As a C-level executive, HR does represent you. You are the company (in part). If you are on the board, even more so. For a rank-and-file employee, the interest

As a C-level executive, HR does represent you. You are the company (in part). If you are on the board, even more so. For a rank-and-file employee, the interests are divergent. HR represents the company. Even for those who have the ability to hire and fire, HR is only aligned with your interests to the extent that your interests are the interests of the company. (However, fun fact: at many companies, only the CEO has authority to hire and fire. All such personnel decisions go through an HR-mediated process, and the CEO makes the final call.)