Senior Journalist @UNLEASHgroup. Enjoys books, coffee and the rule of three. Somehow always needs a haircut. Views my own.
Articles by John Brazier
WEF’s CPO Outlook Report: What needs to be top of the HR agenda?
The World Economic Forum (WEF) has published the second iteration of its Chief People Officers’ Outlook Report, following the inaugural edition in September last year. The May 2026 report details how geoeconomic and geopolitical tensions, economic volatility and technology trends are impacting global talent dynamics, workforce strategy and organizational priorities.
Agentic AI is redefining human connection and leadership now - HR can’t miss the opportunity
AI is redefining what human connection at work looks like. In a recent roundtable discussion held under Chatham House Rule, HR leaders joined Dr. Caitlynn Sendra, TKTKT at SAP SuccessFactors for a candid conversation into early signals of how agentic AI is transforming organizations and workforces.
AI, authenticity, and the new talent reality: Vizzy on re-humanizing hiring
Vizzy, the UK-based startup on a mission to reimagine the CV for modern hiring, was crowned the winner of the UNLEASH Startup Award during UNLEASH World 2025. Since that victory, Vizzy has expanded its platform with an AI tool in response to need from its enterprise clients – including Tiffany & Co., Virgin Group and Louis Vuitton – that are experiencing high volumes of applications.
Purpose, experimentation and second-order thinking: HR’s AI blueprint for redesigning work
“One of the worst mistakes you can make in a company is ‘de-weirding’ AI by treating it like an IT product.” Ethan Mollick is one of the foremost global experts in AI and an associate professor at The Wharton School. He doesn’t mince words when it comes to how HR leaders should be making decisions about the technology.
HR leaders must prioritize experimentation over engagement, says Amy Edmondson
HR leaders will often focus on engagement as a priority, but in the age of AI when change is a constant, should focus shift to experimentation instead? For Amy Edmondson, Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at Harvard Business School, the answer is clear. “The cycle times are shrinking. There’s always been change, there’s always been learning, but the speed of innovation has obviously never been higher. The human brain can’t easily keep up with that,” she says.
Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace 2026 Report: Three essential actions for HR leaders
Low employee engagement is now costing the global economy $10 trillion a year. Despite billions being poured into AI, just 12% of workers believe it has meaningfully changed how work gets done. The findings of Gallup’s latest State of the Global Workplace report suggest the problem isn’t AI – it’s the way organizations are structured and being led.
Six key takeaways for HR leaders defining the future of work from UNLEASH America 2026’s CHRO Summit
The first CHRO Summit to take place at UNLEASH America brought together HR leaders from around the world. CPOs, CHROs, and EVPs of HR engaged in peer-to-peer roundtables, dissecting the challenges and opportunities brought about by the evolving forces reshaping the workplace.
Western Digital: Why HR leadership in the future of work must be intentional every step of the way
One of the most defining decisions in front of HR leaders right now is how to accelerate automation and AI while protecting the human core of work. It’s a predicament that Katie Watson, CHRO at Western Digital (WD), is no stranger to and for her, the response must begin with intentionality.
AI is reshaping work at every level: Focus on collaborative performance, not individual productivity
After an action-packed Day of Two of UNLEASH America, the show closed out with another line-up of stellar speakers. Josh Bersin kicked off Day Three of UNLEASH America on Main Stage with an insight-packed review of the HR technology market, taking in the rise of AI ‘Superagents’ and the vendor landscape.
The future of work depends on learning from intelligent failure, nurturing the locus of innovation and taking charge of AI
“The future is dazzling” – that’s how Jess Von Bank, UNLEASH America emcee and Mercer Global Leader, kicked off Day Two of the Las Vegas show. At the start of a full day of panels, breakout rooms, executive boardrooms and keynotes, Von Bank set the scene for Amy Edmondson, Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at Harvard Business School, to give the opening address.
What you need to know from the first CHRO Summit at UNLEASH America
UNLEASH America 2026 hosted its first-ever CHRO Summit, a half-day event offering HR leaders from organizations defining the future of work the opportunity to connect and learn in a collaborative environment.
