Our board
Meet the team who paint the big picture for the CIPD and uphold our purpose
Meet the team who paint the big picture for the CIPD and uphold our purpose
Our board is responsible for shaping the CIPD’s strategy in line with our purpose – to champion better work and working lives. It oversees the management of our commitments, activities, risks and finances, making sure we deliver for our members, our wider community and our people. Our board members act as directors for the CIPD as a chartered body and as trustees for the CIPD as a registered charity.
The CIPD is now established as a charity in Ireland, with its own board to oversee our commitments, activities, risks and finances. Our board of directors in Ireland works directly with the CIPD board, senior leadership team and expert teams to uphold membership and qualification standards, and to provide training, resources and support.
Date appointed: July 2025
Board roles: Chair of the Board
Chris has over 43 years of experience from across a wide range of sectors, including holding HR leadership roles in a range of industries including Diageo and Cadbury. At Cadbury he led the work on the culture proposition that supported the merger of Adams Inc. into the business – at the time it was one of the biggest acquisitions undertaken by a FTSE Top 10 company. He became a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD in February 2002.
In 2004, Chris was appointed dean of Henley Business School, becoming the first non-academic leader of the school. He became an entrepreneur when he co-founded and led a digital company analysing consumer insights. He is a former winner of the UK Management Book of the Year for “The Cult of the Leader”.
Chris also has significant advisory and board-level experience in private, public and third sector boards, including as Chair of the Terrance Higgins Trust. He is currently a lay Commissioner for the Judicial Appointments Commission and Chair of the Bar Standards Board.
Board roles: Chair of Professional Standards Committee
Amanda has over 20 years’ experience working for professional bodies with her expertise being in the development of professional standards, regulated qualifications, membership value propositions, international growth and regulatory compliance. Amanda has travelled extensively across Sub-Sahara Africa and Asia and understands the importance and value of professional body qualifications and membership designations in these regions.
She is currently on the board of the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) and was previously on the board of the Federation of Awarding Bodies (FAB). She is Founder of Minerva Consulting Services Ltd which specialises in supporting professional bodies and awarding organisations with their strategy development and opportunities for membership and qualification growth, with an emphasis on international expansion.
Previously, Amanda was Group Professional Development Director at the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS). Prior to that, she was Head of Membership and Professional Development at the Customer Service Management Association. She holds a master’s degree in Quality Excellence and is a Fellow of both the Institute of Directors (IoD) and the Chartered Management Institute (CMI).
CHIEF EXECUTIVE
Alongside his role as CIPD Chief Executive, Peter sits on many forums linked to wellbeing, diversity and inclusion, routes in to work and skills, flexible working, and corporate governance. He is Chair of Engage for Success and the What Works Centre for Wellbeing, and sits on the Board of the College of Policing.
Peter writes and speaks widely on the development of HR, the future of work, and the key issues of leadership, culture and organisation, people and skills.
Before joining the CIPD in 2012, Peter was Chair of the Institute of Leadership and Management, an Executive Fellow at London Business School, and held a number of board-level roles. He had a long career in consulting at Accenture working with organisations around the world and, in his last seven years there, was Global Managing Director for the firm’s human capital and organisation consulting practice.
He is a Fellow of the CIPD, AHRI (the Australian HR Institute), the Royal Society of Arts, and the Academy of Social Sciences. He’s also a Companion of the Institute of Leadership and Management, the Chartered Management Institute and the British Academy of Management. He holds honorary doctorates from Bath University, Kingston University and Birmingham City University, and is a Visiting Professor at Aston University and Unitar University, Malaysia.
Board roles: Vice-Chair / Senior Independent Director; Audit and Risk Committee
Jonathan is a globally respected consultant, speaker, author and business advisor in HR strategy, people analytics and digital HR. He is co-founder and CEO of Insight222 Limited, where he advises clients on improving business performance through becoming more data-driven and evidence-based, using people analytics as a strategic advantage.
Jonathan has worked in corporate business for almost 20 years, with extensive executive leadership and Board advisory at companies like Andersen Consulting (now Accenture) and IBM. He is co-author of Excellence in People Analytics and The Power of People and holds a postgraduate diploma in Human Resources Management.
*September 2022 as Vice-Chair/Senior Independent Director
Board roles: Professional Standards Committee
Heather has a 30+ year professional career in human resources for FTSE 100 companies, the Co-operative, and in sectors including manufacturing, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), utilities and retail. Most recently, she was Chief People Officer for a large, multi-site retail and healthcare business – an Investors in People Platinum employer with Disability Confident Leading status.
She has served as vice-chair of the Governing Body and chair of the Search & Governance Committee for Boston College, as an independent remuneration panel member for Lincolnshire County Council, and as chair of governors of a secondary academy school.
Heather was a founding member of the Greater Lincolnshire Employment and Skills Board, representing the business community. She was also a member of the Business in the Community East Midlands Leadership Board from 2015 to 2024, an advisory board member for the University of Lincoln Business School from 2010 to 2019, and a founding trustee of a school breakfast club charity.
