Associate
Diane Sneddon
“When culture is built on lip service, risk grows and trust disappears.”
After reaching regional HR leadership, I moved into Employee Relations — where any gaps between an organisation’s image and reality become crystal clear. From carrying out investigations to advising senior leaders, I’ve seen how resolving issues well improves trust and performance. But experience taught me something else: the biggest impact comes from the quiet power of prevention. That’s why good culture matters so deeply to me. It’s fundamental, not fluffy.
A strong culture isn’t built on empty words. It’s created every day by how people choose to show up and step up — especially seniors. That means equipping people with the clarity and skills to handle challenges before they escalate. These skills aren’t innate, and they’re rarely taught well, if at all.
At Arrisan, I enjoy making those skills widely accessible and to support individuals through tough situations. People tell me my empathy, insight and experience help them find a clear way forward. Like everyone here, I’m ‘low ego’, motivated by working with those who want to do things the right way and making a lasting difference.
Outside work, you’ll find me on the tennis or netball court. I love travelling—especially to see wildlife in its natural habitat. Closer to home, I volunteer with a charity supporting older members of the community.
Experience
Employee Relations | Managed complex, high-risk Employee Relations cases, coached senior leaders, reduced grievances through role redesign, drafted HR policies, and advised international HR teams.
Culture + Organisational Change | Led major change programmes including organisational design and restructuring; key role in Freshfields’ cultural reset, including launching an external speaking-up hotline.
Internal + External investigator | Conducted high-risk investigations into bullying, harassment, sexual misconduct and theft, including partners/senior leaders; focused on addressing root causes.
Leadership | Led project teams through complex transitions, including transferring 800+ roles to a new service centre. Line management responsibilities for 15+ years, through individual and team challenges.
HR Business Partnering + Talent | Partnered with leaders to design and deliver strategies for talent, resourcing, succession planning, and operational HR improvement across six Asia Pacific offices.
Belonging + Inclusion | Master’s research on the barriers to women’s progression at work. Key contributor to Freshfields’ first Stonewall submission and the Stephen Lawrence Scholarship programme.
Learning | Designed and delivered training for topics for HR and business professionals on handling difficult discussions, discrimination, sexual harassment, culture and diversity.
Qualifications
London Metropolitan University MA | Employment Studies and HR Management
Griffith University, Brisbane BCom | majoring in Human Resources Management and Industrial Relations
Accredited Mental Health First Aider
Roles
Byrne Dean | Principal Consultant (Resolution)
Freshfields | Senior Manager, Employee Relations
Herbert Smith Freehills | HRBP
Transport for London | Resourcing & Development Manager
Allens (Sydney) | Asia Pacific HR Manager, Human Resources Consultant
Ernst & Young (Sydney) | Recruitment Consultant
Enron Capital and Trade | Recruitment Specialist
Kleinwort Benson (now Societe Generale) | Personnel Officer
Brisbane City Council | Senior Human Resources Consultant, Project Officer/Staff Placement Co-ordinator, Assistant Personnel and Employee Relations Officer, Recruitment Officer
