Symeon Leslie spoke to HRD about purpose-driven people strategies and not initially setting out to work in HR
In an industry known for constant reinvention, ghd Hair has built its internal success on something timeless—putting people first.
Symeon Leslie, the company’s Head of People for Australia and New Zealand, has played a pivotal role in championing this philosophy across the brand’s operations.
“I didn’t set out to work in HR,” Leslie admitted to HRD, “But as I studied business while working full-time, 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 his 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.”
Working across different industries with the likes of Nike and Minor DKL Food Group, Leslie’s people management strategy has been largely shaped by her education.
“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 said.
With people-first firmly embedded as a strategic pillar at ghd Hair, Leslie’s leadership shows that purpose-led HR isn’t just good for people—it’s good for business.
