Articles

Team Warren takes on China challenge

The pioneering 'Women for Women' charity has inspired Team Warren to take part in 'Cycle China', a 450km charity bike ride through the Beijing countryside.

Joëlle Warren, Judith Nicol, Deb Cooper, Vicky Lawton and Estelle Smith aim to raise a team total of £15,000 for the charity, which funds vital research into the causes of miscarriage and complications during pregnancy.

Explains Joëlle: "Everyone had great fun doing Cycle Cuba and raising a huge amount for such a worthwhile cause that we were determined to do another cycle challenge."

You can support the team at http://www.justgiving.com/WarrenPartners Read more...

Mutual co-operation pays off for CFS and Britannia

Appointing a 40-strong business leadership team in just two months during the merger of the Britannia Building Society with Co-operative Financial Services (CFS) was a landmark assignment for Warren Partners.

The merger created an organisation with £70 billion of assets, nine million customers and 12,000 plus employees.

"We'd worked with both parties for several years, a tremendous advantage in understanding their businesses, appreciating their values and knowing their senior people," explains director Deborah Cooper.

The project team established several fundamental principles: ensuring the best people were in the right roles, maintaining a values led approach and delivering a transparent process. This had to be achieved on time and within budget, while business continued as usual in both organisations.

"Planning and time management were crucial," says Deborah. "Trust was also a key factor - as a trusted adviser to both parties we quickly built a three way partnership."

Warren Partners advised on the selection criteria and assessment methodology, shaped the decision-making mechanisms and assisted with the interviewing.

CFS Organisational Development Director Karen Moir is very positive about the outcome: "Sue, Joëlle and Deborah pulled out all the stops to make things happen, enabling us to honour the commitment we made to everyone that the process would be timely and transparent." Read more...

Circle rings the changes for UK healthcare

Circle, Europe's largest healthcare partnership, is an exciting success story. Head of Partner Support, Byron Woodmansee, outlines the company's innovative approach to people and recruitment.

The philosophy behind Circle is simple: to build a great company dedicated to its patients. It was set up by business executives and clinicians who saw that giving people on the healthcare frontline more power meant a better service for patients.

All its direct employees, from consultants and nurses to porters and catering staff, are partners with shares in the business.

Circle runs private clinics in Stratford and Windsor, plus NHS treatment centres in Bradford, Burton on Trent and Nottingham. The jewel in its crown is the new CircleBath hospital, the first designed by leading architects Foster + Partners and a blueprint for 25 future Circle hospitals.

"Our attitude to people goes beyond a traditional HR approach. It's all about reminding people that they are the owners of their business, and encouraging them to act accordingly." Read more...

Non-execs boost growth at Plant Impact

When non-executive directors David McNeilly and Ed Sharkey took up their new roles a year ago, they became a key part of the team which is driving growth at flourishing AIM-listed Plant Impact plc. They share their experience of an exciting and challenging 12 months with 'Talent Matters'. (Autumn 2009) Read more...

Becoming a model leader

Much has been said and written about what makes an ideal leader. Judith Nicol of Athene Coaching has developed an innovative leadership model based on the consultancy's work with clients in senior roles at major companies. Here, she outlines this new approach and the benefits it can bring to both individuals and their organisations. (Autumn 2009) Read more...

Finding opportunity in adversity

The rigours of the recession have caused many businesses to take a long, hard look at themselves. Warren Partners is no exception, and managing director Joëlle Warren believes the company has emerged in strong shape to deliver an even better service to clients and candidates.

Among the key lessons were the importance of maintaining morale and open lines of communication, enabling the company to gain 100% staff satisfaction ratings. Both clients and candidates also relied on strategic advice from the Warren Partners team on responding to the difficult economic climate and preparing for the upturn. (Autumn 2009) Read more...

Get good directions at the career crossroads

The timing of your next career move isn't always within your control, especially in the current climate. Redundancy, downsizing, a merger or takeover may be the catalyst for that call to the head-hunter. But who do you contact, how do you assess the opportunities out there and define what you have to offer? (Spring 2009) Read more...

Building a winning team

Major sports are no longer the preserve of enthusiastic amateurs and lifelong fans, but multi-million pound businesses with highly paid stars and a global customer base. Almost two years after taking over as Chief Executive of UK Athletics (UKA), Niels de Vos reflects on the challenges of making the governing body fit for the future. (Spring 2009) Read more...

Warren Partners on the crest of a WAVE

Training sometimes takes a back seat in tough economic times, but not at Warren Partners. Building on an experienced team of three practitioners, the company has invested in a major programme to train a further ten consultants and researchers in using the highly-regarded and innovative Saville Consulting WAVE personality profiling tools. (Spring 2009) Read more...

Switching on the power in the boardroom

Most ambitious managers want a boardroom seat. But being a custodian of the company’s future success and corporate values is very different from leading a department. Alison Clarke, HR director at United Utilities Group PLC, has valuable insight into this transition. (Winter 2008) Read more...

Driving home the good news

Helping a newly-listed business to communicate effectively with the City, customers and employees was the challenge facing Julie Gaskell when she became Head of Communications at leading logistics company Stobart Group in January 2008. With half a dozen acquisitions during 2008 - including the purchase of Southend Airport - the company is definitely travelling in the fast lane. 'Talent Matters' spoke to Julie about the exciting ride so far. (Winter 2008) Read more...