SAP’s Dr Christian Schmeichel: What it takes to get ready for the Future of Work
At last year’s UNLEASH America session, Dr Christian Schmeichel, SVP and Global Head of People & Culture Services at SAP, emphasized that “the world is changing at breakneck speed right before our eyes.” One year later, that statement still rings true.
AI sprawl is a talent problem: Ownership must belong to HR leaders says EY
AI sprawl and unsanctioned AI use is no longer a fringe concern for IT. It has become a practical, people-based challenge for HR leaders impacting skills, trust, productivity, governance, and talent advantage. This scale of ‘shadow AI’ use ranged from 23% in Government and public sectors, to 58% in wealth and asset management, according to EY’s recent Work Reimagined survey.
How Schneider Electric is blending AI and Human Intelligence to build the skills of the future
Building a skills-first AI-enabled workforce is a lynchpin for the future of work but it cannot pit humans against AI – success hinges on AI working in tandem with Human Intelligence (HI). That is the core tenet of energy technology giant Schneider Electric’s people strategy, particularly where it concerns ensuring it has the right skills pathways in place to best harness the potential of AI.
How LSE ditched legacy HR for a user-first, AI-powered future
The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) is routinely ranked among the best universities in the UK, forming part of the elite ‘G5’ group renowned for top-tier research and academic prestige. Maintaining that esteemed position required LSE to modernize its HR technology to ensure it was both able to meet user needs now and to build the foundations for further AI implementations at the school going forward.
Oliver Wyman Forum 300,000 Voices: Three key takeaways for HR leaders
The world has changed significantly since the start of the Oliver Wyman Forum’s 300,000 Voices project, a five-year global survey measuring people’s values and attitudes towards health, work, finances and AI.
Phenom to address HR leaders’ ‘biggest infrastructure challenges’ with Included AI acquisition
Talent experience platform provider Phenom has confirmed the acquisition of agentic people analytics platform, Included AI. The acquisition will expand Phenom’s AI capabilities for workforce planning by integrating the Included proposition, which addresses inconsistencies and gaps in people data via proprietary algorithms, into its Workforce Intelligence solution.
Coursera and Udemy to merge in $2.5 billion deal
Coursera and Udemy to merge in $2.5 billion deal The online learning and development space is undergoing a seismic change as two technology powerhouses, Coursera and Udemy, announce they will combine into a single entity. | By: News in Brief Online learning platform Coursera is set to merge with skills platform Udemy in a deal valued at $2.5 billion.
The top stories from UNLEASH in 2025
The Top Stories from UNLEASH in 2025 We’ve compiled the most read articles from the UNLEASH Editorial team in 2025, including exclusive interviews, analysis and news. How many of them do you remember from the past 12 months? | By: 2025 In Focus What were the biggest stories from the UNLEASH Editorial team in 2025? We review the most-read articles from the past 12 months, including exclusive interviews, news and analysis.
HR technology trends in 2025: AI adoption, ROI focus, and market consolidation
The HR technology market in 2025 was defined by pragmatism. The initial hype and experimentation of AI has given way to widespread adoption and a heightened focus on ROI; it’s now about impact over innovation. Meanwhile, consolidation among technology providers has continued where 2024 left off. Industry tech powerhouses have continued to spend as client organizations move away from fragmented HR stacks towards integrated platforms.
HR technology trends in 2025: AI adoption, ROI focus, and market consolidation
The HR technology market in 2025 was defined by pragmatism. The initial hype and experimentation of AI has given way to widespread adoption and a heightened focus on ROI; it’s now about impact over innovation. Meanwhile, consolidation among technology providers has continued where 2024 left off. Industry tech powerhouses have continued to spend as client organizations move away from fragmented HR stacks towards integrated platforms.
The top interviews from UNLEASH in 2025: Google, McDonald’s, SAP, Hugo Boss, Moderna, and more!
The top interviews from UNLEASH in 2025: Google, McDonald’s, SAP, Hugo Boss, Moderna, and more! As part of our retrospective on 2025, the UNLEASH Editorial team have chosen our favorite interviews with HR leaders from the past 12 months. By turns inspirational, informative and insightful, here are the top interviews from UNLEASH this year.
