Howden appoints Kirk Southern as Group Chief People Officer

London, 10 April 2025 – Howden today announces the appointment of Kirk Southern as Group Chief People Officer.  Southern, who has been filling the interim role for six months, will report directly to David Shalders, Group Chief Operating Officer. He is also a member of the Global Leadership Team. 
 
Southern leads the Group’s People Team who are committed to creating a Global People Function that supports the growth of the group.
 
Southern has previously held roles at Arrow Global Group as Group Head of Reward and HR Director for their Fund Management business and has spent over 15 years working in senior People roles across Investment Banking, Fund Management and Asset Management. 
 
David Shalders, Group Chief Operating Officer said: “Kirk’s promotion to the permanent position of Group Chief People Officer is testament to his achievements not just in the last six months in the job but over the three years of working at Howden. As we look to fulfil our growth ambitions, Kirk and his team will be integral to our future success. In addition to Kirk’s appointment we have recently bolstered our People Leadership Team with other new hires and I look forward to working with the team to continue making Howden a truly great global company.”
 
Kirk Southern, Group Chief People Officer, Howden, added: “I’m absolutely delighted to have been permanently appointed to the role. With offices in 55 countries, it’s our people who make this a brilliant place to work. Which is why my priorities are clear: to create a People function for growth that puts our colleagues at the centre of everything we do; to enhance our employee experience through improved systems, processes and data; and to continue to attract and retain the best talent. We’re a people first business and with 10,000 of us in the UK alone, more than 22,000 worldwide and ambitions to become 40,000, this couldn’t be a more exciting opportunity.”