In this interview, Saehena speaks with Christine Ierakidis, ASOS Reward and People Operations Director, exploring how Reward has evolved into a strategic driver of organisational change, increasingly shaping C‑suite decision‑making and broader people strategy. She highlights how Reward now underpins cultural transformation and how integrating Talent Acquisition under Reward creates a more connected, data‑driven people function. Readers will gain practical insight into how modern Reward teams influence organisational design, drive high‑performance cultures, strengthen transparency, and expand their impact far beyond traditional compensation work.
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Over the years, Total Reward has influenced employee performance, retention and engagement – all which lead to organisational changes. We are increasingly seeing the Reward function play a key role in designing the mission and the structure of an organisation. The result of this is an increase in Reward leaders directly influencing C-suite decision-making, and their role stretching beyond their traditional remit to evolve into CPO roles.
This evolution is particularly evident in e-commerce and digital businesses, where pace and complexity are high. Reward enables organisations to remain agile and responsive, often supporting large-scale transformations and restructuring efforts.
I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Christine Ierakidis, Reward and People Operations Director at ASOS, to hear her insights on the subject.
Christine Ierakidis (CI): The biggest impact comes from being closely involved in strategic decision-making at the top of the organisation.
Working with the CEO and the board, whether directly or through the Remuneration Committee, means Reward has a direct influence on decisions and leadership behaviours. These decisions then cascade across the organisation, influencing everything from bonus structures to long-term incentives. A key part of my role has been building strong relationships with senior stakeholders – understanding their priorities and designing reward structures that align with their vision.
Since I joined ASOS, there has been a strategic shift toward greater focus, agility and efficiency – prioritising work that delivers fast, meaningful impact, reducing excess stock to embracing AI and faster product cycles. The message is clear from group objectives and individual objectives and key results (OKRs).
It means we’ve redesigned our bonus programme, launched a quarterly recognition scheme, and made reward outcomes more transparent so employees understand how their performance directly links to – and impacts – our results. Ultimately, Reward is helping build a high‑performance culture where employees feel a strong sense of ownership and achievement, where Reward is clearly linked to meaningful outcomes and business performance.
CI: We previously had four performance ratings: exceeding, delivering, developing, and underachieving. The ‘developing’ category was intended for employees new to a role or recently promoted. However, over time, this category became overused, blurring performance differentiation. Many managers probably thought it was safer than marking someone as “underachieving”.
We then shifted our focus to more precise objective setting and removed the ‘developing’ category to now align expectations to time spent in the role. For example, if someone has only been in a position for two months, their objectives focus on onboarding and building understanding as opposed to full delivery. This change reinforces a clearer, more performance-driven culture, with better alignment between expectations, outcomes, and reward.
CI: We’re really ramping up how we communicate our benefits, including standout offerings like PMI with no excess, which is rare and hugely valuable for our people. We also run an annual Benefits Fair, like a mini trade show, to showcase everything employees can elect for the year.
We have moved to a new Thanks Ben benefits portal, which enables my team to push targeted, timely messages straight to our communication tools. It means employees see and use the great benefits available to them. We’re also using channels like Viva Engage, office screens, and on‑site vendor pop‑ups to keep benefits visible and relevant. There are so many touchpoints to bring our offering to life, and it’s helping my team become more accessible and recognised across the business.
Overall, the exciting part is simple: we’ve got fantastic benefits, and now we’re making sure everyone knows about them.
CI: When our CPO joined, she came in with a strong vision for culture, performance, and building a high‑performing organisation. She brought in a new Talent and Culture leader to drive that agenda, and it became clear that our work was deeply interconnected, especially around performance cycles, incentives, hiring, and organisational design.
Because Reward is so closely linked to talent acquisition and workforce planning, I suggested bringing Talent Acquisition under my remit. Our outputs in Reward directly inform their inputs when hiring, so managing that end‑to‑end flow made sense. I’m also naturally analytical and systems‑focused, so streamlining these workflows felt like the right move for the business.
Once we aligned on her vision, the transition happened organically. I took on the additional areas, and it’s been a valuable learning step after nearly 20 years leading Reward. It wasn’t a grand plan from the start; it just evolved as the business matured. It’s working well because the expansion aligns naturally with the flows of work with what the organisation needs. Together, we’re able to deliver more in a truly joined‑up way.
CI: Two things: time and constructive challenge. Early in my consulting career, working across different cultures like in the Middle East, I would spend the first hour talking about our lives outside work before we ever discussed business. Those human moments matter. Being personable, connecting beyond work – it all helps people see you as well‑rounded and grounded, not just analytical.
For rising reward leaders, the technical expertise is a given. You already understand incentive design, pay structures, benchmarking. What really elevates you is the willingness to invest in relationships and to put yourself out there. You need to build internal networks and understand the business beyond the numbers, so people see you as a trusted advisor, not just the Reward specialist.
And equally, you can’t be afraid to challenge. Thoughtful challenge is where your value shows up, even if your recommendation is not taken up immediately, people will often circle back later with a clearer appreciation for why you raised it. When leaders know how you think and you know how they think, everything becomes smoother and more aligned. Listening, time, and the courage to challenge – those, to me, are the foundations of influence.
CI: The biggest trend is pay transparency, driven largely by the upcoming EU Pay Transparency Directive. In my opinion, transparency isn’t just about publishing numbers. It’s about helping people understand the principles behind them so they feel confident. It creates trust and they would be more engaged.
At ASOS, we’re currently working on making it clearer why people are paid what they are – starting with job evaluation, how ranges are built, and how decisions link to market data. Most people don’t get why the numbers are the way they are. If we could demo and guide them through the analysis and validation processes, they would see the granular work behind their pay. The goal is for employees to genuinely understand.
CI: Reward is a fantastic career because there is always global demand for it across every industry, often with strong earning potential. I have worked in sectors from shipping to health to retail, and Reward has opened doors everywhere. It is also one of the few HR areas where you can clearly see the impact of your work. What you design reaches employees and managers directly, and you get to guide real decisions around organisational changes. The visibility and gratitude that come with that are incredibly motivating.
At ASOS, we have sharpened our OKRs, built better data capabilities and developed tools that will help the business move faster and make smarter decisions. We are still early in the journey, and the future is especially exciting. I am genuinely happy to be part of it and after nearly two decades in Reward, I still love what I do and being at ASOS makes that even better.
If you would like to take part in the Total Reward discussion series, get in touch and let’s explore a conversation from your perspective.
