“Diving Headfirst into the Deep End”
INterview with Kerstin Bender | 01.07.2026
Kerstin Bender translates visionary ideas into concrete plans and desires into underlying needs. As OPMG’s Head of Recruiting, with her sharp intuition for people she ensures that clients find the perfect match for their household. Professionally as well as personally, the mother of two doesn’t fit into any conventional box: she has certainly never fit the classic stereotype of a soccer player’s wife.
If there is one thing Kerstin Bender absolutely cannot do, it is doing nothing. At the time of this interview, she has only been in her role at OPMG for a few weeks. Yet, she already seems completely settled into her role as Head of Recruiting. What works to Bender’s advantage – a self-described extrovert who thrives in the spotlight – is that she loves to talk, but loves to listen at least as much. Her declared goal? To provide people with the support they truly need.
Speaking of support: In the days leading up to this interview, Kerstin Bender also supported her husband, Manfred “Manni” Bender. The former professional soccer player – who played for Bayern Munich, Karlsruher SC, and 1860 Munich, among others – has dedicated himself to golf following his career as a player and coach. For several years now, he has been organizing the “Legenden Masters Golf” tournament, serving as a sort of alumni reunion for German soccer. On and off the green, everything revolves around charity, sports, and unforgettable moments. Alongside her parents, their daughter Franziska Bender now also actively contributes to making it a success.
But back to Kerstin Bender: Even during her husband’s active soccer career, she never fit the cliché of the classic soccer player’s wife. Instead, she carved out her own successful career in another traditionally male-dominated field: the automotive industry. As one of the first female District Managers at Peugeot Germany, Kerstin Bender oversaw a vast network of dealerships. At OPMG, she focuses particularly on international clients as well as customers from the sports industry.
What is important to her in this role? How does the German job market differ from the US one? And why is working for elite athletes simultaneously predictable and unpredictable? Kerstin Bender in conversation about intuition, sports, career, family, and the spotlight.
Mrs. Bender, you know elite sports inside out and are extremely well-connected in the sports world: In your experience, what distinguishes the households of elite athletes from those of other clients?
Kerstin Bender: Especially in soccer, public perception and their actual reality are often worlds apart. The soccer player is incredibly structured. He follows a very clear training and match schedule. Clubs like FC Bayern Munich usually play alternately once at home, once away, and there are fixed training times. While others work countless hours of overtime and get stuck in meetings, a soccer player’s workday is remarkably structured. This often makes things easier and more predictable for the staff as well. The flip side of the coin is the public attention. Elite soccer players sometimes sign contracts worth tens of millions and are consequently in the spotlight. Discretion is therefore absolutely fundamental when working in their household. Players like Lennart Karl and Harry have absolutely no privacy the moment they step out of the house. This makes it all the more important that they can unwind and recharge at home. Anyone working in their household must be fully committed to protecting the family’s privacy accordingly.
“Especially in soccer, public perception and actual reality are often worlds apart.”
Discretion is probably more important across the board nowadays than ever before, thanks to social media?
Kerstin Bender: Yes, having the necessary respect for privacy is a vital aspect of recruitment. In the past, the press was welcome at events until 10 PM. After that, the rule was: what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. Nowadays, you are under constant, 24-hour observation, which leads to a deliberate retreat into the sanctuary of their homes.
Contracts in international professional sports often end very abruptly. What does that mean for housekeeping, nannies, drivers, and private chefs?
Kerstin Bender: The soccer business is incredibly volatile and fast-paced. You sign a multi-million-dollar contract abroad and might be back just six months later because you couldn’t deliver on the pitch. As a rule, families therefore initially stay put at their current residence along with their staff and wait a while before relocating.
Is the staff left behind if necessary?
Kerstin Bender: Mostly, yes. However, chefs and personal assistants are often brought along whenever possible. Nutrition in particular plays a crucial role in professional sports. For instance, Cristiano Ronaldo eats almost exclusively steamed fish and vegetables. That requires chefs who can prepare meals tailored specifically to the respective nutrition plan.
How did you manage to juggle two children, your own career, and your husband’s changing commitments?
Kerstin Bender: Personally, it was always very important to me to stand on my own two feet, which is why it was clear to us: the kids and I would stay where we were. My husband was naturally away a lot, so I was frequently on my own with our daily routine. But it worked out well.
That sounds like an extremely challenging time. Did you have any support?
Kerstin Bender: We never had domestic staff. Just a cleaner who helped us every two weeks. When the kids were small, Manni was a coach in Austria for many years. Back then, I was basically a single mother. It was demanding, but we made it work. Our son went to a childminder from the age of eight months, and I also had a lot of support with the kids from my in-laws. Furthermore, even back then, I was able to manage my work schedule and location with great flexibility, and I always worked from home. It wouldn’t have worked any other way. Even today, I still drive our son Nicolas, who plays for the FC Bayern Munich youth academy, to the campus several times a week. Those are things that just come up on top of everything else. Of course, it takes an incredible amount of structure and discipline, but we managed it well.
Are you generally a structured person?
Kerstin Bender: Yes, both professionally and personally, I love structure, I’m hands-on, and I am highly efficient with my time. My husband is the visionary type, the idea generator. I am the organized one with the to-do lists. As a business graduate, I am always the one pulling back the reins when everyone else wants to gallop off wildly just because the view is nice. You need a plan, and then you execute it.
“You can teach a great person required skills and workflows. Building character, on the other hand, is much more difficult.”
That is an important, but often thankless role…
Kerstin Bender: It’s a role that suits me. However, it shouldn’t become too dogmatic or rigid. Previously, I worked in a family-run business that merged over the years to become a giant corporation. Eventually, I was just moving budgets from A to B, reminding people of guidelines, and issuing compliance warnings. My work ended up being very far removed from what I had enjoyed doing for so many years. I love communication, I’m good with people, and I need genuine human interaction.
How have you experienced your first few weeks at OPMG?
Kerstin Bender: Diving head first into the deep end (smiles). Actually, that suits me very well, because I learn an incredible amount in a short space of time. I still have to familiarize myself with the nuances of this industry, but I’m catching on surprisingly fast. What certainly works to my advantage in recruiting is my intuition for people. Because I am convinced: you can teach a great person required skills and workflows. Building character, on the other hand, is much more difficult.
Your most important takeaway so far?
Kerstin Bender: The international differences. Thanks to both professional and personal experience, I am virtually bilingual, so I will be focusing more on our clients in the US. However, the job market there functions quite differently from the German one. People are much more flexible in the US. Americans will switch from a job they’ve done for 20 years to a new workplace – including a new place of residence – within a single week.
What is particularly important to you in your new position?
Kerstin Bender: The needs analysis. What do people say? And what do they actually need? You have to listen closely and – with the appropriate discretion – look a bit behind the scenes to find that out. That’s the only way we can provide proper support. Take an example from the automotive industry: I wouldn’t sell a coupe to a customer whose wife is heavily pregnant. He’s going to need a station wagon to be happy with it in the long run.
You can reach OPMG by phone at +49 89 414243 99-0 or by email at office@opmgstaff.com.
Their clientele includes global entrepreneurs and corporations, aristocrats, icons from sport and lifestyle, and world-class decision-makers. The team operates internationally and across borders. OPMG works exclusively on a success-based model – no upfront fees, no hidden costs. Placement is always free for candidates.
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