City HR Annual Conference

“Aaron Alburey is Founder of LACE Partners, the leading management consultancy specialising in HR, workforce and payroll transformation. Before founding LACE, Aaron held Partner positions at Deloitte and Accenture where he became known for his ability in delivering and executing complex business change and HR and Payroll projects for global cross industry clients. Passionate about the power of HR to influence business performance and productivity, Aaron is a regular writer and speaker at events on the topic. Aaron is a Fellow of the CIPD and founding member of the Company of HR Professionals. Outside of work Aaron’s time is split between his blend of six children, his love of indoor climbing and his passion for all things sci-fi.”

Ali’s career in HR started with Goldman Sachs, where she worked for 14 years in both Germany and the UK in various HR roles including the Head of Graduate Recruitment for EMEA. In 2008 Alison moved to Rothschild & Co as the HR Director based in London, overseeing both the UK and International teams. Her main areas of focus were the Global Advisory and Merchant Banking businesses as well as launching the DE&I and Wellbeing practices for the firm. She then moved to a global Wealth and Asset Manager as their CHRO where she led several aspects of a three-way merger and listing on the NASDAQ. In 2024 she has joined the BMS Group, a global insurance broker that provides specialist insurance, reinsurance and capital markets advisory services, as their Group CPO. She sits on the Group EXCO, Group OpCo, US EXCO and chairs the Inclusion and Culture Council. She joined the City HR board in 2020. She has served on the main Council and Remuneration Committee of Aston University (where she graduated with a degree in International Business and Modern Languages) and also sat on the International Advisory Board of its Business School. Ali is a proud parent of two, actively competes for Great Britain in Age-Group Triathlon/Duathlon and is a competitive cross-country runner.

Anne Barnett has been the Chief People Officer for Paragon Banking Group PLC for over 17 years. She is a non-executive director of both Citysave Credit Union and Progress Together, and a member of the Parliamentary Steering Committee for the APPG on Modernising Employment. Before joining Paragon, Anne’s HR career spanned several industries in the private sector; retail banking, general insurance and pharmaceuticals, as well as time spent in the public sector. During this time Anne has become known for her commercial approach as a people expert, leading the people, talent and cultural strategy for organisations.

Barbara is the CEO and Founder of Finbridge Global. She has previously held senior leadership roles, including Managing Director, Chief Information and Operational Officer at HSBC, CIO for Vanguard Europe, and Senior Advisor at Alvarez and Marsal. She is also a Non-Executive Director (NED) for Zempler Bank. With over 20 years of experience in financial technology, she has successfully led high-performing teams across Investment Banking, Asset Management, Retail Banking, and Wealth Management.

Bob James leads Velonetic in London. Velonetic sits at the centre of the tech and data ecosystem for the London Insurance Market. Its 1,400 professionals provide core processing services and other claims, reporting, and credit control services to 450 firms who do business here. Prior to Velonetic, Bob was the COO of Lloyd’s of London and its Transformation Director. Bob is a 30 plus year veteran of the insurance business, with experience in the States, Asia, and United Kingdom. His experience spans sales, marketing, operations, underwriting, technology, data, and generative artificial intelligence. An American by birth, Bob is now a resident of the United Kingdom, in Berkshire where he and his wife make their home. Bob is dedicated to advancing the data, technology and people development journey for the London Insurance Market to help sustain and improve relevancy in an increasingly complex and volatile world.

Claire Sherwin is an accomplished HR Director with extensive experience in people leadership, strategic business partnering, employee-centric experience design and generative AI implementation. She has held key roles at Lloyds Banking Group, Belron, Finastra, Vodafone, EY and Nestle, where she has led significant HR initiatives and transformations. Claire is known for embedding exceptional employee experiences through modern HR technology and process development, and over her career has developed a proven track record for transforming HR functions. She is passionate about leveraging HR to create a positive impact on organisational culture and attract top talent.

Clay is a Partner at PwC specialising in Workforce Transformation. He delivers tailored workforce solutions that are rooted in rigorous analysis and data-driven insight, and shaped by a deep understanding of each client’s unique context—creating lasting and differentiated value. Clay helps organisations drive large-scale transformation, enhance workforce effectiveness, develop and mobilise talent, and manage human capital risks. His work spans from shaping people strategies through to enabling organisational execution, with a strong emphasis on leveraging technology to deliver sustainable outcomes.

Doris Honold is a highly respected leader in financial services, renowned for her expertise in navigating complex disruption and change. She has held chief risk and chief operating officer roles at global banks like Standard Chartered leading digital transformation and large scale change programs impacting technology, governance and risk management. Having managed operational resilience, cyber risk, and the integration of new technologies data analytics at both established and fintech-driven organizations, Doris brings an informed perspective on balancing innovation with responsibility in an unpredictable digital economy. Currently, Honold serves on the board of UniCredit Spa, and also holds the position of Vice Chair at SEFE Energy, guiding the company’s strategic direction as it drives Germany’s energy transition.

