04 December, 2025
In a market where compliance reform, workforce change and digital acceleration are rewriting how organisations manage people and pay, HR Crowd has turned specialisation into success.
Just three years after launch, HR technology consultancy HR Crowd has been named one of Australia’s fastest-growing new businesses, debuting at 16 on the 2025 Australian Financial Review (AFR) Fast Starters list
For Co-CEOs Judith Carelsen and Adrian Everett, the recognition reflects a simple idea executed with purpose: a consultancy built on deep expertise, trusted relationships, measurable outcomes and a values-led culture that attracts exceptional talent.
“This recognition shows that the market values experience, agility and care,” says Adrian. “It’s a credit to every person who’s helped us build something that genuinely delivers for clients.”
When Judith and Adrian founded HR Crowd in 2023 with Chairman Hernus Carelsen, they saw a clear opportunity. HR technology projects were often treated as system implementations rather than strategic transformations. Their goal: connect advisory thinking, process-led design and accountable delivery.
“We wanted to help organisations realise the full potential of their HR systems — not just install software, but create value for the business and its people,” says Judith.
They assembled consultants, architects and advisors who understood both the technology and the people processes it supports — a blend of business insight and technical mastery that’s become the firm’s hallmark.
Across Australia and New Zealand, HR and payroll are moving from the back office to the boardroom. Frequent regulatory change, evolving workforce models and the link between employee experience and performance have made HR technology a foundation of operational success.
“People and pay underpin every organisation,” Adrian says. “They drive productivity, compliance, cost and engagement. That’s why enterprises are looking for true specialists in this space.”
Focusing on SAP SuccessFactors has placed HR Crowd at the centre of this shift. The team partners with large enterprises in complex industries such as mining, energy, healthcare and the public sector to optimise, extend and sustain HR and payroll environments.
“We’ll always start with what’s right for the client,” Judith adds. “Sometimes that means SuccessFactors, sometimes integration with other systems. The goal is to solve business challenges and deliver meaningful outcomes.”
Every engagement begins with a conversation about business objectives, not configuration. Consultants work with HR, payroll and finance leaders to understand process, governance and employee impact before designing solutions.
This approach has evolved into an integrated ecosystem of support:
- Advisory and Elevate methodology — the advisory team applies Elevate, a proprietary accelerator designed to quickly understand each client’s business and processes before shaping transformation strategies and solution designs.
- Roadmaps — outcome-focused plans that guide priorities and keep investment aligned to business goals.
- Crowd Assist — proactive managed services covering release management, optimisation and continuous improvement, helping clients stay ahead long after go-live.
- Solution-driven innovation — the Technology and Innovation practice uses SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP) to create extensions that tackle real operational challenges, from complex rostering to maintaining compliance by tracking employee certifications and licences in real time.
- Ecosystem enablement and integrations — in-house experts extend the value of HR technology through partnerships with leading platforms, including WalkMe for digital adoption and user experience, and SmartRecruiters to connect and streamline talent acquisition with SuccessFactors.
Together, these capabilities create a consultancy that supports the entire employee technology ecosystem — from strategy and design to optimisation and innovation.
Culture is what makes the model work. The business operates with the openness and accessibility of a flat structure — knowledge flows freely, questions are encouraged, and senior consultants stay close to the work. This mix of experience, collaboration and shared accountability keeps the team agile and ensures quality across every engagement.
Practice Director Mark Wade, one of the first to join, recalls, “There was clarity from day one — values, delivery standards, the type of work we wanted to do. That focus continues to attract people who also care about doing it well.”
Across Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and the Philippines, teams describe an environment that is collaborative, empowering and built on trust.
“I was looking for a company that matched my own values, truly customer-centric and outcome-focused,” says Japhet Marcos, a Manila-based consultant. “That’s exactly what I found — teamwork, trust and genuine support.”
Growth in New Zealand reflects the same client appetite that has driven success in Australia.
“In New Zealand, organisations are increasingly seeking partners who are nimble, responsive and easy to work with,” says Kelly Martin, NZ Practice Director. “We bring that agility, backed by the experience and depth clients expect.”
Kelly joined for similar reasons. “I could see something special happening — great people coming together with a shared purpose. It’s a culture where you’re trusted to deliver and supported to grow.”
HR Crowd’s integrated ANZ delivery model ensures every customer, wherever they operate, can access the right expertise at the right time supported by shared standards and governance across the region.
The future: Innovation with purpose
Adrian says agility will remain the firm’s advantage as the market evolves.
“The HR technology landscape has changed dramatically in just two years,” he says. “Our ability to adapt — to move fast while staying grounded in experience — comes from our people and the consulting depth they bring to every project.”
That strength lies in the mix of seasoned experts who’ve led complex transformations working alongside newer consultants who bring fresh perspectives and curiosity. Together, they keep the firm inventive, agile and close to the client’s world.
Looking ahead, the company is expanding its innovation and advisory capabilities to help organisations prepare for payroll reforms, workforce regulation and AI-driven HR processes.
“Everything we build or support, from BTP apps to digital adoption and analytics, is designed to make HR simpler, smarter and more strategic,” says Judith. “That’s where we’ll keep leading.”
HR Crowd’s place on the AFR Fast Starters list marks a milestone in its growth journey, highlighting the strength of its model and the calibre of people driving it.
“We’ve had incredibly talented people join us from the very beginning and along the way, each bringing their own expertise, energy and belief in what we’re building,” says Judith. “Making this list recognises their work and shows what’s possible when capability, culture and client focus come together.”
“The model is proven, the culture is thriving, and we’ve created a platform for the next phase of growth,” adds Adrian. “Ultimately, it works because of the people who show up every day with the same intent we started with, to deliver better outcomes for our clients.”
A new Standard for HR technology consulting
HR Crowd has done more than grow fast; it has redefined what a modern consulting partner can be — expert yet approachable, innovative yet grounded in people.
For HR, payroll and finance leaders seeking both strategic perspective and delivery assurance, HR Crowd offers a clear proposition: deep expertise, continuous partnership and solutions that evolve with the business.
To learn more about how HR Crowd helps enterprises unlock the full value of their HR technology investments, visit hrcrowd.com or connect with the team on LinkedIn.
