Yvonne Franzese

Chief Human Resources Officer and Exec Vice-President

CNO Financial Group

Boards:

Skills for Chicagoland Future

Industry:

Financial Services

Member since:

2020

Membership Type:

Full

Transforming Human Capital

Chief Human Resources Officer with experience operating on global and regional levels covering the Americas, EMEA and Asia Pacific.  Drive the ability of companies to operate at their optimal level in rapidly changing market environments through human capital management on global or regional scale. Highly skilled in fighting the war for talent by delivering solutions that attract, develop and keep high performing colleagues and leaders throughout the enterprise. Extensive experience leading through complex change and developing an agile workforce and sustainable culture.  Highly skilled in restructurings, mergers and acquisitions, total rewards, capability building, change management. Early adaptor to technology that improves performance. Delivers innovative HR solutions with expertise in developing and measuring HR efficiencies and effectiveness. Forward thinking global strategist who is results driven.

Multifaceted Global and Regional Businesses, Complex Change Management

CHRO and Senior HR Executive for global Fortune 1000 companies in the banking and insurance industries including CNO Financial Group, Allianz, JPMorgan Chase, MetLife, and Citicorp.  Broad and deep experiences in Retail Businesses, Investment Banking, and Investment Management.  Skillful at large scale change and transformation efforts including numerous mergers, acquisitions, start-ups, and restructurings. Previous in career, led Organization Development, Learning, and HR Systems at Citicorp and MetLife.

Thought Partner to CEO and Executive Management Team

Strong collaborator and trusted advisor who works closely with senior leaders to develop pragmatic solutions to address complex human capital needs.  Thought partner with CEO’s on best ways to lead the organization through times of fast-paced shifts in market and business conditions.  Provide counsel on ways to create the desired culture to deliver against increasing customer expectations. Proven track record of Managing through highly difficult and confidential employee situations with unwavering integrity, objectivity, and resolve.  Managed numerous CEO and senior executive transitions.

  • Delivery and Impact
  • Develop leaders who focus on the right things to achieve results
  • Operate in different global and cultural environments
  • Build strong relationships with key stakeholders to quickly execute on human capital decisions
  • Drive a culture to shape the desired external brand
  • Engage employees to maximize diversity of thought and commitment to the strategy
  • Leverage technology to increase efficiencies and effectiveness
  • Create innovative and pragmatic solutions that apply to global and regional needs, reflecting local needs
  • Focus on well-being to enable employee decision making and manage costs

 

Background: In addition to her corporate experiences, Yvonne is a retired Major in the Air National Guard, Air Reserves where she received a commendation medal for implementing the first state-wide diversity council.  She has held global and regional roles with ability to successfully operate in multi-cultural environments.  Yvonne holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and a Master of Science in Applied Behavioral Science from Wright State University.  She completed all but her thesis for a Ph.D. in Sociology and Statistics from The Ohio State University.

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