A word from our event partner
Ben Thompson
CEO and Co-founder
Employment Hero
Award winners
What to expect on the night
2023 Sponsors
NZ HR Director of the Year
HR leaders from around the country gathered recently for the 2024 HRD Awards New Zealand.
The awards were held at the Pullman Auckland, recognising the country’s most outstanding HR teams, leaders and employers for their achievements, leadership and innovation in the HR profession over the past 12 months.
Winners were honoured across individual categories including HR Director, HR Manager and Rising Star of the Year and in team categories such as Employer of Choice and HR Team of the Year. The judging panel included prominent leaders and experts in New Zealand’s HR industry.
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Commemorative Guide
Nominations
Nominations opened via the online portal. The awards were free to enter. Individuals and companies could nominate themselves or their peers in unlimited categories. Submissions were required to focus on HR programs and achievements over the previous 12 months.
Confirmation of Excellence Awardees
Once the research was completed, Excellence Awardees were selected in each category and notified via email. Excellence Awardees were announced on the HRD NZ website on 12 February.
Judging
An independent panel of judges appointed by HRD, comprised of HR leaders from around New Zealand, reviewed the submissions and allocated each Excellence Awardee a confidential and impartial score.
Find out more
NZ HR Manager of the Year
NZ HR Rising Star of the Year
Employer of Choice
<200 Staff
Employer of Choice
>200 Staff
HR Team of the Year
Employer of Choice
(1-99 Employees)
Employer of Choice
(100-999 Employees)
Wagestream
Employer of Choice
(>1000 Employees)
Employer of Choice
(Public Sector & NFP)
Best Graduate
Development Program
Best Health and
Wellbeing Program
New Zealand HR award winners shine
HR leaders honoured for achievements at HRD Awards New Zealand
Best Leadership
Development Program
LinkedIn Learning
Best Learning and Development Program
Best Recruitment
Campaign
Globalization Partners
Best Remote Work Strategy
Best Reward &
Recognition Program
Employment Hero
Best Use of Technology
Best Workplace Diversity & Inclusion Program
Best Workplace
Flexibility Program
Australian Business Lawyers & Advisors (ABLA) is one of Australia’s leading employment and workplace legal practices. We focus on representing and advocating for business. Our success with clients is founded on the principles of mutual respect, craft, collaboration and communication. Our motto ‘experts make things simple’ sets us apart.
Contact: 1300 565 846
Email: info@ablawyers.com.au
Website: www.ablawyers.com.au
Event Partner
Zoe Daugulis, talent and culture manager at Pullman Auckland, was named one of the HR Rising Stars of the Year at the awards ceremony. She told HRD she was deeply honoured to receive the award.
“It's truly a humbling experience to be recognised as one of the NZ HR Rising Stars of the Year,” she said. “When I heard my name being announced, I was overwhelmed with a mix of emotions – joy, disbelief and gratitude. I never imagined I would make it this far, let alone be a finalist, so the whole experience was incredibly surreal and unforgettable.”
Entering the HR field
Daugulis described her journey into HR as unexpected. She had initially worked in an event sales position, but during the
COVID-19 pandemic she made her way into HR. Daugulis credited her boss and supportive company culture for encouraging her to explore this new career path.
“Although my time in HR has been relatively short, it has been profoundly fulfilling,” she said.
“I’ve discovered a passion for empowering and supporting individuals in the workplace. Despite not having HR on my radar initially, I've come to realise that it's where I'm meant to be, and I'm wholeheartedly embracing the journey ahead.”
Fellow recipient of the HR Rising Star of the Year award Christine van Hoffen, people lead at Tracksuit, described her own winding journey into HR after gaining qualifications in biomedical science and digital design, and most recently completing an MBA.
“What I found was that the blend of these three disciplines was really the perfect combination for working with People & Culture, where you need to blend creativity and presentation skills with business acumen and evidence-based practice,” she said.
“I didn't set out to work in HR, rather I evolved into it. I love the idea of P&C enabling the rest of the team to be high performing, highly engaged and happy.”
van Hoffen described winning the Rising Star award as “amazing” and a nice moment to celebrate the work she has done.
“It takes a huge amount of work and proactivity to keep things going right, albeit quietly in the background,” she said.
Strength of the team
Mark Lewis, head of people and culture at Connetics, was named NZ HR Director of the Year. He said the award was not just a personal milestone but a celebration of the hard work of his entire team.
“They possess the experience and knowledge to excel independently, and this accolade is a reflection of their commitment to excellence,” he said. “Personally, as someone who sees themselves as an accidental HR professional, it was fantastic to be recognised by the profession and to stand alongside other outstanding individuals who are doing amazing things in the field.”
