About #SHRMIAC25
The 14th SHRM Annual Conference & Expo offers an unparalleled opportunity to learn about and experience the biggest industry trends shaping the present and future of work. Leverage this platform designed to equip leaders and professionals with strategies for create a thriving work environment.
Deep dive into ‘All Things Work’ through dynamic and thought-provoking discussions with top industry leaders. Together, let’s upskill and adapt to change, and adopt best practices to create a positive impact on the workplace.
Why Attend #SHRMIAC25
Be a Change Agent
Theme based sessions for a future-forward focus
Be a Change Agent
Theme based sessions for a future-forward focus
Leverage Trending Content
Content tracks including Workplace Culture, Leadership, WorkTech & Strategy
Leverage Trending Content
Theme based sessions for a future-forward focus
Upgrade your Learnings
Hands-on learning with practical takeaways
Upgrade your Learnings
Hands-on learning with practical takeaways
Gain New Insights
Acquire new skills and explore new knowledge realms
Gain New Insights
Acquire new skills and explore new knowledge realms
Rechart your Growth Path
Masterclasses, Lightning Talk Series, Debate, Spotlight Sessions and Discussions for all-round knowledge
Rechart your Growth Path
Masterclasses, Lightning Talk Series, Debate, Spotlight Sessions and Discussions for all-round knowledge
Maximize Global Exposure
Network with fellow-leaders and engage in enriching conversations for varied perspectives
Maximize Global Exposure
Network with fellow-leaders and engage in enriching conversations for varied perspectives
0
HR Professionals
0
CXOs
0
Global Speakers
0
Knowledge Sessions
Learning Hours
PDCs (Max.)
Why Partner
Showcase your thought leadership and expertise with HR influencers and key decision makers
Make the most of super-specialized session formats
Leverage innovative branding & promotional opportunities
Interact and network with 4000+ relevant audience
Grow your business with the right solutions
Pre-Schedule meetings with key prospects
Direct brand reach to SHRM APAC & India Network of 400,000+ HR Professionals through emailers
Brand Reach to SHRM APAC & India Social Community of 120mn+
Location
New Delhi
Day & Date
08-09 Oct, 2025
Mobile
1800-103-2198 (Toll Free)
Showcase your thought leadership and expertise with HR influencers and key decision makers
Make the most of super-specialized session formats
Leverage innovative branding & promotional opportunities
Interact and network with 4000+ relevant audience
Grow your business with the right solutions
Pre-Schedule meetings with key prospects
Direct brand reach to SHRM APAC & India Network of 400,000+ HR Professionals through emailers
Brand Reach to SHRM APAC & India Social Community of 120mn+
Why Partner
Showcase and Position
your Thought Leadership
Network and Engage
with your target audience
Grow your Business
with the right branding and promotional opportunities
Get Noticed by
the SHRM APAC & India Network of 300,000+ professionals
Why Attend #SHRMIAC25
Be a Change Agent
Theme based sessions for a future-forward focus
Leverage Trending Content
Content tracks including Workplace Culture, Leadership, WorkTech & Strategy
Upgrade your Learnings
Hands-on learning with practical takeaways
Gain New Insights
Acquire new skills and explore new knowledge realms
Rechart your Growth Path
Masterclasses, Lightning Talk Series, Debate, Spotlight Sessions and Discussions for all-round knowledge
Maximize Global Exposure
Network with fellow-leaders and engage in enriching conversations for varied perspectives
Past Speakers at SHRMIAC
Hon’ble Minister Shri Piyush Goyal
Ministry of Commerce and Industry
Government of India
Hon’ble Minister Shri Piyush Goyal
Ministry of Commerce and IndustryGovernment of India
"Good economics makes for good politics. We are today at the cusp of a development explosion."
Shri. Piyush Goyal is the Union Minister of Commerce & Industry and Member of Parliament, North Mumbai Lok Sabha. He has previously served as the Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha and helmed the Ministry of Consumer Affairs and Food & Public Distribution, Textiles, Railways, Finance, Corporate Affairs, Coal, Power, New & Renewable Energy, and Mines.
KEY MILESTONES UNDER HIS TENURE:
- India clocked its highest-ever exports of about $776 Bn in 2022-23
- Led the signing of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with UAE, the fastest-ever negotiated FTA globally, & India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA), India’s 1st agreement with a developed country after a decade
- Oversaw the launch of Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Schemes to boost Make In India
- Led the implementation of the world’s largest food security program, Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) by distributing free foodgrains to nearly 80 crore poor and vulnerable people over a 2-year period
- As Minister of Railways, helped India achieve the best-ever safety record of zero passenger deaths in rail accidents
- As Power, Coal, and New & Renewable Energy Minister, successfully implemented the world’s largest LED bulb distribution program (UJALA)
- Was awarded the 4th Annual Carnot Prize in 2018 in recognition of pathbreaking transformations in India’s energy sector by making energy efficiency a people’s movement. Carnot Prize is the most prestigious award in the energy sector given by the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania for distinguished contributions to energy policy through scholarship or practice.
POLITICAL JOURNEY:
During his 35-year-long political career, he has held several important positions at different levels in the world’s largest political party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and is in its National Executive. He has also been the National Treasurer of the Party.
PERSONAL LIFE:
He has had a brilliant academic record – an all-India second-rank holder Chartered Accountant and a second-rank holder in Law from Mumbai University. He was also a well-known investment banker. His father, Late Vedprakash Goyal was Union Minister of Shipping, and the National Treasurer of the BJP for over two decades. His mother Chandrakanta Goyal was elected thrice to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly from Mumbai
Betty Thompson
Chair, SHRM Board of Directors &
Senior Executive Advisor, Booz Allen Hamilton
Betty Thompson
Chair, SHRM Board of Directors &Senior Executive Advisor, Booz Allen Hamilton
Betty Serves as Senior Executive Advisor at Booz Allen Hamilton. Since joining the firm in 2008, Betty had been instrumental to transformations that saw Booz Allen evolve to a public company, weather the market downturn, and reposition for growth.
A true pioneer in human capital strategy, Betty drives forward-leaning initiatives aimed at attracting and retaining a global workforce of more than 27,000 people. She led a complete reimagining of our employee value proposition and executive talent management processes, as well as the reshaping of recruiting, retention, and development programs. Notably she has also focused on accelerating diversity and inclusion, and propelling enterprise wellness.
Her prior corporate experience includes VP, Human Resources at Fannie Mae (1993 – 2008) and several senior Human Resource positions at IBM.
Betty holds a Master of Science degree in Human Resources and Personnel Management from American University in Washington, D.C.
Betty was recognized in 2019 as a Top 10 HR Exec to Watch by Washington Executive and in 2015 with the Activist Woman of Excellence Award by the National Association of Female Executive.
D Shivakumar
Chairman MTPL, an Advent PE Company &
Conference Chair - SHRMIAC24
D Shivakumar
Chairman MTPL, an Advent PE Company &Conference Chair - SHRMIAC24
D. Shivakumar, or Shiv as he is popularly known, is a Bangalore born leader and a management thinker.
He is currently Operating Partner at Advent International Private Equity. Previously, Shiv has been Group Executive President, Corporate Strategy at Aditya Birla Group, and Chairperson & Chief Executive Officer at PepsiCo Holdings Private Limited, India. Prior to that he was CEO for emerging markets at Nokia.
Shiv started his career as a management trainee in the Consumer Products Division at Hindustan Ciba Geigy before shifting to Hindustan Unilever Limited where he spent 19 years in sales, marketing and general management positions. He moved to Philips, India as Chief Executive Officer of the consumer electronics division in 2003.
Shiv joined Nokia in 2006 as the Managing Director, India. Under his management, Nokia built its entire services portfolio, including Nokia Life Tools. He was also instrumental in pushing low-cost mobile devices across rural India; making Nokia a dominant brand in India. He is credited for driving Nokia’s brand from No. 71 to No. 1 in the country. He was instrumental in making Nokia one of the top most trusted brands. Shiv moved as Sr. Vice President, Emerging Markets (India, Middle East, Africa) in 2011. This market accounts for 40% of Nokia’s global business and comprises of around 90 countries. His contribution during this time have become case studies at Harvard University, ISB and other Ivy League Institutes.
In 2013, Shivakumar was appointed as the Chairperson & CEO of PepsiCo Holdings Private Limited, India where he managed brand portfolios across beverages, snacks and nutrition. He has been the driving force in bringing PepsiCo’s nutrition portfolio to the forefront with new launches under the Quaker and Tropicana brands. He is known for being the key driver for portfolio transformation and deepen consumer engagement with flagship brands. Apart from overseeing India operations, he also managed PepsiCo’s franchise business across Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
As of January 2018, Shivakumar has joined Aditya Birla Group as the Group Executive President, Corporate Strategy. Aditya Birla Group is one of the largest Indian conglomerates with businesses spread across telecommunications, cement, chemicals, mining, textiles, financial services, retail and e-commerce, among others, in 36 countries.
