People

The Crown Prosecution Service has enlisted Angela O’Connor to drive up
performance throughout the organisation. She moves from the London Borough of
Enfield, where she was head of HR.

During her time at Enfield, O’Connor refocused the HR function so it could
provide a better contribution to improving the services for the local
community: "This involved unlocking the potential of all staff by
introducing a comprehensive development programme, and introducing innovative
recruitment and retention programmes," she says.

She also introduced a new performance management system and changed the
internal communications framework to clarify the responsibilities of staff.

In her new role she aims to use HR as a means of improving the performance
of the CPS as a whole. "This will include making sure we have the right
people in the right jobs, ensuring the best reward and recognition programmes
are in place and creating a culture where all staff can give their best,"
she explains.

"I want HR to make a real contribution in terms of the management and
leadership of the CPS. This means developing an HR function that is credible in
terms of its performance and measurable in terms of its achievements."

She continues: "I like the fact that HR can make a real difference to
how people feel about the organisation they work for. People want to work for a
good employer where they can achieve satisfaction though being valued and by
taking on challenging and rewarding work."

O’Connor is fascinated by criminal law and says she is looking forward to
working with some of the best practitioners in the country.

On the move

David Jones has been elected chair of the medical division of the Recruitment
and Employment Confederation following a ballot of members. His role will be to
ensure the division gives medical recruiters a credible voice in supporting the
NHS. Jones hopes to help deliver the NHS plan by providing a plentiful supply
of healthcare staff.

ICI has appointed Rolf Deusinger as executive vice-president for group HR.
He will also be a member of the company’s executive management team. Before the
move he was senior vice-president for HR in ICI Paints, having joined the group
in 1999. He has held senior international HR roles with several leading
multinational companies based in Germany and the US. Deusinger succeeds Alex
Wilson who has joined BT as group HR director.

Paul Harrop has taken over as director of HR for Europe at energy service
firm AEP. Harrop began his career in the Royal Air Force and following his
retirement, joined Cathay Pacific Airways in Hong Kong where he spent 10 years
managing HR initiatives around the world. In his previous position, as director
of HR-Europe for clinical research company Kendle International, he led
European HR in the UK, France, Holland, Italy, Spain, Germany, Poland and
Australia.