Advising CHROs

HR executives are leading in an increasingly ambiguous environment with heightened expectations to be strategic, forward-looking and efficient. Often, the #1 HR leader is forging new territory – and a trusted thought partner can help drive towards faster and higher impact.

HR leaders are tackling emerging, urgent strategies:

Workforce planning for skills, talent pipeline and cost management – the more predictive, the better
Fluid organization development with nimble alignment to strategic, growth, and profit centers
Shaping an employee experience that delights the right talent and preserves the desired culture
Influential engagement with C-suite peers, the Board and key stakeholders
Powerful, integrated data and tech platforms that enable a high-performing, business-centric HR team

As an Advisor for HR executives, David Gunn supports the CHRO in their leadership of people and organization strategies. He serves as an independent partner, sounding board, and confidant for the CHRO to look at opportunities from all sides – considering what may be around each corner, and the impacts to business results and key relationships.

David has been a senior HR executive for most of his career, with some of the most reputable HR shops – including Disney, Bank of America and GE. As an HR Business Partner to CEOs and the C-suite, David knows what strategic contributions are possible, the constraints that often exist, and the dynamics of the senior environment. David’s practical experience, coupled with his consulting and counseling expertise, help him advise and support the modern CHRO.

Who?

David works with senior HR executives who are leading through one or more challenges where a thought partner is beneficial:
Developing new holistic HR or org/agile strategy
New to the CHRO or CPO role (or soon to be new)
Transforming or growing HR capabilities
Working with a new CEO or a transitioning Board
Embarking on selection of consultants
Developing the ‘people story’ for demanding stakeholders

How?

Our approach would be developed collaboratively and aligned to your needs and timing, and can evolve as your needs do. The advisor relationship takes numerous forms:
Time-bound. Work together for a set period of time, focusing on client priorities as they raise to the top.
Scope-bound. Work together on defined set of work and outcomes.
Connect-as-needed. Work together in quick hits or sprints – short spurts when beneficial.

David understands how the dots connect across HR – and how to align the work of HR to business strategy.

He has led the following teams during his career, within different companies and environments:

Client-facing teams

HR Business Partner
Talent management & strategy
Organization development
Learning & executive development
Talent acquisition
Performance management
Compensation
Company-wide, global scope
Global HR strategy & transformation
People data & analytics
HR technology & digital
Employee experience & culture
HR M&A due diligence
Employee relations & policy
Employee communications

Highlighted work in advising CHROs

HR Executives often find value in a skilled, approachable thought partner and sounding board. Examples of HR advising partnerships include >

CHRO leading global transformation

Redesigning and rebuilding a modern HR team, aligned to new common strategy

CHRO post-merger of ‘equals’

Developing cohesive talent strategy under the scrutiny of the Board

Promoted CHRO under pressure to deliver quickly

Needing to make hard people decisions so that critical HR work can get scoped and started

New CPO in a pre-IPO environment

Preparing the work of HR to scale strategically, culturally, and financially

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