Why do Chief People Officers need strong networks — and how can you build one that truly supports you?

In this episode of HR Coffee Time, host Fay Wallis is joined by Nebel Crowhurst, who’s featured on the HR Most Influential list several years running and has held senior roles with Virgin, River Island, Roche, and Reward Gateway.

Nebel talks about the realities of being a CPO — the highs, the pressures, and how she protects her wellbeing — along with brilliant advice on building your own community of support (even if you find networking uncomfortable).

• The key differences between being an HR Director and a Chief People Officer.
• How to protect your boundaries and wellbeing in a demanding role.
• What it means to be a business leader, not just a functional one.
• How to reframe networking into “building your community.”
• Practical tips for creating and nurturing a supportive network.

Nebel also explains her move into fractional CPO work, what it involves, and why this model is becoming increasingly popular in growing organisations.

• Ep 11: Networking – the three most important networks for your career
• Ep 16: How to become more confident about networking
• Ep 90: How a Personal Board can help solve your challenges at work
• Ep 153: Inside the Fractional CPO/CHRO Role – what it involves and how to succeed

• Connect with Fay on LinkedIn
• Connect with Nebel on LinkedIn
• Fay's website
• Nebel’s website
• Nebel’s LinkedIn article:The Rise of The Fractional CPO
• Emotional Intelligence qualification mentioned: EQ-i 2.0 (via MHS Assessments)
• HR Leaders Unconference

Sign up to the free weekly HR Coffee Time email to be notified each time a new episode is released – and get free career tips, tools, and resources.

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Personio

There’s so much more to becoming a successful Chief People Officer (CPO) or CHRO than experience alone - it’s about building the mindset, skills and plan that help you succeed and make an impact.

In this episode of HR Coffee Time, host Fay Wallis is joined by Dr Andrew Stephenson, Chief People Officer at Equiniti, who has held CPO roles in three major international businesses. Under his leadership, Equiniti has become a Top Employer in the UK, US and India, winning multiple CIPD and HR Excellence Awards, and Andy himself has been named one of the CIPD’s HR 30 under 30 leaders.

• How he created his first Chief People Officer role and convinced the board he was the right person for it
• Turning strategy into a simple, one-page plan (and why clarity matters more than volume)
• The difference between HR Director and CPO roles – and what it means to work on the business, not in it
• Habits and diary practices that help him (and his team) perform at their best
• Practical ways to protect mental health and prevent burnout in a senior role
• The importance of lifelong learning – and how his curiosity led to “accidentally” earning a doctorate
• His advice for aspiring CPOs on building commercial awareness, gaining breadth, and backing yourself

• Connect with Fay Wallis on LinkedIn
• Visit Fay’s website
• Learn about Fay’sInspiring HR leadership development programme
• Connect with Dr Andrew Stephenson on LinkedIn

• Episode 1:How to Feel More Confident at Work
• Episode 43:The One Thing That Will Boost Your Resilience Throughout Your HR Career (With Tom Cleary)
• Episode 123:Avoid Burnout – How to Spot Signs of Stress and Take Action (With Dr Jo Burrell)
• Episode 108:HR Leadership – How to Create a Simple but Powerful One-Page Strategy (With Dr Max McKeown)

Sign up to the free weekly HR Coffee Time email to be notified each time a new episode is released – and get free career tips, tools, and resources.

Mentioned in this episode:

Check out HR Coffee Time's sponsor!

Ready to unlock the power of your people? Join over 15,000 businesses at personio.com today.

Personio

What does it take to land your first Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) or Chief People Officer (CPO) role – and succeed once you’re in it?

In this episode of HR Coffee Time, host Fay Wallis is joined by Nicola Lyons, Group CHRO at Getlink Group. With more than 15 years of international experience leading transformation and culture change, Nicola shares a wide range of valuable insights from her career. One of the highlights of this conversation is her clear, step-by-step advice on how to secure a CHRO/CPO role and succeed once you’re in it.

From career planning and building visibility, to working with headhunters and handling the step up, Nicola’s guidance is packed with practical tips you can put into action straight away.

You’ll hear Nicola’s thoughts on:

• What makes her role as Group CHRO unique
• How her network opened the door to her first CHRO opportunity
• Smart ways to build visibility with headhunters and recruiters
• The value of career planning and feedback in preparing for the step up
• The biggest shift when moving into a CHRO role
• Practical habits that support success and wellbeing

Whether you’re aiming for a CPO/CHRO position or want to strengthen your career in HR, you’ll come away with a wealth of actionable insights from Nicola’s experience.

• Connect with Fay Wallis on LinkedIn
• Visit Fay’s website
• Learn about Fay’s Inspiring HR leadership development programme
• Buy a copy of The Essential HR Planner
• Connect with Nicola Lyons on LinkedIn

Please note - book links are Amazon affiliate links. This means Fay may earn a small commission from Amazon if you make a purchase through them.

• Your First 100 Days– Niamh O’Keeffe
• The Strategy Book– Dr Max McKeown
• Head and Heart: The Art of Modern Leadership– Kirstin Ferguson

• Episode 31: Three Little-Known LinkedIn Features to Help You Get Your Next Job
• Episode 106: Seven Types of Posts to Share on LinkedIn That Will Help Your HR Career
• Episode 78: 5 Tips to Get Useful Feedback at Work to Help Your HR/People Career
• Episode 37: The First 100 Days Plan to Succeed in Your New HR Leadership Role (With Niamh O’Keeffe)
• Episode 108: HR Leadership: How to Create a Simple but Powerful One-Page Strategy (With Dr Max McKeown)