Its difficult to define the perfect HR leader but Adam Leyland succeeds in identifying some distinct types of HR practitioner at work today. Do you recognise yourself?

The Department of Healths HR director, Andrew Foster, is at the heart of plans to modernise the NHS. Peter Oborne talks to him about the sheer scale of his task

We shouldnt lionise business leaders thats the lesson to learn from recent company failures, says Richard Donkin

South West Trains and the RMT are at daggers drawn. So how can SWTs HR director and the RMTs leader be such good friends? Larissa Bannister reports

What qualities and skills does an HR professional need? Is the CIPD qualification relevant? Is a business background necessary? Should they be generalists or specialists? Three industry insiders tell...

Line management experience is no longer just a nice to have for HR professionals, its a must if they are to avoid the function being dismissed as fluffy. Stefan Stern reports

Denise Kingsmill of the Competition Commission makes a powerful advocate for the greater involvement of women in senior management, says Adam Leyland