Dale Haddon is an experienced HR leader with a proven track record of developing people and workforce strategy, leading major multi-million pound people change programmes, and improving business performance in tough, complex, and high-profile environments. Haddon has a reputation for blending specialist strategy and planning capability with a strong focus on people experiences and culture.
He joined the BBC in 2015 and is currently HR director for BBC News, and director of employee and industrial relations. BBC News Group is the largest broadcast news operation in the world, producing output across network news, English regions and the world service group. Haddon established the people strategy for the news division, and leads a team to deliver high-quality people outcomes to enhance the output of BBC News.
For the past two years he has led the wide-reaching Terms and Conditions Review at the BBC, seeking to radically improve consistency, fairness and transparency across the corporation. Haddon’s collegiate approach to employee relations through joint working with the three representative trade unions resulted in an unprecedented recommendation by each union for a reformed set of terms and conditions. The proposed changes included moving to one BBC contract, simplifying pay and grading structures, modernising policy and allowances, and establishing leading-practice policies in flexible working, diversity, learning, parental leave and wellbeing. Union members voted in favour of the proposed changes, including a three-year pay deal.
Prior to joining the BBC Haddon was deputy group HR director at Royal Mail. He was accountable for group-wide HR strategy, improving employee engagement, learning and development, and employee and industrial relations. Haddon led the culture change programme that underpinned the successful privatisation of a £9.5 billion group of companies. Previous roles at Royal Mail included group talent director and leading regional operations.
Haddon is a qualified executive coach. He has been a non-executive director of the Nuffield NHS Trust and is now the chairman of the Roland Hill Fund, a charitable trust supporting present and former Royal Mail and Post Office employees.