Achal Khanna
Chief Executive Officer
SHRM India, APAC & MENA
Achal Khanna
Chief Executive OfficerSHRM India, APAC & MENA
Achal Khanna is the CEO for SHRM India, APAC & MENA. SHRM India is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), which is the world’s largest association devoted to human resource management with more than 3,00,000 HR and business executive members in 165 countries.
Achal is responsible for leading the India operations of SHRM, as well as Asia Pacific operations including Middle-East. She serves on the global SHRM Leadership Team and is responsible for building the brand, expanding its business and developing professional relationships with government agencies, and other HR and business associations in the region.
Achal has over 30 years of work experience. Prior to joining SHRM, she was Managing Director for Kelly India operations; Vice President for GE; and Country Manager for Polaroid India. She has also worked with Dupont, ITC and Cosmo Group in various capacities.
She is a recipient of the “Best Women Executive in India” award.
Achal holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics; a Master’s Degree in English Literature and she is an MBA from Delhi.
Bharat Lal
Secretary General
National Human Rights Commission, India
Bharat Lal
Secretary GeneralNational Human Rights Commission, India
Mr. Bharat Lal joined civil service in July 1988 and presently working as Secretary General, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of India.
Before joining NHRC, he has worked as Director General, National Centre of Good Governance (NCGG), an autonomous institution of the Government of India. Prior to joining NCGG, he was working as Secretary to Lokpal of India, the anti[1]corruption body of the country.
Earlier, he has worked as Founder Mission Director, National Jal Jeevan Mission – a flagship programme started in August 2019 to ensure clean tap water to every household of the country by 2024. He has a long experience of working in water and sanitation sector. He has also worked as Additional Secretary to the President of India.
He has a long experience of working with India’s Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, since he took over as Chief Minister of Gujarat in 2001. For a long time, he was responsible for investment promotion in Gujarat and its diplomatic outreach. He has a vast experience of policy making at the highest level, both in state as well as at the Centre.
He believes in ‘out of box’ thinking and finding solutions to solve complex problems
M Damodaran
Chairperson, Excellence Enablers Private Limited
Former Chairman, SEBI, UTI & IDBI
M Damodaran
Chairperson, Excellence Enablers Private LimitedFormer Chairman, SEBI, UTI & IDBI
Damodaran has held a number of important positions in the Central and State Governments and in India’s financial sector, including Chairman, Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI), Chairman, Unit Trust of India (UTI), Chairman, Industrial Development Bank of India (IDBI), Chief Secretary, Government of Tripura. While at SEBI, he was elected Chairman of the 80 member Emerging Markets Committee of the International Organisation of Securities Commissions.
After successful stints at UTI and IDBI, where he successfully led the turnaround efforts, and at SEBI where he introduced improved corporate governance practices, he has set up Excellence Enablers Private Limited (EEPL), a Corporate Governance and Board Advisory consultancy firm. His pioneering role in promoting Corporate Governance in India invests EEPL with an experience-based leadership role in corporate governance advisory work. In addition, he is presently a consultant, advisor, coach and mentor. He is an Independent Director on the Boards of Larsen & Toubro and Biocon, and was till recently an Independent Director on the Boards of Tech Mahindra, Hero MotoCorp and CRISIL. He is a Nominee Director on the Boards of Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Company and Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance Company. He sits on the Advisory Boards of some foreign entities too. He was the founder Chairman of the Indian Institute of Management Tiruchirappalli. He was the Chairman of Ministry of Corporate Affairs Committee for Reforming the Regulatory Environment for doing Business in India and Chairman of Reserve Bank of India’s Committee on Customer Service in Banks.
Atul Kumar Tiwari
Secretary, MSDE
Government of India
Atul Kumar Tiwari
Secretary, MSDEGovernment of India
Passionate about holistic wellness and dedicated to empowering individuals to lead healthier lives, Komal is the co-founder of Mediwheel, a comprehensive wellness company committed to promoting physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
Drawing on past experience in business development and corporate relations, Komal brings a strategic and collaborative approach to fostering partnerships and driving organizational growth. With a focus on building sustainable relationships, she is dedicated to achieving mutual success and driving positive impact.
Fueled by a curiosity for the world and a thirst for new experiences, she is an avid traveller who thrives on immersing myself in diverse cultures and traditions. She loves exploring new arts, cuisines, and customs which helps broadens her perspective and enriches my understanding of global interconnectedness.
With a love for culinary creativity, Komal finds joy in experimenting with flavors and techniques in the kitchen. Cooking not only nourishes the body but also provides a platform for cultural exploration and expression.
As a proud Gen Z mother of two, she prioritizes work-life balance and advocate for the integration of family values into entrepreneurship. Balancing parenthood with business ownership has taught her invaluable lessons in time management, empathy, and resilience.
Ved Mani Tiwari
Chief Executive Officer, NSDC & Managing Director
NSDC International
Ved Mani Tiwari
Chief Executive Officer, NSDC & Managing DirectorNSDC International
Ved Mani Tiwari is a business leader with global experience across education and skills, transportation, urban infrastructure, renewable energy and cleantech. Currently leading the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) as MD & CEO and NSDC International, a global skill development company, as Chairman, MD & CEO. Passionate about skills and technology and how skills need to be thought from tech enabled perspective. Leading development of several technologies and frameworks for Future of Work. Transformed NSDC from a national company to global operations and from vocational education and training landscape to all-encompassing skilling mandate.
Created a technology enabled playbook for Sterlite Power, which enabled it to win significant number of auctions in Brazil, complete tough projects in sub-zero conditions in Jammu & Kashmir six months before schedule, and complete first transmission project in Brazil 28 months before schedule.
Has created and mentored winning teams and built numerous successful businesses over last 30 years for Sterlite Power, SunEdison, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (DMRC), Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL), Nagpur Metro Rail Company (NMRC) Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) and Indian Railways.
Credited with many firsts - setting up the first of its kind $2.5 bn power transmission development operation in Brazil and the first public listed InVIT (Infrastructure Investment Trust) for Sterlite Power, acquisition of the first large scale utility Solar Park (500 MW) business for SunEdison, setting up the first phase of Delhi Metro as part of core leadership team, developing a unique Social Marketplace led Business Model for Kochi Metro.
Engineering graduate and Postgraduate in Management from ISB. Executive Management Programs from Wharton Business School, Kellogg School of Management and FDC Brazil.
Deepak Sharma
Zone President - Greater India Managing Director & Chief Executive officer
Schneider Electric (SEIPL), India
Deepak Sharma
Zone President - Greater India Managing Director & Chief Executive officerSchneider Electric (SEIPL), India
Deepak Sharma is the Zone President – Greater India and MD & CEO, of Schneider Electric India (SEIPL).
He has 31 years of experience with 26 years at Schneider Electric handling diverse roles based out of India, France, China, and the USA across Energy Management & Industrial Automation businesses. Starting in India as a Product Manager for the Industrial Automation & Power Products business, Deepak has managed various global roles working across the hubs of Schneider Electric.
His journey took full circle when he moved back to India in 2019 and led the integration of L&T Electrical and Automation Business with Schneider Electric as SVP, Mergers & Acquisition. This integration was a key enabler in making India the 3rd largest market and one of the four global hubs of Schneider Electric with 37000+ employees and 30+ factories.
Deepak champions the usage & adoption of energy-efficient and green technologies. He aims to contribute towards a more sustainable, more electric, more digital business and societal environment.
He has graduate and postgraduate degrees, and diplomas in management & Electrical Engineering and is successfully trained, through executive education programs of IIM-Ahmedabad, INSEAD France, and UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School, USA.
Deepak actively engages with industrial bodies and associations. He is currently
- Vice Chair, CII National Committee on Smart Cities & Urban Development.
- Governing Council Member of Indo French Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IFFCI).
- Board of Director - Federation of European Business in India” (“FEBI”).
- Board of Director – Schneider Electric – Global – Diversity Equality & Inclusion
- Executive Member - Indian Green Building Council
Nikhil Sharma
Managing Director
Perfetti Van Melle India
Nikhil Sharma
Managing DirectorPerfetti Van Melle India
Nikhil started his journey in 1999 as a Management trainee with Perfetti Van Melle India (PVM). Over the last 25 years, he assumed diverse roles within sales and marketing and has done Managing Director (MD) stints abroad before recently taking over as MD for the 350 million USD business back in India.
