Simon Kent charts the career paths for HR professionals aiming for the top.
The path to the top of the HR ladder is not a straight-forward one. Indeed, it should not be a straight-forward one. For HR professionals who want to thrive and contribute at C-suite level, the key message is that no amount of experience is too much. There are no areas of a business that cannot be learned from and, according to the first issue of the report Understanding the Landscape of HR Leadership from Wilson in partnership with The HR World, foreign experience is particularly treasured.
Understanding the Landscape of HR Leadership highlighted the situation that only 20% of HR leaders have global experience in their current roles. This lack of global awareness could, argues the report, indicate a potential gap in the function’s ability to deliver at a global level. This needs to addressed if HR is to play a more significant role in leading multi-national businesses.
One HR professional who can attest to the power of learning from diverse sectors and internationally is Gareth Neale, Head of Human Resources at Crimson Hotels.
“I started out my career in retail working my way up from the shopfloor – literally – to management positions,” he says. “That has really helped me throughout my career as I can understand some of the challenges managers and leaders have when dealing with people related issues and having to balance them with business challenges.”
The international dimension
Gareth’s first HR role came at John Lewis and gave him an insight across the full scope of Human Resources. A speciality in learning and development then led to a role at Park Plaza Hotels Europe, which took him across the continent with hotels stationed in The Netherlands, Germany, Hungary, Croatia, as well as the UK.
“This involved lots of travel,” says Gareth, “and that gave me the opportunity to understand employment law across different countries and some of the challenges that created.”
Qualification-wise, Gareth studied a masters part-time while working full-time. He describes this as challenging but also as incredibly worthwhile – as much for meeting peers as for the learning itself. “It really helped me to understand that HR strategy isn’t one size-fits-all, and that you can learn from what other businesses are doing to tailor it to you,” he explains.
Ongoing experience
Mary Beighton, People & Culture Director and Inclusivity Impact Group Chair at car finance company Zuto says she is still learning from experience in her career:
“There are still days where new challenges are encountered due to anything from people’s personal circumstances, changes in legislation, evolving employee behaviours, world events or even AI,” she says. “As a HR professional it’s critical to retain a measured approach when assessing and addressing new situations, as well as building a strong team and network you can lean on for support and guidance during tougher times. Experience of a wide variety of challenges and practices at different businesses also helps keep perspective.”
Beighton’s own career path has come through project management through to marketing and then to people. “There are definitely benefits of having experience in marketing practices that can be applied across internal comms and engagement initiatives, which in turn overlaps into talent brand,” she says.
Beighton also stresses the importance of having a basic grounding across a number of other business functions including finance – which can inform budget management, pay and reward – operations, giving an understanding of organisational change and support management of this, as well as analytics and technology to ensure data-led and progressive working practices.
As noted by the Wilson report, and illustrated by these career stories, the ascent to higher levels of HR positions comes with a shift from operational skills such as policy making and recruitment to more strategic areas such as change management and strategic thinking. This critical skill shift at HR director level also lays the foundation for success at board level.
Going deep with your understanding
“If you’re aiming for the C-suite, you must develop a deep understanding of the business as a whole, not just HR.” confirms Emma Djemil Founder of women’s HR coaching initiative Be Unstoppable. “The most successful HR leaders think beyond their specialism and position themselves as strategic partners, not just functional experts.”
As far as Djemil is concerned traditional qualifications alone will not give individuals the credibility they need at the top table. “While technical expertise is important, it’s your ability to influence, lead, and drive business outcomes that truly sets you apart,” she says.
Kamseshwari Rao, Global Chief People Officer at Publicis Sapient also highlights the range of experience she’s had across her career:
“One of the most important experiences in building my career has been developing perspective by working across a cross-section of people, regions, and roles,” she says. “Early on, I realised that success in HR isn’t just about policies and processes – it’s about understanding people, cultures, and business dynamics on a deeper level.”
Again the importance of appreciating the nuances of a global organisation is clear and for Rao this has also helped her to bridge the gap between HR strategy and business impact, ensuring that talent initiatives are not just people-focused but also commercially driven.
“HR today is inherently global,” she says, “and my career has been defined by collaborating with diverse teams, leaders, and cultures, regardless of physical location.”
Interestingly it is not geography that has defined Kameshwari’s global perspective, but the opportunity to engage with different mindsets, industries, and leadership styles. “This has reinforced the importance of adaptability, inclusive thinking, and the ability to build connections across borders,” she says, “all critical skills in the evolving HR landscape.”
With a professional degree in finance, and a previous career in investment banking, Kameshwari also spent a career break in marketing and direct selling, sharpening her ability to understand consumer behaviour, communication strategies, and business development.
Growing innovatively
All of these elements help HR professionals take new and innovative approaches to their everyday challenges and it is important to always remain aware of learning potential and how new ideas can be applied to your current position.
“Think outside the box regarding your development and be intentional about it,” advises Emma. “Don’t fall into the trap of prioritising everyone else’s leadership growth whilst neglecting your own. Seek out sponsorship and mentorship early, and surround yourself with a strong network to give yourself access to a wide range of perspectives and experiences.”
Djemil also describes creating a ‘personal boardroom’ filled with people who can support that individual’s professional development. These people are not just there to learn from but also to open doors and advocate for you when you’re not in the room.
“Remember, the higher you go, the less it’s about the qualifications on your CV and the more it’s about how effectively you engage, influence, and drive decisions at the highest levels,”concludes Djemil. “Anything that you can do developmentally to understand how you can achieve this authentically will support your journey to the c-suite and elevate your impact once you’re there.”
