People

Reiki practitioner Jeannette Curtis has joined IT services company Atos
Origin as HR director. Reiki is a Japanese healing technique that literally
means ‘universal life force energy’ and Curtis will be hoping to bring some of
that vigour to her new role.

"For me as HR director it’s about being in a commercially focused
position where I am able to help drive the business through excellent people
practices," she says.

As HR director she will have overall responsibility for development of the
company’s HR strategy, including the welfare and training of more than 1,200
UK-based staff. She will also oversee the introduction of a company-wide
employee share scheme.

"I’ll focus on the introduction of a career development framework for
our employees and will be working closely with our service lines to win more
business and develop our IT outsourcing arm," she explains.

She joins Atos Origin from Hays where, as head of HR operations, she managed
the outsourcing of the personnel function for Liverpool Victoria Friendly
Society.

Curtis hopes that a new HR plan presented to the global board will help her
deliver results in the UK:

"I want to put Atos Origin on the map as an employer of choice and to
really engage our workforce in the significant contribution they can all make
to the building of our business and their own development.

"Our whole business is about people and we need to have the very best
skills and expertise to win business. HR’s role is key in attracting,
retaining, developing and rewarding the right people to satisfy our customers’
needs, together with the needs of each of our employees," she adds.

CV

2002 HR director, Atos Origin
2001 head of HR operations, Hays Personnel Solutions
2001 head of HR operations, Liverpool Victoria Friendly Society
1999 HR director, Somerfield Stores

On the move

Paul Leach is the new HR director at
Ellert Field Marketing and will be responsible for developing and implementing
HR strategy and initiatives across the agency. He joins from DSI group where he
was HR director. Prior to that he was a lecturer and consultant. He will report
directly to managing director Kathryn Smith.

Animal health company Merial has appointed Kevin Carroll as
global head of HR. Carroll has clocked up 25 years HR experience at companies
including Union Carbide, Rhone-Poulenc, Aventis and Merial where he was
previously HR director for North America. His brief is to refine the company’s
global HR strategy; he is also responsible for the corporate culture around the
world. Carroll sits on the management committee and reports to executive
chairman Alan Reade.

David Gavan has joined Stateside
Foods as group personnel manager. He will be responsible for the 600 staff at
the chilled and frozen pizza firm based in Bolton. Gavan joins after 12 years
with the Engineering Employers Federation in Lancashire where he was chief
executive. His responsibilities include management of the personnel department
including HR strategy, policy as well as the day-to-day running of the function
at two sites.