Advertise on podcast: The People Agenda

Andy Doyle has an unusual job title: chief people and agent officer at Kantar. In this episode of What is a CPO, part of The People Agenda podcast from LACE Partners, Andy talks to Debbie Mitchell and James McClintick about why Kantar merged its people and AI functions into one. Andy explains why he now sees the CPO as the architect of an organisation's human capability, not the custodian of process. He talks through Kantar's target of resolving 95% of HR service queries without human intervention, why he split the business partner community into a senior consulting group and a pooled delivery team, and why the CPOs who succeed from here will need to be genuinely technology literate, not just AI-aware. It's an honest conversation about the parts that worked, the parts that didn't, and what Andy would do differently. Catch more episodes in the What is a CPO series: https://www.lacepartners.com/the-people-agenda-podcast/

David Jessop, chief people officer at Charities Aid Foundation, joins Debbie Mitchell to unpack what the CPO role really involves across a charity, a bank and a global philanthropy operation, all under one roof. David shares how a shared sense of purpose holds those entities together, how his people strategy helped triple CAF's charitable distributions from £650 million to £1.6 billion in five years, and why AI adoption goes wrong when it creates a two-tier workforce. What we cover: What a chief people officer actually does, in David's own words Building purpose across charity, banking and philanthropic entities The £650 million to £1.6 billion story Avoiding a two-tier workforce as AI adoption scales More at www.lacepartners.com

What is a CPO? With Kristine Pollock by LACE Partners

In this episode of the People Agenda Podcast, hosts Debbie Mitchell and Gemma Ryall are joined by Stuart Price, chief people officer at Zenith. Stuart draws on a career spanning food retail, healthcare and automotive to explain what the CPO role really involves, the constant tension between driving performance and protecting culture, and how to earn credibility at board level through commercial framing. He also shares why he expects AI to erode the value of technical HR knowledge over the coming years, and what skills will matter more as a result. The conversation is aimed at HR leaders, CPOs and anyone interested in the future shape of the people function.

This podcast episode explores the evolving role of the chief people officer in high-growth organisations. Featuring Toby Hough from HiBob, it examines how HR leaders align with business strategy, manage growth, and embed AI across the organisation. The conversation covers strategic prioritisation, organisational culture, performance evolution and the shift from hypergrowth to optimisation. Designed for senior HR and transformation leaders, the episode provides practical insights into building effective people strategies, fostering a change mindset and navigating the increasing complexity of modern organisations.

The role of the CPO is evolving faster than ever. No longer focused solely on HR operations, today's CPO is increasingly responsible for driving organisational transformation, shaping strategy, influencing culture, and helping businesses navigate complex change. In this episode of the People Agenda podcast, Debbie Mitchell speaks to Sean Mileusnic from the RNIB as he shares his perspective on what it means to be a modern CPO and why the role has become critical to organisational success. If you want deeper insights into how today's CPOs are shaping organisations, leading transformation, and preparing for the future, listen to this episode of the People Agenda podcast.

Change is no longer an occasional business challenge. It is a constant reality. Organisations are facing difficult decisions at an unprecedented pace. The real test for leaders is not whether change happens, but how they guide people through it when the impact feels personal. In this The People Agenda podcast Chris Howard, Annette Frem, and Ed Sparkes, explore the practical strategies for managing restructures organisational change with empathy, transparency, and resilience. This topic was also explored in our blog, When change feels personal – navigating tough times, read it for more details. Change may be constant, but how organisations manage it remains a choice. This podcast provides practical guidance for leaders, HR professionals, and change practitioners who want to navigate difficult transitions with empathy, transparency, and confidence. Listen to the full People Agenda podcast to hear the real-world experiences, leadership lessons, and actionable advice from the LACE team.

The role of the Chief People Officer has evolved far beyond traditional HR. In high-growth, private equity-backed businesses, today’s CPO is a commercial leader responsible for driving growth, enabling strategy, shaping culture, and creating the conditions for long-term business success. In this episode of the People Agenda Podcast Chris Howard and Debbie Mitchell speak to Michelle Wall as she shares how modern people leadership is becoming a key driver of business value rather than a support function. The modern CPO is no longer focused solely on people processes. The role has become a strategic leadership position that drives growth, supports transformation, strengthens culture, and helps organisations create lasting business value. If you want to understand how people leadership is shaping the future of business, listen to this episode of the People Agenda Podcast.