For Lewis, the most rewarding part of working in HR is witnessing his team’s desire and efforts to make a positive impact.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to lead such a talented group of individuals who are committed to service and innovation,” he said. “Their dedication is instrumental in driving our Connetics 2030 strategy forward, focusing on empowering our people and fostering a culture that acknowledges where we have come from, while challenging us to work differently to deliver energy solutions for a cleaner and brighter future.”
Leading in HR
Carol Mendes, assistant director of human resources at Cordis Auckland, was named NZ HR Manager of the Year. She said she was honoured to have won the award, adding that it was an exciting way for her to wrap up 2023.
“It was a year filled with growth opportunities, great challenges that have been surpassed and, most of all, remarkable results,” she said. “Being a Rising Star winner in 2022 and now HR Manager of the Year is truly incredible.”
Mendes said working in human resources was “immensely fulfilling”.
“I take great pride in witnessing colleagues grow and advance in their careers with our support and incentive,” she said. “Making a positive impact on their lives and creating lasting memories is the most rewarding aspect of my role.”
Research
The HRD Awards New Zealand team conducted due diligence, drawing on research and editorial insights to verify the material submitted in the nominations.
Employment Hero is the world’s leading HR, payroll and benefits platform. The award-winning employment software helps launch businesses on the path to success by powering more productivity every day. Employment Hero services over 80,000 businesses, collectively managing over 750,000 employees. Its core platform reduces admin time by up to 48 per cent.
Contact: 1300 084 847
Address: Level 2, 441 Kent Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Award Sponsor
Hire anyone, anywhere, quickly and easily. Use our AI-driven, automated, fully compliant global Employer of Record platform powered by our in-house worldwide HR experts. Leave the complexities of global employment to the named industry leader that consistently attains 97% customer satisfaction ratings. With Globalization Partners, you can succeed faster.
Janet Soon
Sales Executive
Contact: +65 62324204
Email: jsoon@globalization-partners.com
Website: globalization-partners.com
Award Sponsor
At Hays, we invest in lifelong partnerships that empower people and businesses to succeed. With over 50 years’ experience and a workforce of more than 10,000 people across 32 countries, we collectively strive to put you, our customer, at the heart of everything we do.
Hays Specialist Recruitment job employment agency
Award Sponsor
Reejig is a workforce intelligence platform that gives large scale organisations the data and intelligence to find, move and upskill their people at scale. Powered by the world’s first independently audited ethical talent AI engine, Reejig is trusted by many of the world’s leading organisations including Woolworths, KPMG, Allianz, AWS, and the NSW Government Department of Customer Service, to achieve zero wasted potential across their workforces, by ensuring the right people are in the right roles at the right time.
Email: info@reejig.com
Website: reejig-partners.com
Award Sponsor
Wagestream works with leading employers to improve time-to-hire, retention and productivity by helping employees take control of their financial lives. Charity-backed, our app is helping over one million employees build financial wellbeing with tools like pre-pay savings, live chat money coaching and flexible access to pay.
Josh Vernon
CEO
Email: australia@wagestream.com
Website: wagestream.com/au
Award Sponsor
“Australian Business Lawyers & Advisors (ABLA) will continue to support excellence in this industry and the category for HR Director and HR Champion (CEO) of the year, a role proven to be integral to any business’s success. We wish all Excellence Awardees the best for the night.”
NIGEL WARD
CEO
LinkedIn connects the world’s professionals to make them more productive and successful and transforms the way companies hire, learn, market, and sell. Our vision is to create economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce through the ongoing development of the world’s first Economic Graph. LinkedIn has over 830 million members and has offices around the globe.
Website: learning.linkedin.com
Award Sponsor
Best Health and
Wellbeing Program
Best Graduate
Development Program
Employer of Choice
(Public Sector & NFP)
Wagestream
Employer of Choice
(>1000 Employees)
Employer of Choice
(100-999 Employees)
Employer of Choice
(1-99 Employees)
Reejig Australian
HR Team of the Year
(>1000 Employees)
HAYS Australian
HR Team of the Year
(<1000 Employees)
Australian Business Lawyers & Advisors Australian HR Champion of the Year (CEO)
Australian HR Rising Star of the Year
Australian HR Manager
of the Year
Australian Business Lawyers & Advisors Australian HR Director of the Year
METHODOLOGY
JUDGING PANEL
AWARD WINNERS
SPONSORS
AGENDA
Roz Urbahn
Gil Sewell
Michelle Russell
Ceri Rowland
Hennie Peters
Richard Parker
Nish Pai
Angela Lim
Emma Kirkman
Angus Jenkins
Cathy Hendry
Craig Goldblatt
Sharne Fairbrother
Amy Deperrois
Heather Elliott
Rebecca Clarke
Alexis Cameron
Annie Brown
Karly Boast
Penelope Barton
Julie Bassett
Thank you to our esteemed judges for lending their time and expertise to help recognise and celebrate excellence in the HR profession.
