155 | The Mindset, Skills & Plan to Become a Successful Chief People Officer (With Dr Andrew Stephenson)

There’s so much more to becoming a successful Chief People Officer (CPO) or CHRO than experience alone - it’s about building the mindset, skills and plan that help you succeed and make an impact.

In this episode of HR Coffee Time, host Fay Wallis is joined by Dr Andrew Stephenson, Chief People Officer at Equiniti, who has held CPO roles in three major international businesses. Under his leadership, Equiniti has become a Top Employer in the UK, US and India, winning multiple CIPD and HR Excellence Awards, and Andy himself has been named one of the CIPD’s HR 30 under 30 leaders.

You’ll hear Andy’s thoughts on:

• How he created his first Chief People Officer role and convinced the board he was the right person for it
• Turning strategy into a simple, one-page plan (and why clarity matters more than volume)
• The difference between HR Director and CPO roles – and what it means to work on the business, not in it
• Habits and diary practices that help him (and his team) perform at their best
• Practical ways to protect mental health and prevent burnout in a senior role
• The importance of lifelong learning – and how his curiosity led to “accidentally” earning a doctorate
• His advice for aspiring CPOs on building commercial awareness, gaining breadth, and backing yourself

Useful Links

• Connect with Fay Wallis on LinkedIn
• Visit Fay’s website
• Learn about Fay’sInspiring HR leadership development programme
• Connect with Dr Andrew Stephenson on LinkedIn

Other Relevant HR Coffee Time Episodes

• Episode 1:How to Feel More Confident at Work
• Episode 43:The One Thing That Will Boost Your Resilience Throughout Your HR Career (With Tom Cleary)
• Episode 123:Avoid Burnout – How to Spot Signs of Stress and Take Action (With Dr Jo Burrell)
• Episode 108:HR Leadership – How to Create a Simple but Powerful One-Page Strategy (With Dr Max McKeown)

Enjoyed This Episode? Don’t Miss the Next One!

Sign up to the free weekly HR Coffee Time email to be notified each time a new episode is released – and get free career tips, tools, and resources.

Mentioned in this episode:

Kara Connect - Help When It's Needed Most

Menopause, grief, ADHD, relationship breakdown... Every day, employees dealing with these situations are turned away by their EAP because they didn't qualify for counselling. When someone finally asks for help, they deserve better. Visit Kara Connect, where no employee is ever turned away.

Kara Connect

Free Strategic HR Sprint

Join the free Strategic HR Sprint and set yourself up for strategic success. 5 easy-to-implement ideas delivered to your inbox across 5 days.

The Strategic HR Sprint