Edinburgh Napier University

Greig Aitken,  Group Head, Colleague Strategy & Insight, NatWest Group

Greig Aitken is Group Head, Colleague Strategy and Insight at NatWest Group. Based in Edinburgh, he leads the development of the Group’s People Strategy across 16 brands including NatWest, Ulster Bank, Coutts and Royal Bank of Scotland. The focus of Greig’s work includes employee experience, engagement, culture assessment as well as enabling leaders to deeply understand the effectiveness of their people strategy and its tangible impact on businesses performance, sales and service. 

He is a qualified chartered Banker, has an MBA in finance and management, is a Fellow of the CIPD and of the Learning & Performance Institute.  Greig is passionate about the positive impact of human capital on business success and has taught human capital strategy case studies at Harvard Business School, London Business School and the University of Southern California. He is a member of the European Council on Strategic Workforce Planning and The European council of strategy & Transformation. 

Greig believes strongly in the combined benefits of academia and business working together and delivers an HR strategy class on the Napier Masters programme and has been on the PAG HRM for over 5 years.

Greig’s areas of expertise include Organisational culture, employee engagement, HR strategy, colleague experience, Human Capital research & Benchmarking, M&A, Organisational listening.

Jess Alexander, Learning and Development Manager for Scottish Social Services Council

Dr Chiara Amati, Director & Chartered Occupational Psychologist for The Keil Centre

Chiara is an occupational psychologist with specific interests in wellbeing and leadership. Work is a core influence on our wellbeing and psychological health and Chiara works with individuals, teams and organisations to develop ‘good jobs’, strong positive interpersonal relationships and to maintain wellbeing and resilience. Often the relationship with our manager is key in terms of our wellbeing at work and the majority of Chiara’s time is spent working with managers and leaders, either in 1-to-1 coaching sessions or in team sessions, to explore how they can better support their own and their team’s wellbeing. 

Chiara also works in leadership assessment, helping to make the experience of psychometric assessment more inclusive, more informative and, ultimately, more insightful and useful for both selection panels and candidates.

Dr Chiara's areas of expertise: Wellbeing, selection.

Mark Crawford, Global Director of Human Resources for JBT Corporation

Mark Crawford is a progressive, proactive and driven Global Executive HR professional with 15 years of experience in the various facets of HR. Principled business partner providing solutions in HR strategy, talent management, organizational capability, talent acquisition, organizational development, design and analytics. Mark describes his HR style as ‘unorthodox’ in comparison to more traditional views of the HR partner, but one that delivers business leadership through the HR lens. Mark’s principles of trust, integrity and continuous improvement drive him to have a strong belief to give back, spending much of his time mentoring and coaching business and HR leaders.

Mark having been an alumni of Edinburgh Napier in 2016, is delighted to be a member of the PAG HRM, keen to remain connected and support the development of our future HR professionals. Sports have always played a key role in Mark’s interests having played for both local football teams; Bonnyrigg Rose and Edinburgh City, but although not playing today you will find him regularly attending games while supporting his children in their own sporting interests.

Mark's areas of expertise include Talent Management, HR Systems / Data Analytics, Merges & Acquisitions, HR Transformation, Organisation development & design, Culture.

Samantha Elsworthy, Learning Consultant for Baillie Gifford & Co

Adam Gray, HR Business Partner for Student Roost

Peter Heath, Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Director of Community Safety for Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service

Peter has spent over thirty years working within fire and rescue services both in Scotland and in his current role with extensive experience of leading, implementing and delivering on organisational change and improvement. As a strategic leader and HR practitioner Peter was the Head of HR and OD following a merger of 8 fire and rescue services into a single organisation were he led a key programme to delivery. He has developed deep experience of working within highly unionised and political environments driving change and focused on values and culture.

Since graduating with a Master’s degree in HRM he has continued as a member of the PAG to share and support the transfer of knowledge to the workplace and vice versa. Peter believes turning theory into working practice and ensuring that practice informs new theories and thinking are essential for good HRM.

Peter's areas that can offer experience or support include: Implementing change in complex environments; Employee engagement and motivation; Grievance, discipline and working with unions; Strategic leadership.

Sarah Horne, Executive Director and HR Transformation for the EMEA region at Oracle

Sarah is an HR practitioner and HR transformation specialist who works with organisations across Europe and the Nordics, the UK, Middle East and Africa, to enable their transformation goals through the use of Oracle Cloud HCM technology; and also to realise their people analytics ambitions. Sarah is experienced in developing and implementing HR strategies and technologies to drive organisational effectiveness;  and to enable the strategic change agendas of large global and matrixed organisations - including mergers, divestments and acquisitions.

Sarah is an HR practitioner and HR transformation specialist who works with organisations across Europe and the Nordics, the UK, Middle East and Africa, to enable their transformation goals through the use of Oracle Cloud HCM technology; and also to realise their people analytics ambitions. Sarah is experienced in developing and implementing HR strategies and technologies to drive organisational effectiveness;  and to enable the strategic change agendas of large global and matrixed organisations - including mergers, divestments and acquisitions.

Matt Johns MBE, Managing Director for Fieri

Matt Johns has worked extensively in learning and development, in particular the design of leadership programmes at various levels and across industries. Many of these programmes have concentrated on early talent, elite sport and high potential candidates. 

He has a particular interest in developing leadership behaviours and how technology such as VR can help with this. Matt is also a commissioned Army Officer.

Now a Reservist, he has led teams on several operational tours. Matt lives with his family in East Lothian. Matt is very pleased to be able to support the PAG HRM where possible.

Matt's areas of expertise: Training Design, Leadership Development, Assessment and Selection, Military Issues.

