interview
Chris Judge doesn’t mind admitting that academically, he
was a late bloomer. After struggling through high school
in his native England, he ended up at a community col-lege
to earn a diploma in business studies. For him, that’s
where it all clicked.
“I matured and it all fell into place,” he said. Switching to a degree
program, Judge turned his focus to human resource management.
Now, after a successful 25-year HR career, he’s earned his “seat at
the table” with a promotion to head of operations at the Ottawa
location of Novozymes Canada, an industrial biotechnology firm
specializing in enzyme production. Altogether, 50 employees work
at the site to re-engineer products for enhanced sustainability, en-ergy
savings or decreased production costs. In his new role, Judge
has overall responsibility for the site’s efficient, productive and safe
operation.
HR Professional spoke to him recently about what it takes to
succeed in business-focused HR.
HRP: How and when did you decide upon a career in human
resources?
CJ: At college, I specialized in HR management in the fourth year
of my degree course. However, it was several years after graduation
before I landed an HR role.
HRPATODAY.CA ❚ JULY/AUGUST 2014 ❚ 57