HR Unlocked with Lisa Oakley
HR Unlocked with Lisa Oakley is a leadership conversation series where thoughtful HR and business leaders share lived experience on people, risk, culture, and compliance. The show is designed for business owners, senior leaders, and HR professionals across Australasia to learn from real decisions and leadership judgment. It serves as a platform to honor the contribution of leaders willing to share their experience.
Episodes
Fiona Hewitt - Unboxable | Future Fluency, Workforce Design & the Evolution of HR
The future of work is already happening. So how should HR respond? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley speaks with Fiona Hewitt, Founder and Managing Partner of Unboxable, about how organisations and People & Culture teams can prepare for a future that cannot be neatly predicted. For Fiona, the goal should not be “future-proofing”. There is no fixed playbook because nobody
Claire George - Sport NZ | Leadership & Better Workplaces in Sport
How do you build People & Culture capability when you're supporting more than 150 organisations, all with different structures, resources, challenges, and communities? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Claire George, Acting Business Capability Manager at Sport New Zealand, to explore what it takes to strengthen leadership and people capability across the sports sector.
Nicki Mackay - FMG | Leadership, Trust & Keeping Business Moving
What happens when someone with deep operational experience steps into the Chief People Officer role?In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Nicki Mackay, Chief People Officer at FMG, to explore leadership, trust, resilience, culture, and the future of People & Culture.After 17 years at FMG across operational and leadership roles, Nicki brings a practical understanding of
Rose Powell - Vitaco | Future Skills, AI & Building Capability on the Factory Floor
What happens to the future of work if half your workforce gets left behind? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Rose Powell, General Manager People & Capability at Vitaco Health Group, to explore what future-focused People & Culture looks like inside a complex, vertically integrated organisation. Rose's leadership philosophy was shaped early in her career when she mo
Laurent Sylvestre | Leading Self, Building Trust & High-Performing Teams
How do you become the kind of leader people genuinely want to follow? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Laurent Sylvestre to explore leadership, trust, human dynamics, executive development, and what it really takes to lead well. Laurent challenges the traditional view of HR and People & Culture, emphasising that leaders ultimately own people and culture, while P
Ronel Jacobs - Access | Business-First HR, AI & Leading Through Change
Is there really such a thing as HR best practice? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Ronel Jacobs, Chief People and Safety Officer at Access Partners and Property, for a wide-ranging conversation about what effective People & Culture leadership looks like in the real world. With more than 20 years of experience spanning HR, recruitment, health and safety, environment, q
Jocelyn Visser - Compass Consultancy | Leadership Development That Actually Sticks
Why do organisations invest in leadership development only to see people return to work and carry on exactly as before? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Jocelyn Visser, founder of Compass Consultancy and consultant at People Associates, to explore what makes leadership development genuinely effective. For Jocelyn, the starting point isn't choosing a course or training pro
Emma Butcher & Angela Evans - BE Employment Law | Resolving Workplace Disputes
What makes a mediation effective, and how do you know when to fight, negotiate, or settle? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Emma Butcher and Angela Evans, partners at BE Employment Law, for a practical conversation about employment law, mediation, negotiation, and resolving workplace disputes. Emma and Angela describe themselves as self-confessed law nerds, and their appr
Heather Langton - Spark | The Great Unlearning of Leadership
What if becoming a better leader isn't about adding more to your toolkit, but knowing what to let go of? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Heather Langton, Chief People Officer at Spark, to explore what leadership, HR, and human capability need to look like in a rapidly changing world. Drawing on more than 20 years of experience across human resources, transformation, tale
Alex Howieson | AI, Commercial HR & the Future of People and Culture
How can HR professionals stay relevant as AI changes the way work gets done? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Alex Howieson, a senior People & Culture leader with experience across aviation, banking, media, healthcare, consulting, governance, and complex workforce environments. Alex shares a clear view: HR should not simply be part of the AI conversation. It should be
Roz Urbahn - Pāmu | Leading Change, Mindset & the Future of HR
What separates change that leaves people exhausted from change that actually energises an organisation? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Roz Urbahn, Chief Corporate Services Officer at Pāmu, for a wide-ranging conversation about leadership, transformation, mindset, resilience, and the changing role of HR. Roz's career has spanned complex transformation and senior leadersh
Sandy Hall - Recognition | ADHD, Neurodiversity & Rethinking How We Lead
What changes when we stop asking people to fit into the workplace and start asking how the workplace can help different people succeed?In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Sandy Hall, founder of Recognition, to explore neurodiversity, ADHD, leadership and the experiences that shaped Sandy's work. Sandy shares how her own ADHD diagnosis, alongside her son's diagnos
Margo Thomas - Sime Motors - CPO | Human Leadership in an AI World
How can leaders embrace AI and rapid change without losing the human connection that drives great workplaces? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Margo Thomas, Chief People Officer at Sime Motors, to explore leadership, trust, organisational culture, and the evolving role of HR in today's workplace. Drawing on more than two decades of experience across education, banking, te
Nicola Taylor - Tax Traders & Taxi | Innovation, Leadership & Building Better Cultures