The modern Chief People Officer is no longer just a people leader. Today's CPO is a strategic business partner, cultural architect, and organisational conscience. In this episode of The People Agenda Podcast Chris Howard and Debbie Mitchell speak to Jonny Friedman, Senior Vice President of People and Talent at Acumetis, as he shares how people leaders can balance commercial performance, organisational transformation, and employee experience while navigating rapid growth and change. If you're interested in the future of people leadership, organisational culture, and the evolving role of the Chief People Officer, listen to this podcast episode and hear Jonny Friedman's insights firsthand.

Great leadership roles are rarely defined by job titles alone. In this episode of the People Agenda podcast, Chris Howard and Debbie Mitchell sit down with Neil Morrison, the Chief People Officer (CPO) of Severn Trent as he explains why the modern CPO is no longer just an HR leader. The role has evolved into a business-critical position focused on organisational performance, culture, trust, and commercial impact. Neil shares practical insights on what separates high-performing executive teams from disconnected leadership groups. This episode offers a practical and refreshingly honest perspective on the future of leadership, culture, and the evolving role of the CPO. If you want actionable insights on organisational performance, executive leadership, and the intersection of people and business strategy, this is a podcast worth listening to.

This People Agenda podcast episode examines what it means to be a chief people officer today. Featuring Joe Binnion, CPO at Keywords Studios, the discussion explores the relationship between people strategy and business strategy, credibility in the C-suite, the metrics that matter, and how AI is beginning to reshape workforce planning and HR leadership. Designed for senior HR, payroll, and change leaders, the episode offers practical insight into the evolving CPO role in complex, global organisations.

The future of early careers is being rewritten in real time. As AI reshapes entry-level roles and application volumes surge, employers are rethinking what potential really looks like, and candidates need a new playbook to stand out. In this episode of The People Agenda podcast, host Chris Howard is joined by LACE Partners’ Emma Johnson and Talia Pavell, alongside Emily Goodyear, Head of Early Careers at the Financial Conduct Authority, to explore how AI is changing early careers from every angle. From the rise of human skills like judgement and critical thinking, to how employers are redesigning roles and assessments, this conversation offers practical insight for organisations and candidates navigating the AI era. Listen how leading employers are rethinking early careers, and what it really takes to stand out in a competitive, AI-enabled market. https://www.lacepartners.com/are-your-early-careers-hiring-strategies-ready-for-the-ai-era/

The conversation around AI in the workplace is shifting fast and the real tension isn’t about technology, it’s about ownership. Who actually “owns” AI inside an organisation today? In this episode of The People Agenda podcast Chris Howard and LACE Director of AI Data and Technology, Martin Colyer, speak with Chris Cherry from Eightfold. They cut through the noise and explore how HR, IT, and business leaders are navigating agentic AI, and real-world adoption. AI is an operational reality that demands clarity, coordination, and action. If you want to hear the full discussion, including real examples and practical insights from industry experts, take the next step and listen to this podcast.

The role of a Chief People Officer is evolving fast and it’s no longer just about HR. In this episode of The People Agenda podcast, host Chris Howard and Debbie Mitchell speak to Keniro Miller, Chief People Officer at Ultimate Performance, as he reveals how a “triple lens” approach is redefining the modern C-suite. Keniro shows why today’s CPO must operate as a hybrid business leader who can drive performance and shape strategy. Are you a CPO looking to meet likeminded individuals? Our CPO network meet semi-regularly to share insights, discuss challenges and people solutions around the fast-evolving role of a CPO.

“Reward and performance is all about understanding people.” says Jenny Craik. In this episode of The People Agenda podcast, host Chris Howard is joined by experienced HR leader Jenny Craik, who shares insights from her career in reward and performance at organisations like HSBC, Standard Chartered and Barclays. If you want to hear the full conversation and dive deeper into these insights, listen to this episode of The People Agenda podcast. It’s packed with real-world perspective you won’t get from theory alone. If you want support on how to build an effective reward strategy check out our Reward and performance services page to learn more.