Harri Stenning

Harri Stenning

Head of Global Talent Operations - OneTrust

Harri Hewett’s path into recruiting began the same way many great careers in talent do—unexpectedly.

After graduating from university, Harri initially believed her future would be in the events industry. She completed postgraduate studies aligned to that path and joined one of London’s most recognizable brands, Ministry of Sound, where she worked in corporate events. While the role sounded exciting on paper, the reality was very different. The long hours and day-to-day demands made it clear that the career was not the right fit.

That realization led to a turning point.

A connection working in recruitment suggested Harri explore the industry, describing both the pace and the opportunity it offered. She accepted an entry-level role in agency recruiting—and quickly discovered a profession where she could thrive. What began as a chance pivot soon became a long-term career built on relationships, problem-solving, and business impact.

Her early years in agency recruitment gave her a strong commercial foundation. Working in a 360 recruitment environment, Harri learned how to build client relationships, win business, and identify great talent simultaneously. The fast-paced and demanding nature of agency life helped shape the discipline, resilience, and stakeholder management skills that would define her leadership style.

From there, Harri joined OneTrust at an exceptionally early stage of growth as employee number three. Over nearly a decade, she helped scale the organization from startup beginnings to a global business of approximately 3,500 employees at its peak.

Throughout that journey, she led talent acquisition across international markets before stepping into Talent Acquisition Operations, where she now focuses on systems, process excellence, scalability, and innovation. Few leaders have had the opportunity to help build both the front-end and operational backbone of a talent function through hypergrowth, and Harri has done both.

What Energizes Her Most

For Harri, energy comes from growth—both organizational and personal.

She is inspired by helping companies scale through smart hiring strategies while also creating environments where talent teams can evolve and succeed. Having experienced OneTrust’s rapid growth firsthand, she thrives in moments where change creates opportunity.

She is equally energized by learning. Rather than relying solely on past experience, Harri believes great leaders stay curious, stay teachable, and continuously adapt to new realities.

That mindset has become especially important in her move into operations, where innovation, technology, and process design are constantly evolving.

How Recruiting Is Changing

Harri believes one of the defining capabilities for talent leaders today is adaptability.

Having spent years navigating major business shifts—from startup growth to market corrections to organizational redesign—she sees change management as a core leadership skill. In today’s environment, where AI is rapidly reshaping recruiting workflows, the ability to pivot quickly is more valuable than ever.

She has also seen how AI is beginning to transform talent operations specifically.

From efficiency gains to automation opportunities and smarter tooling, AI is creating new ways for teams to save time, improve processes, and operate at greater scale. But Harri emphasizes that simply having access to tools is not enough.

Leaders must invest time in understanding what is changing, what solutions are emerging, and how to implement them responsibly.

For her, the organizations that will win are those that combine technology adoption with operational discipline and a culture of continuous learning.

Harri’s Advice for 2026

As talent acquisition moves deeper into an AI-enabled future, Harri’s advice is clear: stay agile and stay curious.

The pace of change is only accelerating, and leaders who become fixed in outdated ways of thinking risk being left behind. Experience remains valuable, but it must be paired with a willingness to learn new tools, new models, and new ways of working.

She encourages talent leaders to return to a learner’s mindset—asking questions, experimenting with technology, and staying close to market developments.

She also believes leaders should focus on using innovation to empower teams, not overwhelm them. The goal is not to chase every trend, but to identify what creates real value in productivity, candidate experience, and strategic impact.

For Harri, the future belongs to leaders who can blend experience with adaptability—and strategy with execution.

That combination of humility, growth mindset, and operational leadership is what makes Harri Hewett a standout voice in modern talent acquisition—and a deserving member of the Talent 100.