Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • Maternity & Paternity
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • Maternity & Paternity
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

HR practice

Top job: David Billingham, HR director, Serco Solutions

by Louisa Peacock 5 Jun 2007
by Louisa Peacock 5 Jun 2007

Where were you working before, and what were your duties?


I joined Serco from Atos Consulting, where I was an associate partner in the human resources transformation consulting team. I had direct client responsibility for HR shared services and transformation projects in a number of large UK organisations.


What qualifications do you hold?


BSc in Industrial Relations, and fellowship of the CIPD.


What are the duties in your new role?


I report to the chief executive Kevin Lavery and lead a ‘full-service’ HR team responsible for supporting our people across the UK and Europe. I have a team of 25 centrally and also have responsibility for a number of other HR professionals who work for our customers on contract.


What are the main challenges HR faces in the next five years?


To ensure programmes and processes are relevant to business needs. Other recurring themes are the underlying challenges around HR capability, the level of business integration, and the ability to lead rather than follow on talent, leadership, diversity and engagement.


What is the essential tool in your job?


Pragmatism and a sense of humour.


And the most overrated?


The need for a deep understanding of HR policy and practice.


What is the worst thing about HR?


The victim mentality that results in HR policy and process being seen as the end-game.


What is the strangest situation you have been in at work?


I’ve dealt with every conceivable HR issue you could imagine. In my early days as a graduate in the car industry, we were asked to entertain a number of overseas visitors who had specific dietary requests. I was sent to find a restaurant that was able to serve multiple portions of grilled trout.


Who is your ultimate hero?


Winston Churchill.


What is the most annoying piece of management jargon?


The over-use of the word ‘leverage’.


How do you fill your spare time?


I love cycling and, when I can find the time, I like to indulge my passion for France. The food and wine there is second to none.


What three words would you use to describe yourself?


Pragmatic, reasonable, and relaxed.


What song gets you on the dance floor?


No song can get me on the dance floor I’m afraid, which is just as well, given my two left feet.


What is your worst habit?


Chocolate.


What three items would you take with you on a desert island?


My iPod, some sunglasses and an endless supply of teabags.


Who would play you in the film of your life and why?


Michael Palin. He’s humorous, insightful and well-travelled.


What is the worst (or best) office party you’ve ever attended?


I try to avoid office parties. I’ve spent far too much time dealing with the consequences.


Who would you least like to be stuck in a lift with?


Sir Alan Sugar in his Apprentice persona.



 


Billingham’s CV




  • 2007-present: HR director, Serco Solutions ( which delivers IT services to local government)


  • 2005-2007: Associate partner, people and change consulting, Atos Consulting


  • 2003-2004: Director, HR review programme (interim), Abbey National Group


  • 2002-2003: Interim HR director, UK and Ireland


  • 1998-2002: HR director, Britannic Assurance

Avatar
Louisa Peacock

previous post
Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) starts hunt to replace outgoing director-general Geoff Armstrong
next post
Absolutely launches free online training for smoking ban

You may also like

Lack of flexibility pushes half of women to...

16 May 2022

Queen’s Speech: Exclusivity contracts for low-paid workers to...

9 May 2022

Are we happy now? New research Sugar-coats working...

6 May 2022

Alan Sugar calls PwC Friday afternoons off a...

6 May 2022

Bank holidays: six things employers need to know

20 Apr 2022

HR in the 21st century: Tracie Sponenberg talks...

1 Apr 2022

Work in the metaverse: what should HR prepare...

1 Apr 2022

How hybrid working boosts recruitment but not retention

18 Mar 2022

How should HR approach sabbatical requests?

21 Feb 2022

Storm Eunice forces millions to work from home

18 Feb 2022
  • The Search for Talent: Six Major Employer Pitfalls PROMOTED | The Great Resignation continues unabated...Read more
  • Navigating the widening “Skills Confidence Gap” in 2022, and beyond PROMOTED | Cornerstone OnDemand conducted a global study...Read more
  • Apprenticeships are the solution to your recruitment problems PROMOTED | Apprenticeships have the pulling power...Read more
  • What it really means to be mentally fit PROMOTED | What is mental fitness...Read more
  • How music can help to ease anxiety at work PROMOTED | A lot has happened since March 2020, hasn’t it?...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2022

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2022 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • Maternity & Paternity
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+