I am a People Director working for People Puzzles, a portfolio HR Director business. Our purpose is to operate as a trusted advisor to business owners by developing business and people strategies to help them transform and grow. As a People Puzzles Director, we oversee all people-based activity within organisations: both strategic, tactical and with a strong commercial edge, to help enable businesses to deliver their vision and business plan.The business is made up of highly experienced, carefully selected HR executives across the UK that support each other with best in class, cutting edge HR thought leadership, business strategy and people expertise.

Advisory Board member of Strathclyde University Court, the overall governing body of the university and a member of the Staff Committee which is responsible for the strategic oversight of strategy and policy in relation to staffing matters and monitoring relevant legislation compliance.

Supporting TALiNT Partners in bringing together a global network of senior talent acquisition leaders through insight sharing and peer to peer discussion to help shape the talent ecosystem

Formerly:Group HR and Communications Director | 2013 – October 2023Head of Leadership & Organisational Development | 2012 – 2013Head of HR | 2009 – 2011I direct all HR activities across global business units of the 1,500-employee food manufacturer. I am a member of the Executive, European, Australian and North American Boards, Group Remuneration Committee and Ethical Steering Group. I lead HR operations and steering committees to identify and embed commonalities between the diverse, cross-cultural global business units, ensuring an aligned Group HR strategy and annual operating plan.Key Achievements:• Evolved board reporting mechanisms to generate meaningful, qualitative insights from across the company, with a particular emphasis on understanding and optimising commercial factors, such as employee cost base relative to commercial performance. • Acting as a brand ambassador to promote the group as an employer of choice, including through numerous speaking engagements at high-profile conferences and network events. • Responsible for attracting and retaining executive directors, including non-executive directors, to boards to ensure maximum board effectiveness and smart board structure design.• Led the development and deployment of the Australian business’s commercial strategy, seeking to turn around the “distressed” region by removing costs with minimal compromise to retention and productivity.• Launched the group’s ethics and compliance committee to meet retailer standards and embed ethical codes of conduct and good practice across the group.• Conducted an expansive organisational health check and talent review process that defined the current capability, leadership potential and high-risk gaps to future proof the business in order to achieve its ambitious growth goals.

During this time, I advised and coached leadership teams and HR business partners on all aspects of people development, performance improvement and organisational change for the 1,200-employee biotech company. Key Achievements:• Collaborated with the executive team to spearhead the rollout of the people development strategy, which focused on executive development and leadership standards to support regional operating objectives.• Directed the EU talent planning project that led to a 40% take up of identified development and the introduction of quarterly talent planning meetings. • Coached each function head to define personal development plans and establish specific service level agreements against functional learning priorities and annual budgets. • Designed and implemented the Account Manager Development Programme and a succession model for the customer services function, which led to 5% sales growth and improved retention figures of 3.5%.• Introduced and chaired the Talent Development Committee, comprising cross-functional business heads, to ensure integration of learning plans, which drove up the impact and creditability of the HR function.• Acted as the specialist on organisational design following the large acquisition of a competitor. I supported a smooth transition to a new structure by restructuring sales, IT and finance functions. • Latterly engaged by Capita Learning and Development as an Associate Workplace Learning Consultant and Performance Coach.

I led the HR strategy for the region during a period of significant change in the global drinks manufacturer.Key Achievements: • Defined the people strategies for the region and advised the board on all HR related matters.• Resourced the HR function, attracting HR talent to operate as business partners across multiple locations.• Collaborated with the MD to deliver a key organisational design initiative comprising a redesign of the sales function, generating closer customer contact in the market and improved brand awareness.

Initially joining as UK HR Operations Manager, I was promoted in 2004 to take responsibility for the employee development strategy, implementing it across the 1,200-staff business.Key Achievements:• Introduced online global performance management processes and systems across all locations to achieve ISO 9001:2000 and ‘level 3 excellence’ against the IIP standard.• Operated as lead HR representative on four regional employee forums, forging strong relationships with employee representatives and trade unions. • Delivered a UK-wide coaching and mentoring model for the business with a three-tier accreditation process. All senior managers completed the programme, with eight accredited as internal coaches.• Launched an innovative bite sized learning programme across all UK sites that improved the learning culture, with 80% of all UK employees attending at least one module. This was later rolled out across the US and Asia Pacific.

I developed and executed the people strategy across grain distilling, spirit supply, warehousing and coopering facilities, responsible for 900 employees. I was also a member of the European HR Leadership Team.

In this role, I implemented the HR strategy, impacting 1,500 people across the region, leading a cross-functional team of HR and L&D specialists. I presented at board-level on business plans, coaching and employee wellbeing.