A Pillar of the Modern Business Strategy: The Chief People & Culture Officer

As organizations continue to navigate change and increasing complexity, the role of the Chief People and Culture Officer (CPCO) has become more critical than ever. No longer limited to traditional HR functions, today’s CPCOs are stepping into roles that drive business transformation, shape organizational strategy, and influence company-wide performance.

At Waterstone, we help organizations create high-performance cultures by finding better leaders and building better cultures to get better results. We’ve seen firsthand how the CPCO role has evolved into a strategic cornerstone that aligns people and culture with business outcomes.

To explore this transformation, we invited Cerys Cook, Chief People & Transformation Officer at Swift Medical, to share her insights and experiences on how the CPCO role is changing, and why organizations must prioritize it as a key driver of growth and business success.

Shaping systems that enable high-performance teams

The role of the Chief People and Culture Officer is evolving. Some companies are already leaning into this shift, while others are just beginning to recognize the strategic impact this role can truly have.

There was a time when this function was narrowly scoped to hiring, compliance, and performance reviews. The “people stuff”. Important, but often peripheral to what was considered the real work of the business: sales, marketing, finance, operations.

Today, that view no longer reflects what’s possible and it may be limiting companies from reaching their full potential. Companies that treat People leadership as secondary are likely already feeling the consequences: disengaged teams, inconsistent leadership, stalled transformations. What used to be seen as “soft skills” are now some of the most critical business competencies.

In high-growth, high-stakes environments, the CPCO isn’t just designing the employee experience. They’re shaping the operating system of the business.

That includes decisions about how work happens: rhythms, processes, and cadences that create accountability and flow. They’re designing how information moves through the company and supporting leaders through hard calls, making sure those decisions are communicated in a way that builds trust instead of eroding it.

The CPCO as the strategic glue in change initiatives

In many organizations, the CPCO’s responsibilities now extend to playing a central role in transformation and operations – not because the CPCO is expanding beyond their lane, but because their lane has widened.

I’ve experienced this first-hand, having led multi-year transformations, guided organizational redesigns to support evolving business models, and acted as the connective tissue between executive vision and front-line execution. During a CEO transition, the People function became the stabilizing force, not just for employees, but for the leadership team as well. We rebuilt leadership behaviours, realigned performance systems, and re-established strategic clarity.

Along the way, I’ve had my own learning moments. There were times when I hesitated to challenge a direction or underestimated the impact of my voice in the room. Each one taught me to lead with greater clarity, confidence, and conviction. It reshaped how I show up and deepened my understanding of what this role truly demands.

And I’m not alone. I know other CPCOs who are also:

• Leading operational planning cycles alongside the COO
• Owning internal communications and narrative design during change
• Playing a central role in M&A integration, helping unify teams, processes, and cultural norms
• Partnering with product teams to ensure readiness for market and effective cross-functional collaboration

They do this not by seeking control, but by seeing the whole system through a unique lens and being trusted to bring cohesion across it.

The leadership DNA of the modern CPCO

This kind of leadership requires fluency across domains. The modern CPCO must understand how the business makes money, where its risks lie, what customers care about, and what employees need to do their best work.

They’ve got to hold their own with engineers, earn the trust of investors, and sit with someone quietly who’s having a rough week – sometimes all on the same day. Some days, you’re reading a P&L. Other days, you’re reading the room. A good CPCO knows both matter and knows which one to prioritize at any given moment.

They also need stamina. Whether it’s guiding a team through change, supporting team members through burnout, or managing sensitive transitions like workforce reductions, the CPCO’s work is foundational to maintaining trust and continuity across the organization.

A reorganization goes smoothly, a leader steps up and performs at a higher level, or a culture holds steady through change – these outcomes may appear organic, but they’re often the result of thoughtful, behind-the-scenes leadership.

This role isn’t a luxury; it’s a strategic necessity. By fostering psychological safety, coaching through resistance, and translating interpersonal dynamics into actionable insights, CPCOs enable organizations to scale sustainably and lead with purpose.

What does this mean for CEOs, founders, and boards?

It means the Chief People and Culture Officer is not just your HR lead, they’re your strategic partner. Bring them into the room not just when it’s time to communicate a decision, but when you’re still shaping the decision itself.

Ask them what they’re seeing and hearing. The best ones have their fingers on the pulse of the organization in ways your dashboards never will. They can tell you what your leadership team is avoiding, where your communication is breaking down, and why that one high-performing team seems to be thriving while others are struggling.

Support their insights and strategies by investing in them. If they propose funding for leadership training, performance systems, or tools to better understand engagement and productivity, don’t view it as overhead – view it as infrastructure.

Be open-minded when they challenge you on how a change is being rolled out, or caution against a decision that will damage trust. Their insights are grounded in a deep understanding of your people, your culture, and the ripple effects that operational decisions can have across the business. They’re not a buffer; they’re a bridge connecting leadership intent with employee experience.

The best CPCOs are trying to build something that will last and won’t break under pressure. They want your company to win and they want your people to win too. And when the partnership is built right, the impact is undeniable: stronger leadership, better decisions, higher retention, and a high-performance culture that becomes a competitive advantage.

You might not always notice it. But your team will feel it. Your leaders will grow because of it. And your company will be better for it.

Aligning leadership, culture, and strategy for impact

As the role of the Chief People and Culture Officer continues to evolve, it’s clear that organizations can no longer afford to treat people and culture as secondary to strategy. The modern CPCO is not just influencing how businesses operate; they’re shaping the very foundation of transformation, performance, and growth. For CEOs, founders, and boards, this shift calls for a deeper partnership with their people leaders and a renewed commitment to embedding culture into every corner of the business.

At Waterstone, we work with organizations to build high-performance cultures by identifying and developing leaders who drive impact. Whether you’re navigating change, scaling operations, or aligning leadership around a shared vision, our team can help you find the right leaders and build the high-performance culture to support long-term success. Get in touch to learn how we can support your leadership and culture strategy.