When you think of a personal brand, what comes to mind might be a flashy website, a professional photoshoot or a TED Talk delivered in a carefully curated business casual outfit. But for today’s evolving chief people officer (CPO), personal branding is far more than aesthetics. It’s about the depth of their experiences, the values they stand for, the way they lead – and their vision for the future of work.
Wait – this is the final chapter of our mini-series on empowering current and aspiring HR leaders. Make sure you’ve read the first three chapters before you move on to this one:
- Chapter three: how to craft a successful CEO-CPO partnership
Redefining the CPO: strategic, commercial and adaptable
Modern CPOs need to be more commercially minded and agile than ever before. They must balance immediate priorities – like changes in legislation, return-to-office policies and resistance to diversity and inclusion – with longer-term challenges, such as the impact of AI, global talent shortages and climate change.
The most successful CPOs are those who harness connected people management systems to tackle strategic challenges: from planning for future skills needs to building agile, change-resilient workforces.
Standing out in a competitive landscape
In a rapidly shifting world of work, building visibility has become essential. CPOs need to develop a profile that demonstrates not just capability, but credibility. As executive recruiter Chris Taylor notes, the CPO role is increasingly central to business transformation:
“There’s lots of disruption, change and digital transformation,” he says. “The people function plays a key role in driving that resilience. The delivery and enabling aspects of change come through them.”
And the numbers back this up. According to a February 2025 report from HR analyst Josh Bersin, 53% of HR leaders now hold C-suite positions and 13% are among the top five highest-paid executives in their organisations. Bersin identifies four paths HR professionals take to the top:
- Career chief human resource officers (CHROs) with diverse cross-company experience
- Company CHROs who rise through the HR ranks internally
- Business CHROs who transition from other functions
- Operational CHROs with roots in finance, risk or admin roles
While some organisations still want traditional HR leaders focused on compliance, forward-thinking businesses are looking for a “true C-suite” professional – someone who can drive business strategy, enable technology, solve problems and lead with creativity.
From the report: “The choice is becoming clear: Do you want to operate as the administrative ‘head of personnel,’ with an endless list of payroll, labour-relations, compliance and benefits admin tasks filling up every second of the day? Or do you want to embrace the reality that, thanks to forces like the pandemic and AI, you’ve become a C-level officer responsible for the growth and productivity of the number one managed expense in the company?”
Using data and tech to drive strategic impact
CPOs who can confidently use data are increasingly in demand. As AI tools become more accessible, leaders must still know which questions to ask – and how to ensure human perspectives remain front and centre.
Executive headhunter Lisa Wormald emphasises this: “The skills organisations need from HR are a lot broader. Data-led decisions will be a key point on any job description. How HR professionals use tech to inform those decisions will be key, alongside those crucial soft skills such as tenacity and confidence. All of which add to their credibility.”
Being able to connect data across the employee lifecycle enables HR to uncover pain points – such as where engagement drops for certain demographic groups or why certain teams face higher attrition. That evidence empowers CPOs to work with executive teams on high-impact, data-backed decisions.
Brand, purpose and ESG
Beyond data and strategy, today’s CPOs also play a key role in how organisations present themselves to the world. According to Mercer’s 2022 research, 93% of UK HR directors say customers are pushing for a stronger focus on environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues, and 86% believe employees are too.
“There is scrutiny not just from employees but from the public. We’re seeing customers voting with their wallets when it comes to this agenda,” says Taylor.
The people function must support ESG and corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives while protecting the company’s reputation – ensuring that internal practices align with external messaging.
This also requires personal authenticity. CPOs must live their organisation’s purpose without losing sight of their own. That means being present during challenging times – such as restructures or crisis management – as well as moments of positive transformation.
As Danny Harmer, CPO at Aviva, shares: “Internally I think my job is to make sure everyone knows HR is here to help, that we have a culture where people can speak up and problems can be raised. Our internal communications platform helps with that, and I’m also out a lot visiting sites. Externally, my job is to be the biggest cheerleader for Aviva.”
Think bigger than ‘just’ HR
With this expanding remit, it’s time for HR leaders to stop pigeonholing themselves.
“Do you see yourself in the box of HR or as a wider business leader who contributes in a way that’s bigger than running the HR team?” asks organisational change consultant Mark Withers. “Challenge yourself to think about what you’re doing and [how you’re] contributing. The questions you ask are a good sign of your brand.”
Ways to broaden your exposure might include:
- Sponsoring an inclusion network
- Joining a charity board
- Shadowing a sales director
- Spending time on the front line to better understand customer needs
Visibility: a strategic imperative
Building a brand takes effort – but it pays off.
“The first step is understanding that you would not be where you are now if you knew nothing or did not have the right skills,” says Mildred Talabi, a visibility and personal brand coach. “Sometimes it can take someone on the outside to help you see that.”
Even though personal branding may not be high on the HR to-do list, Talabi says: “Your brand is your currency. It’s something you can trade for things – better pay, more opportunities, more freedom. It allows people to see who you are and what you stand for. And it’s not necessarily attached to your job – you can carry it from role to role.”
How to build your brand on social media
Any HR director who's been on LinkedIn will recognise the standout voices – those whose posts regularly gain traction and engagement. But how do you become one of them?
Wormald acknowledges the discomfort: “This can be uncomfortable if you’re more introverted, but it’s important – if not essential – if you want to raise your profile. HR is waking up to the concept of a personal brand.”
Talabi adds, “Shouting from the rooftops doesn’t come naturally, but you need to learn that you’re just stating facts – ‘this is what I do’. If you don’t bring visibility to the work you do, then you can’t serve people as efficiently.”
She recommends developing a content plan based on your knowledge and choosing the platform that suits your voice – whether that’s LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok or YouTube.
“Anchor your brand to something that identifies you, and then mine your experiences and your skills. All of this makes great content,” she says. “Your opinion is what separates you from other people in your field. It’s your unique take on things. Don’t hide it.”
It’s time for CPOs to step into the spotlight
Today’s HR landscape looks dramatically different from 10 – or even five – years ago. HR has evolved from a back-office function to the driving force behind culture, capability and workforce strategy.
This doesn’t mean the role has softened. On the contrary: the CPO must ensure the business has the right people, with the right skills and mindset, to deliver its goals.
Today’s CPOs must:
- Navigate complex data and analytics
- Champion diversity, equity and inclusion
- Align people strategy with business priorities
- Plan for future workforce needs
- Build trust, both inside and outside the organisation
And in doing so, they must form a close partnership with the CEO – guiding how business decisions impact the workforce, and ensuring human value is never lost amid transformation.
As AI and automation reshape the workplace, CPOs will need to lead the charge in designing jobs, workflows and teams that combine human strengths with technological progress.
It won’t be easy – but it will be one of the most exciting and meaningful roles in the modern organisation.
Ready to unlock your potential as an HR leader?
Download our free white paper to discover strategies for growing your impact and advancing your career. Or, if you’re already looking to take the next step and see how our HR software can support your organisation’s goals, book a free demo today.