Jennie Barker
Chief People Officer
Rightmove
I’m a Chief People Office and career-long HR-nerd. I genuinely love what I do. My primary job is Mum to three awesome children (and two very demanding cats!). Along with my husband, we live in Surrey. I don’t have many hobbies these days (unless you include driving children to various activities and engagements), but if I do find time I will be seeing friends, walking/running around the Surrey Hills, listening to music (A-Ha, Madonna, Taylor Swift are my all-time top 3 artists) or engaging in any kind of competitive endeavour (an escape room is about my favourite thing to do!).
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Give us a brief overview of the path that led to your current role.
I studied psychology at University and took my Careers Office at face value when they said there were 2 options for me – clinical psychology or HR. I took the HR path and applied for a Summer Internship at Morgan Stanley. This led to a Graduate Programme at Goldman Sachs where I rotated around all the HR departments. The internship and this gave me the best possible start and understanding of the function and how the parts make up the whole. I’ve maintained that view as I took on leadership roles at Northern Trust, Experian and Trustpilot – trying to collect as many different experiences as I can over the years. I’ve done most People & Culture roles in my time, specialist and generalist, global and local – including some time working in the US, and I’ve worked across a variety of industries.
What is one of your guiding leadership principles?
My team would answer this as ‘Excellence and Fun’. I care deeply about both and believe they are directly connected. I’m passionate about great results and hold high standards – but we have to have fun along the way or it isn’t enjoyable, and if it isn’t enjoyable, it isn’t sustainable.
What is the greatest challenge CHROs face today, and how are you addressing it?
I think that the opportunities presented by AI are right up there. The challenge comes in being able to equip all the different roles in the organisation to embrace this, and in being able to do that at the pace that AI capability is evolving. If we can get it right though, it presents an incredible potential for acceleration.
What is the key to success for someone just starting out as a CHRO?
I think the keys are understanding your business, and its unique needs and challenges really well, and building a fantastic team of people around you who can help you deliver on your vision. Always hire people you think are better than you!
How do you measure success as a leader?
For me personally, success lies in creating an environment where people are enabled and supported to do the best work of their lives, and are happy and thriving in doing so.
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