HR Most Influential Blog

The latest research, thinking and viewpoints from the HR Most Influential team, our partners and the leading HR practitioners and thinkers on the HR Most Influential lists.

HRMI 2022: Shereen Daniels, managing director, HR Rewired

An advocate for anti-racism in business, and managing director of anti-racism advisory firm HR Rewired, Daniels is a proactive champion for the need to focus on transformative change which removes...

HRMI 2022: Eugenio Pirri, chief people and culture officer, The Dorchester Collection

Eugenio Pirri has dedicated his career to ensuring that people are the cornerstone of every business decision.

HRMI 2022: John Amaechi, founder, APS Intelligence

John Amaechi is a chartered scientist, respected organisational psychologist and the founder of APS Intelligence, a consultancy that partners with organisations across sectors to help them imagine and...

HRMI 2022: Matthew Syed, author and founder, Matthew Syed Consulting 

Matthew Syed is an author and speaker in the field of high performance.  

HRMI 2022: Harvey Francis, executive vice president and chief HR officer, Skanska UK 

Harvey Francis is executive vice president and chief people officer at Skanska UK, a role he has held since 2008.  

HRMI 2022: David Frost, people and organisational development director, Dole 

David Frost is people and organisational development director at Dole, the world’s largest fresh produce supplier, with 40,000 people operating out of 30 countries.

HRMI 2022: Navid Nazemian, global head of HR, Vodafone

Navid Nazemian ‘s career spans over 26 years. He spent the first six years working in sales before moving to HR - a function that he is deeply passionate about.

HRMI 2022: Mark Grimley, group director for people and corporate services, Government of Jersey

Rising rapidly through the profession, Mark Grimley has a proven record of delivering within some of the more challenging public sector roles within local government, as well as taking roles in the...

HRMI 2022: Jon Dawson, group director of people development, Lore Group 

Jon Dawson was appointed Lore Group’s director of people & development in September 2020, having joined the international hospitality company from Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park London and One Hyde Park...

HRMI 2022: Paul Boustead, chief people and culture officer, University of Leeds 

Paul Boustead plays a leading role in developing and implementing the University of Leeds’ people and organisational development strategies, while also ensuring the University realises a significant...

HRMI 2022: Baljinder Kang, executive director of corporate resources, Midland Heart 

Baljinder Kang joined Midland Heart in 2014 and has over 25 years of generalist people management experience gained across the private, NHS, charitable and not-for-profit sectors.  

HRMI 2022: Craig McCoy, interim people director, Four Seasons Healthcare

Craig McCoy is currently interim people director at care operator Four Seasons Healthcare. Four Seasons has around 160 care homes and employs over 10,000 people UK-wide.

HRMI 2022: Sally Hopper, director of HR, Hertfordshire County Council

Sally Hopper is the director of HR at Hertfordshire County Council with a workforce of over 8,000 staff.

HRMI 2022: Jabbar Sardar, global HR director, BBC Studios

Jabbar Sardar is global HR director for BBC Studios, the commercial subsidiary of the BBC that combines the strengths of the UK’s most awarded-production company with a world class distributor.

HRMI 2022: Sharon Benson, interim transformation and people director, Edison Young People

Sharon Benson joined Edison Young People in 2022 as interim transformation and people director. Edison Young People is dedicated to the care and education of the most vulnerable children and young...

HRMI 2022: Tim Pointer, chief people officer, CAA Brand Management

As chief people officer, Pointer is a member of the global executive team of brand management agency CAA Brand Management, leading their people strategy with a team across the Americas, Asia and EMEA....

HRMI 2022: Corina Forman, HR director, APC Overnight

As HR director at logistics firm The APC, Forman works closely with the leadership team to drive forward a people focused approach and instil HR practices.

HRMI 2022: Kerry Smith, chief people officer, British Heart Foundation

Kerry Smith joined the British Heart Foundation in 2013, steering one of the largest charities in the UK at over £350 million turnover. In 2022 she made the step from director of people and...

HRMI 2022: Nebel Crowhurst, vice president people, Into University Partnerships

Crowhurst joined Into University Partnerships in March 2022 as its vice president people. She also took up non-executive director status for Macmillan Cancer Support in June, helping to bring a people...

HRMI 2022: Michelle Clark, executive director of diversity and talent, The Children’s Society

In April 2020, Clark made a leap in sectors, moving from rail to charity - and commenced her role as the executive director for diversity and talent at The Children’s Society (TCS).

HRMI 2022: Claire Gore, director of HR and OD, London North West Healthcare

Claire Gore was appointed director of the future of the NHS HR and OD programme in June 2022 - a programme designed to ensure that the HR and OD profession is fit to deliver the NHS people and...

HRMI 2022: Oonagh Monkhouse, executive director, Papworth Hospital

Oonagh is originally from Northern Ireland and started her career in the NHS in 1988, working in a number of NHS organisations in Belfast before moving to Cambridge in 1993.

HRMI 2022: Michelle Reid, people and operations director, Institute of Occupational Medicine

After leaving school at 16, Reid has gained over 25 years’ experience as an HR generalist within retail, hospitality, and consultancy.

HRMI 2022: Danny Harmer, chief people officer, Aviva

Danny Harmer was appointed chief people officer for Aviva in February 2020.