Greenhouse taps Sharawn Tipton as new CPO to ‘strengthen culture that unites us’
HR tech giant Greenhouse has announced the appointment of Sharawn Tipton as its new Chief People Officer. In the role, Tipton will identify new opportunities where Greenhouse’s people strategy can accelerate the organization and strengthen the employee experience as the company continues to grow. Tiption joins Greenhouse from data collaboration platform provider LiveRamp, where she held the role of Chief People and Culture Officer.
The HR Tech Awards 2026 are now open for submissions!
The HR Tech Awards 2026 are now open for submissions! The HR Tech Awards 2026, powered by Lighthouse Research & Advisory and UNLEASH, are now open for submissions with winners to be announced at UNLEASH America in Las Vegas. | By: UNLEASH America 2026 The HR Tech Awards 2026 are returning to the International Festival of HR! Powered by Lighthouse Research & Advisory and UNLEASH, the awards programs recognizes the best in breed of HR technology vendors and specialists.
SHRM ordered to pay $11.5 million fine in racial discrimination and retaliation lawsuit
The Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) has been ordered to pay $11.5 million by a Colorado court after being found liable of racial discrimination and retaliation against a former employee. A suit brought against SHRM by former employee Rehab Mohamed alleged she was “the target of race and/or color discrimination by her new direct supervisor, Carolyn Barley”, who “systematically favored the white employees she supervised over their non-white colleagues, including Ms. Mohamed“.
Findem acquires the ‘missing piece’ Getro to launch AI-powered job posts
AI talent acquisition and management specialist Findem has announced the acquisition of Getro, a job network used by more than 800 venture capital, private equity, economic development, chamber of commerce and professional networks globally. Financial considerations of the deal were not disclosed. The primary result of the acquisition is the launch of Intelligent Job Posts – turning passive job listings into autonomous AI agents that aim to deliver hiring-ready candidates to organizations.
EY: ‘HR leaders must focus on closing talent gaps between human and AI readiness’
HR leaders struggling to bridge the gap between their people and AI readiness may be missing out on workforce productivity gains as high as 40%. EY’s 2025 Work Reimagined Survey, which surveyed 15,000 employees and 1,500 employers across 29 countries, found that although the majority of employees are using AI in their daily workflow (88%), usage is primarily limited to basic tasks such as searching and summarizing documents.
Erste Group: ‘DE&I should be a strategic priority’
2025 has been a tumultuous year for DE&I advocates, as numerous organizations, primarily in North America, rolled back their historic commitments under pressure from President Donald Trump and activists. But not all have bowed to such pressure. In fact, many have instead doubled down on the importance of the topic for their organizations and people.
Airbus: ‘HR leaders’ role is to be the architects of the future of work’
In the AI era, traditional ways of working and leading organizations will no longer be viable, and it’s up to HR leaders to take on the mantle of the “architects of the future of work”. That’s according to Vincent Dupuis, VP HR Digital & AI at European aerospace giant, Airbus, who took to the stage during UNLEASH World 2025 to discuss leading the human-AI transformation of work and how HR leaders can successfully use data intelligence and new technologies.
Panasonic Automotive: HR leaders need to be ‘change experts’ in the future of work
“You’ve got to be a change expert as a CHRO; you’re going to be in the hot seat to lead transformations.” For Stephen Childs, CHRO at Panasonic Automotive, the ability for people leaders to both anticipate and manage change will be one of the most crucial elements for success in the future of work.
UNLEASH World 2025: How are HR leaders empowering company culture in HR’s reinvention era?
HR is undergoing a reinvention and company culture sits at the heart of everything for people leaders, whether dealing with AI adoption, new strategic direction or accelerated organizational growth. At UNLEASH World this year, there was no shortage of HR leaders passionately talking about why culture is so critical to their organizations during periods of change and what they are doing to ensure culture and strategy are harmoniously aligned in the future of work.
