Engineering firm Black and White (B&W) Engineering has appointed Rachel Ovington as its new global HR director.
Ovington (pictured, right, with director Steve Horn) has come to the business from KP Snacks, parts of the Intersnack Group. In her first HRD role, she brings 15 years of leadership experience within HR and talent development to the business.
B&W Engineering has offices in the UK, Middle East and Asia and employs 276 people globally, with 82 in the UK, and is intending to expand its headcount by 40% to 50%.
To that end, talent management and development, retention and recruitment, and training and mentoring will all be key areas for Ovington in her new role.
“Our focus, really, is no different to a lot of businesses at the moment. We want to give people a reason to join us and we want to give people reasons to stay. A big part of that is how we coach, develop, mentor – whether that’s our leaders, our engineers, or our business support staff,” she said.
“We have a really great informal mentoring network and we are using the relationships we have got to support, develop and guide the teams as part of our professional development process. For me, it is about enhancing what’s already here, to be more intentional,” Ovington added.
Director Steve Horn said the organisation's workforce had grown by more than 100% in the past 18 months in the UK alone.
The appointment of Ovington would, he added, “enable us to progress and enhance our holistic HR function, ensuring we are supporting and developing our people to be at their best, in a way that’s tailored to both personal and business needs.”
