With over three decades of experience in business journalism I've had the privilege of interviewing some of the world’s most influential figures from ex-boxer George Walker and entrepreneurs Richard Branson and Phillip Green to former UK prime minister Theresa May and ex-Tesco boss Terry Leahy. My career has taken me from boardrooms to conference stages, where I’ve captured the insights of leaders who have shaped industries and transformed organisations.
Beginning as a business journalist, I developed a deep passion for how people practices and continuous learning fuel sustainable success. This led me to co-found The People Space, a digital HR magazine that centres on the human side of work while embracing the potential of technology. Here I create and curate content that empowers HR leaders to navigate the evolving workplace.
At Siân Harrington Media Consulting I leverage my experience to help HR consultants and vendors craft compelling thought leadership, PR strategies and editorial content. What sets me apart is my dual role as both a practising editor and consultant, ensuring my work is always aligned with the latest HR trends and challenges.
My career includes leadership roles at top UK publications such as HR magazine, The Grocer and Retail Week. As a board member and publishing director at Mark Allen Group I oversaw award-winning content, launched the HR Most Influential list and created HR in the Boardroom. I also co-organise DisruptHR London, serve as a media partner for the Business Culture Awards and judge for the National Online Recruitment Academy.
Throughout my career, I’ve remained committed to sustainability and responsible business practices, authoring papers for the CIPD and leading environmental initiatives. Most recently I served as executive editor for How to Become a World Class Manager by Wayne Clarke, an Amazon best-seller.
Whether mentoring future journalists, consulting on HR strategy or driving conversations on the future of work, I remain passionate about helping leaders build better, more sustainable organisations.
Katie Jacobs is an award-winning business journalist and editor. She is a well-regarded commentator on the world of work, HR and leadership and previously worked at the CIPD, where she built the body’s HR leader network from scratch, creating a strong peer community of chief people officers.
In her journalism career, she was previously editor of HR magazine, where she was involved in delivering brand extensions such as the HR Excellence Awards, the HR Most Influential ranking and the HR in the Boardroom CHRO development programme, as well as running the day-to-day editorial of the magazine. She has written about the world of work for magazines including People Management, Work and Management Today and newspapers including The Times and The Financial Times. She was also editor of Supply Management, the magazine of the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply.
Katie is the co-host of CIPD Work magazine’s popular What If podcast, which puts provocative business questions under the spotlight. She is the co-author of several influential CIPD reports including The Value of People Expertise on Corporate Boards and Responsible Business Through Crisis, a three-year landmark research project with Professor Veronica Hope Hailey exploring the impact of the pandemic on leadership. In her journalism and speaking work, she has interviewed everyone from comedians Katherine Ryan and Sue Perkins (in front of large live audiences), to FTSE100 CEOs and board chairs, as well as countless CPOs, academics and HR thought leaders. She has a track record in working with brands serving the HR market to develop thought leadership including white papers, reports, blogs, articles and podcasts.
Nigel Pritchard is co-founder of Sian Harrington Media Consulting. Also co-founder of The People Space in 2017, Nigel has a rich background of over 30 years in PR and social media consultancy with roles in leading agencies in London, in-house position and steering his own consultancies.
His specialisation in B2B PR, particularly in the marketing, technology and HR sectors, has cemented his reputation as a versatile and effective communicator. Nigel is a trailblazer in PR content and technological trends, embracing the internet as early as 1995 with his first website launch. His credentials as a certified content marketing and search marketing specialist reflect his skill in creating compelling narratives that captivate diverse audiences. Past clients include Dunnhumby, for whom he launched Tesco Clubcard, and Alan Sugar of Amstrad and The Apprentice fame.
Nigel's expertise also extends to video production, where he has produced influential content for HR and leadership, including authoring scripts for animated videos on The People Space’s website and social media as well as producing the Work’s Not Working... Let's Fix It! podcast. Continually evolving, Nigel has recently augmented his skillset with certifications in Generative AI for leaders and advanced data analysis with ChatGPT. This amalgamation of seasoned PR business acumen and cutting-edge skills positions him as a valuable asset, offering innovative insights and solutions in content marketing and PR particularly tailored for HR vendors.
Amanda Burgess is a highly experienced PR who has worked with agencies, startups and big brands in the technology, green consultancy, HR and education sectors. As a result, she has accumulated deep and varied communication, client, journalist and business sector experience. She has an in-depth knowledge of the UK press but also has huge experience working with US press and editors.
Amanda champions the power of strategic storytelling and innovative campaigns to convey client messages effectively. She emphasises news hooks and human interest elements to engage the widest audience.
Her long-term relationships with clients, some spanning over a decade, are a testament to her capabilities and the high regard in which she is held. "Amanda's a great PR pro who understands the media landscape and her clients' ambitions," a reporter recently posted about her on LinkedIn. Such plaudits are typical.
As a freelance writer, Nigel Lawrence has covered the widest possible range of HR topics, from pensions and reward and recognition to wellbeing and mental health issues.
He writes regular blogs for a variety of clients in the sector and content for a leading UK HR trade magazine. This includes both HR suppliers and practitioners, ranging from large corporate organisations to smaller independent businesses.
As well as his own PR and marketing consultancy work, Nigel has in the past held senior communications posts with Royal Mail, Taylor Nelson Sofres (now Kantar TNS) and Dunnhumby.
Nigel is also an award winning and published poet and writer of short fiction.