UNLEASH World 2025: In Pictures
UNLEASH World 2025: In Pictures Whether you were with us in Paris or just want to see what all the fuss is about, the UNLEASH Editorial team have pulled together some of the best photos from UNLEASH World 2025. | By: Why You Should Care From a robot on the Main Stage to cocktails on the Plaza, UNLEASH World 2025 was a whirlwind of HR energy. Check out our photo gallery from Where The HR World Meets. Can you spot yourself in our pictures?
UNLEASH World 2025 Day Three: Top highlights from Josh Bersin, Daniel Susskind, Dior, Lous Vuitton, the BBC and more
And that’s a wrap! As UNLEASH World closes its doors for another year, the UNLEASH Editorial team took some time to reflect on their favorite sessions from Day Three. From Josh Bersin kicking off the morning to Daniel Susskind closing the day, we’ve seen a whole host of magnificent speakers. With so much to choose from, it’s almost impossible to whittle down the top sessions of the day, but UNLEASH’s Editorial team have managed to share just some of their favorites below.
UNLEASH World 2025 Day Two: Top Highlights from Scott Galloway, humanoid robot Ameca, Microsoft, Lloyds, McDonald’s and more
The doors have closed on Day Two of UNLEASH World 2025. The world’s most influential HR event truly lived up to expectations, delivering inspiring keynotes and sessions, and the buzz of a community inspired by innovation. Taking center stage to open UNLEASH World 2025 was none other than Microsoft’s Amy Coleman. As the Chief People Officer – who’s responsible for more than 220,000 employees globally – addressed the crowd, she expressed how “technology has transformed our lives”.
Vizzy announced as winner of the UNLEASH Startup 2025 Award!
The winner of the fiercely contested UNLEASH Startup Award has been confirmed for 2025! Five startups took to the stage to present their pitch to the judging panel and faced questions from the crowd in a bid to join the illustrious ranks of former winners, which includes Peakon (now part of Workday), Oneteam, Talent Alpha, Clustree, TandemHR, Hour One, and last year’s champion, Welliba.
Recognition and culture in times of change: Key takeaways from Workhuman Forum
The first Workhuman Forum to take place in Paris was the perfect way to kick off the UNLEASH World 2025 experience. An exclusive, invite-only cohort of HR and business leaders packed out the room to hear a stellar lineup of HR experts tackle some of the biggest talking points of the moment and how to make work more human. Above all, there was plenty for HR leaders in the audience to take back to their own organizations on the topic of employee recognition and the role of people in the era of AI.
Deel hits £17.3 billion valuation with new $300 million Series E funding
Global HR and payroll platform Deel has announced a new Series E funding of $300 million, increasing the organization’s valuation to $17.3 billion. The funding round included new investor Ribbit Capital, which co-led alongside existing investors Andreessen Horowitz and Coatue Management, and General Catalyst and Green Bay Ventures.
One in three workers ‘future ready’ as comfort with AI-based work grows: Adecco Group
Employees are becoming increasingly comfortable with AI in the workplace, believing it makes them more productive and improves skills, but there is disconnect between business reality and assumptions. That’s according to the latest research from global talent and technology advisory, Adecco Group, which surveyed 37,500 workers across 31 nations and 21 industries.
Gartner: 4 key priorities for CHROs in 2026 to lead the AI-driven future of work
The future of HR is rapidly shifting as AI shifts how work is done and emerges as an increasingly perceived viable alternative to the roles currently fulfilled by human talent. As a result, CHROs looking to the future need to ensure other leaders within their organizations are prepared to lead towards a growth and efficiency mindset, while also addressing rising expectations for employees to do more with less.
UNLEASH Startup Award 2025: Our Paris finalists revealed!
UNLEASH is proud to reveal the finalists for the prestigious UNLEASH Startup Award 2025 that will competing to take home the grand prize. The best and the brightest HR startups have been competing behind the scenes – and today we are excited to announce our five finalists for this year’s competition. These five innovative startups will compete on-site on Day One (21 October at 11am on the Innovation Stage) at UNLEASH World 2025 in front of our panel of expert judges.
