During her 25 years in HR, Laura has worked for respected businesses across six different sectors – retail (John Lewis), pharmaceuticals (GSK), insurance (Aviva), oil and gas (Centrica), defence (BAE Systems) and luxury goods (Burberry). A specialist in talent management, organisation effectiveness, and learning and development, she has an exceptional track record of designing and implementing new and innovative strategies and services. In 2017, she established her own business and now has a portfolio of work including coaching, consulting and interim assignments. She also mentors for several charities.

Key areas of expertise

Talent management

Laura has led the development of new talent strategies and processes for several businesses – covering senior succession, NomCo reporting, career progression and support.

• Developed the progression strategy for John Lewis – engaging with multiple stakeholders including the Chairman’s Committee and Partnership Council.
• Led the shaping of a compelling talent strategy at Aviva – providing professional expertise and working collaboratively with the global talent leads.
• Defined the next stage for talent management, careers and engagement for Burberry globally. Re-designed the specialist talent team (post-shared services).

Learning and development

Passionate about learning, she has led several L&D functions with accountability for developing and

delivering compelling L&D strategies, propositions and services.

• Integrated the learning, leadership and management agenda for John Lewis and Waitrose – modernising services, building capabilities and creating a compelling partner proposition.
• Introduced a clear learning strategy and standards for the Centrica Group. Also globally accountable for management development and the Customer Excellence Academy.

Organisation effectiveness

As both an external and internal consultant, Laura has led many design and improvement projects. She makes complex concepts accessible and works systemically and sustainably.

• Guided business process re-engineering projects at BAE systems
• Responsible for organisation design and development during the GSK merger. Shaped the global model for culture development.
• Led a team of internal consultants doing organisation design, change and culture development for the Chairman and senior leaders in Waitrose and John Lewis

Coaching and mentoring

An experienced coach and mentor – working alongside people as they ‘author the next chapter of their working lives’. Qualified to Master’s level and an accredited APECS professional coach.

Qualifications, training and professional memberships

• MA, Coaching and Mentoring Practice (Distinction)
• APECS Professional Member (Association for Professional Executive Coaching and Supervision)
• BSc Psychology (Hons)
• Member of the CIPD
• NLP Business Practitioner
• Occupational testing I and II
• Facilitation skills
• Myers Briggs Type Inventory
• Action learning set facilitation
• Firo B
• Hermann Brain Dominance Instrument