What separates genuinely innovative organisations from those that simply talk about innovation? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Nicola Taylor, co-founder of Tax Traders and Taxi, to explore organisational culture, innovation, leadership, and the mindset required to build businesses that continually evolve. Drawing on her experience building successful fintech companies,
Samantha Ford & Heather Phillips - Awanui | Strategy, Leadership & Leading Organisational Change
How do organisations successfully align people, strategy, and communication to create meaningful change? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Samantha Ford, Chief People Officer, and Heather Phillips, Chief Strategy Officer at Awanui to explore the unique partnership between People & Culture and Strategy, and why organisational success depends on both functions working to
Monica Ayers - NZ Post | Transformation, Workforce Capability & Leading Through Change
How do organisations evolve without losing what already makes them successful? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Monica Ayers, Chief People Officer at New Zealand Post, to explore leadership, organisational transformation, workforce capability, and the realities of leading people strategy inside one of New Zealand’s most recognised organisations. With experience span
Wendy Baker - Brosnan CPO | Global HR Lessons for Building High-Performing Teams
What can international HR experience teach us about leadership in an increasingly connected world? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Wendy Baker, Chief People Officer at Brosnan, to explore global HR, commercial leadership, organisational culture, and the leadership capabilities needed to thrive in today's rapidly changing workplace. Drawing on more than 20 years of experi
Estelle Curd - Kami | Building High-Performing Cultures & Better Leaders
What separates truly high-performing organisations from everyone else? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Estelle Curd, Chief People Officer at Kami, to explore leadership, organisational culture, startup growth, and the role people leaders play in building exceptional workplaces. Drawing on experience across Rocket Lab, Armstrong's and Kami, Estelle shares practical lesson
Faye Restall - Les Mills - CPO | Building High-Performing Teams
How do you build a people strategy that supports one of New Zealand's most recognised global brands while staying true to its purpose? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Faye Restall, Chief People Officer at Les Mills International, to explore leadership, organisational culture, global people strategy, and how HR can create real commercial value. Leading the People & Cu
Khush Sethi - ClearPoint - Head of Talent & Culture | The Power of Great Culture
How do you build a workplace where people don't just stay, but grow, return, and recommend it to others? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Khush Sethi, Head of Talent & Culture at ClearPoint, to explore leadership, organisational culture, talent management, and the future of People & Culture. Drawing on more than 15 years of experience, Khush shares practical insig
Danielle Scott - AoFrio - Manager People & Sustainability | Leading with Empathy
How do organisations create workplaces where people can thrive while still delivering strong business outcomes? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Danielle Scott, Manager People & Sustainability at AoFrio, to explore leadership, resilience, employee wellbeing, and the changing role of People & Culture. Drawing on her experience across operations, customer exp
Maria Coupland - Finance Now - GM People & Culture | Building Better Employee Experiences
What happens when organisations genuinely listen to their people and act on what they hear? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Maria Coupland, General Manager People & Culture at Finance Now, to explore employee experience, leadership, culture, and the commercial realities of building high-performing workplaces. Drawing on experience across multiple industries and count
Bernadette Kelly - TVNZ - CPO | Leading Through Organisational Change
How do organisations successfully transform while bringing their people with them? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Bernadette Kelly, Chief People, Corporate & Operations Officer at TVNZ, to explore organisational transformation, leadership, change management, and the evolving role of People & Culture. Drawing on her experience leading large-scale transformation a
Kate Bacchus - HR Butter - Founder | The Power of Difficult Conversations
What happens when workplaces stop avoiding difficult conversations and start leaning into them? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with HR consultant, facilitator, workplace investigator, and founder of HR Butter, Kate Bacchus. Drawing on decades of experience across operational industries, leadership development, workplace investigations, and conflict resolution, Kate shares pr
Evan Bateup - KPMG - Chief People & Inclusion Officer | Creating Workplaces Where People Thrive
What does it take to build a workplace where people genuinely belong and can do their best work? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Evan Bateup, Partner and Chief People & Inclusion Officer at KPMG New Zealand. Drawing on a non-traditional career journey that spans operations, change, sales, marketing, and people leadership, Evan shares practical insights into leadershi
Kim Milne - Elf Group - Chief People Officer | Building New Zealand's Future Workforce
How do organisations build talent when the skills they need take years to develop? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Kim Milne, Chief People Officer at Elf Group, including AB Equipment and Speirs Finance Group, to explore apprenticeships, leadership, workforce development, and the future of skilled trades in New Zealand. Drawing on her experience across operations, people
Ross Aitken & Mark Quin - Northern Rescue & NZ Ambulance | Trust and High-Stakes Decision Making
What can HR and business leaders learn from paramedics who make life-and-death decisions every day? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Ross Aitken, Clinical Operations Manager at Northern Rescue, and Mark Quin, Secretary of the New Zealand Ambulance Association. Together they explore leadership under pressure, resilience, decision-making in high-stakes environments, and wha
Rachael Satherley - Serko - Chief People Officer | Leadership Across Cultures & Building for Growth
