Matthew Legg
SVP & CHRO
Par Pacific
Matthew Legg is Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at Par Pacific Holdings, Inc. Prior to joining Par Pacific, he worked in a variety of HR leadership roles in the energy industry in Texas, California, Washington, Nigeria, and the United Kingdom. Matthew has served as a visiting professor of practice to the master's in HR management program at Texas A&M University as well as an adjunct professor of business at Houston Christian University.
He holds a bachelor's degree in economics from Texas A&M University, an MBA from University of Houston - Clear Lake, and a master's degree in human resources management from University of Southern California.
Learn more about the Houston CHRO community here.
Give us a brief overview of the path that led to your current role.
Like many in HR, I fell into it unintentionally. After graduating with my MBA and applying for roles, a global energy company was looking for a niche role at the time that combined quantitative demographic capabilities that would come from an MBA with a public policy background which I had from working for the U.S. Senate in between undergrad and grad school. The job happened to be housed in the HR function, and I quickly fell in love with the impact that a strong HR function can have on an organization's success.
From then on, I was hooked, taking a variety of HR roles both in the field and in corporate, including the opportunity to move to a variety of global and domestic locations to learn the energy industry from a variety of perspectives, cultures, and lenses.
What is one of your guiding leadership principles?
Candor does not have to be cruel. You can be open, honest, and even meaningfully disagree with others while practicing civility, kindness, and respect.
What is the greatest challenge CHROs face today, and how are you addressing it?
The pace of change in today's world is exponentially higher compared to just a decade before, which impacts people far more than assets or equipment. Building in an organizational willingness to change quickly, and even fail fast, in a very risk averse industry is critical for a nimble, growth-oriented company like ours that competes against much larger, bureaucratic organizations.
What is the key to success for someone just starting out as a CHRO?
Create an HR leadership team that has capabilities and expertise that supports your weaknesses as opposed to surrounding yourself with others that are strong in similar areas as yourself.
How do you measure success as a leader?
If folks are including you in decision making processes and proactively seek your input and involvement, you are probably doing something right.
What is the value of being a member of the Evanta community?
The CHRO role is a pretty lonely one at times. Having a safe place with others who understand your challenges and can share their perspectives is beyond valuable and appreciated.
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