Ryan Ghisi CMHRNZ

Please walk us through the journey that led you into your current role.  

I have a career that's spanned almost 32 years and has involved working in many different disciplines, regions and industries. I started out training as a Visual Basic Programmer, honing my system design skills, but eventually realised it didn't suit my personality. After 2 years as a technical recruiter, developing my sales and communication skills, I spent around 10 years in HR focused system consulting roles, focusing on business analysis, process re-engineering and project management. Eventually I made a full-time switch to HR and for the last 15 years have been leading multiple HR functions at large national / international organisations, typically with fast moving and high growth / change environments. I believe all the capability I built in those diverse roles and industries, really set me up well for my HR career. 

What is the best part of your job?  

I am and always have been hugely passionate about the 'employee experience' and everything that forms part of that. From culture, purpose and values to growth, development and meaningful work. I've been fortunate enough to work at companies that have great employee experiences (and some that don't!) and I know how powerful that can be and how it can positively impact engagement, satisfaction, motivation and ultimately a company's success. 

What is a career highlight that stands out for you?  

Before 2degrees, I spent 7 years at Xero in various HR roles. It was a defining period in my career, as they grew and changed significantly during that time and I worked with some amazing people. I had the opportunity to grow teams, set and implement the People strategy, build frameworks and be involved in acquisitions and setting up in new international locations.  

What does becoming a Chartered Member mean to you personally?  

I've never been one to care about titles, monikers or recognition, but sometimes it's just nice to have some external validation of the knowledge and capability you've built in your 'craft'. Particularly from HRNZ. 

What pushed you towards pursuing Chartered Membership?  

Other than the external validation piece I mentioned, I have aspirations to be more involved in board work and specifically HRNZ's board. I've been fortunate to work with People and Remuneration Board Committees for the last 15 years and while it's not everyone's 'jam', I actually really enjoy it! 

Now that you are a Chartered Member, what do you see as being the next steps for your career?  

I really want to continue contributing to my 'community' and become a better coach for my team and others. I've learnt that building a network is really important for your growth and development and always learn something new, whether it's attending a forum, speaking on a panel or just chewing the fat with my peers. I've never held a CPO or Board role, so they're definitely aspirations longer term for me as well.