Renata brings a commercial lens shaped by 35+ years as a CFO and CEO before moving to HR. Her approach to HR is grounded in business reality: if you want to lead people well, you need to understand how value is actually created. That means learning the business model, shadowing sales and marketing teams, spending time with clients and working with operations to see how the business really runs day to day.

Renata sees three priorities for HR. First, staying adaptable and future-focused in a world that keeps shifting. Second, moving towards skills-based organisations, where continuous learning matters more than fixed roles or job titles. And third, building psychological safety.

A strong advocate for gender equity and recognising that “talent is universal, but opportunity is not”, Renata leads FNZ Group’s Inspire and Impact Network. At the heart of her message is courage: speak up, challenge respectfully, question outdated systems and stand for fairness even when it feels uncomfortable. For Renata, real impact comes from small, consistent acts of courage that gradually create change.

References: -

Timely for Mental Health Awareness Week: 11^th – 17^th May 2026

Elevate Wellbeing to a Strategic Priority:

Thank you to Geoff McDonald for sponsoring this episode.

In 2014, he left Unilever to devote his expertise to ending the stigma of depression and anxiety in the workplace - because he knows first-hand that talking about mental health saves lives.

As a business transformation consultant and co-founder of charity Minds@Work, Geoff helps organisations define purpose beyond growth and profitability, and develop holistic wellbeing strategies that unlock true performance potential.

Learn more: How Geoff can help you elevate wellbeing to a strategic priority: www.geoffmcdonald.co.uk

Are you looking for your next great read that inspires you and helps your work?  

Our book of the month for May is The Working Parent Equation, Balancing small humans with big careers, by Georgie Rudd.

Know a working parent? A colleague that has all the plates spinning, and you’re not quite sure how they’re managing? Or perhaps that’s you?!  

The Working Parent Equation is an extra special book, packed with practical exercises for anyone to reflect on their own, personal, working parent equation, and wonderfully our very own Cecilia Crossley wrote the foreword.  

Here’s her summary: It’s an incredibly helpful tool for any working parent - one that will help you, your family, your organisation, and society – because each of us intentionally designing our own equations takes us a step closer to gender equality.  

Head to UpliftingPeople.com to grab your copy, and we hope you enjoy this month's Uplifting Book.