SAP UK and Ireland has appointed a new HR director in order to help the application software provider achieve its global aim of doubling the size of its business.
Laura Burton replaces former head of HR, Terri Ellison, and has been brought in to manage a team that looks after recruitment, contracts, training, rewards and benefits issues for about 1,100 staff. She will also be responsible for leading a team of seven HR business partners who support the UK and Ireland’s individual business functions.
Burton said: “It is the people who are at the heart of every successful organisation and we are lucky enough to have a committed, talented workforce here in the UK already. I have a personal ambition to ensure all of our employees continue to develop their skills and remain happy in the company as well as making us an employer of choice for future employees.”
Burton has worked in a number of HR roles within the IT industry for the last 14 years. She has acted as an advisor to the UK board of directors for sales, pre-sales and operations since October 2008 and was responsible for driving the firm’s employee development and management training programme.
Burton has also just completed a six-month secondment working as business manager to SAP UKI’s managing director as part of the wider leadership team.
Steve Winter, the firm’s UKI MD, said: “SAP globally has ambitious growth targets in place to double the size of our business. It is my view that HR plays an instrumental role in this by continuously supporting the business and the employees so that we grow profitably, with the right people in place.”