After doing a 3 years sales stint at the start of his career, he moved to marketing. His time since 2002 in marketing overlapped with clutter breaking advertising that went on to make PVM brands household names in India. He has, contributed immensely towards success of home grown brands like Juzt Jelly, Creamfills and Alpenliebe Eclairs. 2012 was the year, Nikhil was elevated to Marketing Director position at Perfetti Van Melle India.
In 2015 he embarked on a journey in the South East Asian markets after being appointed MD for PVM Philippines. Nikhil is credited with the turnaround story of PVM Philippines and, that business since then has grown from strength to strength.
2018 he moved to Vietnam as the MD and delivered growth even during the Covid-19 impacted years. He believes that ensuring the factory operations continued uninterrupted, despite the lockdown, was a significant win.
On his return to India, he is working towards bringing in key transformations with special focus on DEI, Sustainability and Business agility.
An engineer by education, Nikhil has done his MBA from TAPMI, Manipal. He is an avid runner, a fitness enthusiast and a big advocate for people devoting time for self-improvement and to their families. Nikhil loves to spend as much of his free time reading and playing with his rescued and rehomed dogs
Ipsita Dasgupta
Senior Vice President & Managing Director
HP India, Bangladesh, & Sri Lanka
Ipsita Dasgupta
Senior Vice President & Managing DirectorHP India, Bangladesh, & Sri Lanka
Ipsita is a P&L, Marketing and Strategy Leader with extensive operating experience across international markets (including on ground leadership in US, China, India, and South East Asia) and diverse industry experience ranging from Digital Content/Services to Manufacturing / Industrial Goods to High Tech.
Ipsita has spent half of her career leading P&Ls across multiple industries (Video Subscriptions, Digital Services, Healthcare/Medical Devices, Industrial Goods, Sports) and the other half leading Marketing, Strategy and Growth functions for global multinationals (both B2B and B2C), with regional and global responsibilities.
She has managed large sales teams, marketing teams, operations and engineering teams, and customer account teams across markets. She has held multiple nonprofit board positions through the last two decades, including the HBS Alumni Associations in NY and Mumbai
Raj Nayak
Founder & Managing Director
House of Cheer Networks
Raj Nayak
Founder & Managing DirectorHouse of Cheer Networks
A well-known name in the Indian Media & entertainment Industry, Raj Nayak is a visionary leader, media maverick, growth spinner, trendsetter and motivational powerhouse.
In his illustrious career spanning three decades, he led some of the largest media conglomerates in the country. Raj started his career with Tata Economic Consultancy and worked at various news publications before joining STAR TV as a founding member in 1992. Starting as an Area Sales Manager, he spent 10 years at STAR TV and grew into the role of Executive Vice President; and was also a part of the Managing Committee. He then moved on to launch NDTV Media Pvt Ltd as its Chief Executive, helping redefine how news was consumed in the country. Before setting up House of Cheer Networks Pvt Ltd, he was the Chief Operating Officer of Viacom 18 Media Pvt Ltd, where he steered the company to great heights.
His unique prowess to pioneer new concepts and mentor people, make him one of the most respected professionals in the industry. An advocate of happiness, Raj derives his energy from people across all walks of life and believes in the strength of diversity.
Raj has won many awards and accolades. He was awarded the Media Person of the Year 2016 at the IAA Leadership Awards, by the International Advertising Association India Chapter and in the same year, was also awarded the first “Influencer of the Year Award” by Exchange for Media. In 2018, he received the ‘Global Champion Award’ at The International Advertising Association at Bucharest. In addition, he has received the Society Achiever of the Year award for his contribution to Media & Branding, the Humanitarian Award by Amity International for his contribution towards social issues and the Giant International Award for his contribution to the Entertainment Industry. In 2019, he was inducted into the IAA HALL OF FAME by International Advertising Association – IC.
Raj has been an active participant in many industry bodies. He was the President of the Advertising Club and the International Advertising Association India. He has served on the board of Media Research Users Council (MRUC) and The Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF).
The Economic Times named him the second most engaging CEO on social media. Apart from driving such an enormous business, this chief is passionate about food, travel & reading. As someone who believes in spreading cheer and winning hearts, his twitter handle @rajcheerfull reflects his overall personality.
Partha Neog
Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder
Vantage Circle
Partha Neog
Chief Executive Officer & Co-FounderVantage Circle
Partha is the CEO and Co-founder of Vantage Circle. He has over two decades of expertise in product and executive management. Partha has a proven track record of scaling great businesses and was instrumental in developing and launching 99acres.com.
He gained remarkable expertise in various industrial verticals when he worked for Aricent, Hughes Software Systems, and Bharat Electronics. He has gained deep insights in unlocking employee productivity using employee recognition and engagement through his experience with several companies and HR departments. His strategic skills in a learning and entrepreneurial environment, where complexity can require a dive into the content and creativity, problem-solving skills and intelligence are maximally utilized.
Partha is a strong believer in being able to have an impact together with a team. He leads the company with innovative flair, a reason why Vantage Circle enjoys a sustained competitive position in the market. Under Partha's leadership, Vantage Circle has become a globally recognized HR Tech company, establishing itself as one of the leading Employee Rewards and Recognition SaaS-software in India, UAE and North America.
Pranjal Sharma
Economic Analyst, Advisor & Author
The Next New
Pranjal Sharma
Economic Analyst, Advisor & AuthorThe Next New
PRANJAL SHARMA is an economic analyst, advisor and author based in New Delhi who focuses on technology, globalisation and emerging markets. He is an advisor to boards, industry associations and international institutions. His third book, ‘The Next New: Navigating The Fifth Industrial Revolution’ is about how sustainability, social impact and technology breakthroughs are collectively disrupting global business models. It was published by HarperCollins in June 2023. He read economics at University of Delhi and specialised in business media at University of Westminster, London. A former head of Bloomberg TV in India, he is a speaker at various fora in Europe, Asia and Africa.
Farah Khan Kunder
Indian Film Director, Writer, Film Producer, Actress, Dancer and Choreographer
Apurva Chamaria
Head of Startups & Venture Capital, India
Google
Apurva Chamaria
Head of Startups & Venture Capital, India
Apurva serves as the Head of Startups & Venture Capital @ Google India. Former SVP & Chief of Staff to CEO & MD of Tech Mahindra.
Apurva has also served as Chief Revenue Officer at RateGain, world's leading SaaS player in travel and hospitality Apurva led RateGain from 20 Mn to 63 Mn ARR in 32 months.
In his previous stint at HCL, he led global corporate marketing and was responsible for brand marketing, employer brand, employee marketing, thought-leadership, digital marketing, analytics, finance and marcom. Other roles at HCL included being a part of the CEO’s office and being a Sales Director at HCL America.
Prior to moving into sales, Apurva was the Global Head of Marketing and Strategy for Enterprise Applications (SAP, Oracle, Microsoft, ECMP, I V & VS, Mainframe and Mid-range, Business Intelligence, IT Consulting) leading a geographically distributed team of marketing managers. As a part of the leadership team Apurva worked to successfully identify, acquire and integrate Axon Group Plc (acquisition worth GBP 441 million). He was also involved in setting up the marketing organization, processes and systems in HCL and in the initial days worked as the Category Manager for Lifesciences & Retail.
Apurva also has pharmaceutical industry experience having worked in various sales and marketing positions at Ranbaxy Laboratories (now Sun Pharma). He frequently speaks at various industry conferences like Sales Performance Management, LinkedIn Tech Connect, Microsoft Leaders Speak, ACMP Change Management, and premier B-School events at ISB, IIM-A, IIM-Raipur, FMS, IIMC, IMI, MICA, Great Lakes etc. He was made a Fellow of the All-India Management Association (AIMA) in 2021.
Specialties: Business Strategy, Sales and Marketing Strategy & Operations, Account Management and Client Servicing, Brand Management & Integrated Marketing Communications, Digital Marketing, Sales and Marketing Training, Teaching at B-Schools.
Gaurav Khatri
Co-Founder
Noise
Gaurav Khatri
Co-FounderNoise
Gaurav Khatri, Cofounder of Noise is a celebrated D2C leader and one of India’s youngest entrepreneurs who has built India’s leading and globally top 5 smartwatch brand. A certified commercial pilot and winner of ET 40 under 40, Forbes India Leadership Award, and Exhibit Tech Entrepreneur of the Year, Gaurav champions innovation and strategic growth with a deep understanding of the smart wearable industry and the Indian audience. Gaurav has written a playbook for building India’s largest bootstrapped D2C company only to welcome Bose as their first strategic investor.
A travel enthusiast, Gaurav loves to explore different cuisines and is a gadget fanatic.
