01
Leadership review
Thomas Fraser
Chief Human Resources Officer · Canada · Global perspective
Building the leadership, culture and capability to thrive.
Open to
- Board appointments
- Advisory roles
- Speaking invitations
Highlights
The year, and the years before it, at a glance.
85%
Senior roles filled internally
Through a rebuilt succession pipeline
+31 pts
Engagement improvement
During a three-year transformation
52,000
Colleagues served
In 30 countries
40%
Women in leadership
Up from 18% in five years
A letter from the chief human resources officer
Dear reader,
People strategy must explain how the organisation will build the capability its ambitions require. I connect succession, organisation design and everyday leadership practice, with attention to fairness, privacy and the experience of employees.
I build the leadership, organisation and people capabilities that allow strategy to become sustained performance. My work spans succession, organisation design and culture change, with a focus on making people decisions both thoughtful and operationally practical.
Thomas Fraser
Chief Human Resources Officer
Strategic priorities
Where I focus my leadership.
02
Organisation design
03
People strategy
04
Culture transformation
Performance
What the priorities delivered.
Priority outcome 01
Leadership succession
Succession discussions relied too heavily on individual nominations. I worked with the board and executive team to define the capabilities required by future roles, assess readiness in context and agree meaningful development experiences. The process made succession a continuing leadership responsibility and connected talent decisions with the direction of the business.
Priority outcome 02
Culture transformation
A major change programme needed different behaviours across functions. We translated the desired culture into practical leadership expectations, reviewed the systems that reinforced existing behaviour and created opportunities for teams to discuss difficult trade-offs. The work connected the culture ambition with management practices people could recognise in their daily experience.
Priority outcome 03
Workforce strategy
The business strategy was evolving faster than its workforce planning. I brought operating leaders and people teams together to examine capability demand, role design and options for building or accessing expertise. We created a more explicit connection between the strategy, the organisation model and the investments required in people.
Year in review
A career, chapter by chapter.
- 2020 — Present
Chief Human Resources Officer
Aldermoor Group
Leading enterprise people strategy, executive succession and organisation capability. Working with the CEO and board on the leadership, culture and workforce choices behind business priorities.
- 2016 — 2020
Vice President, Talent & Organisation
Fairhaven Holdings
Built talent and organisation programmes with operating leaders, connecting development activity to business capability. Developed practical experience in role design, leadership assessment and change delivery.
- 2012 — 2017
Global Head of Talent
Meridian Consolidated
Designed the leadership pipeline that produced the group's next three business-unit presidents.
- 2006 — 2012
HR Business Partner, Operations
Calder Logistics
Partnered frontline leaders through a network redesign, and learned that culture is what happens on the night shift.
Governance
Board and committee service.
Current appointments
Calder Logistics
Independent Director
Nomination & Remuneration (Chair)
2022 — Present
The Skills Forward Foundation
Trustee
Programmes · Governance
2018 — Present
Committee experience
- Nomination & Remuneration
- Programmes
- Governance
Stakeholder voices
What those I have served alongside say.
Our succession conversations became evidence-based and calm. That is a gift to any board.
A people leader the whole executive team trusted with its hardest decisions.
Outlook
Perspectives on what comes next.
Succession planning must reach beyond the list
A succession list is a starting point, not an account of readiness.
Read the essayCulture is experienced through operating decisions
Employees learn what matters from the way decisions are made, performance is recognised and difficult information is handled.
Read the essayWorkforce strategy starts with capability demand
A headcount plan does not explain whether an organisation can deliver its strategy.
Read the essayRecognition
Awards & honours
- CHRO of the YearThe People Leaders Awards2024
- Best Workplace TransformationThe Boardroom Review2022
Media
In the news
The People Leaders Journal · 2025
“Building a succession bench the board can trust”
The Boardroom Review · 2024
“What remuneration committees miss about culture”
The Leadership Ledger podcast · 2023
“Episode 117 — Culture on the night shift”
An invitation
Looking ahead with Thomas.
Board appointments, advisory mandates and conversations about the decisions ahead.
Open to
- Board appointments
- Advisory roles
- Speaking invitations
office@thomasfraser.example