About
David Bearfield
Founder & Principal Consultant, Ascent People Consulting
A global thought and practice leader in HR strategy and transformation, with extensive experience transforming complex, large-scale systems and policies in international organisations. Almost four decades in the UK Civil Service, the European Commission, the EU institutions and the United Nations.
- UNDPDirector, Office of Human Resources
- EPSODirector, European Personnel Selection Office
- European CommissionPrivate Office of two Vice-Presidents
- CIPDChartered Fellow
Career
Three decades running recruitment and HR at the heart of the EU and the UN
2026 — Present
Ascent People Consulting
Independent HR strategy and transformation advisory
Founder & Principal Consultant
Strategic advice and support that enables organisations to become more efficient and effective through excellence in people management and cultural transformation.
2018 — 2026
United Nations Development Programme
The UN’s global development network
Director, Office of Human Resources
Led People for 2030, an ambitious people strategy that moved HR from a largely administrative function to a strategic, high-value one — enabling UNDP to make better use of its talent and to build its next-generation workforce. Multi-award-winning, including two CIPD People Management awards in 2022.
2007 — 2018
European Personnel Selection Office
Recruitment and learning for the EU institutions
Director, EU Careers by EPSO
Ran corporate recruitment and learning and development for the EU institutions — around 1,500 appointments a year, selected from some 70,000 candidates across 28 countries and 24 languages, for a workforce of more than 50,000. Built the consensus for and delivered a transformation that broke with fifty years of convention, sharply reduced time to hire, and created the EU Careers employer brand. The EU institutions rose from unranked to the highest-rated public sector employer in Europe.
2002 — 2007
European Commission
Corporate internal communication · Private office of a Vice-President
Head of Unit, Internal Communication and Information Management · Private Office of Vice-President Siim Kallas
Established and ran the Commission’s corporate internal communication and staff engagement function, and played a key part in the design and delivery of its administrative reform programme. Then advised Vice-President Siim Kallas on policy across the Commission’s administration.
1993 — 2002
European Commission
Recruitment, internal communication and the reform of the administration
Including: Administrator, recruitment unit · Editor-in-chief of the internal newspaper · Private Office of Vice-President Neil Kinnock
Nine years across recruitment, internal communication and the office of the Director-General for Human Resources and Administration — including the private office of Vice-President Neil Kinnock, advising on the conception and launch of a reform of the Commission’s entire administration, with a particular focus on change management, staff engagement and HR.
1989 — 1993
UK Civil Service
Department for Transport · UK Permanent Representation to the EU
European Fast Streamer · Desk Officer for Transport
Began on the Civil Service Fast Stream, working on EU legislation to create a single market for air transport and on the bill team that took the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 through Parliament. Moved to Brussels to conduct transport negotiations in the Council of Ministers during the UK Presidency of the EU.
Philosophy
I have led or worked on a series of major, highly successful organisational transformations within the EU and UN, winning multiple, international awards. I am recognised globally as a thought and practice leader, speaking regularly and advising organisations and governments.
I genuinely understand the challenges faced by HR and senior leadership in organisations like yours. I have been there and know what works and what doesn’t — and I will provide advice and support that will enable you to make lasting change with a real, measurable impact.
Areas of expertise
- Improvement and modernisation of complex, large-scale HR systems, processes and procedures
- People strategy design and implementation
- Organisational change and transformation
- Recruitment, selection and early careers
- Talent management and internal deployment
- Internal communication and staff engagement
Personal and credentials
David is a UK and Swedish national, of British and Egyptian origin, holds a first class honours degree in Modern Languages from the University of Salford, UK, and speaks English, French, German and Swedish.
- Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (Chartered FCIPD)
- Fellow of the Institute of Directors (FIoD)
- Freeman of the Worshipful Company of HR Professionals of the City of London
- Global thought leader and advocate of best practice in recruitment and early careers
Harvard Kennedy School Executive Education — Leadership Decision Making: Optimizing Organizational Performance, 2016 
CIPD — Chartered Fellow, 2021 
The Wharton School — The Leadership Journey, 2013
Let’s start a conversation.
Tell me about your organisation and the challenge in front of you.