2024 Judging panel
Julie Bassett
Vice President Human Resources – APAC,
Constellation Brands
Penelope Barton
VP, People and Remote,
CGA
Karly Boast
Vice President of People,
LawVu
Annie Brown
Chief People Officer,
Trade Me
Alexis Cameron
Kaiwhakahaere, Kaimahi Māori Experience | People and Culture,
Auckland DHB
Rebecca Clarke
NZ Manager,
RCSA Australia and New Zealand
Heather Elliott
General Manager of Human Resources,
UDC Finance
Amy Deperrois
Head of Organisational Development, 2degrees
Sharne Fairbrother
Head of People,
Reveal
Craig Goldblatt
Vice President Partners & Alliances,
Globalization Partners
Cathy Hendry
Managing Director,
Strategic Pay
Angus Jenkins
Founder,
Angus Jenkins Leadership Practice
Emma Kirkman
Co-founder,
Anywhere Culture
Angela Lim
CEO & Co-founder,
Clearhead
Nish Pai
Head of Learning Experience,
Mitre 10 (NZ) Limited
Richard Parker
Chief HR Officer,
The Warehouse Group
Hennie Peters
HR/OHS Manager,
Open Country Dairy
Ceri Rowland
Chief People Officer,
Douglas Pharmaceuticals
Michelle Russell
GM Talent & Culture, NZ & Pacific,
ANZ
Gil Sewell
Kaihautū Tikanga | Chief People & Culture Officer,
Ember Korowai Takitini
Roz Urbahn
Chief People Officer,
Livestock Improvement Corporation
Winners announced
Once the judging was completed, the Excellence Awardee with the highest overall score in each category was named the winner of that category. Winners were announced on the HRD NZ website and at the New Zealand HR Summit.
This award recognises an HR leader who has demonstrated excellence at the executive level over the past 12 months. Eligible finalists were senior-level leaders who report to the CEO and manage an HR team. Finalists were judged on their leadership, communication, strategy, drive and results.
BACK
Award Sponsor
Australian Business Lawyers & Advisors (ABLA) is one of Australia’s leading employment and workplace legal practices. We focus on representing and advocating for business. Our success with clients is founded on the principles of mutual respect, craft, collaboration and communication. Our motto ‘experts make things simple’ sets us apart.
Website: www.ablawyers.com.au
Phone: 1300 565 846
Email: info@ablawyers.com.au
“Australian Business Lawyers & Advisors (ABLA) will continue to support excellence in this industry and the category for HR Director, a role proven to be integral to any business’s success. We wish all finalists the best for the night.”
NIGEL WARD, CEO, AUSTRALIAN BUSINESS LAWYERS & ADVISORS
NZ HR Director of the Year
Excellence Awardees
Brynlea Hunter-Morpeth, AIA New Zealand
Genevieve Buys, Laybuy
Jennifer Warnock, James Hardie New Zealand
Joanne Craughwell, Accor Hotels New Zealand
Julie Bassett, Constellation Brands
Kate Batkin, Medenterprises Services
Recognises the HR leader who has demonstrated excellence at the executive level over the past 12 months. Eligible Excellence Awardees are senior-level leaders who report to the CEO and manage an HR team. Judged on leadership, communication, strategy, drive and results.
Connetics
Mark Lewis
WINNER
This award recognises an HR leader who has demonstrated excellence at the executive level over the past 12 months. Eligible finalists were senior-level leaders who report to the CEO and manage an HR team. Finalists were judged on their leadership, communication, strategy, drive and results.
Award Sponsor
Reejig is a workforce intelligence platform that gives large scale organisations the data and intelligence to find, move and upskill their people at scale. Powered by the world’s first independently audited ethical talent AI engine, Reejig is trusted by many of the world’s leading organisations including Woolworths, KPMG, Allianz, AWS, and the NSW Government Department of Customer Service, to achieve zero wasted potential across their workforces, by ensuring the right people are in the right roles at the right time.
Website: reejig-partners.com
Email: info@reejig.com
“It is an absolute honour for Reejig to support and celebrate the tremendous efforts made by innovative teams in their pursuit of excellence. Good luck to all the finalists and can’t wait to celebrate with you all.”
Siobhan Savage, CEO & Co-Founder, Rejig
HR Team of the Year
Excellence Awardees
AIA NZ
Beca
BNZ
McDonald's Restaurants (NZ)
One NZ
BACK
Recognises the HR team in an organisation in New Zealand that has demonstrated excellence over the past 12 months. Judged on overall team performance, including leadership, communication, strategy, drive and results.
Connetics
View profile
WINNER
Anderson Lloyd
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