Progress is very important to Hellen.
Hellen Lebone, Regional HR Director at Hilton Africa & Indian Ocean, is a respected professional whose colleagues would describe as diligent and maybe even firm at times, but always fair. Her journey towards the HR profession began as a fascination with psychology. She wanted to become a psychologist because of Marlena Evans, a character on the daytime drama Days of Our Lives, who was a psychiatrist. During her studies at Wits Business School, however, she became far more enamoured with human resources and no longer wished to pursue clinical psychology.
Hellen met with CHRO SA MD Graham Fehrsen, who sought to learn more about the HR executive who made the transition from technology to hospitality, having been at Microsoft prior to her current role.
“What drives me, on a personal level, is my family, but, on a professional level, I get frustrated when I don’t see positive change in my working environment. I always go into a new role with the intention of leaving the organisation in a better state than what I found. Mediocrity doesn’t work for me,” said Hellen, who sees herself as a change agent in her role.
Hellen grew up on the outskirts of Pretoria and counts her spirituality amongst her key values. She is a mother of two boys who have had to get used to a mother who travels frequently. She said that her husband is very supportive which makes it a bit easier when she is travelling on business. When she is not hard at work, Hellen enjoys spending time with her family, exercising, connecting with friends and also dedicates some of her time to her passions of mentoring young ladies and public speaking.
On what she hopes to gain from CHRO community, Hellen said she is looking forward to engaging with her peers, sharing ideas and thoughts on how to deal with current and future challenges that they all face.
