When it comes to bouncing, Imelda Walsh is up there with the best of them. A
large trampoline takes up half her garden and she says that while it looks
ridiculous, it offers good exercise for both herself and her two children.
Walsh has been appointed HR director at Sainsbury’s. She was previously HR
director for retail financial services at Barclays Bank.
She will lead the transformation of the HR function. "HR has a critical
role to play in delivering the business transformation programme for
Sainsbury’s," she says.
Walsh has a masters degree in industrial relations and personnel management
from the London School of Economics.
She says she doesn’t see personnel as soft and fluffy and believes that HR
professionals need a commercial mindset. "Most successful HR functions are
very commercial, work closely with the line and are not afraid of a
challenge."
She believes the best thing about HR is working with senior business
leaders, but admits that the profession fails to take customer service ethos as
seriously as it should.
When she’s not bouncing around in the garden or helping her children on
their bikes, Walsh likes to visit family in Devon.
CV
2001 HR director, Sainsbury’s
2001 Various HR roles, Barclays Bank
1998 Various roles, Coca Cola and Schweppes Beverages
1991 Various roles, Grand Metropolitan
On the move
Bill Shipton is the new chairman of
the Association of Online Recruiters, a specialist division of the Recruitment
and Employment Confederation. He is to develop policy areas to help improve the
industry. He will also be responsible for creating a vision and profile for the
sector as it matures. Shipton was previously managing director of PeopleBank.
Joanne Falls has been appointed recruitment administrator with
the local farming co-operative, Northumberland and Durham Machinery Ring. She
joined as a temp last year to help with the administrative backlog created by
the foot-and-mouth crisis. The organisation, which pools resources, information
and equipment, secured a rural development grant that allowed it to offer Falls
a permanent position. She will assist hundreds of farm workers with the launch
of a new recruitment scheme.
Support services group Amey has
recruited Monica Wallace as HR director for its technology division. Wallace
joins from outsourcing firm Hays and is responsible for developing the
technical services bidding process. The firm restructured its HR department,
giving John Edmonds, rail division HR director, responsibility for the sector
specific HR advisors. The group appointed Richard Wells group HR director in
November 2001.
