William Richards is an innovative and accomplished talent leader with over 15 years of experience driving results in the fashion, luxury, and beauty industries. As VP, Talent Acquisition and Development at Christian Dior Couture, he leads talent acquisition and development end-to-end, from early careers through to senior leadership hires, implementing a forward-thinking strategy that optimizes talent identification, recruitment, and development for the House.
William has a demonstrable track record of building diverse and inclusive talent pipelines and shaping impactful organizational cultures. Previously, as VP, Global Talent at Tiffany & Co., he was responsible for the entire talent agenda, encompassing Talent Acquisition, Learning & Development, Talent Management, Executive Hiring, and Early Careers. He partnered with executive leadership to develop and implement talent initiatives aligned with the company's vision and values.
William is particularly recognized for revolutionizing the talent acquisition function at Burberry. As Director of HR, Studio & Head of Global Executive Recruitment and previously Director of Global Executive Recruitment & Early Careers, he spearheaded the creation of the first in-house executive search team and graduate scheme at Burberry. This strategic move resulted in a completely insourced model for senior hiring, yielding significant cost savings and improved quality of hire. William also served as HR Business Partner to Daniel Lee, Chief Creative Officer at Burberry.
Earlier in his career, William was an Associate Partner at Green Park Interim & Executive Search, leading the Fashion, Luxury & Beauty Practice.
In addition to his professional commitments, William serves as a Member of the Board of Trustees & Chair of the People and Culture Committee at Breast Cancer Now, the United Kingdom's largest breast cancer charity.
