Meet our team

liz@hr-surgery.co.uk

Liz founded HR Surgery in 2009 to give small and medium-sized businesses access to the kind of HR support usually only available to larger companies. Her aim was to provide down-to-earth, practical advice and tailored solutions – without the cost or complexity of an in-house HR team. With a strong track record in both strategic and hands-on HR, Liz brings experience from established brands including Tetley, Coty, and BAA. She holds a first-class honours degree and is fully MCIPD qualified.

Known for her inclusive style, clear advice, professionalism and sense of humour, Liz leads our team of experienced HR consultants, ensuring clients receive high-quality, practical HR support tailored to their business needs. Under her leadership, HR Surgery has become a trusted partner for SMEs – supporting everything from everyday people matters to complex cases, large-scale projects, and strategic HR initiatives.

Liz loves playing Padel and is always on the lookout for her next match. She also enjoys travelling and finding any excuse to combine the two – ideally somewhere sunny with a Padel court nearby!

eleanor@hr-surgery.co.uk

Eleanor has 10+ years’ experience in operations and administrative support, specialising in streamlining processes and building efficient systems to ensure smooth day-to-day operations. She provides high-quality support to the HR Surgery team, enabling them to focus on their work and deliver outstanding results.

Eleanor enjoys time with family and friends, relaxing with her cat, running, cycling, and meditation. A lifelong learner, she’s passionate about growth for herself and others. She loves to travel, and her next adventure is Indonesia.

Kate is a CIPD Fellow with over 30 years’ experience across financial services and regulatory bodies (including the Investment Association and Ofcom), media, the NHS, and higher education. As our Lead Compensation & Benefits Specialist, she supports clients with practical, tailored advice and insights on pay and benefits. She has deep expertise in reward design and in benchmarking salaries and benefits, helping small businesses develop fair, consistent, and competitive reward practices that support both their people and business goals. Her approach is thorough, straightforward, and shaped by extensive hands-on experience.

Kate enjoys playing tennis at her local club and traveling to watch international tournaments. She also loves walking, the opera, and attending talks.

Lucy is an expert in recruitment and learning & development, with over 25 years’ experience in hospitality and food retail. As part of our consultant team, she takes a practical, people-first approach to helping small businesses improve their recruitment, build team capability, and develop confident, effective leaders. Her passion for sourcing and matching the right people to the right roles and supporting growth is at the heart of the support she provides to our clients.

Lucy enjoys travels and adventures with her husband and teenage daughter and going to musicals.

Sophie is a Chartered CIPD Member and Fellow of the Learning & Performance Institute with over 20 years’ HR experience supporting both SMEs and larger organisations. She specialises in workplace culture, employee engagement and motivation, and building stronger, more connected teams – helping our clients create environments where people work well together and thrive.

Known for her collaborative, down-to-earth approach, Sophie brings fresh thinking, strong communication skills, and a practical mindset to every project.  She helps our clients’ teams improve how they work together and supports with management development to shape a more positive, productive working environment.

Sophie enjoys spending time with family and friends. She’s an avid reader, and loves exercise, especially running, cycling, kickboxing, and walking.

Helen is a CIPD-qualified HR professional with over 20 years’ experience supporting organisations across sectors including finance, education, and charities. She works with our clients to resolve people issues confidently and fairly, drawing on her first-class law degree and hands-on experience in employment tribunals.

Helen combines legal know-how with practical, strategic HR support – helping clients turn complex challenges into clear, workable solutions that support their people and their business.

Helen enjoys walking, reading, theatre, and music gigs. A dedicated volunteer, she serves as a Trustee for several charities, reflecting her passion for making a positive difference.

Lorraine has over 25 years’ experience in HR across a wide range of industries and HR roles. She’s particularly skilled in helping businesses manage change and has led everything from introducing practical new workplace policies to steering companies through transitions – from exciting growth to the challenges of downsizing. Always focused on practical, people-centred solutions that make commercial sense, she is known for her down-to-earth style and ability to bring calm and clarity to difficult situations. Lorraine builds trust quickly and works closely with clients to find straightforward, effective solutions – especially in challenging times.

Lorraine enjoys walking her dogs, spending time with her husband and daughter, and unwinding at the weekend with a glass of wine.