My mission as the new CIPP chair

I started in my first payroll role after leaving education, as an office junior for a local construction firm. That gave me an insight into working rule agreements, joint council rules and an appetite for delivering a product (payslip), as the result of many computations.

My journey began in a time before computers, when each payslip was built up manually and carbonised paper was all the rage. Enough of history for the time being.

From my position now, I want to focus on the future of payroll and pensions and what that means for our industry and the professionals within it. Embracing change is important, with more than a courteous nod to the past, as we collectively would not be where we are today without the efforts of our founder members to build an Institution that is world renowned.

The future of payroll and pensions is not just affected by the technology available to us, it is also about how we respond to broader expectations of individuals in the workforce.

The gig economy and the increasing demand for immediate information will drive changes in how pay, pensions and the rewards of working life are handled by those responsible for delivering the numeration to bank accounts and pension pots alike.

Just as retailers are changing shape to respond to the demands of shoppers, we must also take account of the changing demands of the employee base.

I look forward to working with the CIPP board and and would like to take this opportunity to formally thank Eira Hammond, former chair, for her stewardship over the term of her appointment.

Eira has been an excellent chair, providing strategic direction to the review of our portfolio and bringing Individual Chartered Membership to the Institute. As both a friend and a colleague, I thank her for the momentum gained and the course being followed. May the winds of success fill our collective sails.