Ryan McGhee is a senior Human Resources professional with over 20 years of experience working in the private and public sectors, in the UK, Australia and New Zealand. He has worked at brands including Apple, PepsiCo, and Campbell Arnott's, as well as for public organisations such as the Treasury, MBIE, and the Electoral Commission. He holds a BA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from Oxford University, and a MA in Human Resource Management from London Metropolitan University.
Ryan's work in Remuneration and Recognition for Diageo Australia (makers of Smirnoff and Guinness) was recognised as a finalist for "Best Reward and Recognition Strategy" by the Australian Human Resources Institute in 2014. He has also led notable cultural transformation programmes for Macquarie Private Wealth and QBE Insurance.
Ryan is passionate about the real difference that HR can make to organisations, and to the lives of their employees.
Ryan is also a professional stand-up comedian, having recently joined the NZ comedy scene in 2020. Over the last 3 years he has won "Best Newcomer" at the NZ Comedy Guild Awards (2021), written his debut comedy show "The Scottish Kiwi", and toured through 16 different cities and towns across Aotearoa.
Ryan is a member of the Board of the NZ Comedy Guild, and is the Chairman and founder of the Kiwi Arts and Comedy Trust. He is also a proud member of Actors' Equity.
Talking Points
The Future of Leadership
It's a tough time to be leader. From the fall-out of COVID-19 and rising living costs, to the rise of AI and automation, one thing is certain - we live in uncertain times. What does the current research say about being the most effective leader you can be?The Future of Leadership
This session explores the most recent research into leadership styles and behaviours, and presents practical advice and steps for leaders to take for their self development. Using insights and case studies from high-profile brands such as Apple, PepsiCo and Campbell Arnott's, Ryan combines this with the latest research to introduce you to the latest thinking on leadership.
Maximising Reward and Recognition
There's only a finite amount that organisations can spend on how they reward and recognise their people. But where should you spend it? What do the latest trends and research in this space tell us? Join Ryan as he combines his experience in leading Compensation and Benefits for brands such as PepsiCo, Diageo and Campbell Arnott's, with the latest research and market data, to show how you can most efficiently maximise your reward and recognition spend.
Maximising Reward and Recognition
Confessions of a HR Director
After 20 years in HR, there isn't much I haven't seen. It doesn't matter whether someone is working in a manufacturing plant, selling products off the back of a van, or making financial deals worth millions - anyone can end up sat opposite me in an investigation. I always said I'd write a book about my crazy experiences....I'll get started with a talk instead!Confessions of a HR Director
Join me for a light-hearted look at some of the crazy situations that folks can end up in - names and scenarios have been tweaked to protect confidentiality, but the content is all entirely true!
Ryan was a very good fit for our corporate conference. He was respectful and polite to all guest speakers and members in attendance. He sprinkled a few funny comments throughout the day, but ... keep reading New Zealand Intellectual Property Attorneys Inc
Ryan designed and delivered a number of workshops and leadership days, as part of his work on culture for an independent crown agency. Ryan's engaging manner saw him at the table with the Chief Executive and Executive Leadership team on a regular basis to collaboratively design the content. He handled some tough conversations and team dynamics during the workshops and the leadership days - I'd happily recommend him.
We booked Ryan as the MC for one of our conferences. He was professional, good humoured, and kept a good pace going throughout the day. Our content can often change at short notice or on the day - Ryan's flexibility and patience was greatly appreciated! I'd highly recommend him to others looking for an MC.
We asked Ryan back to host a leadership conference and awards dinner in March 2023. Ryan did a great job of keeping us to time when we had a lot of content to cover. I thought he judged the mood of the room well, striking a good balance between light-hearted fun and keeping things professional. We ran attendee feedback questionnaires after the event and Ryan's role as MC was highly rated. We were very pleased with the event overall.
