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Human Resources by Design (HRbD) was established by Helen Hartley, a seasoned HR and Organisation Development professional whose global career reflects both depth and breadth across industries. Helen’s professional journey has taken her into boardrooms and businesses across the United States, Germany, India, Asia Pacific, and New Zealand. Her portfolio includes luxury retail, FMCG, manufacturing, financial services, digital, energy, water, education, and not-for-profit sectors.

Helen’s corporate pedigree includes senior roles at Duty Free Stores owned by LVMH, Schwarzkopf, and Levi Strauss & Co., where she contributed to international leadership programs. Her reputation as a creative solution-finder and strategic partner has made her a trusted advisor to executives, CEOs, and emerging leaders alike.

Helen Hartley

Helen Hartley

What We Do

HRbD helps organisations align people, performance, and purpose. We design and deliver programs and processes that make strategy actionable, leadership impactful, and workplaces more human. Our services span:

  • Leadership & Management Development – Proven global programs, including Momentum and the new Momentum 2.0, a signature Train-the-Trainer initiative.
  • Women’s Development Programs – Equipping women leaders, worldwide from various cultural backgrounds, with the knowledge, tools, and confidence to thrive.
  • Coaching & Mentoring – Individual and group coaching for executives, senior leaders, and emerging talent.
  • Organisation Development & Change – Embedding cultural and behavioural change through tailored frameworks and toolkits.
  • Learning & Development – Custom programs designed for impact, from regulatory compliance to cutting-edge leadership tools.

Momentum 2.0 – Building Leaders and Facilitators

Momentum has already transformed leaders worldwide through its live classroom and interactive methodology. With Momentum 2.0, we take this success further by building internal capability. Clients nominate facilitators in each region who join the program alongside participants. Through Train-the-Trainer sessions, regular debriefs, and guided practice, these facilitators gain the knowledge, tools, and confidence to deliver Momentum in-house.

This ensures:

  • Global consistency of leadership language and behaviours
  • Sustainability beyond the life of the program
  • Scalable impact across business units and regions
  • Embedded leadership culture that becomes part of your organisation’s DNA

Why Choose HR by Design

We bring:

  • Global consistency with local relevance – programs delivered seamlessly across the Americas, Asia Pacific, and Europe.
  • Deep expertise across industries – from luxury retail, financial services, technology, energy, education to not-for-profit.
  • Commitment to collaboration – working in partnership with clients to co-create solutions that last.
  • Measured impact – programs evaluated through assessments, feedback, and organisational outcomes.

Above all, HRbD is driven by a belief: thoughtful leadership transforms organisations. Our mission is to equip leaders and facilitators with the capability, confidence, and clarity to make a difference for themselves, their teams, and their businesses.

Contact Helen Here

I know we formally thanked you in the last session but I just wanted to add my personal thanks for your work with us (and me!). I found it very useful and compelling and I think it will help address many of the issues facing AIB staff now and into the future due to the relentless change and pressures of this (higher education-based) industry.

Associate Professor Steve Brown

I have worked with Helen Hartley over a number of years where she has been engaged as a consultant by my last two employers to produce and deliver a variety of training, workshops, and development programs in the areas of Leadership, Management, Communication and Customer Service.

Helen has extensive knowledge of Organisation Development, Management and Leadership theories and is an accredited practitioner in Myers Briggs psychological profiling and Benchmarks 360 ° feedback development process.  This knowledge combined with Helen’s senior management and international experience means that Helen is equally comfortable training or coaching senior executives, middle management, emerging leaders and academics. Helen’s warm and engaging communication style means that she is able to draw from her extensive business experience to provide real life examples to complement the learning for participants.

I value Helen’s advice and counsel and would highly recommend Helen of HR by Design to other business that would benefit from these skills.

Norma West

I have worked closely with Helen Hartley for almost four years as she assisted me in developing and implementing a business plan to start a new psychology business.  During that time Helen provided me with accurate and timely advice about everything an inexperienced business owner needed to know.  Helen’s skill set is impressive. It ranges from marketing to industrial law, contracts, staffing and all Human Relations issues. She is an energetic and inspirational woman who leads by example.

Helen is generous with her time and treats all her clients as valued friends.  She is hardworking, knowledgeable and utterly professional in everything she does. She has particular strengths in  analyzing conflicts in the workplace and keeping people accountable and task orientated, rather than getting lost in the emotion. If you ever need support in terminating employment contracts, Helen will guide you in how to do that professionally with respect for each person involved. I wholeheartedly recommend Helen’s services to anyone needing a wise business mentor and coach.

Robyn Blake Mortimer

Helen is an outstanding facilitator. She is both knowledgeable and engaging. She gets consistently high feedback from participants. Helen’s approach is both collaborative and creative. She is flexible and personable, always easy to work with.

Karen Taylor
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