Career Biography

Dr. Corina Haut is a highly experienced and internationally qualified legal executive with over 20 years of experience advising multinational industrial businesses on complex legal and regulatory matters. As Director Legal at Knorr-Bremse Austria since 2012, she leads legal operations across Austria and Europe and acts as the primary legal advisor to senior management and supervisory board on strategic, high-impact matters.

In her current role, Dr. Haut is responsible for overseeing a broad legal portfolio, covering corporate and commercial law, governance, and emerging fields such as cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. She is a trusted advisor at board level, regularly providing guidance on legal risk, liability exposure and strategic decision-making, thereby playing a central role in ensuring robust corporate governance and effective risk management within a highly regulated industrial environment.

Her strength lies in combining legal precision with commercial pragmatism, enabling her to support business growth while safeguarding the organisation’s legal position. Dr. Haut has extensive experience supporting cross-border activities, reflecting her qualifications as a German, Austrian and European lawyer, and her ability to navigate multi-jurisdictional legal frameworks.

Prior to joining Knorr-Bremse, Dr. Haut built a strong foundation in both private practice and institutional legal roles. She served as Head of Legal at BPK AG from 2010 to 2012 and previously held a senior leadership position at the Chamber of Public Accountants in Vienna. Earlier in her career, she worked as an attorney at the leading commercial law firm CERHA HEMPEL, gaining extensive experience in corporate and commercial law. These roles provided her with a deep understanding of regulatory environments, stakeholder management, and complex legal structuring.

Dr. Haut’s career is underpinned by an outstanding academic background with a strong international focus. She holds a Doctor of Laws (Dr. iur.) from the University of Vienna and a Master of Arts in English Law from the University of Wolverhampton, alongside completing her German legal state examinations at the University of Göttingen. In addition, she has completed executive education programmes, including the INSEAD Women Leaders Programme, and has undertaken extensive further training in areas such as corporate and commercial law, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and leadership.

Alongside her corporate responsibilities, Dr. Haut actively contributes to legal and industry developments as a member of several professional bodies and committees, including the Chamber of Commerce and sector-specific industry associations. Through these roles, she supports the evolution of legal standards within technically complex and highly regulated industries.

Dr. Haut is widely recognised for her ability to combine strategic thinking, technical excellence and cross-cultural expertise. Her career reflects a consistent track record of advising at the highest organisational levels, managing complex legal landscapes, and delivering pragmatic solutions that align legal risk management with business objectives.