Kate Bailey
Founder of Hand & Heart GmbH. Cross-border investigation specialist, certified fraud examiner, and independent media producer. Based in Berlin, operating across Europe.
About
I am the founder and managing director of Hand & Heart GmbH, a European cross-border investigation and advisory firm, and Hand & Heart Media, its independent media production arm.
My work sits at the intersection of workplace investigations, corporate intelligence, labour relations, and media. I lead cross-border investigations spanning misconduct, fraud, whistleblower retaliation, and procurement irregularities — across the EU, UK, and internationally. I am a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) and a member of both the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners and the Association of Workplace Investigators.
I am also a registered Business Consultant with the German Federal Office of Economics and Export Control (BAFA, Consultant ID: #185675) and hold specialist expertise in OSINT, SOCMINT, and digital investigation methodology.
Before focusing exclusively on investigations, I built Hand & Heart from a workplace consultancy and mediation practice into what it is today — along the way creating the world's first full-service digital food & beverage consultancy and a first-of-its-kind alternative workplace dispute resolution model. That background in systems, people, and operations still shapes how I investigate.
What I Do Through Hand & Heart
Six B2B practice areas for organisations, plus a dedicated employee-side investigation service — the first of its kind in Europe.
Workplace Investigations
Independent, cross-border investigations into misconduct, harassment, discrimination, whistleblowing, and fraud — legally defensible and GDPR-compliant.
Due Diligence
Pre-employment, vendor, partner, and M&A due diligence. Cross-border verification and background intelligence.
Labour Relations & Conflict
Mediation, ADR, conflict diagnostics, and works council advisory under German and European labour law.
OSINT & Corporate Intelligence
Open-source and social media intelligence, fact-checking, competitive analysis, and reputational risk assessment.
EU Procurement Fraud
Specialist investigation of procurement fraud and irregularities in EU-funded contracts and tendering processes.
Training & Consultation
Bespoke programmes for HR, compliance, legal, and management teams — grounded in real investigation casework, not theory.
Employee Defence Investigations
Most workplace investigators work for employers. I also work for employees. Evidence gathering, case preparation, and investigative support for workers facing disciplinary action, dismissal, or retaliation — a service virtually no other firm in Europe offers.
Find Out More →Current Focus
Investigator Licensing Standards
I am actively campaigning for formal licensing and professional standards for investigators in Germany, the EU, and the UK. In a field where anyone can call themselves an investigator — with no required qualifications, no mandatory training, and no regulatory oversight — this is one of the most important structural problems in our industry.
Employee-Side Investigations
Building out Hand & Heart's employee defence practice — making professional-grade investigation support accessible to individual workers, trade unions, and whistleblowers across Europe.
Investigation-Driven Media
Developing new formats through Hand & Heart Media that explore workplace culture, power, and accountability through rigorous, investigation-informed storytelling.
Selected Productions
Independent, investigation-driven media produced through Hand & Heart Media.
Right the Ship
A podcast examining the case of Commander Kimberly Young-McLear, a whistleblower in the United States Coast Guard — and the broader fight for justice and accountability for federal whistleblowers.
Super Punk Corporate Meltdown
An investigative podcast examining workers' rights, institutional betrayal, and corporate retaliation through a case study of the events surrounding BrewDog.
Super Cool Toxic Workplace
How brewery and brand Mikkeller became a toxic workplace — told by those who experienced it. An investigation into power dynamics, online communities, and institutional failures.
Credentials & Memberships
Certified Fraud Examiner
Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE)
BAFA Registered Consultant
Bundesamt für Wirtschaft und Ausfuhrkontrolle · ID: #185675
AWI Member
Association of Workplace Investigators
IAWBH Member
International Association of Workplace Bullying and Harassment
Get in Touch
Whether it's an investigation, a media collaboration, or a conversation about raising professional standards — I'm interested.
No content from this website may be used without the express written permission of Kathleen Bailey or Hand & Heart GmbH.