Description

I’m a former Director, Head of Talent Attraction at Lonza with 25+ years of international experience helping companies attract, engage, and retain the right talent.

Over the past two decades I’ve worked across Europe and Asia, including eight years in Singapore and five years in Switzerland, leading employer branding, recruitment marketing, and talent attraction strategies for global organisations.

Today I work with startups, scale-ups, and international companies on a flexible fractional basis (1–3 days per week), providing senior expertise without the cost of a full-time hire.

My core areas of expertise include:

• Employer Branding & EVP

• Recruitment Marketing

• Global Talent Attraction

• Candidate Experience

• DEI & Neurodiversity

• Menopause Workplace Strategy

• Hiring Process Optimisation

• Stakeholder & Hiring Manager Enablement

At Lonza, I led talent attraction across EMEA, the US, and Asia, localised the global EVP into 26 multimedia assets, and helped increase engagement and talent pipeline performance by 20–30%.

Clients value my ability to combine strategic thinking with hands-on delivery. I can move quickly from shaping an employer brand strategy to reviewing a careers site, creating recruitment content, facilitating workshops, or coaching hiring managers.

I’m also the founder of Sally Higham Advisory, where I help organisations create more inclusive workplaces through practical neurodiversity and menopause initiatives.

If you’re scaling your team, refreshing your employer brand, improving candidate experience, or looking for an experienced People and Talent partner during a period of growth or transformation, I’d be happy to discuss how I can support your business.

Languages

English
Native or bilingual

Workplace preferences

Can work on-site

Basel (up to 50km)

LONZA
DIRECTOR HEAD OF TALENT ATTRACTION
PHARMACEUTICALS INDUSTRY
January 2020 - March 2025 (5 years and 2 months)
Basel, Switzerland
As a strategic (senior) leader within Lonza's Global Talent Acquisition team, I drive initiatives that position Lonza as an employer of choice in the Contract Development and Manufacturing Organisation (CDMO) industry, ensure effective talent attraction, and deliver on global recruitment goals. I lead cross-regional teams, enhance employer branding, and implement innovative tools and strategies to meet evolving business needs.

• • Leadership and Team Development: Expanded and led Talent Attraction teams across EMEA, the US and Asia, fostering collaboration and aligning efforts to global objectives.
• • Strategic Employer Branding: Delivered localized Employee Value Propositions (EVPs) through 26 multimedia assets, enhancing regional engagement and brand alignment, increasing the engagement and talent attraction funnel by between 20-30%.
• • Technology and Candidate Experience: Introduced platforms like Meet & Engage, XOR, and Indeed Hiring Events, streamlining processes and improving candidate experience in the overall recruitment process.
• • Diversity & Inclusion Leadership: Co-founded RiseUp@Lonza, served as D&I Lead, and advanced gender equity through the UN SDG5 Gender Diversity Council, championing inclusive hiring practices.
• • Innovative Talent Strategies: Spearheaded recruitment initiatives for reaching specialised talent in Cell & Gene Therapy (CGT). Relaunched a global Talent Referral Program to strengthen talent pipelines.
• • Digital and Brand Excellence: Owned the development of Lonza's global career site and implemented Glassdoor/Indeed packages, amplifying employer brand visibility and online presence.
• • Recruitment & Performance Management: Collaborated with global Recruitment teams to drive aligned delivery, optimize KPIs and enhance efficiency.
Diversity Employer Branding Global Strategies Talent Attraction Leadership
BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO
REGIONAL TALENT ACQUISITION & ORGANISATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS MANAGER
HUMAN RESOURCES
February 2017 - December 2019 (2 years and 10 months)
Singapore
As a core member of British American Tobacco’s (BAT) global Centre of Excellence based in Singapore

Strategic Talent Acquisition Leadership Across Markets:
• Delivered recruitment forecasts, social media strategies, and tailored Employee Value Propositions (EVPs) to address market-specific challenges and priorities for both professional and early talent.
• Reintroduced the Global Graduate Program to Australia, driving on-campus and digital engagement with innovative approaches e.g. VR experiences.
Global Talent Branding Initiatives:
• Launched a global career site through SAP SuccessFactors RMK, achieving a rapid go-live in 5 weeks with multi-stakeholder collaboration.
• Established localised LinkedIn strategies, securing leadership buy-in, and amplifying BAT’s digital presence with region-specific campaigns.
Social Media and Advocacy:
• Created tailored content calendars and secured budgets for market-specific initiatives, achieving global KPIs for professional and graduate talent attraction.
• Introduced “Bring Your Influence” and “Elevate” platforms, empowering senior leaders and employees to amplify BAT’s employer brand through social advocacy.
Regional Learning & Development:
• Global LinkedIn Learning - Led the regional rollout across multiple countries, including activation, local-level training, monthly reporting, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Graduate Assessments - Trained Managers on Graduate Assessment Centre content and served annually as an Assessor for assessment centers in Singapore.
• Training – Global Success Factor - Implemented the rollout of the Global Success Factor process, transitioning from COE (Centre of Excellence) to local HR teams.
• Training – Women in Leadership (WIL) & WIL Lite - Delivered training sessions and supported the implementation of both full and lite versions of the Women in Leadership development programs.
ALEXANDER MANN SOLUTIONS
Variety see below
HUMAN RESOURCES
February 2011 - February 2017 (6 years)
Singapore
A progressive career at Alexander Mann Solutions, a global Recruitment Process Outsourcing organisation, moving from London to Singapore.

• Manager Consulting Services – April 2016 to February 2017 – Singapore
o Led regional on- and off-campus strategies for clients across multiple sectors.
o Oversaw recruitment delivery targets, KPIs, operational excellence, and team management.
o Directed team development, including offshore flex teams and senior specialists.

• Lead Project Manager - May 2015 – March 2016 - Singapore
o Directed APAC employer branding strategies, including digital, social, and graduate hiring.
o Prudential: Consolidated LinkedIn contracts, deployed inventory across regions, and created a 12-month content calendar.
o Rolls-Royce: Led graduate branding and attraction strategies for Singapore, China, and India.
o BNP Paribas: Managed an online survey and focus groups in Singapore and Hong Kong.

• Media Strategy Consultant - November 2011 – May 2015 - Singapore
o Designed and executed employer branding strategies, including social media, events, and collateral, for clients like Kerry Ingredients, Rolls-Royce, Deutsche Bank, and Novartis.
o Delivered innovative sourcing strategies for key markets, ensuring maximum ROI.
o Supported senior leadership in client pitches, showcasing APAC digital strategies.
o Key sourcing strategy implementations for BNP Paribas, Rolls-Royce (global), and Deutsche Knowledge Services.

• Account Director – February 2011 – November 2011 – London
o Led client relationships with Deloitte and Vodafone, executing communication programs and advising on employee engagement strategies.
o Managed employer branding projects across attraction, recruitment, and retention.
o Developed and implemented talent strategies, including diversity, recruitment advertising, and internal mobility.