Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, June 2025 – Hickory has announced the appointment of Pete Howell as its new Head of People. In this key leadership position, Pete will steer the company’s people strategy, fostering a culture of engagement, performance, and growth as Hickory continues to deliver innovative solutions across the property and construction sector.
Prior to joining Hickory, Pete was with 7-Eleven Australia for nearly seven years, where he most recently served as Strategic HR Lead. In this role, Pete was instrumental in developing and executing HR strategies focused on retention, organizational effectiveness, and supporting executive leadership communication. He also played a crucial role as People Transition Stream Lead during a major organizational transformation, overseeing all people-related elements as the company adopted a new agile operating model.
Earlier, Pete held roles as Head of Business Partnering at 7-Eleven, as well as HR Consultant at Tangkuinya, where he supported organizations in HR transformation and project management. His career also spans significant leadership tenures at John Holland, where he held positions including Group General Manager Organisational Development, Group General Manager People Strategy, and Group Manager – HR Operations, leading large teams and driving programs in employee engagement, talent management, and strategic workforce planning.
Pete began his career with a series of HR and business partnership roles at leading organizations such as Coles Myer and BHP, building a strong foundation in HR operations, employee relations, and leadership development.
With a legacy spanning over 30 years, Hickory stands as a leading full-lifecycle property solutions provider, operating across capital, development, construction, manufacturing, and facilities management. Based in Victoria and New South Wales, Hickory self-performs critical aspects of the construction programme and delivers exceptional outcomes on major projects. With a workforce of over 800 employees, Hickory continues to shape communities through innovation, quality, and sustainable practices.
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