2024 JUDGES

Christina Alliak has extensive experience in total reward and is currently leading employee benefits and wellbeing at Celonis, a company known for its process mining technology. She has revamped the company's benefits strategy, focusing on improving employee wellbeing and supporting employees during critical life moments, such as parenthood. Under her leadership, Celonis introduced significant improvements like extended paid parental leave and other family-oriented perks, along with mental wellness programs. This work reflects a broader effort to create a supportive and inclusive work environment at Celonis.

Neil has nearly 20 years experience in reward across a range of sectors including retail, financial services and tech. He is currently Head of Reward at Wickes plc having joined Wickes in 2021, and is responsible for the full reward agenda. In recent years Neil has specialised in executive remuneration in listed companies. He has led a number of award-winning benefits teams, and is a regular conference speaker, award judge and contributor to industry press. Neil has a particular passion for financial wellbeing, particularly in relation to pension awareness. 

Caroline has over 25 years’ experience in pensions and benefits, primarily at Experian PLC, Clarkson PLC and since 2018 as Global Pensions & Benefits Director at Synthomer PLC. She is a core member of Synthomer’s Global Wellbeing Steering Committee and a senior leader ally for Synthomer’s ‘Thrive’ network, the company’s LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Group. Caroline served over 10 years on the Pensions Management Institute London Group Committee. She is a fellow of the Pensions Management Institute (FPMI) and holds the Diploma in International Employee Benefits (DipIEB).

Alexandra has been working in the pensions and benefits industry for around 15 years. Her passion lies in financial wellbeing, ensuring that employees are empowered to make informed decisions about their financial present and future.

Alexandra started her career in pensions and benefits as Pension Quality Mark Manager at the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association (formerly National Association of Pension Funds). She then worked in a pensions and group risk consultancy role at Deloitte before moving to Vodafone as Pensions and Benefits Manager and then to Royal London as Colleague Pensions Manager for UK and Ireland. Alexandra holds BSc in Business Psychology and Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning (DipPFS). She is a Freeman of the Company of HR Professionals and a Trustee of its Charitable Trust.

Neil McCawley has been in his current role since October 2023, responsible for all aspects of Reward across RS Group. Prior to that he spent 9 years as VP Total Reward for Ferguson plc primarily looking after Executive Compensation for Ferguson plc, and for his final 12 months he worked in both the US and UK covering the US Head of Reward role in addition to his own. Prior to that he was Head of Reward for Wolseley UK having joined them in 2007, where he looked after all aspects of reward and benefits for them. Before joining Wolseley, he spent three years at One Stop Stores looking after reward and benefits, having joined them after leaving Barclays Bank plc where he spent 21 years carrying out a variety of roles, his last one there was as a senior HR project manager.

Responsible for UK pension provision across AstraZeneca and its affiliates, Chair of the UK Pensions Governance Committee and Chair of the AstraZeneca Ireland Pension Fund and the AstraZeneca Ireland Retirement Plan.