His Mantra – Fear of Failure Leads to Failure
Anish Basu Roy
Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer
TagZ Foods
Anish Basu Roy
Co-Founder & Chief Executive OfficerTagZ Foods
Anish Basu Roy is the Co-founder and CEO TagZfood. His commitment to health-conscious offerings and leveraging food technology has positioned TagZ Foods as a standout player in the market Anish’s vision extends beyond a single product, emphasizing growth across categories
Prior to TagZfood, he was the co-founder and CEO of Shotang, India’s first on-cloud marketplace for manufacturers, retailers and distributors.
Before co-founding Shotang, Anish spent a decade working across verticals such as sales, distribution, enterprise sales, new business development and enterprises with FMCG giants like Coca Cola and Nokia.
He has also been an active mentor with Coworks Foundry and the TiE YE program.
Anish holds an engineering degree from GEC, Bhopal. He is a management graduate with a PGDM degree from Symbiosis Centre for Management and Human Resource Development, Pune.
Anish has been an avid golfer, trekker, fitness enthusiast, and distance cyclist over the last decade and loves sharing his passion for an active lifestyle with everyone. He also has a penchant for writing and updates his blog with learnings and experiences of running a start-up.
Smiti Bhatt Deorah
Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer
AdvantageClub.ai
Smiti Bhatt Deorah
Co-Founder & Chief Operating OfficerAdvantageClub.ai
Smiti Bhatt Deorah is the Co-founder and COO of AdvantageClub.ai, an AI-powered employee engagement and rewards platform with offerings like rewards and recognition, flexible benefits, wellness, surveys, moments that matter, and communities on a single platform. In her current role, she oversees various functions, including business development, marketing, customer relations, and content operations.
An alumna of the University of California (UCLA) with a Master's degree in Computer Science, Smiti has strong experience in B2B networking and relationships. Prior to co-founding AdvantageClub.ai with Sourabh Deorah, she was a Software Engineer with one of the Big 5-Microsoft-in the US, where she was instrumental in the brand’s expansion across the globe.
Smiti envisions AdvantageClub.ai to disrupt the traditional employee experience and engagement industry. She firmly believes that corporations need to engage with their employees beyond the provident fund & corporate discount schemes extensively. With her guiding principle of “If it is not useful to the end-user, it's probably not worth doing,” Smiti has redefined AdvantageClub.ai from an HR Tech Start-Up to a multi-million-dollar venture.
Besides her entrepreneurial role, Smiti enjoys reading and discussing HR and tech, sales, business, and Indian start-up scenes. She also has a self-confessed love for Harry Potter trivia.
Ashwani Prashara
Chief Human Resources Officer
Reliance Industries Limited - Hydrocarbons
Ashwani Prashara
Chief Human Resources OfficerReliance Industries Limited - Hydrocarbons
Ashwani Prashara is the CHRO, RIL – Hydrocarbons. He has nearly 40 years of global experience across the entire gamut of HR with expertise in driving HR transformational initiatives,
Change Management, HR Capability Building and Industrial Relations.
He has previously served in various HR leadership positions across companies such as Honeywell, Whirlpool, BILT.
Sushil Baveja
Chief Human Resources Officer
Jindal Stainless
Sushil Baveja
Chief Human Resources OfficerJindal Stainless
Sushil Baveja is the CHRO of Jindal Stainless Ltd. Jindal Stainless is the largest stainless steel company in India and ranks amongst the top 10 stainless steel conglomerates in the world.
Sushil has in the past worked across the entire spectrum of HR & IR in professionally-run Indian family business enterprises (Samtel, Dalmia and DCM Shriram) and reputed multinationals (Cadbury, Gillette, Alcatel) for over 38 years leading HR for Factory, Sales and Corporate in India and South East Asia.
Sushil is an alumnus of Institute of Management Technology, Ghaziabad. He has also done the Advanced Human Resource Executive Program (AHREP) from the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan.
He has been associated with various professional and industry bodies including CII, Assocham, DMA, SHRM and NHRDN.
Pavitra Singh
Chief Human Resources Officer
PepsiCo India
Pavitra Singh
Chief Human Resources OfficerPepsiCo India
Pavitra Singh currently heads HR for PepsiCo India. She has been with PepsiCo since 2006.
With 20+ years of overall work experience leading large teams across geographies, she has held leadership positions across a variety of roles in India and other markets. From Center of excellence roles like Talent Management, L&D, Culture, D&I, Talent Acquisition to operating HR Business partnering roles. Prior to joining PepsiCo, she has worked with American Express and Fair Isaac. Pavitra is passionate about building institutional capability and nurturing young talent. A DEI evangelist, she strongly believes in creating a culture of inclusion for all diversity to thrive in spirit and action.
A known leader in the HR domain, she has been recognized externally by multiple forums and thought leadership platforms. To name a few she was recognized in ET’s Women Ahead list as one of Corporate India's fastest rising women leaders, featured in ETHR world 50 thought leaders of 2022, Business World’s Most Influential Women 2022 list and called out in many external forums as DE&I champion.
Pavitra is an explorer at heart. She loves travelling the world and experiencing different cultures. A Gen Z mom, she loves spending time with her daughter and learning from her new age methods.
Ashok Ramchandran
Director- Human Resources
Aditya Birla Group
Ashok Ramchandran
Director- Human ResourcesAditya Birla Group
Ashok who is currently Director – HR at the Aditya Birla Group, joined the group in October 2015 as the Group Executive President, Group HR.
Ashok has over 34 years of rich and varied experience in HR, spanning multiple sectors in companies such as Asian Paints, GE Capital, Tata AIG Insurance and Vodafone India. He has also moved across roles in IR and HR, as well as heading Factory Operations when in Ankleshwar, Gujarat with Asian Paints.
Across his career, Ashok has led HR teams to deliver both strong, strategic impact as well as building depth of HR processes. Ashok is a strong believer in talent and potential and building of strong opportunities and careers for people.
Ashok was awarded the Seasoned HR Professional by NHRDN in 2015, and the CHRO of the Year – 2017 at the Business World Excellence Awards.
Sanjiv Bajaj
Joint Chairman & Managing Director
Bajaj Capital
Sanjiv Bajaj
Joint Chairman & Managing DirectorBajaj Capital
Bajaj Capital is one of India’s largest wealth management companies which has served over 40 Lakh (4 million) investors. It is the largest financial planning-based wealth advisors and one of India’s largest insurance brokers as we believe wealth creation and wealth preservation go hand in hand.
As the Joint Chairman and Managing Director of Bajaj Capital Ltd, Sanjiv has over 28 years of experience in leading the strategic vision, growth, and innovation of one of India's leading financial services firms. He holds a CFP certification and a Design Thinking certificate from Stanford, which enables him to combine his expertise and skills in wealth management, equity research, portfolio management, business relationship management, private banking, and business development.
Sanjiv is passionate about creating customer-centric and user-friendly financial products and services that meet the evolving needs and preferences of a diverse and dynamic market. Together with his team, he has delivered value to his clients, partners, and stakeholders through their comprehensive range of financial planning, advisory, and investment solutions. Bajaj Capital has won numerous recognitions, including India's best wealth management company from CNBC TV 18 for seven consecutive years.
Mohit Mathur
Vice President, Human Resources
NSDC
Mohit Mathur
Vice President, Human ResourcesNSDC
An accomplished professional who endeavors to offer practical solutions to Strategy, Business, People, Organization and Ecosystem. With professional expertise in Human Resources and Business Leadership, brings in perspectives from various industries like Consumer Durables, Sales & Distribution, Engineering Goods, Infrastructure, EPC, Consulting, Advisory and Services.
Ayush Gupta
Director-Human Resources
GAIL
Ayush Gupta
Director-Human ResourcesGAIL
Mr. Ayush Gupta is a 1992 batch Electrical Engineer from IIT Roorkee and MBA in Operations Management. He has over 30 years of varied and rich experience in the field of Training and Human Resource Development, Talent Acquisition, Leadership Development, Performance Management, HRD Initiatives, Project Management, Operations and Maintenance.
He started his career with Insilco Ltd. as a GET prior to joining GAIL (India) Limited. Shri Gupta joined GAIL in the year 1998 as Dy. Manager (Electrical) at Agra and Firozabad City Gas Distribution Project. There he was involved in implementation of the city gas distribution network in Taj trapezium zone and led several initiatives for bringing down the stock loss in the region. A series of new programmes and L&D interventions including the successful Mentoring Program, Individual Development Programme (IDP) for Senior Executives and remodeling of ET Orientation Programme were launched during his tenure at GAIL Training Institute, Naida. He has successfully led the improvements in various HRD system, process and practices including the digital initiatives for better engagement and enhancement of employee experience. He has been instrumental in formulating talent acquisition strategies to build a strong human resource pipeline for the organization. He is currently also on the Board of Directors of GAIL Gas Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of GAIL.
