At Honch, we’re the leading source for tracking HR moves, conversations, and investment. From Chief People Officers and HR Directors joining major brands to specialist hires in reward, employee engagement, talent, and Learning & Development (L&D), we monitor the people shaping how organisations attract, develop, and retain talent.
L&D continues to evolve as companies invest in leadership, upskilling, and career development. It’s an area that’s seen major attention over the last few months—and the momentum isn’t slowing down.
Summer Appointments in L&D
This summer, 353 L&D leaders took on new roles across organisations in the UK. Highlights include:
- Clarks – Bebhinn Morrow, Head of Learning and Development – Global
- NTT DATA – Brian Murphy, Global Head of Learning & Development
- Dentsu – Alistair Taylor, Learning & Development Lead
- PLEO – April Dimase, Global Organisational Development Lead – Performance & Talent
- Mastercard Payment Gateway Services – Jen Wright Bates, Vice President of Learning and Development
These new appointments will influence how each organisation shapes its L&D programmes in the years ahead.
Promotions to Senior L&D Roles
A further 266 L&D specialists were promoted to senior positions, highlighting how people development is becoming a bigger priority for many organisations. Some of these include:
- Stryker – Anne O’Callaghan, Director, Organisational Development & Effectiveness
- Balfour Beatty – Rebecca Kennedy, Learning and Development Lead
- DFS Furniture – Anna Macpherson, Group Head of Talent Acquisition and Learning & Development
These leaders are now positioned to drive forward 2026 learning strategies inside their organisations.
1,600 Companies Discussing L&D Last Month
In August, more than 1,600 organisations publicly shared updates or launched new L&D initiatives. Here are just a few examples:
- Thales – Announced plans to hire 8,000 new employees globally, with L&D central to upskilling for functional and geographical mobility.
- ABRDN – Expanded its Graduate Apprenticeship programme, integrating learning directly into roles while strengthening culture and building talent pipelines.
- Travis Perkins – Renewed its partnership with the Thrive learning platform for three years, supporting onboarding, virtual events, compliance training, and skills development across the group.
- Softcat – Shared its non-sales induction programme for new hires, led by Learning and Development Executive Ranjit Rai, to ensure every starter is set up for success.
- Nestlé – Celebrated the 2025 Impact Leaders Program, an 11-month initiative for 23 emerging leaders focused on psychological safety, innovation, sustainability projects, startup learnings, and personalised coaching.
- Zurich – Took home 11 Excellence Awards from the Brandon Hall Group for learning programmes like Brand Mastery, Customer Empathy Masterclass, gamified training, and career development via MyJourney.
- Hard Rock Digital – Delivered Insights Discovery workshops designed to strengthen self-awareness, collaboration, and practical learning impact.
- BAT – Used The Insiders Guide to spotlight its total rewards package, covering pay, wellbeing, family support, and L&D opportunities, positioning benefits as a driver of employee growth inside and outside of work.
Stay Informed. Stay Proactive. Stay Ahead.
From new appointments to company-wide initiatives, Honch tracks the full spectrum of HR investment across UK businesses. Whether you specialise in wellbeing, software, benefits, or talent, Honch gives revenue teams the insights they need to stay informed - and stay ahead of the competition.
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