Aoife has an incredible passion for nurturing talent and creating progressive workspaces. She is a tenacious leader and doesn’t shy away from a challenge, in fact she climbed the highest mountain pass in the world (Thorung La Pass, Annapurna, Himalayas) dodging avalanches and earthquakes along the way, and “loving every bit of it”.
Aoife is a woman of many talents, a fully trained acupuncturist and medicinal herbalist, and a fabulous singer and cook, we are ecstatic to welcome her to the global team!
1. What’s your new role at Greenpark?
I’m delighted to say that I’ve joined Greenpark as Chief People Officer. This is a super exciting opportunity for me to join and lead the existing, fantastic HR teams globally. Though the role itself is multi-faceted, my primary responsibilities will be to build on & support our people-centred culture and create greater cohesion between our global offices, with the overall aim of smashing (and perhaps surpassing!) our ambitious goals.
The greatest attractor for me in a new job is a super workplace culture, at the core of which of course is great people! Having spoken to so many of the leaders before I joined it was clear that Greenpark’s success is as a direct result of the amazing people that work there. It’s become very clear to me that the people who work at Greenpark are more than just colleagues, they are one giant family, that respect, accept and support one another.
2. Tell us a bit about your career up to this point.
Finding, nurturing and keeping great talent is my thing. My passion for all things people began in the public sector in Ireland about 12 years ago, when I unexpectedly found myself managing various large teams across the multiple departments of a very busy university hospital. Having studied & practiced law prior to that, I never imagined that this part-time role (which I’d taken to supplement my travel plans!), would end up in my moving to London to complete a CIPD postgrad and pursue a career in HR.
I made my London debut on St Patrick’s Day in 2016, which I believe to be a pretty good omen (luck of the Irish and all that) and was hired by a wonderful digital marketing agency that allowed me to fulfil my passion for creating great places to work. Places where the best talent come to learn, grow and thrive! It’s this enthusiasm and drive for all things people & culture that I’m excited to continue with and build on at Greenpark.
3. Are there any industry trends that interest you right now?
The two key trends that should be at the forefront of any strategic HR department’s agenda at the moment are globalisation of talent and a people-first business & HR strategy.
The globalisation of talent is one of the positives that has come out of what has been a scary and uncertain past two years for us all, both personally & professionally. The pandemic has forced business leaders to see past office and geographical boundaries, and to accept that the future of talent is distributed. Embracing this fact, and leveraging it, has meant that more businesses can tap into an infinite pool of incredible, diverse talent, to strengthen & broaden business capability. Of course, this is something that Greenpark have long embraced and something that very much attracted me to the role.
Aside from this, I like to keep a sharp eye on the trends in employee expectations. Again, this is something that greatly changed over the past two years, as people’s priorities changed, and the emphasis on the importance of well-being and work-life balance increased. In tandem with the expectation of flexibility, came the need for less autocratic leadership, and a want for greater autonomy and trust in our roles. A focus on output, over presenteeism, if you will. A people-first approach.
Watching these trends and aligning your HR policy, benefits, and reward and recognition accordingly, keeps us on top of our game when it comes to employee satisfaction and talent attraction.
4. Any tips for young talent starting out?
Be bold, be brave, learn to cultivate courage, accept feedback graciously and be friends with discomfort…and if you tick all the requirements on the job spec, don’t apply. Aim higher!
5. What’s your favourite place in the world?
Apart from Ireland of course, it has to be India… Since a very young child, I have been entirely obsessed with Indian culture, religious traditions, cuisine, etc. and so back in Jan 2015, I took a career break and booked myself a one-way flight to Mumbai. Admittedly, the first week was terrifying until I acclimatised but despite being plagued by mosquitoes and my Irish constitution being very underprepared for the realities of living in India, I absolutely enjoyed every moment of the 3 months spent traveling the length and breadth of the country.
Bonus question. Please introduce us to your Bobbi and Luna.
I am the proud adoptive Mother to two fur-babies, Bobbi (dog) is 3 years old, and Luna her feline sister is almost 2. You’ll find Bobbi curled up with Luna at home or at the Greenpark London office elegantly perched and watching over a meeting.
With her adventurous spirit and a heart full of passion for people, Aoife is all set to lead and innovate within our dynamic global team. We’re not just excited because she can sing her way through any karaoke night or whip up a feast that rivals the best chefs, but because her vision for a unified, thriving workplace aligns perfectly with our own. Aoife, welcome aboard—let’s make magic happen together!
