Advanced Welcomes Niki Smith as People and Culture Director

Niki Smith has joined the leadership team at Advanced as our new People & Culture Director. With a rich background in human resources built over 20 years working in a variety of sectors, she has a passion for fostering inclusive and dynamic workplace cultures.

Niki has gained in-depth understanding of corporate HR practices throughout a career that spans roles in local authority, charity, higher education as well as manufacturing.

Prior to joining Advanced, Niki led the European HR function within the industrial chain business at international engineering group Renold Plc, overseeing teams across Germany, Spain, and the UK. Before that, she held various roles within Canon UK and access solutions company ASSA ABLOY, where she managed talent pipelines on a global scale.

At Advanced, Niki’s primary focus will be on understanding the current business priorities and projects and accelerating strategic HR initiatives to support Advanced’s growth. She will also focus on recruitment strategies to attract top talent and expand our diverse and inclusive team in line with Advanced’s core values and business objectives.

Speaking about the appointment, Managing Director, Antonio Telesca said: “The development of our company culture and the nurturing of talent within our organisation are central to our growth strategy. We are delighted to welcome Niki to Advanced! Her practical approach and passion for HR will allow us to drive the delivery of the many people-focused initiatives we have planned in our pursuit of “Creating a Safer, Sustainable Future”.