By-Invitation Lunch Meeting
The Changing
Role of the
HR Leader
– Geneva
In-Person | Tuesday 25 March 2025
Mandarin Oriental, Geneva, Switzerland
12.00 – 15.00 CET (Lunch Meeting)
Event
As the business context has become more complex, so too has the role of the HR leader. As well as fulfilling HR’s ‘traditional’ role and purpose (such as talent management and performance improvement), HR must also respond to an increasingly employee-centric social agenda. This includes a greater focus on new working models and practices, inclusivity, employee wellbeing and sustainability. This research and associated events will explore this evolution and consider what it means for the development of the function.
Learning Objectives
- Understand how the HR leader’s role is changing and identify the skills and structures needed to deliver effectively in a rapidly shifting business environment.
- Understand what advances in technology and AI mean for the HR leader, including applying new technologies, governance, data privacy and skills.
- Identify ways of bringing risk management higher up the HR agenda.
- Consider how the HR function can work more effectively with the Executive Committee, becoming a full player rather than an occasional contributor.
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To attend the online version of this event, please see information here.
Who is this event for?
HR Directors and senior HR leaders based, or operating, in and around Geneva.
Location
Mandarin Oriental Geneva
Quai Turrettini 1, 1201
Geneva, Switzerland
Speakers
James Purvis
Head of HR, CERN
James is head of Human Resources at CERN since 2016 and is responsible for leading the HR strategy and operations for the Organization and its approximately 18,000 members of personnel. Previously as CERN’s head of Talent Acquisition he introduced modern & innovative solutions to improve the Organisation’s capability to meet its hiring needs.
After studying Computer Science (including Artificial Intelligence!) in the 1980s, James worked 15 years at the forefront of Information Technology advances at CERN alongside the birthplace of the Web. In 2007 James was invited to join the HR department’s leadership team where he has held a variety of roles. CERN’s core business is world-class particle physics and achieving that challenges the boundaries from engineering through to HR and James is proud to take part in that challenge.
James was born in the UK, brought up in Mallorca, lives in France and works in Switzerland so considers himself European. Outside of work James enjoys mountain biking, snowboarding & kitesurfing.
Richard Hargreaves
Managing Director, CRF
Richard is responsible for the sustainable growth of CRF through delivering world-class HR content, facilitating knowledge exchange between HR professionals, focussing on future ventures and developing a great team. Prior to this role Richard was Commercial Director across CRF and PARC and previously the EMEA Sponsorship Director at The Economist Group.
