Kathy Taylor, Executive Director of People

Kathy is responsible for our Human Resources and Volunteering departments. Her teams support more than 1,600 staff, including the many thousands of volunteers who help us to be there for people with cancer when they need us most. 2020 was a challenging year.

Kathy is incredibly proud of how her directorate responded, playing a core role in:

• moving the organisation to remote working
• supporting on people-related aspects of our internal coronavirus response
• implementing a Macmillan Buddies scheme for people going through a cancer experience in these uncertain times.

She is passionate about making Macmillan a great place to work and enjoys developing staff and volunteers to their full potential, in whichever path they choose.

Get to know our strategy

Kathy joined Macmillan as HR Director in 2013. Since then, she has transformed the HR department to fully support the modern workforce in recruitment, staff development, and recognition and retention. She also advises the Executive team on HR-related matters.

During her early career in the retail sector, Kathy led large and multi-disciplined HR and operational teams for well-known brands including Hamleys and Barratts. Working at board-level for many years, Kathy has a strong track record of leading people functions and developing strategies for multi-million-pound businesses.

Kathy is a season ticket holder for Sheffield Wednesday and enjoys making games a family affair, as both her husband and step-children share a passion for the team. She regularly spends weekends commuting between Sheffield and London to see the team play, and can often be spotted at away matches.

In 2020, Kathy and her People Leadership team walked the equivalent distance between our London, Glasgow and Edinburgh offices, and back again - over 970 miles - to raise vital funds for Macmillan.