HR Moves: Estée Lauder, HP, and Nike tap new HR leaders

A new year often brings with it personal and professional changes. The latter is true for several HR leaders, who are joining new companies or earning promotions.

Estée Lauder. The cosmetics giant named Michael Bowes as its first CPO, effective Apr. 1, replacing Michael O’Hare, who served as CHRO for 13 years. The news was announced around the same time the company revealed restructuring-related layoffs affecting up to 7,000 employees, the Wall Street Journal reported. Bowes joined Estée Lauder in 2015 and initially managed global talent acquisition after decades of experience at high-end brands, including Coach, Cole Haan, and Saks Fifth Avenue.

Hachette Book Group. Carrie Bloxson was promoted in December to CHRO at the Hachette Book Group, where she is responsible for recruitment and retention, company culture, and training. She joined the company in 2021 as chief diversity officer, winning multiple awards for her DE&I efforts. Bloxson previously worked in marketing at non-profit groups and other publishers.

HP. Carol Surface will take over as CPO on Mar. 24, and will oversee people strategy for HP’s 58,000 employees. She was previously at Apple, where she spent less than a year as the company’s first CPO and led HR and diversity efforts. Before joining Apple, Surface spent a decade as Medtronic’s CHRO and also held HR roles at Best Buy and PepsiCo.

Humana. Michelle O’Hara took over as Humana’s CHRO on Jan. 1, and will oversee talent strategy for the company’s approximately 63,000 employees. She brings roughly two decades of HR experience with her, including 15 years as CHRO at technology company SAIC.

The Humane Society of the United States. Stephanie Briggs was recently promoted to CPO at the animal welfare organization, after eight months as its interim CPO. She will be in charge of company culture and compensation and role parameters. She joined the organization in 2021 after holding HR roles at Washington Gas, a D.C.-based utility, and a career in insurance claims.

Nike. The sportswear brand recently shook up its executive leadership team, welcoming Treasure Heinle as its new EVP and CHRO, and Kizmet Mills as its new chief diversity officer. Their appointments follow a tumultuous 2024, during which Nike cut 40% of its top corporate roles. Heinle, who has worked at Nike for more than 13 years, is taking over for Monique Matheson, who spent 26 years at the company. She will oversee its big-picture people strategy. Mills, who has worked in DE&I at Nike for nearly a decade, is the company’s fifth CDO since 2020 and previously worked for the Coca-Cola Company and ADP.