Michelle Aylott
Managing Partner
Chief Human Resources Officer
Overview
As SBIA’s CHRO, Michelle is responsible for leading the people strategy, supporting the organization in predicting and meeting the demands of the future of work. Her efforts ensure that the colleague experience remains central and directly connected to performance. Michelle is also responsible for the real estate and workplace security team, and she is a board director of SBIA UK.
Michelle joined SoftBank in 2019. Throughout her time with the organization, she has led changes to the function, culture, and impact of HR to further SoftBank’s business goals and strategies. Previously, Michelle held a number of HR leadership positions, both generalist and specialist, across a range of global financial institutions. She applies that knowledge, skill, and experience to her role, and also to her support of SoftBank’s portfolio companies.
Q&A
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How did you find yourself to be CHRO at SBIA?
After decades in investment banking, I wanted to switch gears and work in a leading-edge, fast-paced organization. SoftBank gave me the perfect opportunity to combine my background, skills, and experience into one role. What sealed the deal was the innovative mindset of the people I met during initial conversations. Talking with future colleagues made me realize that SoftBank was a place where ambition and vision can come together to create incredible outcomes.
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How does Human Resources contribute to SoftBank and the Vision Funds?
Working with leaders and colleagues, we have created our “People Priorities” that are designed to push our organization forward while keeping our colleague experience central. Our priorities focus on three key areas: colleagues, organization, and operations. We review them each year to ensure we’re making progress and that we continue to focus on what’s most important. I’m very committed to building an inclusive, dynamic, and engaging workplace. As a team, we’re ensuring that we bring a transparent, accessible approach to our core HR practices.
In addition, it’s exciting being able to work with a really diverse group of portfolio companies who are all at different stages of their evolution. We have great strength and depth within our global HR team, which makes us agile and innovative. It’s rewarding to utilize our team to help the companies in our ecosystem grow.
I’m very committed to building an inclusive, dynamic, and engaging workplace. As a team, we’re ensuring that we bring a transparent, accessible approach to our core HR practices.
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How would you describe your role today?
My role is multifaceted, broad, and forward-thinking, with a nod to traditional HR principles. The world is moving forward, and so our philosophies and practices should also move forward. We’ve experienced more change globally in the last few years than in the decades before that; and not just in terms of working practices.
The need for purpose and meaning in our work is what drives many of us. Companies that recognize and address that are those who have the greatest success. And it doesn’t need to be that difficult. Make sure people know why what they do is important and how it links to the overall company goals and ambitions. Tell them how they’re doing and support their career aspirations. Above all, make sure that what you say you do—and what you actually do—align.
To be a leader, you have to be prepared to get involved, to be a sounding board, and support your peers. I’m constantly thinking about what our function can do next. We’re constantly scanning the horizon to align with our founder’s vision. Our past experiences shape the future, and that needs to look and feel different.
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And how about outside of work?
There’s the usual things: spending time with family and friends, and walking the dogs. At heart, I’m a creator. I love to take something and make it better. Being able to help develop the people around me carries through in my work and personal life. Earlier in my career, I was given some fantastic advice to “have the nerve to risk and the courage to trust.” To me, that means that sometimes people see things in you that you yourself can’t. You should trust them—and embrace new opportunities. That resonated with me and has become a guiding principle throughout my career. It has also framed many coaching and mentoring conversations, enabling me to help people achieve more than they believed possible.