Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • 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
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • 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
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Careers in HRMovers and shakersThe HR profession

Top job: Fiona Guthrie

by Personnel Today 15 Nov 2005
by Personnel Today 15 Nov 2005

Fiona Guthrie has joined construction and development consultancy Simons Group as its new HR director. She was previously HR director at construction and consulting business Morrison.

Are you CIPD qualified, or do you have other equivalent qualifications?

No.

What are the duties in your new role?

To establish the strategy and tactics for the recruitment, development, retention and reward of a group of extraordinary people. I’m responsible for a team of seven, and I report to the chairman and CEO.

What do you hope to achieve?

All of the above, but in a business-centric way.

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

The reducing labour market, finding the best way to capitalise on different ways of working, building closer and stronger links with business reality to improve the function’s credibility.

What advice would you give to people starting out in HR?

Think of yourself as a general manager with a specialism in HR, not as an HR manager in a general business.

What is the essential tool in your job?

Liz, my PA.

And the most overrated?

My iPaq, which currently doesn’t work.

What is the worst thing about HR?

Having to say the same things over and over again, often to the same people.

What is the most annoying piece of  management jargon?

Rather worryingly, I can’t think of anything.

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

Finding a way to lure a family of magpies out of the distribution centre I was running.

Who are your ultimate gurus?

Trinny and Susannah.

What is your essential TV viewing?

There isn’t really anything ‘essential’, but I do like US comedies and British dramas.

Who would you most dislike to work with?

A pedant who has no sense of humour or adventure.

How do you fill your spare time?

With my husband, four children, a good book and the occasional pursuit of the perfect gin and tonic.

What is the greatest risk you have ever taken?

Moving from an HR role to a senior line management role within a militant, unionised environment. Then moving to the US to do it again.

What is your most popular web page?

Times Online.

What was the last book you read?

Manhood, by Steve Biddulph.

What song gets you on the dance floor?

La Macarena.

What would be your dream job?

MD of a large airport.

What is the best office party you’ve ever attended?

A great evening at the dog racing.

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

I have no idea – thank goodness for casting agents.

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

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

If not a lift engineer, then Ken Livingstone most, and Paul Gascoigne least.

Fiona Guthrie’s CV



  • September 2005 – HR director, Simons Group

  • January to August 2005 – HR director, Morrison

  • 2002-2004 – Head of employee relations and policy, Safeway

  • 2000-2002 – HR controller, logistics, Safeway

  • 1994-2000 – General manager, Tibbett & Britten

  • 1990-1994 – HR manager, Tibbett & Britten

Personnel Today

Personnel Today articles are written by an expert team of award-winning journalists who have been covering HR and L&D for many years. Some of our content is attributed to "Personnel Today" for a number of reasons, including: when numerous authors are associated with writing or editing a piece; or when the author is unknown (particularly for older articles).

previous post
Driving for work increases risk of accidents
next post
Laws in place to prosecute workplace bullies

You may also like

Richard Tice: ‘pathetic’ to put HR manager in...

26 Jun 2025

Movers and shakers in HR: Asda, BBC, FSB,...

26 Jun 2025

HR underprepared for likely increase in M&A activity

24 Jun 2025

With HR absence rising, is your people team...

24 Jun 2025

HR and employment leaders feature in King’s birthday...

16 Jun 2025

HR professionals lack mental health support, risking burnout

9 Jun 2025

Charlie Mayfield: HR needs more proactive approach to...

29 May 2025

Why HR burnout is a strategic issue

12 May 2025

CIPD appoints expert in AI to boost support...

8 May 2025

Stress for HR specialists greater at larger organisations

2 May 2025

  • Empowering working parents and productivity during the summer holidays SPONSORED | Businesses play a...Read more
  • AI is here. Your workforce should be ready. SPONSORED | From content creation...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 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • 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
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+