A day in the life – David Barrett, Chief People Officer

At CHH, our success has always been driven by the people behind the business. From longstanding team members who have been with us from the beginning to new talent joining during a period of rapid growth, it is the quality and commitment of our colleagues that sets us apart.

 

In this edition of our Day in the Life series, we speak to David Barrett, Chief People Officer.

 

David joined CHH in January 2025, bringing four decades of experience in HR and recruitment to a business that was already known for its people-first culture. His career has spanned executive search in life sciences and pharmaceuticals, and he served as Head of Global Recruitment for Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. Now based in York and travelling to Birmingham three days a week, David is helping CHH build the frameworks, policies and development pathways to support the next phase of growth while protecting the culture that makes this business special.

 

What attracted you to CHH and what were your first impressions when you joined?

 

I have known Paul for many years – we went to school together in Manchester. In 2024, he invited me to get involved with CHH as the business was undergoing massive growth and needed the policies, systems and processes to underpin it.

 

I had seen Paul socially over the years and had always been impressed by his passion and desire to make CHH a success, so I knew it was an exciting opportunity. I started in January 2025 on a three month fixed term contract and then joined on a permanent basis. I was hugely impressed by the growth and the potential of the business, but the overwhelming takeaway for me in the early stages was the hunger to succeed that Paul, Cory and the Leadership Team were able to convey.

 

It was evident that in the early months there was a lot to do in terms of developing an HR road map. My task was to prioritise things in bite sized chunks and review the strategic leadership and overall culture.

 

How would you describe your role and what does a typical day look like?

 

My role is broader than traditional HR. I am here to keep on top of policies and procedures, but also to guide and support the business as it scales. My background is in recruitment so there is a strong focus on making quality hires, ensuring they align to our values and have the headroom to grow with us.

 

In terms of a typical day, although I live in York, I travel down to Birmingham and Chesterfield to be on site 2 to 3 days per week as I feel it’s vital to be visible and available. The business is an agile one and that’s also the approach I have to take when planning each day. Although the basis of a daily structure is there, the rapid growth coupled with the unwavering desire for the business to deliver outstanding customer service requires the need for all of us to pivot on a regular basis. The recent addition of an Exec PA to our Leadership Team is helping me enormously and allowing me to focus on long term projects as well as getting current ones over the line.

 

No two days are the same.

 

CHH has always been a people-focused business. What does the next stage of that journey look like and where are the opportunities?

 

As the business grows, it’s vital to ensure we attract, retain and develop the best talent possible across all departments. Individual employee Personal Development Plans and KPIs will play a pivotal role here and assist us as we look to future proof the business and strengthen our succession planning.

 

There are huge opportunities for our current staff as well as for new entrants to the business. In the last 12 months alone, the organisational structure bears little resemblance to that of a year ago – with many new openings having presented themselves. I am confident the next 12 months will be no different and am so looking forward to the journey.

 

What do you enjoy most about your work?

 

Easy. It is the people, and at all levels. There are colleagues who have been here since the business was formed in 1990 and have CHH running through them like a stick of rock. I love their passion and how they wear it like a badge of honour. The challenge is to retain those values as we continue to grow and evolve. That is what makes this role so rewarding.

 

In addition, this is not a business for the faint-hearted. The pace is fast and we are constantly looking to improve our value-add to our customers. I thrive on this type of approach and culture and feel proud to be able to play my small part.

 

Away from work, how do you like to spend your time?

 

I love sport. I was (many years ago) a long distance runner, played basketball and spent time as a squash coach. I am known as a sporting ‘Statto’ among my friends because I am obsessed with facts and figures. I love quizzes, long distance walking and 70s and 80s music. More importantly, I have a son who is a Detective Constable in the police force – I take great pride in the fact that he is a fabulous human being.