Karen leads the member and partner experience for PARC. She has been instrumental in facilitating executive networking and collaboration for 15+ years. She has a focus on ensuring members get ongoing benefit and value from being part of the PARC community and engaging in PARC’s activities. Aligned with this focus she works closely with Partners, external subject matter experts and our associate advisers to ensure the ongoing relevance and evolution of PARC’s offering. Karen has a particular interest in the development of individual and team capability plus the opportunity for progressive, enjoyable careers. She is an EMCC qualified executive coach which supports her development work with our members. She is also a qualified solicitor and has an interest in the role of effective governance in support of sustainable performance and positive societal impact. Karen is a keen hiker and has a passion for the sustainability of the natural landscape and the value it can bring via enabling access and inclusion for all. She is a Board Trustee for the Surrey Hills Society.

Nick Holley as Director of CRF Learning has responsibility to provide development for HR teams and senior professionals. Prior to joining CRF, Nick spent 10 years at Henley Business School where he was a visiting professor and Director of the Centre for HR Excellence. He has developed and delivered HR capability programmes for organisations across the UK and Europe, and internationally.

Nick Kemsley has a wealth of experience in the HR and talent arena. His 30+ year career spans corporate, consulting and business school sectors and includes 10 years running talent functions at regional and global level and nearly 15 years working with C-suite teams and HR Leadership Teams around the world. Nick specialises in aligning people and organisation to business strategy and increasing HR functional and individual effectiveness in delivering real value to business in an ever more complex world.

Gillian has worked as a senior HR practitioner and OD specialist for several organisations including Swiss Re, Vodafone and BAA. Prior to her HR career, she was a management consultant with Deloitte Consulting and is also a qualified solicitor. Gillian has written various CRF reports on subjects including HR strategy, organisation design and development, leadership development, coaching and diversity.

John Whelan is a Director at Corporate Research Forum. Formerly UK HR Director of BAE Systems, the FTSE 100 defence, security, and aerospace company, John’s experience and strengths lie in business and HR Transformation, Organisation Development and Employee Relations. Prior to joining BAE, he held a variety of HR roles in engineering, technology and manufacturing businesses across the telecommunications and semi-conductor industries including Matra-Marconi Space where he was HR Director for the UK and, latterly, Group HRD.