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APPLICATIONS NOW CLOSED

Thank you to everyone who applied for our 2025 HR Rising Star and One to Watch talent development programmes. Each year, we are amazed by the breadth and quality of emerging talent across our profession. Your passion and potential are what make our sector so inspiring.

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HR RISING STAR – WINNER ANNOUNCED

We’re delighted to announce that the winner of HR Rising Star 2025 is Akddus Khan from Oldham Council.


Huge congratulations, Akddus!

A huge congratulations to Akddus, and a heartfelt thank you to everyone of our fianalists this year. The talent, passion, and potential on display were truly outstanding. It was a privilege to witness your growth over the event, and we have no doubt that each of you will go on to achieve incredible things in your careers.

The full list of all of our HR Rising Star finalsts can be found below:

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Finalists:

  • Michael Adom – Southwark Council
  • Rachel Buczynski – Tameside Council
  • Simon Cohen – Westminster City Council
  • Ayse Durgut – Southwark Council
  • Jaina Kerai – London Borough of Waltham Forest
  • Akddus Khan – Oldham Council
  • Mustafa Kusbeci – Enfield Council
  • Jordan Liddell – Northumberland County Council
  • Diane Olanlokun – London Borough of Hackney
  • Heena Rafique – Westminster City Council
  • Joe Toner – Southwark Council
  • Anuli Udeze – Lincolnshire County Council

Congratulations to you all—we look forward to watching your journey.

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ONE TO WATCH – WINNER ANNOUNCED

We’re delighted to announce that the winner of One to Watch 2025 is Molly Lucas from Royal Borough Kingston Upon Thames.


Huge congratulations, Molly!

One to Watch 2025 – Finalists

These finalists took part in a two-day development and assessment experience at Warwick Business School on 10th and 11th July 2025. We loves watching their growth and dveleopment over the two days!

Finalists:

  • Halima Begum – Southwark Council
  • Milly Brand – Richmond and Wandsworth Councils
  • Ruby Brittle – Royal Borough of Kingston
  • Adam Burlingham – Richmond and Wandsworth Councils
  • Monica Casale – Westminster City Council
  • Aimee Day – London Borough of Merton
  • Hayleigh Freestone – Wiltshire Council
  • Taylor Hill – Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council
  • Joanne Jacobs – British Transport Police
  • Natalia Kubis – Wiltshire Council
  • Molly Lucas – Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames Council
  • Amelia Myatt – Wigan Council

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Congratulations to all our finalists – we’re looking forward to seeing your growth and celebrating your future success!

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APPLICATIONS NOW CLOSED

Applications for this year’s HR Rising Star and One to Watch programmes are now closed. You can still read about the format and what to expect below.

These are annual development opportunities, and details for next year’s programmes will be shared on our website and social media channels in Spring 2026. If you’re interested in applying, keep an eye out!

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About the Programmes

The PPMA is keen to create an environment where talent can shine, and to offer opportunities for everyone to learn, grow and stretch themselves. Through your participation, your organisation is telling you that you have the potential skills and qualities to be a future leader in the Public Sector. It will be up to you to make the most of this unique experience and to cherish your networks online and offline over the coming months and years.

This programme is all about identifying and showcasing the tremendous breadth and depth of emerging talent that we have in the Public Sector. Below and included in the briefing packs for each programme is everything you need to know about the programme, what you have to do next, dates and deadlines, how the competition element will work and the results and rewards.

Who can take part?
Our programmes are open to all HR & OD colleagues across public service organisations. More about entry criteria for each programme are detailed below.

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.The PPMA HR Rising Star programme is for applicants with at least 5 years operating experience as an HR & OD professional and now looking to take the step into a senior HR & OD role in the near future. It has been designed to test your personal qualities in a range of activities, whilst at the same time helping you to enhance your confidence and resilience. We hope that this programme will encourage you to achieve more than you thought possible in your career.

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The PPMA One to Watch programme has been designed for applicants at the early stage of their HR & OD professional career and to test your personal qualities in a range of activities, whilst at the same time helping you to enhance your confidence and resilience. We hope that participating in this talent development programme will encourage you to achieve more than you thought possible in your career.

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.How does it work?

To participate in either of the talent development programmes, please complete the application form which you can download by clicking on the programme you are interested in entering below and send it to [email protected] by 12pm on Thursday 22nd May 2025 for all applications. Shortlisting will then take place and successful applicants will be notified and invited to attend the event.

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.The Assessment

Successful applicants will be invited to take part in a two day assessment of individual and group activities and presentations  at the University of Warwick

A master class in communication techniques will be held on the first day and we will provide you with additional guidance, support and coaching for the remainder of the programme.

At the end of the two days, the overall winner will be announced, and the winner will be celebrated at the PPMA Annual Conference 2026.

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Price (+VAT)

£500 pp   PPMA member

£750 pp   non-member

Please send PO’s to [email protected], alternatively to pay by card online please click the payment button in the top left hand corner of our website.

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APPLICATIONS NOW CLOSED

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Past Programmes

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact [email protected].

Here is a fabulous taster from our previous One to Watch and Rising Star cohorts:

FEEDBACK FROM THIS YEAR’S PROGRAMMES

Very powerful, insightful and uplifting. I have learnt a lot about positive speech and
building confidence. I am excited to feedback my experience back on the workplace.
I will be recommending that my Council gives this opportunity every year.

Really enjoyable couple of days, met some great peers and excellent coaches and
judges.

Amazing experience which has really pushed me out of my comfort zone and boosted
my confidence. I will be recommending the course to other HR professionals.

Started off so apprehensive but an amazing opportunity. Really pushed me out of my
comfort zone. You get a lot from the 2 days and I have loved meeting everyone.

I can honestly without hesitation say it is the best form of development I have had in my
15 years here – both professionally and personally.

It has given me a huge and much needed confidence boost and I am just so grateful for the
opportunity to take part and to meet you all.

A thought-provoking and engaging session. Learnt a lot outside of my comfort
zone. The participants, coaches and judges are all lovely.

This has been the best training/development/learning I have had! I feel I have found
my authentic self because of this!