Start By Starting & Seek First to Understand: Ann Pickering – Advisor, KPMG: Inspiring Leadership interview with Jonathan Bowman-Perks MBE

143. Ann Pickering – Advisor, KPMG LLP

Ann Pickering is an Advisor to KPMG LLP, appointed in June 2020.  She recently stood down from her role as Chief Human Resources Officer and Chief of Staff at Telefònica O2 UK, a role she had held since 2008. She was also a member of the UK Executive Team, Global HR Executive Team, as well as Chair of the Pensions Committee and Responsible Business Forum. Ann’s long career at Telefònica O2 began in 2004 as Head of HR Customer Service becoming Human Resource Director in 2008, a role she held for 10 years. In 2017 she took on the dual role of HR Director and Chief of Staff.  In her early career Ann held HR roles at Xansa PLC (now Steria PLC) Fidelity Investments Services Ltd and Marks & Spencer PLC.  

Ann was voted ‘UK’s Most Influential HR Director’ in 2018, and Top 5 ranking prior and post this; in 2019 she was recognised in the  HERoes global top 50 Women Role Model list. (‘Women who are ‘leading by example and driving change to increase gender diversity in the workplace’) 

Ann currently has a number of non–executive and educational interests. She is a trustee of Breast Cancer Now, as well as Step Up To Serve, a social action charity for 10-20 year olds.  She is a visiting professor of HRM and Employability at Sheffield University Management School and also chairs the school’s Advisory Board.  

Ann is a Chartered Fellow of the Institute of Personnel Development and holds a BA in English from the University of London. She was a CBI nominated Employment Tribunal member between 1995 and 2008. 

Her Leadership tip – Start by Starting 

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