Rachel Cox, Maintel’s Chief People Officer, has crafted a career defined by adaptability, spanning diverse sectors and continents. Her journey—from language studies to senior HR leadership—featured five distinct roles across two nations, a deliberate shift toward a financially struggling company, and an unexpected stint overseeing rewards that was supposed to be temporary. Now, halfway through leading Maintel’s transformation, she emphasizes that empowering managers is her top priority.
From Language Studies to Human Resources
Cox excelled academically in languages but rejected teaching or translation as a path. Instead, she pursued a degree merging German and French studies with international business to transition into corporate environments. At Loughborough University, she gained a First from International Business with German and French, with the added bonus of a placement year at IBM working in recruitment.
This experience allowed her to apply her linguistic skills while simultaneously deepening her interest in HR. She found herself drawn to how employees function and think, selecting HR-focused modules during her degree. Her first professional opportunity came through Norwich Union’s graduate program; now part of Aviva. She got to sit in on all the different areas of HR, and that satisfied her thirst for understanding each part of it.
Read Also: Employers Shift Toward Part-Time Roles Over Seasonal Hires
Gaining Broad Experience Across Roles
After two years, Cox sought broader responsibilities and joined Johnson & Johnson, where she managed HR for manufacturing and distribution teams totaling 400 employees. The position demanded significant engagement with trade unions and case management, which she describes as an invaluable training period.
Her ambition led her to seek further growth. “I realised I could spend another two years doing the same role, or I could learn more.” Over the following six years at Hallmark Cards, she held five separate roles across two countries within an organization employing 3,000 to 4,000 people. Her path began in talent, moved onto an innovation programme outside HR, did reward, and then a year in a generalist role in their Australia & New Zealand business, during which she briefly looked after the supply chain division.
A Challenging Debut as Head of People
Her next assignment took her to FitFlop, a company with just 180 staff, where she assumed her first Head of People position. Cox characterizes the experience as a “baptism of fire,” though she acknowledges its intensity exceeded her preparedness. The value she placed on collaborative networks ultimately prompted her to return to a larger corporation: Premier Farnell.
Read Also: Assistant volleyball coach sues SJSU over trans athlete
The electronics distributor operated in 40 countries and had issued a profit warning during Cox’s hiring process. She adopted the challenge, noting the CPO’s share price data convinced her of the company’s potential. Her tenure there proved transformative. One Friday afternoon, she received an urgent request to manage rewards during a restructuring of the people team, a responsibility that lasted 18 months beyond its original scope.
Turning Financial Struggles Into Growth
This phase stands as her most rewarding career achievement. When she departed as Global Head of Talent, she had implemented leadership assessment and development initiatives. With the company now under US ownership, she felt prepared to take on expanded responsibilities in smaller organizations, focusing on scaling operations and workforce growth.