“Edyta has spent 10+ years guiding leaders through the profound impact of technology on work, workforce, and the workplace. She partners with senior HR and business leaders to unlock the full potential of HR technology, AI, and digital innovation, driving productivity and measurable ROI. By aligning skills-based talent strategies with evolving technologies, enhancing employee experience and fostering trust through ethical AI practices, Edyta helps organizations redesign work and workplaces to be more agile, productive, and human-cantered. “

As a dynamic HR Transformation specialist at PwC, I bring over nine years of experience in revolutionising HR operating models across diverse sectors such as legal, pharmaceutical, insurance, and professional services. My expertise in harnessing cutting-edge technologies like Workday, Oracle, and SuccessFactors empowers organisations to optimise HR functions and elevate service delivery. I focus on aligning HR strategies with business priorities to develop solutions that support organisations in achieving their future objectives.

CEO and Founder of Silver Cloud, Helen is an expert in HR digital transformation, helping businesses streamline operations and future-proof their HR strategies. She has extensive experience in the HR technology sector, having guided organisations of all sizes through HR system selection, implementation, and optimisation.

Izabella Khazagerova has been helping people and organizations navigate career transitions, grow talent, and align to the future of work for over two decades. As SVP and Global Head of Product and Innovation at LHH, she leads a multidisciplinary team building cutting-edge solutions that combine behavioural science and AI to help individuals thrive in an ever-changing world of work. Izabella spearheaded the launch of Career Studio, LHH’s flagship digital platform supporting people through job loss and reinvention – used by hundreds of thousands of individuals globally. Her background spans financial services, manufacturing, and retail, before moving into consulting in 2011. She has held senior roles at Gallup and Baringa, advising Fortune 500 companies on leadership, culture, and digital transformation, always with a focus on solutions that work with human nature, not against it. A sought-after speaker and thought leader on the future of work, Izabella holds an MBA from the University of Cambridge (Judge Business School) and a BA (Hons) in Pedagogic Sciences, and she is a Chartered MCIPD, Hogan-certified assessor, and Gallup Strengths coach. She is also completing an executive program at MIT, focused on Leadership, Innovation, and Chief Product Officer capabilities. She speaks fluent English and Russian and holds an international chess rating (FIDE 2080).

Jason Richards was appointed Country President and CEO UK & Ireland (UKI), effective 1 January 2022. As CEO UKI, he is responsible for driving profitable growth of the UK & Ireland reinsurance portfolio and continuing to strengthen Swiss Re’s influence and position in the London market. Jason brings 30 years’ experience in the re/insurance business to the role and joined Swiss Re in 2006. He started his career in insurance in Norway working for a local insurer and reinsurer. Then during his 12 years at General Electric, Jason held several leadership positions across different parts of the business including underwriting, corporate development, finance, Six Sigma process improvement, operations and claims. Having joined Swiss Re, Jason led the P&C Business Management area responsible for claims, reserving and operations. In 2017, Jason was appointed as Global Head of Casualty Underwriting. Where he was responsible for the underwriting of Casualty lines globally, as well as innovation and structured reinsurance across Property & Casualty lines. Jason Richards was born in 1969 and is a British citizen. He holds a degree from Bath University, UK. Most of his career has been spent working in Europe, returning to the UK in January 2022 for his current role.

Jen has broad and extensive Board experience – she is also a Non-Executive Director on the boards of HMRC, and Morgan Sindall plc (where she also chairs their RemCo). She has previously sat on the boards of City, University of London, the Financial Services Skills Commission, Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets and Kent Community NHS Foundation Trust.

Jo Johnstone is a Senior Cloud Solution Architect at Microsoft, with eight years of experience helping global Consumer Goods, Retail, Media, and Telecoms organisations adopt and scale Microsoft 365 Copilot. Jo specialises in guiding customers through AI transformation journeys, with a focus on embedding new habits and behaviours that make Copilot a natural part of everyday work. As a certified Prosci Change Manager, Jo brings a people-first approach to technology adoption—ensuring Copilot isn’t just deployed, but embraced and used meaningfully across personal and business processes. 

Louise Brown joined the City HR board in July 2019 and has over 20 years of Financial Services experience. She is recognised as one of Brummel’s Inspirational Women: Change Makers 2024 and a Top 10 HR Executives to Follow in 2024. Louise is passionate about driving the future of work and digital agenda whilst being an advocate for keeping people at the heart of the organisation’s journey and making the workplace accessible to all. Louise enjoys spending time with her husband and 2 girls, cycling and taking part in outdoor activities.

Marcus has spent 30 years designing and implementing people strategies that address the combination of people, technology and work to drive business outcomes. He actively convinces organisations to consider how different stakeholder mindsets can be won over to be advocates, rather than just rushing to buy new technology and impose process change on them.

For nearly two decades, Mary-Clare (MC) has coached individuals and advised businesses in the UK and the US on creating environments where people can thrive. She is passionate about finding innovative ways to apply insights from psychology to solving workplace challenges. MC believes that with the right tools, anyone can succeed. A recognized expert in her field, MC’s research has been published in several journals, including Frontiers in Psychology, among many others. She serves as a Board advisor to various organizations in the Mental Health and DEI sectors, and she lectures at University College London and Columbia Business School.