He is recipient of the prestigious Chevening Rolls Royce Science, Innovation, Policy and Leadership fellowship from UK Government in 2013, Winner of the National Corrosion Awareness Award 2004 and Emerging HRD Thinkers Award in 2011. He is also the co-editor of the book titled 'Natural Gas Markets in India' published by Springer International and has to his credit several best papers awards for papers published and presented at national and international forums.
K. S. Shetty
Director-Human Resources
HPCL
K. S. Shetty
Director-Human ResourcesHPCL
Shri K. S. Shetty is Director-Human Resources at Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) Prior to joining HPCL as Director-Human Resources, Shri K. S. Shetty was Executive Director-Human Resources with additional charge of Executive Director-Employee Relations in HPCL.
Shri K. S. Shetty has over 25 years of experience in HR in various capacities at HPCL. In his current role at HPCL, he is responsible for the entire gamut of HR/ER functions ranging from Talent Acquisition, Capability Building, Career and Succession Planning, Performance and Rewards Management, Discipline Management etc. He also has in-depth knowledge of various Statutory/ Regulatory requirements under various Labour Laws.
Shri K. S. Shetty is a Gold Medallist in Human Resource Management from Andhra University and a distinguished alumnus of the Swedish Institute, Stockholm from where he completed his Diploma in Sustainable Development in 2012. He has also completed his Advanced Management Program from MDI, Gurgaon / ESCP Europe Business School, Paris (2016).He is an SHRM, USA - Senior Certified Professional and is currently on the AIMA Core Committee on HR and also on the National Council of the Indian Society for Training and Development (ISTD). He is also on the Board of HPCL’s Wholly Owned Subsidiary Company (HPLNG), effective October 10, 2022.
Krishna Kumar Singh
Director - Personnel
SAIL
Krishna Kumar Singh
Director - PersonnelSAIL
Shri Krishna Kumar Singh is an Electrical Engineer from IIT, BHU and holds PG Diploma in Human Resource Management. Shri Singh joined SAIL in 1987 in the Company’s Bhilai Steel Plant as Management Trainee (Technical) and worked for around 11 years in the Blooming & Billet Mill before switching over to HRD. Rising through the ranks, Shri Singh became the Executive Director I/c (Personnel & Administration) in SAIL before taking over as the Director (Personnel) of the Company. He possesses vast experience of almost 35 years in diverse areas viz. Operations, Human Resource Development, Vigilance and Personnel & Administration in Bhilai Steel Plant and Corporate Office.
During his career, Shri Singh has taken several progressive initiatives in areas like Performance Management, Career Progression Planning, Manpower Planning, Compensation & Benefit Management, Training & Development, Education, Industrial Relations Management and Employee Engagement.
In his role as Executive Director (P&A), SAIL Corporate Office during Nov’2019 to Jan’2022, Shri Singh was instrumental in steering the wage-negotiations in SAIL in the Apex bipartite forum-NJCS. He has also played a key role in the formulation & implementation of various HR policies and rules including the SAIL Pension Scheme and its switchover to NPS for enabling a fair and objective policy-framework in the Company.
Krishna Kumar Thakur
Director Human Resources
BHEL
Krishna Kumar Thakur
Director Human ResourcesBHEL
Mr. Krishna Kumar Thakur is a 1998 batch officer of the Indian Railway Personnel Service (IRPS). He is a Post-Graduate in Literature from Tilka Manjhi University, Bhagalpur and has done his Post-Graduate Diploma in Management with specialisation in Human Resource (PGDM-HR) from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS).
Prior to joining BHEL, Mr. Thakur was heading the HR and Administration function of Central Railway as Chief Personnel Officer. He has 25 years of holistic and hands-on experience in handling HR matters and administration in the Indian Railways as well as other Central PSUs.
In his long career in Railways and other PSUs, Mr. Thakur has headed the HR departments of three important Railway divisions namely Solapur, Bhopal & Mumbai, which included all HR matters of the thirty-five thousand staff of the Mumbai Division. As Chairman, Railway Recruitment Cell, Western Railway, he successfully completed recruitment of approximately twelve thousand employees.
While working on secondment with RITES, he served in a foreign project of Train Operation at Saudi Arabia and his contribution was critical in the issuance of work visas (IQAMA), procurement of human capital and efficient management of resources, meeting client’s satisfaction in a time bound manner. He has also headed the HR department of Konkan Railway Corporation Limited, where he played an important role in developing and streamlining HR policy and procedures.
As an HR professional, Mr. Thakur is credited with maintaining cordial industrial relations and fulfilling corporate responsibilities as well as long-term systemic improvements for corporate and government functioning in overall organisational perspectives.
Anil Kumar Jadli
Director-Human Resources
NTPC
Anil Kumar Jadli
Director-Human ResourcesNTPC
Shri Anil Kumar Jadli has taken charge as Director (HR), NTPC on 23rd August 2024. He started his career in NTPC way back in 1993 as an Executive Trainee. His ascent from his humble beginning as an Executive Trainee to the top echelon of HR function in NTPC signifies his passion, commitment and hard work. He is a post graduate in Organic Chemistry from Garwal University and did his Post Graduate Diploma in Business Management in Human Resource Management from MDI, Gurgaon. He has also received management and leadership training inputs from ESCP-EAP (Paris, Berlin and Turin).
He has an illustrious career spanning over more than three decades encompassing both line and HR functions. After working in line function for around a decade, he switched over to HR function in 2004. From 2004 onwards, he looked after various facets of HR in various projects of NTPC in different capacity including Head of HR. He moved to Corporate HR in the year 2020, where he was instrumental in formulation and implementation of various HR strategies and initiatives.
He is a strong believer of “people before PLF” philosophy. With his rich and varied experience, HR in NTPC will achieve new feats in the days to come.
Pushp Kumar Nayar
Executive Director - Human Resources Department
BPCL
Pushp Kumar Nayar
Executive Director - Human Resources DepartmentBPCL
With an illustrious career spanning over 33 years at BPCL, he has led many leaderships positions including Retail Marketing Regional Head , Lubricants Marketing Head, Lubricants Supply Chain Head and has versatile experience of working in Operations, Sales, Marketing, Brand, Channel Management, CNG & PNG Business (in IOGL), Supply Chain Management and currently heading Human Resources Development in BPCL as Executive Director.
- An MBA with specialization in Finance from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University
- He has been instrumental in Digital Transformation across Lubricants Value Chain, Conceptualization and implementation of QR Code based Digital intervention.
- He has been a Key Driver of Designing of a State of the Art, fully automated Lubes Blending Plant in construction stage now.
- He has keen interest in Customer Channel Engagement Programs and has given many such illustrations in Retail and Lubricants across country.
- Mr. Pushp Kumar Nayar was also on the Board of Sabarmati Gas Limited.
- Presently he is also Chairman of Central UP Gas Ltd (CUGL).
Ranjan Kumar Mohapatra
Former Director, IOCL
Advisor-NSDC
Ranjan Kumar Mohapatra
Former Director, IOCLAdvisor-NSDC
Mr. Ranjan Kumar Mohapatra is Director (Human Resources) on the Board of Indian Oil Corporation (IndianOil) with effect from 19.2.2018. Prior to this, he was IndianOil’s Executive Director in charge of West Bengal State Office. A Mechanical Engineering graduate from BITS, Pilani, with a Post-Graduate Diploma in Management from Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar, Mr. Mohapatra joined IndianOil in 1987 and has since worked on varied assignments, including Terminal Operations, Supply Chain Management & Logistics. With in-depth knowledge and acumen in Supply Chain & Logistics, he had been associated with evacuation of finished products from IndianOil’s domestic refineries, and product upliftment agreements with stand-alone refiners as well as other oil marketing companies (OMCs).
Mr. Mohapatra was also one of the chief architects of the auto fuel quality (BS-III/BS-IV) upgradation programmes of OMCs in India. Between April 2010 and Jan. 2012, he headed the Operations function of IndianOil’s Maharashtra State Office, which oversees the largest number of bulk storage terminals & depots in a State. As Managing Director of IndianOil(Mauritius) Ltd., the Company’s overseas subsidiary, during 2012-2015, Mr. Mohapatra led a team of young professionals, registering sizeable growth in market share and profitability. He was also on the Board of Mer Rouge Oil Storage Terminal, a joint venture formed by four MNCs to set up modern oil storage facilities in Mauritius. Under his inspiring leadership as head of IndianOil’s West Bengal State Office, the OMCs released a record 10.5 lakh PMUY (Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana) connections in the first 116 days of the scheme, that is, over 9,000 new connections a day.
