The People Agenda

Hosted by LACE Partners

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Episodes

298

Latest episode

Jun 2026

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About the show

Are you an HR leader grappling with the complexities of HR tech, transformation, or change management? Then, listen to the People Agenda podcast (previously the HR on the Offensive podcast) for cutting-edge insights, actionable strategies, and real-world success stories to tackle your biggest HR challenges. In each episode, we dive into the latest trends, expert advice, and practical solutions to help you stay ahead in a rapidly evolving workplace. Whether you're looking to drive adoption of new technology, lead organisational change, or simply optimise your HR strategy, you'll leave every episode with fresh perspectives and tools to take your initiatives to the next level. Subscribe now and join us on the journey to reshape the future of HR

Listen to episodes

60 recent

June 11, 202631 min

What is a CPO? with Michelle Wall

The role of the Chief People Officer has evolved far beyond traditional HR. In high-growth, private equity-backed businesses, today’s CPO is a commercial leader responsible for driving growth, enabling strategy, shaping culture, and creating the conditions for long-term business success. In this episode of the People Agenda Podcast Chris Howard and Debbie Mitchell speak to Michelle Wall as she shares how modern people leadership is becoming a key driver of business value rather than a support function. The modern CPO is no longer focused solely on people processes. The role has become a strategic leadership position that drives growth, supports transformation, strengthens culture, and helps organisations create lasting business value. If you want to understand how people leadership is shaping the future of business, listen to this episode of the People Agenda Podcast.

June 4, 202629 min

What is a CPO? with Jonny Friedman

The modern Chief People Officer is no longer just a people leader. Today's CPO is a strategic business partner, cultural architect, and organisational conscience. In this episode of The People Agenda Podcast Chris Howard and Debbie Mitchell speak to Jonny Friedman, Senior Vice President of People and Talent at Acumetis, as he shares how people leaders can balance commercial performance, organisational transformation, and employee experience while navigating rapid growth and change. If you're interested in the future of people leadership, organisational culture, and the evolving role of the Chief People Officer, listen to this podcast episode and hear Jonny Friedman's insights firsthand.

May 28, 202630 min

What is a CPO? With Neil Morrison, HR Director at Severn Trent

Great leadership roles are rarely defined by job titles alone. In this episode of the People Agenda podcast, Chris Howard and Debbie Mitchell sit down with Neil Morrison, the Chief People Officer (CPO) of Severn Trent as he explains why the modern CPO is no longer just an HR leader. The role has evolved into a business-critical position focused on organisational performance, culture, trust, and commercial impact. Neil shares practical insights on what separates high-performing executive teams from disconnected leadership groups. This episode offers a practical and refreshingly honest perspective on the future of leadership, culture, and the evolving role of the CPO. If you want actionable insights on organisational performance, executive leadership, and the intersection of people and business strategy, this is a podcast worth listening to.

May 20, 202626 min

What is a CPO? With Joe Binnion, CPO at Keywords Studios

This People Agenda podcast episode examines what it means to be a chief people officer today. Featuring Joe Binnion, CPO at Keywords Studios, the discussion explores the relationship between people strategy and business strategy, credibility in the C-suite, the metrics that matter, and how AI is beginning to reshape workforce planning and HR leadership. Designed for senior HR, payroll, and change leaders, the episode offers practical insight into the evolving CPO role in complex, global organisations.

May 5, 202623 min

Are your early careers hiring strategies ready for the AI era?

The future of early careers is being rewritten in real time. As AI reshapes entry-level roles and application volumes surge, employers are rethinking what potential really looks like, and candidates need a new playbook to stand out. In this episode of The People Agenda podcast, host Chris Howard is joined by LACE Partners’ Emma Johnson and Talia Pavell, alongside Emily Goodyear, Head of Early Careers at the Financial Conduct Authority, to explore how AI is changing early careers from every angle. From the rise of human skills like judgement and critical thinking, to how employers are redesigning roles and assessments, this conversation offers practical insight for organisations and candidates navigating the AI era. Listen how leading employers are rethinking early careers, and what it really takes to stand out in a competitive, AI-enabled market. https://www.lacepartners.com/are-your-early-careers-hiring-strategies-ready-for-the-ai-era/

April 23, 202619 min

Who owns agentic AI? With Chris Cherry, Senior Director at Eightfold

The conversation around AI in the workplace is shifting fast and the real tension isn’t about technology, it’s about ownership. Who actually “owns” AI inside an organisation today? In this episode of The People Agenda podcast Chris Howard and LACE Director of AI Data and Technology, Martin Colyer, speak with Chris Cherry from Eightfold. They cut through the noise and explore how HR, IT, and business leaders are navigating agentic AI, and real-world adoption. AI is an operational reality that demands clarity, coordination, and action. If you want to hear the full discussion, including real examples and practical insights from industry experts, take the next step and listen to this podcast.

April 9, 202628 min

What is a CPO? With Keniro Miller, CPO at Ultimate Performance

The role of a Chief People Officer is evolving fast and it’s no longer just about HR. In this episode of The People Agenda podcast, host Chris Howard and Debbie Mitchell speak to Keniro Miller, Chief People Officer at Ultimate Performance, as he reveals how a “triple lens” approach is redefining the modern C-suite. Keniro shows why today’s CPO must operate as a hybrid business leader who can drive performance and shape strategy. Are you a CPO looking to meet likeminded individuals? Our CPO network meet semi-regularly to share insights, discuss challenges and people solutions around the fast-evolving role of a CPO.

April 2, 202632 min

My career in Reward with Jenny Craik

“Reward and performance is all about understanding people.” says Jenny Craik. In this episode of The People Agenda podcast, host Chris Howard is joined by experienced HR leader Jenny Craik, who shares insights from her career in reward and performance at organisations like HSBC, Standard Chartered and Barclays. If you want to hear the full conversation and dive deeper into these insights, listen to this episode of The People Agenda podcast. It’s packed with real-world perspective you won’t get from theory alone. If you want support on how to build an effective reward strategy check out our Reward and performance services page to learn more.

March 12, 202629 min

How can smart incentive design drive performance?

Well-designed incentives can transform organisational performance however, poorly designed ones can quietly undermine strategy, culture, and results. In this episode of The People Agenda podcast host Chris Howard and LACE reward specialists, Julie Elder and Mike Aldred as they explore how organisations can design incentives that genuinely drive the behaviours they want. They discuss why incentives matter, the most common structures companies use, and how leaders can align reward programmes with business strategy to maximise impact. Incentive design sits at the heart of an effective reward strategy. When done well, it aligns people, performance, and business outcomes in a powerful way. If you want to hear the full discussion and deeper insights from reward experts, listen to this episode of The People Agenda podcast for practical examples and real-world perspectives on designing incentives that work.

March 5, 202629 min

How can CPOs build greater influence in the C-suite? With Hilary Gee

Great leadership does not start with a title. It starts with influence. In this episode of The People Agenda podcast, we explore one critical question: how can today’s Chief People Officer (CPO) move from having a seat at the table to genuinely shaping business transformation? Drawing on insights from our research “From implementer to influencer” host Chris Howard and fellow LACEr Debbie Mitchell speak to executive coach Hilary Gee, on how CPOs can build influence among the C-suite. The shift from implementer to influencer is not theoretical. It is behavioural, structural, and relational. If you are a CPO, CEO, or executive navigating transformation in 2026, this conversation offers practical insight you can apply immediately. Tune in to this episode of The People Agenda podcast to hear the full discussion and start redefining HR’s role in business transformation.