Meet your People Partners
We're practical, curious and genuinely invested in making work better for the people who show up every day.
Elena Suhova
Founder & Principal HR Consultant, CIPD Associate, MSc HRM ACIPD
Elena has over a decade of experience supporting organisations of all sizes, from early‑stage startups to global teams of up to 1,000 employees.
She launched What If HR in 2020 to offer pragmatic, partnership‑driven people support for SMEs that need high‑quality HR without the complexity.
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She specialises in HR tech, employee relations and compliance, with a clear mission to modernise small business HR so it is practical, human and fit for the future.
Zhanna Zhuravleva
Partner HR Consultant,
Culture & Transformation, FCIPD, Executive Coach
Zhanna is a Chartered Fellow of CIPD and seasoned HR leader with 13+ years’ experience in 30+ countries.
She helps founders and leadership teams shape thriving cultures and unlock team potential, specialising in transformation, leadership development and talent management.
Zhanna brings a coach’s perspective and uses innovative tools like Value Match to deliver creative, lasting people solutions
Your team, extended when needed
We're a lean, focused team. Elena and Zhanna lead every client relationship directly. You'll always know who you're working with and that won't change.
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When projects need specialist skills or extra capacity, we bring in trusted local associates.
But here's the important bit: we'll always agree this with you in advance. No surprises, no random new faces. You get the consistency and relationship you need, with the flexibility to scale support when it makes sense.
The values that guide us
Clarity over complexity
Work is complicated enough. We make the people stuff simple, clear and usable.
Commercial over textbook
We design solutions that work for your business reality — not what the HR manual says you "should" do. Pragmatic beats perfect every time.
Results over process
We focus on what you need to achieve, not just following procedures. Your business outcomes drive our approach.
Responsive over reactive
We deliver when we say we will. When you need us, we're there, with solutions, not excuses.
Our approach
What sets us apart
We speak your language
We cut through HR jargon to give you straight-talking, actionable advice in clear, plain English. You’ll always know exactly what we mean and how it benefits your business.
Direct access to experts
No call centres or junior consultants. You work with your dedicated People Partner, invested in your success from day one.
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Tailored solutions, not templates
We believe every business is unique. Our solutions are never “one size fits all”. We design people strategies that reflect your culture, sector, and commercial goals. Fresh thinking, every time.
Transparent pricing. Flexible service
Say goodbye to rigid contracts. Our rolling terms offer flexibility and control: book support for the days you need, scale up or down as your business evolves, and always know where you stand on price.