PEOPLE | PEOPLE-FIRST CULTURE
The rapid rise of the CPO CPO is without doubt one of the world ’ s fastest-rising jobs in the context of the C-suite , becoming a crucial cog in the employee-focused machine as firms look to implement a people-first culture .
Apple is one of the best-known companies to hire a CPO for the first time in recent months , bringing in Carol Surface from Medtronic . Papa Johns , Zebra Technologies , IMAX Corporation , to name a few , have made similar appointments .
LinkedIn ’ s Jobs on the Rise 2023 lists for the UK and US – which rank roles based on growing demand over the previous five years – saw CPO place 10th and 15th place respectively . The platform describes CPOs as being in charge of a firm ' s HR department , overseeing best practices and policies for hiring , staff development , performance and retention .
Having led HR and employee experience functions at several major firms including Adobe and Symantec , Julia Anas joined Qualtrics to become its CPO at the height of the pandemic in January 2021 . She is firm in her belief that COVID shone a bright light on the value of employees .
“ Organisations are seeing the value of human capital and its direct impact on business success ,” says Anas .
“ CPOs are integral in driving initiatives to create exceptional employee experiences by supporting employee wellbeing , maintaining a strong company culture , recognising performance , investing in employees ’ development and so much more . They are also pivotal in understanding the rapidly-evolving needs of the employee .”
Julia
Anas
Prior to joining Qualtrics , Julia Anas was VP , Employee Experience at Adobe , where she played a crucial role in driving employee development and compensation planning , as well as organisational design , talent and succession planning . She was also a core member of Adobe ’ s global COVID- 19 crisis management team . Anas has led people teams at companies including Intuit , Solyndra , Align Technology and Yahoo .
Image : Qualtrics ©
Shiran Nawi was lauded for her “ genuine passion for people ” as she took up her role as CPO at monday . com in May of this year .
She now oversees the company ’ s talent acquisition and development , employee experience and fostering an inclusive work environment for all .
Explaining the rising demand for CPOs , she says : “ Business leaders have started to understand that they need to focus on their people rather than business outcomes to
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