Costa Coffee Appoints New Chief People Officer

Costa Coffee has appointed Jez Langhorn as its Chief People Officer, following the retirement of former Chief People Officer Jonathan Crookall. 

With significant people leadership experience across global consumer facing businesses such as Starbucks and McDonald’s, Jez joins the company during a period of growth, as it expands its drive-thru footprint and high street presence. 

The company has also appointed Matthew Sisk as its new Chief Financial Officer, effective 1 September.

Philippe Schaillee, CEO of Costa, described Jez and Matthew as “brilliant,” following their appointments, saying that it was “a great moment to join Costa and be part of the next inflection in our growth journey”. 

The CXO Summit: 500+ Leaders Head to London in October

This October, we're bringing the C-suite to London. BizClik's CXO Summit takes over Convene 155 Bishopsgate on 7 and 8 October, uniting more than 500 C-suite leaders across HR, finance, marketing and business strategy, with a zone reserved for CHROs among four executive spaces.

For HR leaders, the draw is a programme built around the question every people leader is living: How to bring AI into the business without pushing people out of it.

"Our universal challenge remains how to truly embed AI while keeping humans, the heart of our businesses, at the forefront," says Lisette Danesi, WPP's Global Chief People Officer, who joins our AI-Ready Workforce panel.

Seats in the CHRO zone are limited, and this is the room where the year's defining people decisions get made.

Secure your tickets to the CXO Summit now.

Heidrick Tells CEOs to Own Culture, Not Delegate It

Most culture programmes meet the same quiet end. A company needs to change, so it stages a launch, arms its leaders with talking points and waits for everyone to "just get it".

The energy fades, execution stalls, the numbers miss. Heidrick & Struggles has built a practice to fix that, and its message is pointed.

"Every leader must model new mindsets and behaviours, moving their feet, not just their lips," writes Rachel Farley, a Heidrick Partner, in a LinkedIn post announcing the launch. "When this isn't happening, skepticism sets in and undermines all other efforts."

Caterpillar Launches Texas Workforce Commitment

Caterpillar has launched a workforce commitment in Texas to support manufacturing jobs. 

The company has announced plans to invest up to US$5m to support current and future workers across Texas by preparing them for future advanced manufacturing and industry technician jobs.

“Caterpillar believes building a strong workforce starts with investing in people and helping them develop the skills needed to be successful,” says Christy Pambianchi, Chief Human Resources Officer of Caterpillar. “Texas is a manufacturing powerhouse and a vital hub for innovation. 

“Through this pledge, we’re capitalising on those strengths and preparing Texans for the jobs of today and the advanced technology and manufacturing careers of tomorrow.”

The investment comes as part of a wider Building the Future Workforce initiative within the company. 

The Silent Killer of Every Reorg, and How Leaders Beat It

The best leaders Shawn Maurice has worked with shared one rare skill: not having all the answers.

"They knew how to move a team through change without breaking it," the former Executive Director of HR at Dell and CHRO of Boomi writes in a widely shared LinkedIn post. "Calm is contagious. So is panic."

She argues a team mirrors its leader's state, so steady leaders treat their composure as a tool, not a temperament. The data backs her up.

Only 32% of leaders tell Gartner their last change landed well, and those who get it right grow revenue twice as fast.