Meena is an experienced Human Resources professional. She was latterly the Managing Director and Chief HR Officer for the 30,000 strong Global Business Services arm of Standard Charted Bank. In addition to being the CEO for the City HR Association, Meena serves as a Non-executive Director at both CNWL NHS Foundation Trust and Origin Housing. She is also a Trustee for the Community Schools, Multi Academy Trust and a Board Advisor for an HR publication based in Asia. Meena is on the Inspire List (Trustees Unlimited) and has been recognised as one of the 100 Women to watch to be a FTSE 350 NED by Cranfield in 2021. In addition to her Board work and CEO role, Meena recently founded The Careers Company, a career development company focused on the career success of diverse employee groups.

Nick McClelland is CEO of Byrne Dean, where he helps organisations build workplaces that are sustainable, high-performing and grounded in trust. With 20 years’ experience across HR, risk and financial services, he has held senior leadership roles at Marsh McLennan, Thomsons Online Benefits (Darwin) and Champion Health. Nick combines commercial and regulatory expertise with a deep understanding of culture, wellbeing and employee engagement. He is particularly focused on how leaders harness innovation responsibly, ensuring that technology and transformation enhance rather than erode human connection, inclusion and long-term organisational resilience.

Sam Isaacson is an award-winning coaching thought leader and consultant specialising on the impact of cutting-edge technologies on the coaching profession, and the strategic use of coaching within organisations. He is the founder of the Coachtech Collective and co-founder of AIcoach.chat. His work has been featured in both mainstream and specialist press, and he has served on advisory boards for a range of organisations, including the EMCC and the ICF. He was the Chair of the Coaching Professional apprenticeship trailblazer group, which developed the standard that now underpins England’s most popular coaching qualification. He has contributed widely to the coaching literature, including in particular having edited The Digital and AI Coaches’ Handbook, written How to Thrive as a Coach in a Digital World, and having authored the chapter on Internal Coaching in The Complete Handbook of Coaching.

Siobhan (Shiv-awn) Mckavanagh is a Chartered Psychologist and certified executive coach with deep expertise in behaviour-based change and organisational transformation. Based in London, she brings extensive experience across global consulting and senior in-house banking HR specialist and COO roles, including RBS/ NatWest, Deutsche Bank and Wells Fargo. Her approach combines behavioural science with hands-on execution, thriving in complex, ambiguous environments where collaboration and innovation are key. Currently in the global HR change management team at Wells Fargo, a US based multinational financial services company operating in 35 countries. Based in London, she leads change programmes to support HR transformation enabled by new technologies. Her role includes change lead on HR’s AI adoption programme. Born and educated in Ireland, Siobhan holds an MA and MSc, is an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society, and is certified by EMCC and ACMP.

“Prior to joining Aldermore in 2021, Steven was CEO at C. Hoare & Co, the UK’s oldest privately-owned bank, where he developed and led an extensive programme of change. Before this, he spent 30 years at Barclays, starting as a branch cashier and working his way up to lead several of their major businesses, including Barclaycard Business Solutions, Personal Banking for UK & Europe, and Business Banking in the UK. He has significant experience in both the European and the US markets, and also spent four years working and living across Africa and India. Steven is Chairman of Experian UK and is a non-executive director of Cashflows, a private equity backed payments business. He is a passionate advocate for social mobility; he chairs Business in the Community’s Employment and Skills Leadership Team, is a co-chair of the Equality of Opportunity Coalition with former Cabinet Minister Justine Greening and was formerly Joint Chair of the UK Government’s Social Mobility Commission until 2021.”

Syreeta Brown was most recently the Group Chief People & Communications Officer at Virgin Money, where she spearheaded key DEI initiatives, including BRAVER, the enterprise-wide Allyship framework that enhanced inclusion and belonging across the organisation. She championed the Black and Able intern program and was a member of Embrace, Virgin Money’s network supporting ethnic, cultural, and religious inclusion. A passionate advocate for ethnically diverse talent, Syreeta provided mentorship and actively supported all of the bank’s inclusion networks. Externally, she plays a leading role in advancing racial equity as Vice Chair of Change the Race Ratio and an Advisory Board Member for The Black Talent Charter, driving systemic change across the UK business sector. Through high-profile platforms, including the Global Executive Leadership Council and Solaris, she amplifies the voices of Black professionals globally. Syreeta is an Ambassador for Ambitious About Autism and actively advocates for and supports Parents who have children with Special Needs focusing on Autism and in March 2025 published her first book, ‘Bigger Than The Moon – A Parent’s Journey with Autism.

Tejal is a business transformation leader with a rare blend of financial, commercial, transformation, HR and AI experience, making her a go-to person when transformation must create value and be human-centered. She delivers AI-enabled cultural change and capability building at scale. Her success has been recognised in award-winning talent programmes and she is a multi-year INvolve HERo Executive role model recognising her ability to create inclusive performance cultures that deliver real impact.