As part of our Employee Spotlight series, we’re excited to chat to Ozone API employees from various departments and countries around the globe. This series aims to give you a closer look at the diverse and talented individuals who make our company thrive.
From colleagues in our product team to our sales managers, in each article we’ll be posing a series of questions to a different team member. Join us as we celebrate the people who drive our success and make Ozone API a great place to work.
This time we’re featuring Charlotte Livingston, our Global Head of People. Charlotte shares her experience and advice on embracing global diversity, how companies can thrive even when teams are spread across time zones, and how to retain top talent, plus lots more.
Can you share a bit about your background and what led you to your current role as Global Head of People at Ozone API?
I’ve spent almost 15 years in the People space, across fintech, banking and software. It has always been important to me to progress the role of HR away from the historical personnel function, and instead to be an agile strategic partner that helps to unlock the potential in people. From my very first conversation in the Ozone API recruitment process I could feel that this was the right place for me.
What are your key responsibilities?
To quote one of our Co-CEO’s Huw Davies: to enable the enablers! As a business that relies on people in order to be successful, I am here to be the people lens for how we set our team up for success. It’s about how we get the very best out of our team in a collaborative, potential-reaching partnership where Ozone API succeeds because everyone here is thriving.
Ozone API maintains a strong company culture despite having a global presence with employees spread across numerous countries. How does this shape your role as Global Head of People?
It makes it very exciting. I am in the People Team because I love to understand what makes people tick and how to help them achieve their potential. Operating globally means more cultures, more perspectives and more opportunities to make a difference. We recognise that there are lots of ways that we are similar and lots of ways we are different; it’s about celebrating this and achieving incredible outcomes as a collective.
What advice would you give to other companies navigating the challenges of operating across diverse regions and time zones?
Spend time thinking about the core of what it means to be successful in your organisation. These are the things you must prioritise, nurture, and embed; no matter where people are spread geographically. Following that, bring people into the team who you trust to grow these core elements and empower them to make the best decisions on behalf of your organisation.
How do you foster and champion diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging within Ozone API?
Put it on everyone’s agenda. DEIB isn’t just for People Teams to focus on; it is the responsibility of all of us. Creating an environment where everyone feels safe to be themselves is paramount. Particularly where you have a global team who are used to different cultural norms. Our default approach at Ozone API is to be respectful to everyone, and you feel this from the minute you get here. It’s a great foundation from which to challenge each other to create an environment where everyone feels seen, heard, and welcome.
How do you see trends like remote work, flexible hours, or employee well-being shaping the future of HR globally?
We are hearing a lot of noise about ways of working. Ozone API has really cracked having a majority remote team that works cohesively on a global scale. Again, I would go back to my point about identifying what sits at the core of your culture to drive the ways of working that you need to be successful. Trends will come and go but staying true to your values whilst focusing on achieving your mission should be what drives the ways you work. We are focused on outputs; trusting that everyone is doing the right things for them and for Ozone API.
What one tip would you give to companies wanting to retain top talent?
Be honest. Particularly in the startup world there aren’t always big salary jumps or next job levels available immediately. But what you can offer is an amplified growth trajectory where every day is a learning opportunity. Empowering team members to establish their own career journey is where you can really demonstrate your commitment to their growth. Finding opportunities for them to progress on this path as you collectively drive towards company goals is a winning situation for everyone.
As the company continues to grow, what excites you the most about the future?
At Ozone we are at a really exciting point in our journey. We have almost doubled since the beginning of the year and we now have team members in almost a dozen locations globally. As our growth continues, we can attract more diverse talent to further enhance our creativity, problem-solving and decision making. This will mean even better products for the people around the globe who will ultimately benefit from the pioneering progress we are making in open data. The potential to make a meaningful impact in the world is incredibly inspiring!
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