London, United Kingdom, December 2025 – Laura Laird has started a new position as Director of People & Operations at Sifted, marking a significant step in her continued growth within the organization. In this role, she will lead people strategy and operational priorities, supporting Sifted’s mission as a trusted voice within the European startup ecosystem.
In her current role as Director of People & Operations at Sifted, Laura Laird builds on a strong internal progression, reflecting her deep understanding of the organization and its culture. Her elevation underscores Sifted’s confidence in her ability to align people practices with operational effectiveness in a fast-paced, media-driven environment.
Prior to this appointment, she served as Head of People and Operations at Sifted, where she played a central role in shaping people strategy, workforce operations, and organizational processes. Before that, she progressed through roles including Senior People and Talent Manager, People and Talent Manager, and People and Talent Coordinator, contributing to talent acquisition, employee experience, and people operations during a period of sustained growth.
Earlier in her career at Sifted, Laura Laird also worked as a Campaign Manager, gaining exposure to commercial operations and cross-functional collaboration. This blend of people and business experience has informed her holistic approach to people and operations leadership.
Before joining Sifted, she held roles with The Stage Media Company Ltd as a Coordinator, and earlier served as People Coordinator at the University of Sydney, where she supported HR operations in a large academic institution. Her early career also includes administrative and recruitment support roles with AMP, CROSSMARK Australia, and customer-facing experience with Selfridges, providing her with a broad operational foundation across sectors and geographies.
About Sifted
Sifted is a leading media and community platform serving the European startup ecosystem. It provides curated insights, in-depth analysis, and networking opportunities for founders, senior management teams, investors, and service providers across Europe.
Sifted’s offerings include the Sifted Daily newsletter, Sifted Pro premium subscription with verified startup and deals data, Sifted for Startups programs, specialist newsletters across climate tech, fintech, venture capital and startup life, and the Startup Europe Podcast, which features interviews with founders and operators behind Europe’s fastest-growing technology companies.
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