Agile Talent Strategies: Driving Innovation & Transforming Workplaces

Katie is an experienced HR leader with a strong background in tech and finance. She aligns HR strategies with business goals, improves workforce performance, and builds inclusive cultures. Previously at APEXX Global, she has led people teams and strategy across the UK, Europe, US, and India, and she has recently taken on her new role as Chief People Officer at Focus Group, One of the UK’s leading independent providers of essential business technology, now a Unicorn from recent investment from PE fund, HG.

In an insightful interaction with Global Woman Leader Magazine, Katie shared her insights on the future of talent management, highlighting emerging workforce trends, innovative HR practices, and the importance of aligning talent with organisational culture. She also discusses strategies for building high performing teams and fostering long term engagement with company missions.

How do you see talent management evolving over the next five years? What is one emerging trend in workforce strategy that excites you the most?

I’m incredibly excited about how talent management is evolving in our digital first world. Over the next five years, I see AI and data analytics revolutionising how we approach talent – not just in hiring but in creating personalised growth journeys for each employee. We’re moving away from one size fits all development programmes and embracing the idea that every individual’s career path can be tailored to their strengths, passions, and areas of interest. AI will allow us to predict the next step in an employee’s journey and match them to projects or roles that will both stretch their abilities and help them achieve their career goals.

What really energises me is the shift towards a skills-based workforce. Businesses are moving away from rigid job titles to focus on capabilities and potential, which I believe is transformative. It’s all about identifying and fostering talent based on what people can do, not just the qualifications they hold or the titles they’ve had. This shift will open up new opportunities for people from diverse backgrounds who might not have followed the traditional educational paths, but who have valuable skills and the potential to contribute meaningfully to an organisation. I believe this is key to driving innovation and building teams that can adapt to an ever-changing world.

Having worked across industries like fintech, banking, and technology, how have you successfully adapted best practices to build high performing teams and foster innovation in HR?

My journey across fintech, banking, and technology has been rather like collecting different pieces of a puzzle – each industry contributing unique insights to my HR toolkit. In fintech, I learnt that speed and adaptability aren’t just buzzwords – they’re survival skills. The pace of change in fintech meant that teams had to be flexible, able to shift focus quickly, and remain resilient in the face of challenges. These insights have been invaluable in my current role, especially when we think about building adaptive teams in the tech space.

In the IT industry, I’m applying these lessons by creating what I call 'adaptive teams’ – groups that can rapidly reorganise around new challenges whilst maintaining their core strengths. For example, during a recent product pivot at Focus Group, we restructured teams to focus on new priorities. Instead of seeing this as a disruption, we reframed it as an opportunity to embrace different skill sets and fresh thinking. This approach not only ensured that we remained agile but also fostered a culture of innovation, where every team member felt empowered to contribute new ideas.

Additionally, from my time in finance, I’ve learned the importance of risk management in people strategy. We’ve taken some of those principles and applied them to HR, ensuring that while we’re encouraging innovation, we’re also building in safeguards to protect both our people and the organisation. Balancing risk and innovation are something I believe all industries can learn from, and it’s been a key part of our success at Focus Group.

As a leader passionate about fostering inclusive workplaces, what have been the biggest challenges in driving diversity and equity within organisations?

This is a topic very close to my heart, and I believe in being completely honest about the challenges. Over the last few years, we’ve made significant strides in implementing initiatives like blind recruitment, which has been brilliant in helping to reduce unconscious bias in the hiring process. But the real challenge lies in creating truly inclusive environments where everyone feels they can bring their whole selves to work, regardless of their background, identity, or beliefs.

One of the ongoing challenges I see companies face is ensuring that diversity is not just present, but celebrated and embedded in the culture. Diversity and equity are not just boxes to tick – they should be 

woven into the fabric of everything we do. We actively encourage our teams to engage in difficult conversations, and we’re constantly asking ourselves how we can be more inclusive in our practices and policies.

In terms of action, we’ve partnered with the Dare2Dream Foundation, which works with vulnerable young people in the Brighton & Hove area. Through this partnership, we provide mentorship and support to enhance both the mental health and life opportunities of students from diverse backgrounds. We’re proud to be entering our third year of working together, and we’ve seen real, tangible results, with 45 students benefiting from this initiative. We also encourage our employees to get involved in this work, as it’s important that we give back to the communities in which we operate.

How do you identifying and nurture talent that is not only skilled but also aligned with your organisation’s culture and long-term vision? How do you ensure that high performing teams stay engaged and connected to the company’s mission over time?

My approach to talent is multifaceted – I call it the '3D perspective': technical prowess, cultural resonance, and growth mindset. While technical skills are crucial, I'm particularly passionate about finding people who bring fresh perspectives and demonstrate genuine curiosity. It’s not just about finding someone who can do the job today – it’s about identifying people who are eager to learn, grow, and adapt as the company evolves.

Being new to Focus Group, I’m thrilled to be working alongside such talented individuals. I’m already seeing how this approach helps us identify people who aren’t just skilled, but who genuinely want to be part of our journey. Our recruitment process involves multiple stages, including assessing cultural fit and alignment with our core values. We make sure that new hires understand our mission, and we continue to engage them in the company’s story from day one. This ensures they see themselves as part of something bigger and more meaningful, which is key to fostering long term commitment.

How do you manage employee experience during periods of rapid transformation? What strategies are most effective in keeping teams motivated and resilient during major organisational shifts?

Change can be exhilarating or terrifying – often both! I believe in what I call 'transparent transformation'. It's not enough to simply communicate the change – you must involve your people in the process and give them the tools to succeed. Beyond just creating a 'Better Together' documentation, we set up regular 'Ask 

Me Anything' sessions with leadership. Two ways communication is imperative when going through any period of change, which is why Focus Group’s Executive Leadership Team have introduced more regular Town Halls with spotlight sessions and interviews. This gives employees the chance to ask questions, express concerns, and feel heard during transitions.

Additionally, I can’t emphasise enough how empowering leaders and managers throughout the business is essential. Your people aren’t always going to be motivated by the same things, and those closest to them will know what makes them tick. Trust your managers to understand their teams’ needs, manage expectations, and bring them together in ways that will keep them engaged and resilient. In our recent digital transformation, these efforts made a massive difference – employees felt more secure, confident, and supported throughout the process.

What do you see as HR’s role in bridging the gap between technical expertise and business strategy? How can HR foster stronger collaboration between teams to drive innovation and sustainable growth?

Being a self-proclaimed tech geek has definitely helped me bridge the technical business divide! I make it a point to spend time with engineering teams, not just in formal settings but where I can join a stand up or product board meeting. For me, HR isn’t just about managing people – it’s about creating environments where technical excellence and business acumen can thrive together. By understanding both the technical challenges and the broader business goals, I can better align HR strategies with the company’s objectives.

HR’s role should be to facilitate collaboration, ensuring that both technical and business teams are working towards shared goals. This might involve setting up cross functional projects, where different departments come together to solve problems or innovate. When HR plays a central role in these collaborations, we create spaces where ideas can flow freely, which drives both innovation and sustainable growth.