HRMI 2022: Helen Redfern, chief people officer, Kier

Helen Redfern is chief people officer for UK construction and infrastructure services provider, Kier Group.

HRMI 2022: Rachel Brace, HR director, The Football Association

Rachel Brace joined the executive team at The Football Association as HR director in 2016 to help transform the governing body into a world class organisation.

HRMI 2022: Joe Dent, chief people officer, Princes

Joe Dent is chief people officer and a board member at Princes Group, a £1.7 billion turnover food and drink business part of Mitsubishi Corporation.

HRMI 2022: Ciprian Arhire, group head of people experience and HR transformation, Entain

Ciprian Arhire is the group head of people experience and HR transformation for Entain Group, a sports betting and gambling company employing over 26,000 employees in more than 20 countries across the...

HRMI 2022: Sally Austin, chief people officer, Wincanton

Sally Austin joined Wincanton in August 2019 as chief people officer and a member of the executive management team.

HRMI 2022: Kevin Hogarth, chief people officer, KPMG UK

As chief people officer at KPMG UK, Kevin Hogarth is a member of the executive committee and reports to the chief executive. He is responsible for the strategic and operational aspects of HR, learning...

HRMI 2022: Siobhan Sheridan, chief people officer, Financial Conduct Authority

Siobhan Sheridan joined the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) as chief people officer in March 2021, leaving her role as civilian HR director Ministry of Defence.

HRMI 2022: Cheryl Samuels, deputy director of workforce transformation, NHS England

Cheryl Samuels was appointed deputy director of workforce transformation for the London Region at NHS England in 2020, overseeing the key priorities for delivery of the transformation roadmap for...

HRMI 2022: Estelle Hollingsworth, chief people officer, Virgin Atlantic

As chief people officer of Virgin Atlantic, Estelle Hollingsworth is responsible for ensuring the airline’s people can thrive at work, by creating inclusive experiences that energise teams and drive...

HRMI 2022: Vicky Wallis, chief people officer, Direct Line Group

Vicky Wallis joined Direct Line Group as chief people officer in April 2020 where she is responsible for developing and driving the people agenda enabling a dynamic, inclusive workplace, where people...

HRMI 2022: Mark McLane, head diversity, inclusion and wellbeing, M&G

Mark McLane is the head diversity, inclusion and wellbeing for M&G international, a savings and investments business with over 7 million customers across the UK, Europe, Asia and the Americas.

HRMI 2022: Tracey Leghorn, chief HR and health and safety officer, SUEZ recycling and recovery UK

Tracey Leghorn is a doctor of social science and has been the chief HR and health and safety officer with SUEZ recycling and recovery UK since joining the company four years ago.

HRMI 2022: Grace Mansah-Owusu, talent consultant, British Heart Foundation

Grace Mansah-Owusu is a chartered psychologist and a registered psychotherapist. She is a member of both the British Psychological Society and the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy...

HRMI 2022: Neil Morrison, group HR director, Severn Trent

Neil Morrison’s executive career has taken him across multiple industries and sectors, including media, retail, and utilities, as well as the public sector.

HRMI 2022: David Blackburn, chief people officer, Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS)

David Blackburn joined the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) in 2013 as head of human resources and organisational development. In 2014, he was promoted to the executive team and in 2017...

HRMI 2022: Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, professor of business psychology, University College London and Columbia University

Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic is an expert in psychological profiling, talent management, leadership development, and people analytics.

HRMI 2022: Veronica Hope Hailey, professor emeritus, University of Bath School of Management

Veronica Hope Hailey is a fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences, chartered fellow of the CIPD and emeritus professor at the School of Management, University of Bath, where she was also dean and...

HRMI 2022: Simon Fanshawe, co-founder and managing director, Diversity by Design

Simon Fanshawe is the co-founder of diversity and inclusion consultancy Diversity by Design.

HRMI 2022: Binna Kandola, senior partner, Pearn Kandola

Binna Kandola is a professor, business psychologist, senior partner and co-founder of Pearn Kandola.

HRMI 2022: Gemma Dale, lecturer, Liverpool John Moores University 

Gemma Dale is an experienced senior HR professional, chartered fellow of the CIPD, fellow of the HEA and a regular speaker and writer on a variety of HR topics including employee engagement, flexible...

HRMI 2022: Emma Parry, professor of HR management, University of Cranfield

Emma Parry is a professor of HR management and head of the Changing World of Work group at Cranfield School of Management.

HRMI 2022: Paul Taylor-Pitt, founder and creative change consultant, Metamorphosish

Paul Taylor-Pitt found his home in organisational development (OD) and is proud to be part of a worldwide community of practice that helps people and organisations transform.

HRMI 2022: Paul Beesley, director and senior consultant, Beyond Theory

Paul Beesley created Beyond Theory in 2012 with the vision and purpose to help small and medium size businesses grow through meaningful and practical people development.

HRMI 2022: Zofia Bajorek, senior research fellow, Institute for Employment Studies (IES)

Zofia Bajorek has worked at the Institute for Employment Studies (IES) since June 2018.

HRMI 2022: Liz Sebag-Montefiore, director and co-founder, 10Eighty

Liz Sebag-Montefiore has 17 years of experience in the HR consulting world, as a sales director and coach. She is passionate about coaching to motivate individual performance and is committed to...