How ghd Hair’s head of people turned curiosity into a career

Symeon Leslie, the head of people for Australia and New Zealand at ghd Hair, didn't set out to work in HR.

But while doing a business degree, she found it was the HR and psychology subjects that captured her attention.

“It was those HR and psych subjects during my business degree that really stood out to me—I realised I was fascinated by what makes people tick and how you could help unlock their potential,” she told HRD.

"I found myself drawn to the psychology behind what motivates people and how leaders can support them in achieving their goals.”

It was that curiosity and passion for understanding human drivers that led her into the HR profession—and has kept her at ghd Hair for nine years.

At the heart of her role, Leslie sees herself as a facilitator of growth.

“I get genuine joy from helping individuals and teams define a vision and work towards it—even if it means pushing them to step out of their comfort zones,” she outlined.

“Seeing someone achieve something they didn’t think they could is an incredible feeling—and knowing I had a small part in that is what drives me.”

Operating across the Tasman

Operating across both Australia and New Zealand, Leslie says her approach to people management remains largely consistent, despite cultural and economic differences.

“People are people. Their values and motivations differ, yes—but the key is to always treat them as individuals,” she noted.

“Whether they're in Auckland or Adelaide, I approach each person with curiosity and respect for what makes them tick.”

ghd Hair’s external reputation for product innovation, Leslie explained, is mirrored internally with a workplace culture that encourages bold thinking.

“Innovation isn’t just something we do—it’s who we are,” she said.

“We actively break down hierarchies so that any employee—regardless of role—feels comfortable pitching ideas directly to our leadership team.”

Constant evolution of people management strategies

This year, ghd Hair trialled a new approach to employee feedback that underscored their culture of inclusion and curiosity.

“We always run an annual engagement survey—but this time we went deeper,” Leslie explained.

“We created cross-functional focus groups from every department and level of the business. What emerged were small, powerful changes we never would’ve uncovered in a boardroom of senior leaders alone.”

It’s this kind of adaptive, grassroots insight that are critical in today’s diverse, multi-generational workforce. “There’s no one-size-fits-all anymore,” Leslie added. “If you're not individualising your engagement strategies, you're already falling behind.”

A career of buy-in and purpose

Reflecting on her career, Leslie says that staying curious and humble has been key.

“Anyone can build a strategy but translating that into action—getting buy-in, linking purpose to individual roles—is where real leadership happens,” she concluded.

“The best environments are those where people feel trusted, heard, and empowered to challenge the status quo.”