Always eager to try out new things, Mr. Mohapatra achieved cashless transaction facilities at almost all Indian Oil fuel stations in West Bengal State and piloted a smart auto-fuel complex that has come up at Rajarhat in Kolkata. Being a person with human touch, Mr. Mohapatra initiated his direct interaction with Young Officers of different functions in the State Office, which has been greatly appreciated. He also conceptualized and launched the now acclaimed Fab-14, which is a novel mentoring system within the channel partners. Widely travelled in Europe, USA, Africa and Southeast Asia, Mr. Mohapatra presented papers in several national and international forums and published a number of articles in international journals and supply chain reference books
Dilip Pattanayak
Chief Human Resources Officer
JSW
Dilip Pattanayak
Chief Human Resources OfficerJSW
Dilip Pattanayak currently working as President & CHRO - Steel & Corporate for JSW. He is responsible for the entire gamut of HR and related activities for Steel Vertical in addition to corporate functions of HR. Before joining JSW, he was with Reliance Industries where he was Senior Executive Vice President & Head HR (Manufacturing). During his over 24 years of experience, he has worked with companies like Vedanta, L&T, Indian Petrochemicals Corporation Limited, and Siemens.
Dilip's professional career encompasses experience in the areas like Organization Design & Building organization, HR Policies including Systems & Procedures for Start-Ups, Manpower Planning & Resourcing (including expats), Performance Management & Compensation Management, Leadership Development Intiatives, Change Management consequent to merger/acquisition.
He is Gold Medalist in HR from Utkal University.
Paresh R. Ranpara
Director - Human Resources
GRID-INDIA
Paresh R. Ranpara
Director - Human ResourcesGRID-INDIA
Shri Paresh R. Ranpara is the Director (Human Resources) of Grid Controller of India Limited. Shri Ranpara is a seasoned HR Professional with more than 30 years of experience. Before joining Grid-India he has worked with state owned power sector companies of Gujarat. Prior to joining power sector of the state he had also worked in private sector. He was actively involved in process of unbundling of erstwhile GEB and steered communication exercise for making it the smoothest transition.
As Director (HR) at Grid-India, he focused on Capacity Building within the organization, which is highly knowledge-driven. He introduced and redesigned critical HR policies to better align with the company's business objectives. He has prioritise succession planning and leadership development in Grid-India. He also introduced coaching program for senior management team. His efforts contributed significantly in building a robust leadership pipeline for the Company.
As a member of the Board of Directors, he gained deep insights into the complexities of the power sector, enhancing his strategic perspective in aligning HR initiatives with the organization’s broader goals. He also played a pivotal role in enhancing infrastructure. He is strong believer in teamwork and giving platform to the right talent in the organization.
His leadership continues to shape Grid-India's HR landscape and its adaptation to emerging industry trends.
Aarti Srivastava
Chief Human Resources Officer - India
Capgemini
Aarti Srivastava
Chief Human Resources Officer - IndiaCapgemini
Aarti Srivastava has been appointed as the Chief Human Resource Officer (CHRO) for Capgemini in India, effective 2022. Before taking this role, Aarti was the CHRO for Business Services GBL at Capgemini.
Prior to joining Capgemini, Aarti has performed on various leadership and strategic roles in HR at FIS, Deutsche Bank
Aarti is a seasoned people leader with over two decades of expertise in multiple dimensions of human resources. Her experience includes organization design and development, employee experience, and leadership development. She has successfully executed multiple global programs driving change management, M&A integration, overall business growth and functional transformation.
Aarti holds an MPM degree in HR from Symbiosis Institute of Business Management (SIBM). She has also completed her certification in ‘Strategic HR’ from NSU, Singapore and ‘Strategic Thinking’ from London Business School.
Shikha Gupta
Chief Human Resources Officer
Luminous Power Technologies
Shikha Gupta
Chief Human Resources OfficerLuminous Power Technologies
Shikha Gupta is the Chief Human Resources Officer for Luminous Power Technologies, Pvt. Ltd. She holds more than two decades of experience across different sectors in the HR & People domain. Her core skills include employee engagement, talent management, performance management, coaching and mentoring, leadership and HiPo development, career management, and succession planning.
She has joined Luminous from Schneider Electric, where she was the Director of HR and DEI for India and South Asia. In her last role, she was driving people priorities across multiple businesses and functions like Services, Customer experience, Finance & Governance, and Data office and had been instrumental in leading Services evolution and Finance transformation. Additionally, she has been leading the DEI agenda, influencing leaders and employees to bring a shift towards a more equitable and inclusive workplace.
At Luminous, she is spearheading people strategy, policies and practices, strengthening the talent landscape and establishing inclusive culture, to effectively support the business priorities, corporate strategy, and growth agenda. She is also in charge of CSR and administrative functions at Luminous.
Shikha holds a degree in Management from The Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management, Kolkata, and a Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Jiwaji University, Gwalior along with a certification in Hogan Assessment. Her educational background and extensive industry exposure has given her a nuanced understanding of industry needs and practices, which she adeptly applies to drive the growth and success of people & CSR functions at Luminous. Her expertise plays a pivotal role in shaping the organizational culture and building collaboration among the Schnieder Electric group companies, including Luminous.
The rapid pace of energy sector evolution promises immense potential and opportunities for Luminous. Shikha’s expertise in building agile and future-ready workforce supports this vision of growth and transformation at Luminous.
Before joining Schneider Electric, Shikha has been associated with WNS Global Services, JP Morgan Chase, Wipro Ltd, and Infosys Tech.
Ashutosh Khanna
Partner - Consumer Markets Practice, South Asia
Heidrick & Struggles
Ashutosh Khanna
Partner - Consumer Markets Practice, South AsiaHeidrick & Struggles
Ashutosh (Ash) Khanna is a partner in Heidrick & Struggles’ New Delhi office and leads the Consumer Markets Practice in South Asia. With more than 15 years of executive search experience, Ash works closely with C-suite clients to find talent solutions that address increasingly complex business challenges.
Starting with FMCG and then marketing services, his involvement has largely been within the consumer sector. His body of work includes board advisory and executive search for CEO and functional leaders. He leverages the deep relationships he formed within the marketing and advertising sectors to work with clients on senior-level searches in the consumer goods, retail, marketing services, and travel/hospitality sectors as well as digital native companies. In addition to executive search and advisory work, Ash finds satisfaction in building employer branding for start-ups with local and regional business locations.
Prior to Heidrick & Struggles, Ashutosh worked with another global executive search firm for 15 years. Before that, he was COO, India at Grey Worldwide, and with Bayer, Lowe Lintas, and WPP in several P&L roles. He was an independent director on the board of Balaji Telefilms from 2010 through 2020 and a member of the advisory board of Atria Power, a renewable energy company, since 2015.
Ash is an enthusiastic advocate for the campaign against climate change. He and his family were early advocates for saving the Aravalli Forest Range in North India, and he has been lending support to the cause for the last decade. He is also a volunteer at the local Missionaries of Charity Orphanage. During the pandemic, Ash helped in migrant relief work as well as an initiative to help supply under-equipped municipal hospitals and doctors with medical equipment.
Ash was ranked as one of the Top 20 Most Influential Professionals by Economic Times in 2006.
Ashutosh holds a Master’s degree in management studies form Bombay University and Bachelor of Science Degree from Delhi University.
Suhail Ghai
Chief Digital & Information Officer
Max Life Insurance
Suhail Ghai
Chief Digital & Information OfficerMax Life Insurance
Suhail is an IT Professional with over 20 years of Experience Leading IT/MIS Teams, Building Capability, Implementing Business & Technology & Digital Transformation Projects across Multiple Geographies and Business lines - BFSI & FMCG.
His expertise includes management exposure in leading transformation agenda across multi cultures. Ability to Manage Large Inhouse Captive for Global Support and Project Delivery. Extensive exposure to ERP implementation and managing of application Portfolio. Implement Large Technology project across Countries. Manage IT function, align IT strategy with Business and manage IT budgets. Exposure to SAP Project + Sustain, GTM Solutions, Supply chain planning & Optimization solutions. Vendor Management in International Operations. Extensive Knowledge of Business process across domains of Finance, Supply chain and Sales across Foods & Personal care. Experience in managing large GTM Projects enabling field force productivity and generating insights for Business.
Shweta Mohanty
Vice President & Head Human Resources
SAP, India
Shweta Mohanty
Vice President & Head Human ResourcesSAP, India
Shweta Mohanty is the Vice-President and Head of Human Resources for SAP in India. With 22 years of rich experience in HR, she currently spearheads the People function for all SAP entities across India, including R&D, sales, and services organizations.
