MEET THE EXPERTS
Paul McNamara
Partner & Head of Interim Human Resources Practice, Eton Bridge Partners
Paul McNamara has more than 15 years of experience in Human Resources and is a thought leader in the sector, with a passion for spotting, supporting and developing the HR directors of the future. CIPD-qualified, Paul cut his teeth working in a global FTSE 100 company’s HR department before joining global recruitment firm PageGroup as its HR Manager, working with high-calibre clients like Honeywell, Pepsi and GlaxoSmithKline. Paul later became HR Director and then Director of PageExecutive, the group’s executive search brand, helping organisations to attract and retain leadership talent. In 2013, Paul joined leading executive search and interim management company Eton Bridge where he leads its Interim HR Leadership Practice. Working with start-ups, SMEs and global blue-chip organisations across all sectors, it recruits across all specialisms including group and divisional HR directors, HR change and transformation roles and specialist HR leadership roles.
Trevor Gibson
Senior Partner, Heminsley Law
After being a police officer and a stint as a UN peace negotiator, Trevor Gibson has had an illustrious career in employment law and investigations. Trevor’s academic life included studying for the equivalent of PhD in dispute resolution at Oxford University before he became a police officer in the Ministry of Defence. In the mid-90s he was a UN peace negotiator during the Bosnian War in Sarajevo, presiding over ceasefires and prisoner exchanges. In the year 2000 Trevor joined international law firm Wragge and Co. LLP, which later became Gowling WLG, as an Equity Partner. Here he advised clients on people risk, employment law and employee-related litigation and supported investigations into issues like corruption, poor conduct and fraud for clients including Goldman Sachs, IBM, Starbucks and Toyota. He continues to offer the same HR expertise as Partner at Heminsley Law. Trevor is A&R Director at Wise Dog Records and Chief Sound Engineer at Circle Recording Studios, where he recorded the Grammy-award-winning English language version of I Am Malala. He has hosted Tedx talks and featured in the documentary film Scream for me Sarajevo about how he persuaded Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden to play a gig in the war-torn capital.
Allegra Stone
Founder, coach and workplace mediator, Allegra Stone Mediation
An experienced HR professional and author, Allegra Stone started her own coaching and mediation business after working in HR for large organisations including the NHS. Allegra’s HR career started with Airbus, where she was the HR Employee Development Manager for its award-winning Direct Entry Graduate Scheme, before she moved to the NHS. Here, she has worked in recruitment and training as well as support and coaching. Allegra Stone Mediation has clients across the public, creative, charitable and private sectors and Allegra works with staff at all levels, from CEO to junior. Using her extensive experience and qualifications – she’s a chartered CIPD member and graduate member of the British Psychological Society – she supports businesses to create harmony and productivity in the workplace via coaching, mediation and psychometric assessment. Allegra is also the co-author of two books supporting mental health: Effective Metaphors for Hypnotherapy and Effective Metaphors for Children: A Resource for Therapists, Parents and Teachers.