In addition to her MBA from Leeds Business School, Heather holds an Accelerated Certificate in Company Direction from the Institute of Directors. She is also a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD.
Board roles: People, Culture and Renumeration Committee
Tony has over 20 years’ experience in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector, leading high-performing teams and delivering sustainable growth with some of the world’s most iconic brands. He believes strong leadership is about inspiring others, fostering innovation, and creating cultures where people thrive.
Tony’s career began in manufacturing, where he led a team responsible for producing biscuits. This formative experience taught him the importance of collaboration and inspired his enduring focus on building strong, effective teams. He later joined PepsiCo UK, holding commercial roles across Walkers, Quaker, and Tropicana, culminating as Trading Controller. At Mars Inc., he led the UK ice cream and biscuits business before overseeing the European confections business across 20+ markets. At Danone, he led the UK infant nutrition commercial team and subsequently became Managing Director for the plant-based business in Germany, driving category growth for well-known brands across four countries.
Now, as Regional President for Europe at Edgewell Personal Care, Tony is driving a transformation of the business across 20+ markets, leading a portfolio of globally recognised brands. He is passionate about embedding a culture of innovation, inclusion, and responsible leadership while positioning the company for sustainable growth.
Beyond his corporate role, Tony is a board trustee for several charities, committed to using his expertise to make a positive societal impact.
Board roles: Chair of People, Culture and Remuneration Committee; Professional Standards Committee
Sue has over 25 years’ experience in people development across multiple sectors, including aviation, telecoms, retail, financial services and energy. She has led complex global teams with responsibility for learning, leadership development, talent management and equality, diversity and inclusion. Sue started her working life as a stewardess with British Airways, before moving into training where she learnt the power of potential and the impact of development for individuals and organisations.
Sue is a qualified coach, trained in multiple psychometrics, has a master’s degree and recently completed a doctorate in coaching and mentoring. She has served on the UK Government’s Employee Engagement Task Force, on the boards of the Learning Skills Improvement Service and Working Chance and has been a Silver Line Friend since 2015.
Board roles: Treasurer; Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee; Investment Committee; Board champion for Ireland
Caroline has 30 years’ experience in senior finance, commercial and strategic roles at organisations including Novartis Pharmaceuticals (Switzerland), Cadbury Schweppes, Granada plc and Unilever/Bestfoods (Thailand, Netherlands and the UK). She was Chief Executive of the Association of Corporate Treasurers from 2017 to 2023, and prior to that she was Chief Financial Officer at both the British Council and Save the Children International.
Having sat on many Boards, Caroline is now pursuing a portfolio non-executive director career. She is currently a member of the Finance and Investment Committee of Elton John AIDS Foundation, a board member of VIVID Homes, Deputy Chair of the International Group of Treasury Associations, Director of TreasurySpring and a schools academy trust governor.
Caroline is a Fellow of the ICAEW, with an ICAEW Diploma in Charity Accounting. She recently developed practical leadership courses for Durham University, the Centre for Finance, Technology and Entrepreneurship, and FutureLearn, and has run seminars around the world on leadership and strategic influencing, often with a focus on diversity and inclusion.
Board roles: Investment Committee
Brian has over 20 years’ marketing and commercial experience, having worked both agency and client-side across a variety of sectors including healthcare, business and professional services, entertainment and sport. The majority of his career has been spent helping global professional bodies to transform their digital experience and expand into new markets. He is currently Director of Markets at the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners where he opened their first office in China and launched their globally recognised qualifications.
Previously, Brian was Director of Marketing at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, Head of Marketing at the British Medical Association (BMA) and the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM). Brian has also launched WorkLifeWell, a training provider which supports HR Directors and people managers to develop their employee wellbeing strategy and build a happier and healthier culture.
Board roles: Audit and Risk Committee; Professional Standards Committee; Board champion for Middle East and North Africa
Nicholas brings commercial experience of working with clients globally to support strategy development and the execution of M&A transactions and large transformations, through the lens of people, the HR function and organisational change management.
He began his career in frontline policing, where he delivered large programmes related to the development of people strategies, equality, diversity and inclusion and workforce plans. He transitioned to the UK Civil Service, before moving into management consulting at professional services firm EY, where he has worked across multiple industries and sectors as a trusted advisor in the UK and the Middle East. Nicholas has also spent time as an associate lecturer, delivering HR modules to MA students in London, and is the voice for students on our board.
Learn more about our leadership and governance
Meet the CIPD Leadership Team. Discover what we’ve delivered this year for our members and our wider community. And learn more about our structure, governance and commitments
We’re growing – in reach, impact and influence. We’ve got more members than ever before and we remain steadfast in our commitment to making work work for everyone – for individuals, organisations, communities and wider society
How our structure, governance and leadership keep our charitable and business activities responsible, accountable, sustainable and transparent
