The pre HR years

I read English at York University followed by a post-graduate diploma in business management, specialising in PR and marketing, in London. I  started working in PR for a national charity and then progressed through various roles in different not-for-profit organisations to Development Manager, working with Chief Executives to develop the organisation.  I thought I might like to manage a small charity myself, but realised that good HR skills would be essential to any business success and so I moved into the private sector to fund my study.

The HR revelation

Ernst & Young kindly sponsored me through the 3 year CIPD qualification and provided me with a solid background in private sector business management.  Once qualified I realised that HR was the most important, and often under-estimated, aspect of organisational success and that this is where I would get most job satisfaction.  I got a promotion to The Body Shop International as HR Manager and had the chance to experience how Anita Roddick’s values and ethics led to business success.  Some years later I moved into the public sector to apply my private sector learning in a new environment.  After 8 years as Head of HR for Guildford Borough Council I decided to set up my own business to offer HR support to small organisations in the local area and to share the expertise I had developed with those who couldn’t afford full-time HR staff.