the strongest aspects of Thoms' professional profile is her commitment to sustainability.
She has served as Global Lead Sustainability Partner for Baker McKenzie's Industrials, Manufacturing & Transportation group and has advised organisations on sustainability-related business issues.
She has also held external advisory positions connected with sustainability and governance, including chairing the Sustainability Advisory Board of Fresenius. (
Her work reflects a broader change in modern business.
Sustainability is no longer simply a corporate communications topic.
It increasingly affects supply chains, investment decisions, regulation, risk management, reputation, and long-term competitiveness.
Thoms' career demonstrates how women with expertise in emerging business issues can become influential voices in shaping the future.
Global Governance and Social Responsibility
Thoms' influence extends beyond corporate leadership.
She has served on the board of Atlantik-Brücke, participated in the World Economic Forum's Global Future Council on Good Governance for the 2025–2026 term, and has been involved with UNICEF Germany's National Committee.
She has also been involved in initiatives addressing modern slavery and has provided pro bono support to people affected by human-rights violations.
These activities reveal another dimension of leadership.
Professional achievement can provide a platform, but purpose determines how that platform is used.
For Zyvera, this is an especially important part of her story.
Her success is not limited to career advancement; she has also used her expertise and influence to participate in broader social and governance initiatives.
Recognition for Leadership and Excellence
Thoms' professional achievements have received significant recognition.
Her distinctions have included recognition among influential women in German business, international trade awards, the World Economic Forum's Young Global Leader designation, and the STRIVE Sustainability Award.
In June 2026, she was included in Germany's Top 50 – The Power List, alongside prominent figures from German politics, business, culture, media, and sport. The recognition highlighted leadership, courage, and excellence.
Such recognition is important not simply because of the awards themselves.
It reflects the growing influence of women whose careers combine professional excellence with broader societal impact.
Personal Branding Through Knowledge
In the era of social-media-driven personal branding, Thoms represents a different and highly valuable model.
Her reputation has been built primarily through knowledge, expertise, leadership, and credibility.
She does not need to rely on constant visibility to establish authority.
Her professional achievements speak for themselves.
This is an important lesson for women building careers in business and professional services.
A personal brand does not have to be loud.
It can be built through:
Deep expertise
Consistent performance
Thought leadership
Professional integrity
International experience
Meaningful relationships
Social responsibility
Over time, these qualities can become more valuable than temporary popularity.
Inspiring Women to Enter Leadership
Thom's career is particularly relevant for women considering leadership in law, finance, consulting, technology, sustainability, and international business.
These industries often demand long working hours, continuous education, international mobility, and the ability to perform under pressure.
Her journey demonstrates that women can succeed at the highest levels while building expertise across multiple areas.
Her professional story also highlights the importance of mentorship and inclusion. She has been involved in mentoring initiatives designed to support young people and improve access to professional opportunities.
For the next generation of women, that message is powerful:
You do not have to wait for someone else to define your potential. Build the expertise that makes your leadership impossible to ignore.
The Modern Luxury of Influence
Luxury is often associated with fashion, travel, exclusive experiences, and material success.
But Zyvera's definition of luxury can go deeper.
For a woman like Anahita Thoms, luxury can mean education, independence, professional freedom, international exposure, and the ability to influence important decisions.
Her career has taken her into boardrooms, global institutions, international negotiations, and executive leadership.
That is a different kind of luxury.
It is the luxury of having the knowledge and confidence to participate in conversations that shape businesses and societies.
What Every Ambitious Woman Can Learn From Anahita Thoms
1. Build Expertise
Knowledge is one of the strongest foundations for professional independence.
2. Think Internationally
Global experience can transform the way you understand business and leadership.
3. Combine Disciplines
Law, business, sustainability, technology, and geopolitics increasingly overlap. Understanding those connections creates strategic value.
4. Lead Through Change
The strongest leaders do not avoid uncertainty. They help others navigate it.
5. Use Your Success Responsibly
Professional influence becomes more meaningful when it contributes to society.
6. Let Your Work Build Your Reputation
A strong personal brand is ultimately built on credibility.
The Legacy She Continues to Build
Anahita Thoms represents a new generation of European female leaders—professionals who combine deep expertise with international experience, business understanding, social responsibility, and a willingness to take on complex challenges.
Her appointment as Country Managing Partner of Baker McKenzie Germany marks an important new chapter in a career that has already crossed international trade, sustainability, governance, compliance, and global business leadership.
Her story demonstrates that leadership is not created overnight.
It is built through years of learning, difficult decisions, professional discipline, and the courage to accept greater responsibility.
At Zyvera, we celebrate women like Anahita Thoms because they expand the definition of what success can look like.
She reminds ambitious women that they can build careers based on knowledge rather than stereotypes, influence rather than popularity, and purpose rather than recognition alone.
Her journey is a powerful example of modern female leadership—intelligent, international, responsible, and built for the future.
My Life, My Achievements.
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