Senior executive with experience in Strategic Human Resources, & Business Transformation, Information Technology & Operations Management, let Simon bring his expertise to your business
Our Managing Director, Simon Hughes, is a highly experienced executive with cross-functional experience across multiple industries and business functions, with experience in some of New Zealand’s iconic companies. He brings a unique blend of experience having held executive level positions in operational management roles and strategic HR positons.
Simon started his career in financial services, working in a range of functions across the banking and insurance sectors with the National Bank (NBNZ), FMG and Westpac, before making the transition to the agri-sector with PGG Wrightson, Fonterra and most recently Treescape®.
Throughout the past 18 years he has alternated between executive HR and management roles, having developed extensive expertise in the areas of Human Capital, Organisational Performance, Operations Management and Business Transformation. He also has a strong track record in enterprise wide transformation initiatives; including organisational design, change management, mergers and acquisitions and industry-wide restructures and new site establishment, both in New Zealand and offshore.
Simon has developed specific expertise in leading Global Business Services (Shared Services) and Operations Centres, having set up and/or managed some of New Zealand’s premier sites for companies such as Westpac, PGG Wrightson and Fonterra. This accumulation of expertise places him as one of New Zealand’s leading experts in the management of shared services and transaction processing operations; and has seen him sought out by leading global companies for guidance and support.
Driven by an insatiable appetite for improvement, Simon is renowned for the work he has done in process optimisation and has led some world class implementations of process automation, digitisation and robotic process automation.
Simon is passionate about developing and guiding leaders and organisations to achieve their potential. He actively seeks out opportunities that allow him to utilise his extensive experience in human capital and functional HR expertise complemented by his commercial acumen, operations management and business transformation experience. His blend of experience enables him to take a holistic approach to executing organisational transformations.
Simon holds a Masters of Management (Human Resource Management) where he specialised in organisational behaviour and employment relations, with his research focussed on the use of mutually beneficial workplace flexibility to assist in developing inclusive organisational cultures. He also holds a post graduate qualification in adult education and qualifications in employment relations.
Business Transformation
Global Business Services, Shared Services and Transaction Processing
HR Transformation
Human Capital
Operations Management
Organisational Performance
Business Process Improvement, Process Automation, Digitisation
Change Leadership