Five sessions you don’t want to miss at UNLEASH World 2025
UNLEASH World is returning to the City of Lights for another HR extravaganza. This will be my fourth UNLEASH event and second in Paris, and while the bar is of course very high I believe this year’s UNLEASH World will top anything I’ve seen so far. A huge part of that is down to the fantastic behind-the-scenes work by the whole UNLEASH crew to bring the HR community another incredible show.
AI, demographics and decisions are key to the future of work: Personio
HR leaders are facing a changing work environment due to demographic changes, the ongoing integration of AI and the need for better people-related decision making. Personio’s Workforce Pulse 2025 report, which canvassed 6,000 employees and 3,000 HR decision makers across the UK, Germany, Spain and the Netherlands, Last year’s report found that many European employees were focused on securing new roles due to high levels of disengagement, which rose to 51% in the 2025 edition.
‘Our talent differentiates us’: How TruStage is leaning into the employee experience
HR is rapidly moving to become both a driver of organizational strategy and a strategic business advisor, particularly in the context of AI-powered work. Despite this, it’s not often you will see Strategy sit alongside HR in C-Suite job titles – unless you’re familiar with US-based insurance and financial services provider, TruStage and Linda Nedelcoff.
OpenAI CPO Julia Villagra steps down
The Chief People Officer at AI technology giant OpenAI has stepped down from the role and departed the organization. According to reports from Reuters, Julia Villagra has left the company to pursue a “personal passion of using art, music and storytelling to help people understand the transition to artificial general intelligence”. Villagra joined OpenAI in early 2024 and held the Head of HR and VP of People roles before being appointed CPO in March this year.
How Allianz unified its global EVP and careers portal to attract top talent
For Allianz, the world’s largest insurance and asset management group with more than $1 trillion of assets under management, the task of reinventing its talent acquisition revolved around leaning into its historic strengths while embracing new technology and creating a new sense of unity. Allianz SE’s Global Head of Group Talent Acquisition, Dominik A.
LACE Partners: The future of work demands HR leaders as strategic drivers, not support functions
Chief People Officers believe they are increasingly driving business transformation through the HR function, but are often absent for the strategic planning and decision-making stages. That’s according to the latest research from HR and Payroll transformation consultancy, LACE Partners, which surveyed 450 C-Suite executives throughout the UK, North America and Gulf Cooperative Council.
Radancy expands agentic AI capabilities with myInterview acquisition
US-based talent acquisition company Radancy has announced the acquisition of AI-driven video interviewing platform, myInterview. The acquisition will extend Radancy’s Talent Acquisition Cloud with recruiter and candidate agentic AI, designed to identify and engage talent on a more efficient and precise basis by removing repetitive tasks.
WEF’s Chief People Officers Outlook Report: Four key takeaways for HR leaders
Global think tank World Economic Forum (WEF) has published the inaugural edition of its Chief People Officers Outlook Report. Based on a survey and consultation with more than 130 global CPOs, the report shows how the HR and people function is “shaping organizational resilience and business transformation and growth”.
Performance edges ahead of engagement with HR facing ‘biggest opportunities and challenges today’: Lattice
Employee performance has edged ahead of engagement as HR’s top priority for the first time in six years going into 2026, according to the latest State of People Strategy Report from employee experience tech specialist, Lattice. In a continuation of trends noted in the 2023, 2024 and 2025 iterations of the report, performance management (40%), employee engagement (39%), learning and development (31%), and manager enablement (30%) were found as the top priorities for HR in the year ahead.
OpenAI unveils Jobs Platform and Certifications as both disruptor of and solution for AI-based future of work
OpenAI has announced it is to develop and launch a new AI-focused job search platform, alongside a range of AI certifications via its online learning platform, OpenAI Academy. The OpenAI Jobs Platform will connect employers with AI-qualified and skilled workers, signaling further disruption to experience- and role-based hiring. “The OpenAI Jobs Platform will have knowledgeable, experienced candidates at every level, and opportunities for anyone looking to put their skills to use.
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with John
Contact John, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack