Summary
Overview
Work history
Skills
Certification
Interests
Timeline
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Caroline Thompson

Caroline Thompson

Bicester,OXF

Summary

Visionary, adaptable and fast-paced learning and talent professional, experienced at driving business growth through leadership, talent and capability initiatives. Organisational psychologist, management consultant and executive coach with 20+ years specializing in leadership assessment, development and people transformation within complex, global (FTSE 10) organisations. A unique ability to blend psychology and cultural insights with the critical thinking and commerciality of a consultant, alongside authenticity, humility and collaboration. Experienced Executive Coach, working with senior leaders (C-suite, military leaders) to drive transformation.

Overview

21
21
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification

Work history

Global Talent Partner

Elsevier
London
09.2024 - 08.2025
  • Company Overview: Elsevier - Scientific, Technical & Medical Publishing / Insights (RELX Group), Global (9000 employees).
  • Interim Strategic Talent Partner to Academic & Government, Technology and Global Operations – providing talent leadership during critical transformation.
  • Driving strategic learning, talent, performance management & succession planning to enable business outcomes - revenue growth of +5%, driven, shifting business mix towards higher growth segments, focus on innovation, go-to-market excellence, and extreme re-use of capabilities.
  • Coaching high potential leaders. C-suite leadership and talent conversations.
  • Embedding enterprise-wide leadership framework.
  • Developed effective succession planning strategies with senior management teams.
  • Streamlined internal processes (learning, talent review) to enhance work efficiency across global teams.

Head of People Leadership (Manager) Capability

RELX
London
01.2023 - 08.2025
  • Company Overview: RELX, Global (FTSE 5) - global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools (37,000 employees).
  • Senior (L4) Leader in Global Talent & Capability COE.
  • Spearheaded first cross-RELX development initiative across four business divisions, enhancing capabilities of over 6,000 People Leaders globally.
  • Directed senior leadership interventions through team and culture MBTI workshops to strengthen organisational culture.
  • Developed scalable people leader learning offerings through comprehensive needs analysis and innovative digital learning design.
  • Aligned people leader capabilities with strategic business initiatives to cultivate a performance management culture.
  • Established a Global Coaching and Facilitator network to enhance People Leadership effectiveness.
  • Enhanced People Leadership metrics, including employee engagement and manager effectiveness indicators.
  • Oversaw global deployment, analysing data to identify high-priority areas linked to talent initiatives in over 15 countries and five languages.
  • Managed stakeholder engagement and dashboard development to ensure transparent communication and effective project delivery.

Head of Employee Experience, Talent Development COE

RELX
London
09.2021 - 01.2023
  • Defined ‘Moments that Matter’ – working with data (e.g. attrition/exit data) defined critical moments across employee lifecycle.
  • Created enterprise-wide RELX perspective that has provided focus for management development and process / user experience journey mapping.
  • Enterprise-wide Coaching for Impact Analysis - led pilot of coaching interventions to analyse impact across different use cases (high potential, team coaching).
  • Created Employee Experience Movement – created and connected global community of Ex practitioners, supporting them to create change across employee lifecycle (e.g. onboarding).
  • Additional Projects: Leadership Development, Digital Learning Culture and Experience. Performance Management – Process to Impact.

People Leader & Senior Manager, People Consulting

KPMG LLP
London
05.2018 - 09.2021
  • Company Overview: KPMG Management Consulting, London
  • Invited to re-join KPMG to build the L&D practice, connecting learning expertise into talent consulting.
  • Leadership Coach / Culture Change assessments – led culture change and 1:1 Executive Coaching (Barrett Culture Assessments).
  • People / Performance Leader - Led the performance of the team of 70+ management consultants through culture change (cultural integration), performance and talent acquisition / management, D&I strategy, remuneration, team engagement and business performance (resourcing, utilisation). Secondment role / in addition to client work.
  • Client Transformation, Culture Change, Organisation Design and Modernisation (Government sector) Lead role for major transformation (£multi-million contract) – culture change to enable insight-driven Performance Excellence.
  • L&D SME / Learning Innovation – direction into key client projects (design, facilitation) – e.g. design of a Haemophilia Academy for nurses, delivery of Core Consulting skills to Change Managers in Utilities.

Global Head of Leadership & Coaching

Kantar
London
07.2016 - 04.2018
  • Company Overview: Global COE in Learning & Leadership for Kantar (global data and insights, market research, brand strategy).
  • Strategy and direction for leaders/managers covering 30,000 employees globally (in 100 countries).
  • Member of WPP Inclusion & Diversity Steering Committee. Led prestigious Mentoring for Success programme targeting high potential female leaders.
  • Learning Transformation – Creating Global COE: evolving L&D function from learning teams in 12 individual brands into a global COE. Driving transformation of learning and talent strategies; working at Board-level.
  • Leadership, Management & Core Skills Learning (Client, Commercial, Consulting) Development – leadership strategy, behaviours and programmes. Launched ‘Flourish’ – a global leadership initiative to develop future leadership in 1,500 leaders. Designed Managing for Success; a global, blended learning initiative targeting 4,000+ managers.

Global Head of Talent Development

Kantar
London
06.2015 - 07.2016
  • Kantar TNS: Talent Review to Impact: led transformation of talent review from process into meaningful impact. Engaged Global Board to drive action (embedding leadership capabilities).
  • Led Talent Development across eight markets. Partnered with the Strategy & Transformation team to drive change from traditional research to more consultative, insight-driven business.
  • Learning Design, Innovation & Digital Capability: led review of team structure, alignment to strategy and programme delivery. Innovation - introduced virtual university, developed online classroom capability.

Director, Global Talent Development

Kantar
London, England
11.2013 - 06.2015
  • Leadership Development / Global Learning Programmes: led portfolio of global programmes offered across Kantar group (Client, People, Leadership).
  • Led project to define and drive business-wide Commercial skills.
  • Global Learning Network / Strategic Projects: leadership philosophy and resources including Leadership Capabilities, Kantar Feedback Tool (interactive, bespoke 360 tool) and development.

Manager, People & Change Consulting

KPMG LLP
London
08.2010 - 11.2013
  • Managed work streams for diverse, global clients (Anglo American, Zurich Financial Services, National Grid) enhancing value and growth through capability design, career pathways, change and people transformation.

Senior Occupational Psychologist

Work Group Plc
London
12.2006 - 07.2010
  • Conducted detailed leadership assessments (for selection and development).
  • Designed and led high potential leadership selection and development experiences (HSBC, Network Rail, BNP Paribas).


Graduate Recruitment Officer

Stephenson Harwood
London
04.2004 - 02.2006

Skills

  • Leadership Assessment
  • Executive Coach
  • Succession Planning
  • Talent Management
  • Learning needs analysis, learning design
  • End-to-end Talent Lifecycle
  • People Transformation
  • Occupational Psychology
  • Matrix Management
  • Global Delivery
  • Programme Development
  • Strong Influencing
  • Inclusive Leadership
  • Coaching, Mentoring & Growth
  • Equine Facilitated Learning & Leadership

Certification

Masters in Executive Coaching, Ashridge HULT (2022)

MSc Occupational Psychology, Nottingham University (2002)

BSc (Hons) Psychology, Nottingham University (2001), First Class

A-Levels & GCSEs, Roundwood Park School, Harpenden, Hertfordshire


Psychometric, team-building and cultural insight tools - including MBTI, Barrett Values Centre Culture Transformation Tools (CTT Diploma), SHL Wave, OPQ, Kornferry, Hogan Psychometrics (in progress)

HERD Institute – Equine Facilitated Learning

Interests

  • Horse-development training, horse riding, strength-training and yoga. Volunteering, including leading West-End immersive theatre production. Learning to DJ and playing in London clubs and a US music festival. Pro-bono coaching for talented female DJs, vocalists and producers in the music industry

Timeline

Global Talent Partner

Elsevier
09.2024 - 08.2025

Head of People Leadership (Manager) Capability

RELX
01.2023 - 08.2025

Head of Employee Experience, Talent Development COE

RELX
09.2021 - 01.2023

People Leader & Senior Manager, People Consulting

KPMG LLP
05.2018 - 09.2021

Global Head of Leadership & Coaching

Kantar
07.2016 - 04.2018

Global Head of Talent Development

Kantar
06.2015 - 07.2016

Director, Global Talent Development

Kantar
11.2013 - 06.2015

Manager, People & Change Consulting

KPMG LLP
08.2010 - 11.2013

Senior Occupational Psychologist

Work Group Plc
12.2006 - 07.2010

Graduate Recruitment Officer

Stephenson Harwood
04.2004 - 02.2006

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Caroline Thompson