CBRE's UK HR leader Paul Hawtin promoted to head of EMEA

22 October 2018 Consultancy.uk

As CBRE’s EMEA HR head prepares to retire at the end of 2018, current UK HR head Paul Hawtin has been confirmed as their replacement. Hawtin has made a name for himself at the firm through driving diversity and inclusion programmes as well as wider transformation of HR in the UK.

CBRE is one of the world’s largest built asset services, investment and consultancy firms, operating on revenues of around $14.2 billion and supporting more 80,000 employees. The firm has sought to create an equitable working environment in recent years, with various efforts to improve female and minority representation across its ranks.

One of the people working on diversity initiatives in the UK arm of the firm is Paul Hawtin. He joined the firm in 2015 as an Executive Director and Head of UK HR. His work saw the firm become the first to achieve the National Equality Standard in 2017, though the implementation of its Diversity & Inclusion programmes. He has been instrumental in transforming other areas of wider HR at the firm, including enhancement and streamlining of HR processes and services; new talent management and L&D programmes; and the development of an in-house recruitment function.

Prior to joining CBRE, Hawtin worked at Balfour Beatty Investments, most recently as the firm’s Global HR Director between 2012 and 2015, and previously as an HR Director between 2010 and 2012. Earlier roles include almost three years at Vodafone and eight years at Selex Galileo. He started his career at BAE Systems as a Graduate HR Partner in 2001. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Management from the University of Central Lancashire and a Master of Business Administration from the London School of Business and Finance. He is a fellow of the Charted Institute of Personnel & Development.

In his new role, Hawtin will head the firm’s EMEA HR from January 1, 2019. He will succeed Simon Woodhams, who is retiring from the firm after more than 24 years of service at the end of the year. Hawtin will continue to focus on driving inclusion initiatives at the EMEA level, as well as various change programmes operative in the HR space.

Commenting on the promotion, Martin Samworth, Group President & CEO EMEA, said, “Paul has successfully led our UK HR team for the last three years, making integral changes and achieving real strides in diversity and inclusion across the business. As of next year, Paul will take the helm from Simon Woodhams, who has not only achieved great success in delivering HR strategies but has also been a phenomenal business partner as part of the EMEA leadership team for over two decades.”