Top 10 payroll thought leaders to follow in 2024

#passionforpayroll, #payrolldeservesaseatatthetable, #payrollisacareer… There are various hashtags trending on LinkedIn and other professional networks that advocate for payroll and its important, yet often underestimated role in the business world. But who are the thought leaders who are driving payroll forward and whose ideas are shaping the future of payroll?

In this blog post, we will highlight 10 top voices from the payroll industry that are worth following in 2024. Their follower numbers on LinkedIn might differ, but what they all have in common is their passion for payroll and their motivation to drive innovation in the payroll industry.

Anita Lettink is an international keynote speaker, HR and payroll tech advisor, and author and has recently been recognized as a Top 25 Global Thought Leader on the Future of Work and a Top 100 HR Tech Influencer. After a global career in HR and payroll consulting and outsourcing, she started her own business to help CHROs and their teams understand how work is changing and what they can do to prepare their employees and companies to thrive.

Anita is the author of “How to Select Your Next Payroll” and “Equal Pay for Equal Work” and the founder of HRTech Radar. She is also a partner at the Strategic Management Centre where she focuses on strategy, innovation, people, and technology.

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Ian Giles is a global payroll leader, strategist, and advisor who has worked in the payroll industry for more than 25 years, including in payroll roles for Fortune 100, TIME 100, and FTSE 250 businesses where he has led transformative projects in over 170 countries to enhance payroll processes, compliance, and operational efficiency.

Ian is a passionate payroll advocate who regularly shares his knowledge and insights on LinkedIn and has been recognized as a LinkedIn Top Voice for HRIS, HR Operations, Performance Management, and Employee Relations.

Pete A. Tiliakos is a HR & payroll futurist, principal analyst, strategic advisor, and podcast host who leverages over 30 years of experience in HR and payroll technology, services, and transformation. He is globally recognized for his knowledge, research, and advisory in the fields of payroll, Employer of Record (EOR) services, payments, and HCM technology.

Pete is a regular contributor to industry associations, podcasts, publications, and events through which he shares his research and perspectives with both payroll practitioners and providers. He further is the co-host of the HR and Payroll 2.0 podcast where he explores key trends and challenges faced by today’s HR and payroll leaders together with his co-host, Julie Fernandez.

Melanie Pizzey is the CEO of the Global Payroll Association (GPA). A highly respected expert in the field of global and UK payroll and HR, Melanie has been leading the GPA since 2014, promoting and empowering payroll professionals around the world.

She regularly shares insights about the payroll industry through a range of different platforms, including networking events, conferences, webinars, engages in collaborations with other high-profile payroll and HR thought leaders to create and deliver relevant content for payroll professionals, and participates in interviews and discussions about payroll industry trends.

Nick Day is a payroll & HR recruitment thought leader and the host of The Payroll Podcast where he regularly interviews other payroll thought leaders and industry experts on topics such as international payroll legislation, technology, systems, processes, leadership, and compliance.

Nick has been ranked #1 Global "Thought Leader in Payroll” and #9 Global "Thought Leader in HR” by Thinkers360. He is also the founder of payroll and HR specialist recruitment firm JGA Recruitment Group and has written the famous payroll song “My Payroll Career”.

No list of payroll thought leaders would be complete without naming Nathan North. Nathan is a global payroll professional with over 26 years of experience in the industry and a board member and advisor at the GPG - Global Payroll Research & Development Institute where he is leading global payroll innovations.

During his career as a global payroll leader, Nathan has developed advanced technology solutions for optimizing and improving payroll processes and security and preparing organizations for fast growth and market expansion. Nathan is considered one of the top voices in the industry and actively shares his thoughts and insights both on substack and on his LinkedIn profile.

Gerard M. Hall, aka “That Payroll Guy”, is an outspoken payroll evangelist focused on educating people on all facets of payroll and the Director of Payroll Operations at CBIZ. He is a frequent podcast guest and speaker at international payroll conferences, regularly contributes to respected publications in the payroll industry, and is highly involved in promoting the respect for all payroll professionals.

He was recently recognized by Payroll Org, a nonprofit professional association founded by the American Payroll Association and committed to enhancing the quality of the payroll profession, with the 2024 Citation of Merit for outstanding services.

Bart van der Storm is a global payroll leader and strategist, author, and Top HR consulting voice. He is the CEO and founder of Payrollminds, an association of industry-leading payroll consultants empowering international organizations to streamline their multi-country payroll, and harnesses more than twenty-five years of experience in global payroll.

He is the author of “The Payrollmind: How To Build Influence and Make an Impact As a Global Payroll Professional”, a practical guide for payrollers to develop their skills and become a successful global payroll leader. As the CEO of Payrollminds, Bart continues to drive innovation and transformation across the industry. He regularly shares his thoughts and crucial insights about the global payroll industry on his LinkedIn and website.

Mary Holland is one of the most respected and recognized global payroll professionals in the industry. With more than 30 years of experience in diverse payroll roles under her belt, Mary has extensive expertise and knowledge which she leverages in her current role as a global payroll advisor.

She is a passionate global leader who values partnerships with other stakeholders to achieve goals and create world-class payroll services. She is also a frequent presenter at conferences and interview guest on podcast shows.

Josh Bersin is a global industry analyst studying all aspects of HR, business leadership, corporate L&D, recruiting, and HR technology. While Josh is not the typical payroll thought leader whose focus is exclusively on payroll, his research often involves payroll-related topics, such as the growing role of pay in enhancing employee experience and business performance and the state of corporate pay practices.

Josh is the founder of Bersin & Associates, which is now known as Bersin by Deloitte. He is a respected keynote speaker, educator, thought leader, and personal coach to HR and business leaders around the world and advises HR teams and vendors in the HR space.