Reflections from Our 2025 HR Rising Star: Akddus Khan,Oldham Council

Hello PPMA members and friends

In this blog post, we hear from our 2025 HR Rising Star winner, Akddus Khan from Oldham Council. A truly worthy winner, Akddus shares his reflections on this year’s programme, and we look forward to working closely with him over the coming year.

When I put myself forward for the PPMA HR Rising Stars Programme, I knew it would be demanding. What I didn’t fully appreciate at the time was how much it would push me out of my comfort zone, sharpen my ambition, and help me understand the type of leader I want to become.

The programme is designed to stretch HR and OD professionals, bringing together talent from across the country to tackle real-world challenges. From day one, it was clear this wasn’t just about technical skills, it was about how you think, how you influence and how you lead under pressure. I found myself drawing on every ounce of creativity, resilience and collaboration, and it was in those moments that I recognised leadership is not about having all the answers but about creating the conditions for others to succeed.

To be named a PPMA Rising Star is not only a huge personal honour, but it means much more to me than just simply being a personal accolade. It’s the result of the culture and ambition within Oldham Council, an organisation that has supported me and empowered me to step forward. Our values, Proud, Ambitious & Together, were displayed in everything I did throughout the programme, and I took Oldham’s story with me in every challenge.

It has also made me realise that I want to be a leader. I want to be a leader who not only supports change but leads it. A leader who is bold enough to challenge old ways of working but grounded enough to listen and bring people with me. I want to create opportunities for people at every stage of their career, helping them to unlock their potential and grow. To me, leadership is about creating conditions for others to succeed, developing inclusive cultures where everyone feels they belong, and having the courage when it is most needed.

It was inspiring to work with other Rising Stars around the country. It highlighted to me the amazing talent we have within local government HR – people full of ideas, creativity, and with a desire to make a difference. That energised me and reconfirmed that the future of our profession is in good hands. But it also reinforced for me that the challenge is larger than any one of us. Leadership in our sector is about collaboration, influence, and partnership; qualities I want to keep strengthening as my career develops.

Winning the PPMA HR Rising Star has only reinvigorated my ambition to achieve more, to go further and bolder, and to keep taking Oldham Council on a transformational journey. This achievement is not a conclusion, but a springboard and an opportunity to contribute to the future of HR in local government. To promote innovation and to support others in moving the profession forward.

This achievement is a milestone, but also a reminder that leadership is a continual journey of growth. The Rising Stars experience has sharpened my ambition, clarified my values, and strengthened my resolve to lead with courage and integrity. I am deeply grateful to the PPMA for creating such an inspiring platform, and I carry forward this experience with a renewed determination to make a lasting impact on the future of HR.