What does it take to scale a New Zealand technology company into a truly global organisation? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Rachael Satherley, Chief People Officer at Serko, to explore the realities of global growth, leadership across cultures, and building organisations that can scale without losing their identity. Drawing on experience from Expedia Group and now Serk
Dr Jarrod Haar - Massey University - Deans Chair | The Hidden Challenges Shaping Modern Work
Why are burnout rates still so high years after COVID, and what can leaders actually do about it? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Professor Jarrod Haar, one of New Zealand’s leading workplace researchers, to explore burnout, workplace loneliness, leadership, wellbeing, and the future of work. Drawing on decades of research and data collected across New Zealand work
Nikki Leske - Comvita - Chief People & Culture Officer | Creating Workplaces Where People Can Thrive
How do leaders support mental health at work without becoming therapists, and what role does the workplace environment really play in wellbeing? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Nikki Leske, Chief People & Culture Officer at Comvita, to explore mental health, psychosocial risk, leadership, and the foundations of a healthy workplace. With extensive global experience le
Cath Lomax - Southern Cross - Chief People & Strategy Officer | Building Capability for the Future
What does it take to lead people, strategy, and transformation in an environment of constant change? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Cath Lomax, Chief People & Strategy Officer at Southern Cross, to explore the intersection of strategy, leadership, workforce capability, and organisational transformation. With responsibility spanning people and culture, strategy, and
Matthew Dearing - Edwards Sluiters - Senior Associate | Leading Through High-Stakes Workplace Issues
What happens when a serious workplace issue lands on your desk and everyone is looking to you for answers? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with employment lawyer Matthew Dearing to unpack what effective leadership, decision-making, and risk management actually look like when organisations are navigating high-pressure employment relations situations. With experience spanning s
Michael Henderson - Corporate Anthropologist | Why High-Performing Organisations Think Differently
What if culture doesn’t eat strategy for breakfast after all? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with organisational culture expert and corporate anthropologist Michael Henderson to unpack one of the most misunderstood concepts in business: culture. With more than 40 years’ experience and over 300 culture transformation projects completed across four continents, Mich
Jill Coyle - Chief People Officer | What Great HR Business Partnering Really Looks Like
What does effective leadership and HR business partnering actually look like in practice? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Jill Coyle, an experienced Chief People Officer known for her pragmatic, commercial, and authentic leadership style. With a career spanning local government, corporates, and her own consultancy, Jill shares real-world insight into leading through
Daniel Erickson - Tompkins Wake - Partner | Navigating Conflict Without Making It Worse
What actually happens behind the scenes when workplace conflict escalates into investigations, mediation, or litigation? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with leading employment lawyer Daniel Erickson to unpack the realities of employment relations, workplace disputes, serious misconduct, and legal risk in New Zealand organisations. With decades of experience advising employer
Phil Doak - Ports of Auckland - GM People & Legal | Transforming Workplace Relationships
What happens when organisations stop treating unions as opponents and start treating them as strategic partners? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Phil Doak, General Manager People & Legal at Ports of Auckland, to explore high-performance, high-engagement workplaces, industrial relations, organisational transformation, and the role trust plays in driving business succe
Melissa Crawford - Tech with Heart - Director | The Psychology of AI & the Future of Work
AI isn’t just changing how we work — it’s changing how we think, behave, and relate to each other. In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley is joined by Melissa Crawford, futurist and Director of Tech with Heart, to explore the human side of technological change. With a rare combination of deep technology expertise and psychological insight, Melissa brings a fresh perspec
Gil Sewell - Ember - CPCO | Building Organisations That Actually Work
What does good people practice really look like in complex, human-centred environments? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley is joined by Gil Sewell, Chief People & Culture Officer at Ember Korowai Takitini. With over 30 years’ experience across the UK, Europe, and Aotearoa New Zealand, Gil brings a grounded, practical perspective on leadership, culture, and organisational effecti
Aston Moss - Principled - Principal Consultant | Navigating with Confidence
How do you handle complex workplace issues without escalating risk, cost, or conflict? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Aston Moss — a highly experienced HR and employment relations expert with over 30 years’ experience across New Zealand and Australia. From major organisations like Briscoe Group, Fonterra, SkyCity, NZ Post, MIT and Woolworths, to now leading
Carly Orr - Tower Insurance - CPO | Courageous Leadership
What does it actually mean to thrive at work — and what gets in the way? In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Carly Orr, Chief People Officer at Tower Insurance, to explore leadership, authenticity, and what it takes to create environments where people can genuinely do their best work. With a non-traditional career spanning television, communications, and HR, Carly brin
HR Unlocked with Lisa Oakley
HR Unlocked with Lisa Oakley is a leadership conversation series where thoughtful HR and business leaders share lived experience on people, risk, culture, and compliance. It is designed for business owners, senior leaders, and HR professionals across Australasia to learn from real decisions and leadership judgment. The show is a platform to honour the contribution of leaders willing to share their
