Speakers
Session
Core HR and payroll have long been seen as stable, transactional systems — essential, but rarely strategic. Today, that is changing. As organisations face growing workforce complexity, regulatory pressure and rising expectations from employees the “core” is being redefined.
This session explores how core HR and payroll are evolving into intelligent platforms that do far more than process data. With the introduction of AI, automation and real-time insights, these systems are becoming more responsive, more predictive and more influential in shaping both employee experience and business outcomes.
Rather than focusing on technology hype, the session takes a pragmatic, business-led view of AI — grounded in strong data, resilient architecture, and modernised processes. Drawing on real-world examples, it will examine how organisations are strengthening their foundations, unlocking better insights and preparing safely and responsibly for what comes next.
Attendees will leave with a clear view of what is changing, what remains critical and how to take a phased, practical approach to evolving core HR and payroll for the future.
Based in the Northwest of the United Kingdom, Michael brings 25 + years of practitioner experience across a career that has spanned several industries including leisure, utilities, distribution and software and has spent time working in all corners of the globe. He has extensive experience in leading organisational development teams & programmes, cultural transformations and employee engagement/experience strategies. Throughout his career, Michael has had a passion and curiosity around human behaviour and has consistently sought to understand the strategies that truly bring the best out of each person each day. He will often refer to his work and his own personal journey as “a life’s work” and his curiosity is never diminished.
Michael brings a deep understanding of change and throughout his career has delivered many successful and impactful change programmes and consequently has been recognised at senior levels for his achievements/ contributions at several of the organisations he has represented including SAP.
Today, he is a member of the global advisory team at SAP SuccessFactors where he has the pleasure and privilege of working every day with customers who are navigating and executing on their transformational and change journeys. Michael is an active contributor in publications and across social media on all topics related to people and organisational development and is a frequent speaker at SAP events.
Michael is also co-host of the successful podcast – The Human Factor. Discussing the topics and themes influencing the world of work, the podcast is focused on stripping away assumptions and really getting to the depth of the topic being discussed. Each episode is uniquely designed to build a foundation of knowledge and to understand from its array of guests the best practices driving success in the workplace today.
Outside of work, he is married with twin daughters and is an avid follower of many sports!