LeadershipManagementHuman Resources

Tailoring HR Strategy: A CPO's Role in Fashioning C-Suite Success

SHRM
SHRM•May 15, 2026

Why It Matters

By positioning HR as the strategic conductor aligned with finance, companies can translate talent decisions into profit‑center performance, turning people management into a competitive advantage.

Key Takeaways

  • •HR must move from seat at table to conducting the orchestra
  • •Aligning CPO with CFO drives financial performance and strategic agility
  • •Balance creativity with policy through conditional expectations, not rigid guardrails
  • •Weekly executive meetings and monthly CFO‑CPO reviews ensure rapid talent adjustments
  • •Mentorship and early exposure shape HR leaders into business drivers

Summary

In this People and Strategy episode, regional chief people officer Jamie Derling discusses how the modern CPO must evolve beyond merely having a seat at the executive table to actually conducting the organization’s talent orchestra, especially within luxury retail.

Derling stresses that the most powerful partnership for a CPO is with the CFO, likening HR and finance to the neck that steers the CEO’s head. She outlines a disciplined cadence of weekly executive committee meetings and monthly CFO‑CPO reviews to align talent, incentives, and cost structures with real‑time sales data.

She illustrates her philosophy with vivid analogies—a “big fat Greek wedding” and the “angel‑devil” on each shoulder—to explain how HR balances creative freedom with essential guardrails, using conditional expectations rather than rigid policies. Derling also credits early mentorship from Flavia Spain at Bulgari for showing her that HR can be a strategic decision‑maker, not just a support function.

The conversation underscores that when HR and finance move in lockstep, organizations can swiftly adjust talent strategies, protect innovation, and directly influence profitability, a model that other sectors can replicate to turn people initiatives into measurable business outcomes.

Original Description

In this episode of People + Strategy, we sit down with Jamie Durling, regional Chief People Officer for luxury goods organizations such as Dolce & Gabbana and Moncler. Durling challenges the idea that HR is still earning its seat at the table. Instead, he argues that the opportunity lies in how HR leaders use that seat to orchestrate strategy, operations, and financial performance — especially through the critical CFO partnership. Grounded in both personal reflection and real-world application, he shares how HR can balance creativity with discipline, use data beyond HR to drive productivity, and tailor operations for true revenue success.
To hear more from Durling, register for SHRM26, where he’ll be speaking at the executive session "HR Executive Insights: Architecting the Future of the Global Workforce": https://shop.shrm.org/annual
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