Winners 2024

Talent 2024

Lisa Rowles heads the HR activities of the UK-based, Japanese-owned automotive testing facility where she has worked for almost 30 years. She reports to Horiba MIRA managing director Declan Allen.

After joining the company from a recruitment consultant in 1995, Rowles has risen through the ranks to take on more responsibility, including heading up security for the firm’s facility and global HR functions. In 2013, she launched the MIRA Academy for training and sits on the board of the MIRA Technology Institute. As part of that, she chairs the Association for Innovation, Research and Technology Organisations HR Interest Group within the UK, which is a cross-industry cohort of HR professionals from the innovation, research and technology sector.

At her own company, Rowles set up the Horiba MIRA People Awards, now in its fourth year, which recognises and celebrates achievements within the firm.

Talent 2024 nominees

Sharon Ashcroft, TrustFord

Sharon Ashcroft has led the HR role at this Ford-owned dealer group since 2013, having joined in 2005 as human resources manager. Her task is not a small one given that TrustFord operates over 60 dealerships and 14 parts sites in the UK, with employees totalling almost 2800. According to the Great Place to Work website, 72% of employees at TrustFord say it is a great place to work, compared with 54% of employees at a typical UK-based company. Ashcroft also sits on the member board of trustees at Ben, the automotive industry charity.

Maxine Bonwick, Renault Group

Maxine Bonwick’s speedy climb up the HR ladder has led her to one of the most senior positions in automotive UK. She joined the Renault Group in 2021 in her current, board member position and has since brought on board an almost entirely new leadership team for the company. A former Autocar Great Women in British Automotive Rising Star, Maxine joined from the VW Group where she started 2018 as an HR business partner for Audi, Volkswagen CV and Group Commercial Services. She joined VW from tech firm Ingram Micro, returning to the motor industry five years after leaving her graduate job in 2010 with Enterprise Rent-a-Car. Since she joined Renault Group, the number of women in senior positions has doubled to 24%.

Gemma Benbow, Kia

Gemma Benbow joined Kia UK in 2022 from food giant General Mills and since then has undertaken a complete re-structure of the HR department to move to a business partner model, said to better support senior managers and directors to help develop their teams. She started her career at supplier Continental but has since gained experience in a wide range of industries including British Gas, Avis Budget and Hasbro. At Kia she reports directly to UK president and CEO Paul Philpott.

Penny Weatherup, Volkswagen Group UK

Penny Weatherup sits on the main board of management at VW Group UK, reporting directly to overall Group head in the country, Alex Smith, and oversees the staffing strategy for five of the Group’s biggest brands in the UK. She joined the board in 2016 after starting at the company in 2007 as an HR business partner. Before moving to VW, Penny worked at UK intellectual property firm Barker Brettell and insurance firm AXA.

Rachael Edwards, Mercedes-Benz UK

Rachael Edwards is Mercedes’ HR representative at board level in the UK, a job she has held since 2014. She was hired by the company back in 2009 from Woolworths, which she joined out of university and where she rose to the position of divisional HR manager. Edwards graduated from the University of Derby in 2002 with a degree in human resources management.

Marion Berlier, Nissan Motor

Marion Berlier was promoted to this senior HR role based in Nissan’s HQ in Yokohama, Japan, in 2023 after excelling in her UK-based role overseeing staff development, training and well-being in the Nissan region that includes Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Prior to gaining this role in 2021, Berlier was in charge of staffing at Nissan’s development centre in Cranfield, Bedfordshire. She came to Nissan from Lego in 2018, which she joined in 2009 in the UK and where she rose to the position of senior HR director.

Mandeep Dhatt, Lotus Cars Europe

Mandeep Dhatt oversees the staff at Lotus’s European operations and joined the company as HR director in September 2023. She arrived with a wealth of automotive experience having risen to the position of HR director at McLaren Automotive, which she left in 2022 to go freelance. Mandeep first joined McLaren in 2013 as HR business partner, rose to head of HR operations in 2015 and the following year was promoted to oversee the entirety of HR operations. Prior to entering the automotive world she worked at engineer consultancy Mouchel in London. She holds an MA in human resource management from Kingston University.