Regional Director for Kent & East Sussex
Hazel brings over two decades of senior-level experience to the businesses she supports across Kent and East Sussex, and her background is anything but narrow.
Starting as a Russian Linguist before moving into marketing and then establishing a long career in Human Resources, Hazel has worked across IT, engineering, and the charity sector. She spent years as part of the Senior Leadership Team at a global engineering company, navigating a Management Buyout backed by venture capital, leading people through significant organisational change, and representing the business internationally across the Far East, North America, and South America.
That breadth of experience means Hazel understands what growing businesses actually need: clear structure, confident leadership, and the right people processes in place before the cracks appear.
Hazel is particularly passionate about helping SMEs build strong HR foundation, and she leads Get Ahead’s nationwide HR Essentials service, which helps businesses establish compliant contracts, clear policies, and practical people processes that support sustainable growth. It’s strategic thinking combined with hands-on guidance: the kind of support that makes scaling feel manageable rather than overwhelming.
Her areas of expertise span strategic business development, HR and people management, training and development, coaching and counselling, and marketing and customer service.
In 2018, Hazel accepted the Queen’s Award for Enterprise at Buckingham Palace on behalf of her organisation, a moment that reflects both the calibre of environment she has operated in and the collective effort she has always championed.
For businesses in Kent and East Sussex looking for a Regional Director who brings real commercial depth alongside genuine people expertise, Hazel offers something genuinely distinctive.
If your business could benefit from Hazel’s help, or to find a regional office where you are, please get in touch on LinkedIn or book a call with Hazel.
We pride ourselves on being the staff you don’t see, but the difference you do.
Hazel’s recent posts
- Inclusive Workplaces and Sexual Harassment Prevention: A Practical Guide for Employers
- How a simple HR Tracker can transform your People Management
- Why googling ‘HR Questions’ is risky for small businesses
- Onboarding and Leaver Processes: why they matter more than you may think
- Why small businesses need an HR Audit – and what one actually involves
- Hiring your first employee? Here’s your simple HR Checklist
- When to call in HR advice: 7 situations you shouldn’t handle alone
- Your Employee Handbook doesn’t need to be complicated, it just needs to be right!
- The questions SME owners ask HR most often (and the answers)
- Is your HR documentation up to date? Here’s what to cover in an Annual HR Audit