Shweta is a visionary leader shaping the workplace of the future at SAP in India. She has introduced groundbreaking initiative called Project Yellow Circle, revolutionizing mental wellness at SAP by prioritizing employee mental health and destigmatizing related discussions. Her passion for skilling and commitment to lifelong learning has been translated to programs such as ELIXIR for upskilling people leaders on thought leadership and technical expertise, and AI Developer Foundation Program that aims to upskill all tech community at SAP in India with an AI mindset.
Shweta is passionate to infuse technology and innovation to HR, introducing practices such as Metaverse Onboarding and Employee Navigator app. Shweta's innovative touch extends to fostering transparent dialogue – she introduced People Unplugged conversations, fostering open and honest exchanges between HR and employees. With her strategic vision, SAP in India is not just a workplace; it's a dynamic community where well-being, learning and growth mindset are at the core of success. Under her leadership, SAP in India won the coveted Top Employer certification for 6 consecutive times, Fortune Employers of the Future Awards, ET Best Workplace for Women, and India Workplace Equality Index silver certification for LGBTQ+ workplace in India.
Shweta has recently been conferred the Top 50 HR Thought Leaders of 2024 by Economic Times & BusinessWorld People’s Most Influential Women for 2024. In August 2024, she was conferred the “Woman HR Leader of the Year 2024” by Business World BW People. During her tenure at SAP, Shweta has served as the Board Area HR Leader for Enterprise Cloud Services (ECS) and SAP Labs Network, achieving remarkable milestones, and implementing inclusive initiatives such as Girls Power Tech, Entrepreneurial Sabbatical, and Teach Hub to name a few. Being a passionate advocate for D&I, she also led the Girls Power Tech program to upskill women talents in rural parts of India and China.
Prior to joining SAP, Shweta excelled in client-facing roles at Microsoft and Wipro, driving talent transformations in complex business environments. She also played a pivotal role as the Transition Manager for the Microsoft[1]Yahoo Alliance in India facilitating a seamless transfer of 230 employees to Microsoft in 2010.
Sunita Rebecca Cherian
Chief Culture Officer & Senior Vice President, Corporate Human Resources, Wipro
Member of Wipro Executive Committee
Sunita Rebecca Cherian
Chief Culture Officer & Senior Vice President, Corporate Human Resources, WiproMember of Wipro Executive Committee
Sunita Rebecca Cherian serves as the Chief Culture Officer & Senior Vice President – Corporate Human Resources at Wipro Limited Wipro Limited operates across 65 countries and employs over 230000 people in diverse regulatory and labour environments.
Sunita’s career close to three decades has spanned Sales, Human Capital Strategy, Board Strategy, Total Rewards Strategy, Workforce Transitions, Mergers & Acquisitions, Organizational Design, HR Shared Services, Sustainability, and Inclusion & Diversity. As a Human Resources leader, she helped shape the HR strategy and has led change strategies for leadership and across the talent landscape for various divisions including a start-up unit.
Sunita is currently on the HR Advisory Board of TA Pai Management Institute (TAPMI) and was on the Board of Bangalore International Centre (BIC) as well as Chair of NASSCOM National Diversity & Inclusion Council. She is Chair of Wipro’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council and spearheads the Culture change initiative across the organization. She is a member of World Economic Forum – Global Future Council as well as World 50 I&D Impact Community.
Under Sunita’s guidance, Wipro Limited has been widely recognized for its Inclusion framework and Sustainability initiatives in the last decade. “Women of Wipro” transformed the pace of inclusion and empowerment of women employees and was much awarded.
Sunita is an Electrical and Electronics Engineer and holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Administration. She is a Master Coach, a Hogan specialist, and a certified Six Sigma Black Belt.
Anil Pulapaka
Executive Director – Human Resources
J.P. Morgan
Anil Pulapaka
Executive Director – Human ResourcesJ.P. Morgan
Anil Pulapaka is an accomplished HR leader with over 23 years of experience in diverse industries, including Financial Services, Banking, IT, and Offshoring. Currently serving as Executive Director - HR at
J.P. Morgan, he has led people strategies for over 49,000 employees across various functions.
Prior to this, he was COO & VP - HR at RBS, where he set up the COO HR function and managed critical HR initiatives for 18,000+ employees. His previous roles at HSBC, IBM, and NIIT saw him lead Compensation & Benefits strategy, manage HR integrations, and drive regional HR operations, making him a seasoned expert in Total Rewards and strategic HR transformations.
Pallav Popli
Chief Revenue Officer and Employee Engagement Evangelist
Vantage Circle
Pallav Popli
Chief Revenue Officer and Employee Engagement EvangelistVantage Circle
Pallav is a distinguished leader with nearly two decades of expertise in industries like HCM, SaaS/PaaS, HR outsourcing, and recognition and rewards. His deep knowledge in HR technology, Rewards and Recognition programs makes him a sought-after speaker in the HR space. With a strong foundation in consulting, recognition strategy, and HR solutions, Pallav is known for simplifying complex products and translating them into actionable insights for entrepreneurs, HR leaders and professionals.
His ability to demystify HR technologies, particularly in the recognition and rewards domain, empowers organizations to optimize their HR strategy and boost workforce engagement. Pallav’s extensive experience, combined with his impactful skills, makes him a valuable voice at industry events. He highlights how cutting-edge technologies, and strategic frameworks can streamline HR processes and elevate employee recognition initiatives. Don’t miss the chance to hear from this industry visionary, register now for #SHRMIAC24 and gain valuable insights into HR technology and engagement!
Dr. Pradnya Parasher
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
ThreeFish Consulting
Dr. Pradnya Parasher
Founder and Chief Executive OfficerThreeFish Consulting
Pradnya is the Founder and CEO of ThreeFish Consulting. She has 20+ years of experience in Strategic HR, Talent Management, Executive Assessment & Coaching. An Industrial-Organizational Psychologist by training. Pradnya has lived and worked in the United States and India.
She is co-author of the book, The Secret Life of Organizations: Invisible Rules of Success for the Young Indian Professional, - which gives an insider view of what makes organizations tick, and helps young professionals take the smart path to the top. Instrumental in bringing Hogan Assessments to India, Pradnya has provided Hogan feedback to hundreds of business leaders. As the Master Distributor for Hogan Assessments in India, she is responsible for ensuring scientific rigour in the application of Hogan solutions across clients, resellers and solution partners.
In the past, she has held various HR leadership roles including Director – People & Organization Capability for Microsoft India, Senior Director & Country HR Head for eFunds, Director & Country HR Head for Discovery Communications, and AVP HR for InterGlobe Enterprises. Her last role was as a Global Talent Assessment Program Manager for Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, USA.
She brings rich experience across a variety of industries and deep understanding of workplace behavior and organizational dynamics to her coaching and consulting engagements. Pragmatic & result focused, Pradnya believes in human potential for transformation. At ThreeFish, she leads the design and implementation of coaching, consulting and learning solutions.
Pradnya has a Ph.D. in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from the University of South Florida and is a member of the Society for Industrial-Organizational Psychology (SIOP). She is a regular attendee and presenter at the Annual SIOP Conferences. She continues to be a Life Member of the National HRD Network in India
Zsolt Feher
Vice President
Hogan Assessments Systems
Zsolt Feher
Vice PresidentHogan Assessments Systems
With 25 years of experience in the consulting industry, Zsolt has delivered numerous workshops on leadership, company and project management, public speaking, and HR development. Zsolt drives the growth of Hogan’s direct marketing and thought leadership campaigns across the globe, and he is also responsible for strategic planning and growth in Hogan’s global business channel.
Working with key global partners, distributors, and multinational consulting companies to integrate Hogan’s solutions into current business offerings, Zsolt also explores new alliance relationships in unrepresented geographies.
Zsolt is a Hogan certified trainer, coach, and leadership advisory specialist. He is also an expert in client assessment systems consulting, business development, and marketing and supply channel optimization. He has authored over 100 articles and publications and is a frequent presenter specializing in leadership and organizational management.
Sukhjit Singh Pasricha
Group Chief Human Resources Officer
IndiGo
Sukhjit Singh Pasricha
Group Chief Human Resources OfficerIndiGo
Mr. Pasricha has had an illustrious career spanning over 27 years, across sectors and in complex businesses that operate in both the B2B and B2C spaces in. He has been instrumental in building business-aligned HR strategies, driving HR transformational projects and strengthening organisational capabilities through formulation & implementation of HR processes and ensuring proactive HR interventions. Previously, Mr, Pasricha has been Chief of HR & Admin at Bajaj Finance, and in leadership roles at companies such as Bharti Airtel, PepsiCo and Spice Communications as well.
