WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB?

I worked in my family's furniture store in Sydney from 13 years old. It taught me the importanceof a strong work ethic and family at a very early age. My main recollection was if you didn't work hard, there was no reprise from your boss when you got home! Post graduation, my first professional role was at Goldman Sachs in investment banking as a corporate finance analyst which took me first to Wall Street then on to Sydney.

WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE MOST IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION HR CAN MAKE TO A BUSINESS?

Acting as a true business partner. To me this means ensuring that we have a compelling employee value proposition in the market, build a strong talent pipeline, grow career opportunities, deliver commercially astute HR outcomes and help to build the franchise.

WHAT IS YOUR LANDMARK HR ACHIEVEMENT UP TO DATE?

At my previous employer, a UK investment bank, I executed an aggressive hiring plan to grow their Singapore hub by more than 600 headcount in under 12 months with the assistance of my team and the business. The strategy involved the trial of new markets and new methods of acquiring talent which were extremely successful.

BEST CAREER ADVICE YOU'VE RECEIVED?

Operate like you own the business every day.

AT YOUR DREAM NETWORKING SESSION, WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE THERE?

I would like to meet Henry Kissinger or Hu Jintao. Kissinger is the last of a breed of consigliore who has been involved in some way in most of the more important events in the Western world over the past 40 years.

Hu Jintao is at the helm of the world's great growth engine for the next few decades. I would be interested in where he wants to take China and how he envisages managing and distributing its extraordinary wealth.

IF YOU WEREN'T IN HR, WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING?

I have a deep interest in collecting art, particularly contemporary photography and Aboriginal paintings. I would be running my own gallery space in Asia focused on supporting aspiring young contemporary photographers from around the world.

Ben De Beyer
Head, organisation effectiveness
The Standard Chartered Private Bank