HR magazine's Most Influential 2011

HR magazine gathered the leading lights of the HR field together at Claridge’s in London last month to celebrate the achievements of the industry through the launch of its sixth annual Most Influential rankings, in association with Ceridian.


Every year HR magazine, in collaboration with Ashridge Business School, compiles HR Most Influential: the definitive list of directors and thinkers who have the greatest influence in the field of people strategy.


The ranking celebrates the people who challenge the conventional thinking in HR, bring credibility to the role, command the respect of their peers, add value to their business and are visionary and transformational.


David Fairhurst, senior vice president/chief people officer at McDonald's Restaurants Europe, was voted HR magazine's most influential practitioner for the fourth year running, while Dave Ulrich, professor of business at the University of Michigan – and creator of the HR business partner model, adopted by some of the worlds largest organisations - was rated most influential international thinker.  


This year for the first time a special award was presented to Charles Handy, author and broadcaster, who entered HR magazine's Most Influential Hall of Fame, for a lifetime of achievement in the HR arena. And Lynda Gratton, professor of management practice at the London Business School, was voted most influential UK thinker.


HR magazine's editor and publisher Siân Harrington said: "Some are perennial favourites, some are controversial and many reflect the business environment in which they are operating. But all are ranked by their peers: leading HR directors and management academics.
"We develop a longlist from industry nominations, experts and the HR editorial team's expertise. An independent panel of judges debates these names and a shortlist is created. This shortlist is then sent to readers of HR magazine for voting. Interviews are also conducted with business leaders/CEOs, media commentators and City analysts."


Already one of the biggest events in HR magazine’s calendar, the ceremony had more attendees than ever before, attracting HR directors from organisations including Marks & Spencer, BT, Tesco and KFC. Not to mention the world’s leading academics – some of which travelled from Cornell University in New York, especially for the event.


One guest said: “Thank you for an excellent evening at Claridge’s.  It was a very stimulating evening and a terrific reinforcement that we are privileged to work within the HR profession.”


If this wasn’t a big enough undertaking the launch of the rankings was accompanied by the creation of the Most Influential 2011 website (www.hrmostinfluential.com), containing profiles of all those ranked, a series of films from the evening and interviews with sponsors, academics and HR directors – not to mention the blood, sweat and tears of the HR magazine team.

For more information, visit www.hrmostinfluential.com

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