International HR Leader Dublin, Ireland
I'm Michael Arkins. For more than 20 years I've built and transformed people functions in hypergrowth technology companies, across 21+ countries in North America, EMEA, APAC and LATAM.
Experience with
I'm not your average HR leader. I'm the person you call when you need to build talent strategies in markets you've never operated in before.
Over 20+ years I've built and transformed people functions in hypergrowth technology companies, establishing HR infrastructure across more than 21 countries in North America, EMEA, APAC and LATAM, and supporting growth from 160 to 4,000+ employees.
That work has run through PE-backed growth, pre-IPO readiness, M&A integration and multi-jurisdictional compliance. I specialise in scaling organisations across jurisdictions while delivering measurable business impact through strategic workforce planning and data-informed people programmes.
I work as a cultural bridge-builder, translating company DNA across very different regulatory and cultural landscapes. Whether I'm implementing AI-driven recruiting systems, leading executive searches or integrating acquisitions across continents, the aim is the same: unlock collective potential while respecting local nuance.
I believe in progress over perfection, authentic leadership, and doing work that genuinely matters.
Based in Dublin, with work across 21+ countries in North America, EMEA, APAC and LATAM.
Chicago · New York · São Paulo · Lisbon · Madrid · Barcelona · Manchester · London · Paris · Liège · Luxembourg · Utrecht · Milan · Berlin · Stockholm · Prague · Kłodzko · Istanbul · Dubai · Abu Dhabi · Singapore · Guangzhou · Nanjing · Sydney · Christchurch
Countries include
SHEIN EMEA
Cora
Fleetmatics and Verizon Connect
Trendyol
Oct 2024 – present
Multinational SaaS business providing project and portfolio management software to aerospace and defence, manufacturing, pharmaceutical and healthcare customers.
Leading the global HR function across North America and EMEA on the senior leadership team of a PE-backed business, with a three-year people strategy supporting growth from 220 employees towards 500+.
Oct 2025 – Jan 2026
Türkiye's first decacorn and leading e-commerce platform, valued at over $16 billion and expanding across EMEA.
Contract engagement with senior leadership in Istanbul and Berlin to design a scalable global HR operating model for international expansion across Europe and the Middle East.
Jan 2022 – Oct 2024
Global retail business valued at around $60 billion, with 14 locations in EMEA and in its pre-IPO stages.
Led HR across Europe and the Middle East, and served as Commercial Director (EU), through roughly 40% year-on-year headcount growth and entry into multiple new employment jurisdictions.
Feb 2021 – Jan 2022
Global Customer Operations: 1,600 employees across 21 countries in customer success, professional services and solutions engineering.
Owned the HR annual operating plan for Verizon's largest international functional group, partnering with senior leadership on talent, engagement and retention.
Oct 2012 – Jan 2021
Connected-vehicle and fleet management SaaS business operating in 30+ markets, formerly Fleetmatics.
Director-level HR leadership across 15 countries in EMEA, APAC and LATAM, advising management on headcount forecasting, compensation, reward, learning, legal matters and workplace relations.
Oct 2006 – Oct 2012
E-learning software business with a presence in the UK, US, Canada and Australia, formerly MindLeaders.
HR and recruitment across Ireland, the UK and Canada, with direct responsibility for a population of 180+ employees.
Founder and HR consultant at Amplivate, a consultancy providing low-cost fractional HR services to Irish startups. Current clients include Boost Learning, Reap Interactive and Staq AI.
Organisation design, strategic workforce planning, change management, succession planning, M&A integration and TUPE.
Talent acquisition and management, performance management, compensation and value, talent development, learning design and delivery.
EMEA and US employment law, European Works Council frameworks, audit and compliance monitoring, ISO and SOC 2 aligned HR.
AI and automation efficiency, small language models for HR administration, HRIS and ATS implementation, HR dashboards and reporting.
Engagement strategy, corporate communications, diversity and inclusion, employer brand, onboarding and blended learning.
Executive advisory, cross-cultural leadership, stakeholder engagement, professional coaching and mediation, crisis communication, influencing and negotiation.
Guest on how HR can differentiate itself and create commercial outcomes through organisational capability.
For challenging the status quo and delivering results that move the business forward.
Invited to present on the importance of authenticity to 400+ employees across EMEA.
Guest on HR developments in the tech sector.
Contributed a chapter on onboarding, published in partnership with Benivo.
MA Strategic Human Resources
BA (Hons) Accounting and Human Resource Management
National College of Ireland
Associate Member, CIPD, since 2006
Professional Global Management, ELI, since 2019
Co-created World Class Dancers in New York, which saw more than 100 young people graduate. Earlier work includes serving as a seasonal Programme Director at Trailblazers Youth Development in New York, Dublin's Community Policing Forum, and co-founding the Reaching Out Society at NCI.
Scaling internationally, transforming culture, or thinking about the future of work? Let's talk.
Prefer LinkedIn? Connect with me there, where you'll also find numerous recommendations from colleagues.