Howden appoints Southern as Group Chief People Officer

Global insurance and reinsurance broker Howden has announced the appointment of Kirk Southern as Group Chief People Officer, and will be reporting to David Shalders, Group Chief Operating Officer.

Southern has been leading the Group’s People Team for six months in an interim role. He will continue to lead the team in creating a Global People Function that supports the group’s growth.

The executive has over 15 years of experience in senior People roles in Investment Banking, Fund Management, and Asset Management. Prior to joining Howden, he was Group Head of Reward and HR Director for the Fund Management business at Arrow Global Group.

David Shalders, Group Chief Operating Officer said: “Kirk’s promotion to the permanent position of Group Chief People Officer is testament to his achievements not just in the last six months in the job but over the three years of working at Howden.

“As we look to fulfil our growth ambitions, Kirk and his team will be integral to our future success. In addition to Kirk’s appointment we have recently bolstered our People Leadership Team with other new hires and I look forward to working with the team to continue making Howden a truly great global company.”

Commenting on his appointment, Southern said: “I’m absolutely delighted to have been permanently appointed to the role. With offices in 55 countries, it’s our people who make this a brilliant place to work. Which is why my priorities are clear: to create a People function for growth that puts our colleagues at the centre of everything we do.

“To enhance our employee experience through improved systems, processes and data. And to continue to attract and retain the best talent. We’re a people first business and with 10,000 of us in the UK alone, more than 22,000 worldwide and ambitions to become 40,000, this couldn’t be a more exciting opportunity.”

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