Alex Killick, Director of Leading Kind Ltd

Alex has held several executive board level HR roles in the NHS, Scottish Government and Higher Education and is also an experienced non-executive director. Alex set up Leading Kind in 2020, to support organisations lead complex change to make work fairer, workplaces kinder and more inclusive and outcomes better. Read more about Leading Kind. Prior to this, Alex was Director of People at Glasgow Caledonian University for 8 years and led an award-winning People Services team. Recent roles have included Interim Director of People at the University of the West of Scotland, and interim Director of People at the University of Dundee.

Alex is also currently a Board member and Remuneration Committee Chair at Edinburgh College. Alex is a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD, has a Masters in HRM, a Prof M, and holds a Certificate in Company Direction. Alex is passionate about bridging the gap between theory and practice and sees the PAG a key disruptor to the status quo.

Alex’s areas of interest and expertise are in employee voice, employee experience and wellbeing, and reward management.

Margaret-Ann Love, Head of Human Resources and Consultancy and Policy for The City of Edinburgh Council

Margaret-Ann is Head of HR Consultancy and Policy for the City of Edinburgh Council, the second largest local authority in Scotland, employing around 18,000 people. A Chartered Fellow of the CIPD, Margaret-Ann has been an HR practitioner in the public sector for 30 years and a member of CIPD for 28 years.

She is also Vice Chair of the South East Scotland Branch and Regional Secretary for the Society of Personnel and Development in Scotland.

Margaret-Ann leads a team of 40 HR professionals from a range of disciplines including high risk case management, ER and Policy, HR Relationship, Learning and Organisational Development. Margaret-Ann is passionate about people development and about creating an inclusive, rewarding and fair environment at work where people can flourish.

Loretta Windsor- Mackenzie Director at Greentree Wellbeing Consultancy

Loretta is a specialist in Wellbeing particularly focusing on Mental Health wellbeing at Work. With a Masters in HRM and twenty years of experience working with organisations from charities, public sector and the private sector. Loretta works as an external consultant within the HR structure, with HR Directors and Business owners to engage and focus organisations on wellbeing and employee voice.

Loretta creates internal wellness campaigns and strategies to break stigmas and encourage positive workplace cultures. Loretta is delighted to be a member of PAG HRM as she is keen to stay connected to the education provision of future HR professionals.

Loretta enjoys painting and singing but can also often be found walking in the woodlands with her family and golden lab.

Loretta's areas of expertise include: wellbeing at work, menopause and work, resilience to workplace stress, performance and mental health.

Hazel M Mackenzie, Consultant Individual, Team and Organisational Development Leadership specialist

Susan McLaren, Business Development Director for AdviserPlus

Susan has worked across a number of business sectors including, technology, energy and the public sector. Keen to pursue a career in HR Susan has focused both her education and work experience across the wide spectrum of roles that a career in HR provides. 

Susan has led teams in a number of HR disciplines including L&D, Talent Management, Business Partnering, Employee Relations and Organisational Development and Design.  As a consequence of her experience and research Susan’s specialism is HR Transformation. 

Passionate about the HR profession, Susan is delighted to be a member of the PAG HRM as she is keen to contribute in any way she can to the education of future HR leaders. For relaxation Susan can be found socialising with friends, or taking time out to enjoy yoga with a bit of meditation thrown in especially at the end of a busy week.

Louise McSorley, Senior Consultant for People Change, Scottish Water

Corinne Morrison-Gillies, Head of HR for St George’s School, Edinburgh

Corinne is an experienced Senior HR Professional, who combines commerciality with a genuine compassion for people and tries to ensure that her values are at the heart of all she does . A graduate of Edinburgh Napier (1995 and 1996 ) Corinne’s initial degree ignited a passion for HR and she completed her MSc in HRM and Grad CIPD in 1996, subsequently becoming a chartered member a few years later. Corinne has 20 + years HR experience, gained across both private and nor for profit sectors- with her most recent experience being 11 years in Health and Social Care which includes residential education, criminal justice, children and families, counselling, adult care, older peoples services and corporate services.  Corinne is passionate about lifelong learning (completed a Paralegal qualification in Employment Law at Strathclyde University) and supporting students through her long term relationship with Edinburgh Napier.

As the single Mum of an eight year old daughter, and working full time, Corinne doesn’t have much ‘spare’ time but the little that she does is spent supporting others – through for example her role as an Elder with the Church of Scotland. Corinne loves reading and enjoying the beautiful countryside Scotland has to offer with her daughter as well as being a big Disney fan – having already taken her daughter on 2 trips to the US! 

Corinne's areas of expertise include: HR in Education / Health and Social Care ; Employee Relations ; Recruitment in Challenging sectors.

Dale Simpson, General Manager, Malmaison Hotel, Dundee

Ewan Walker, HR Graduate, Edrington-Beam Suntory UK 

Shawn Wilson-More, Senior HR Business Partner, Identify HR

Shawn Wilson-More is an Alumni of the MSc Human Resource Management programme, graduating from Edinburgh Napier University in 2015 and winning the HR Graduate of the Year award the following year. As a Chartered member of the CIPD, Shawn is currently active in the HR business partnering space with strong experience of coaching and developing leadership on best practice HRM and employment law. Having also supported a range of strategic people projects including the rollout of a national digital skills programme, senior leadership restructuring and development of employee engagement initiatives,

Shawn has been a member of PAG HRM since its inception. Currently, Shawn is acting as our Practitioner Lead on the development of a new Hub to further support engagement between PAG members. Shawn enjoys frequent trips to the theatre and is an advocate of keeping fit and healthy! Areas of expertise: Wellbeing, employee relations, employee engagement, recruitment, D&I, business partnering.