He has completed a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology with Honours from Chandigarh and holds a Master of Business Administration degree in Human Resources as well. BA Hons in Sociology from Chandigarh and holds an MBA degree in Human Resources. Mr. Pasricha supports social causes is close to his heart and makes time do to volunteer work regularly.
Sathish Gopalaiah
President, Technology & Transformation
Deloitte South Asia
Sathish Gopalaiah
President, Technology & TransformationDeloitte South Asia
Sathish is the President of Technology & Transformation, Deloitte South Asia and serves as a member of the Executive Committee of Deloitte South Asia. He is also part of the Deloitte Asia Pacific Consulting and Deloitte Global Consulting Executive Committees . He has over 25 years of experience, with over 23 years in the management consulting space, and has delivered consulting engagements in more than 40 countries. He brings a rich blend of experience in the business and technology domains.
Sathish has advised many conglomerates in India and internationally in several areas, including merger integration, corporate strategy, organization structuring, revenue enhancement, cost reduction, advanced analytics, and digital transformation.
In his previous role, he was the Markets Leader for Consulting and led the Technology, Media, and Telecoms (TMT) practice. Under his leadership, in addition to having an increased brand presence in the region, the South Asia Consulting business remains the fastest growing business in APAC and globally.
Sathish focuses on unearthing large scale growth opportunities and business value for our clients through various cutting edge market programs that are curated to offer multidisciplinary services from across various practices and international Member Firms within Deloitte. As Engagement Partner, he has successfully led numerous transformational engagements in India and overseas. He has served as the Lead Client Service Partner for many iconic Deloitte clients.
He is a firm believer in the principles of diversity and inclusion and is actively driving policies that underpin their importance across the consulting practice.
Based in Bengaluru, Sathish is an Electronics and Communication Engineer, a Master of Business Administration, and an alumnus of the INSEAD Global Leadership Program. He is married to Shwetha and has two children, Diya and Dhruv. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with family and is passionate about fitness and running
Prasad Rajappan
Founder & Managing Director
ZingHR
Prasad Rajappan
Founder & Managing DirectorZingHR
Prasad Rajappan is a seasoned HR Tech leader and Founder of ZingHR.
With 30+ years in ERP, BPR, and HR, he's driving ZingHR's growth as an employee-centric HCM platform. Previously at Mahindra & Mahindra, Ernst & Young, and Reliance, he led large-scale SAP implementations.
At ZingHR, his innovative 'OutcomationTM Index' methodology delivers tangible business outcomes through 'Power of One' HR Tech suite. ZingHR focuses on HR transformation to meet People, Profit, and Planet goals with ESG-led OKRs and KPIs. Under his leadership, ZingHR has a global presence and caters to millions of users.
Sitaram Kandi
Chief Human Resources Officer
Tata Motors
Yuvaraj Srivastava
Group Human Resources Officer
MakeMyTrip
Yuvaraj Srivastava
Group Human Resources OfficerMakeMyTrip
exposure of handling all domains of HR for the last 26 Years, incomparable experience of serving in Armed forces as a commissioned officer for 5.5 Years. HR Leadership role for more than 15 years.
Worked with marquee companies like Asian Paints, The Oberoi Group of Hotels, PepsiCo and currently with MakeMyTrip as Group CHRO. Current role provides opportunity to shape and execute HR and people strategy for all the group companies viz GoIbibo, Redbus, Bitla solutions and others.
Worked and experienced HR across the spectrum of industries ranging from Manufacturing, Supply chain, hospitality, Sales, and Technology. Handled roles across all the domains of HR.
Responsible to lead MakeMyTrip Foundation, engaged in high impact social projects in the fields of Climate change and community empowerment.
Closely involved with business and industry forums like National HRD Network as President of Delhi NCR Chapter, Member Advisory Panel for Central Board of film certification, Member Advisory Committee of FICCI, Member of HR & Leadership Committee of CII and on advisory boards of many institutions and organisations.
Rajan Kalia
Co-Founder
Salto Dee Fe
Rajan Kalia
Co-FounderSalto Dee Fe
Rajan Kalia is the co-founder of Salto Dee Fe. The firm is focused on solving "Complex People Problems" to enhance productivity and engagement. He has been involved with teaching for Harvard Business Press, Stanford Seed, and Caltech Executive Education.
Rajan has built the New World People Leader framework in the past three years. The framework outlines the new mindset and skills needed by leaders in the age of AI. Two hundred leaders around the world have been trained on the mindsets and new skills.
For the past twelve years Rajan has been consulting in the areas of Productivity, Organisation Transformation, Talent Management, Employee Retention, People Decisions, and Leadership Skilling. He serves on advisory boards of the firms guiding them on building, managing and engaging Talent.
SDF has served close to 200 clients in past 12 years serving 20 industry segments across Asia, the US, and Europe.
He carries three decades of corporate and leadership experience involving in-depth work in HR, Large Scale Organisation Transformation, Leadership Development, Organisation Enablement & Talent Management, and Coaching. He is continuously working in the area of intersection of Strategy and HR.
He has experience in a wide range of industries - Manufacturing, Automobiles, Consulting, FMCG & Financial Services and have worked in 2 startups - FMCG & Financial Services. He specializes in creating value for the two critical stakeholders of the organization - Shareholders and Employees. He specialises in Business HR, Large Scale Organisation Transformation, Organisation Enablement, Leadership Development & Talent Management (including Acquisition & Retention).
Billy Elliott
Regional Director, Asia-Pacific
Top Employers Institute
Billy Elliott
Regional Director, Asia-PacificTop Employers Institute
Billy Elliott is the Top Employers Institute's Regional Director for APAC and has been with the firm for over 15 years. He has worked in various positions covering marketing, sales, HR auditing and operations. Exposure to different business units and a passion for people management have given him the solid foundation needed to oversee the APAC Certification Programme. He is responsible for the APAC region's commercial success, working closely with the marketing, client success and certification delivery clusters to support our clients in achieving their HR & business goals. Billy strongly believes in the Top Employer Institute's purpose and is dedicated to accelerating the impact of HR strategies and practices to enrich the world of work.
Savitha Shivsankar
Chief Human Resources Officer
Asian Paints
Savitha Shivsankar
Chief Human Resources OfficerAsian Paints
Savitha Shivsankar leads Human Resources globally at Asian Paints Limited.
With a rich portfolio of multi – sectoral experience spanning over two decades, Savitha has been instrumental in shaping and cultivating HR landscape in the country. She started her career with ITC, and went on to work in the Consumer Goods space with Marico, Diageo and Mondelez. She was earlier the Talent Head - Organizational Development and Inclusion at Novartis based out of Singapore. What sets her apart is her astute understanding of the operational nuances of doing business, having also successfully lead business operations in the Consumer Goods industry.
Savitha’s passion lies in driving business growth through people. She truly believes that great culture brings strategy alive. With a bedrock of curiosity, compassion and external focus, Savitha is leading the organization towards building high performing self-directed teams. Her own special route to do that is through ‘Creating Joy’ for everyone who associates with her.
Savitha is a graduate in Microbiology from Ramnarain Ruia College, Mumbai. She pursued her masters in personnel management and industrial relations from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. In her leisure time, Savitha likes to travel while pursuing her bucket list of offbeat destinations.
Gautam Duggal
Director, People & Capability
Mastercard
Gautam Duggal
Director, People & CapabilityMastercard
Gautam is the Director, People & Capability at Mastercard. In his career spanning more than two decades, he has overseen a comprehensive portfolio encompassing talent management, career development, talent assessments, high potential programs, and learning and development initiatives. With a keen focus on leadership, management, and professional development, Gautam orchestrated people strategies that span over 52 countries across 5 regions. He has successfully helmed teams globally and executed various people interventions. With his global insights and local nuanced expertise in the dynamic markets of South & Southeast Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and North America, he is fostering organizational transformation and excellence by shaping a future where the workforce isn't just ready—it's exceptional!
Dr. C. Jayakumar
Executive Vice President & Head - Corporate Human Resources (CHRO),
Larsen & Toubro Limited
Dr. C. Jayakumar
Executive Vice President & Head - Corporate Human Resources (CHRO),Larsen & Toubro Limited
Executive Vice President & Head – Corporate Human Resources (CHRO), Larsen & Toubro Limited, an Indian Multi-national Conglomerate with diversified interests in infrastructure, heavy engineering, manufacturing, IT, technology, and financial services with operations across 30+ countries worldwide.
A highly result-oriented, HR professional with over 35 years of experience in successfully planning, designing, implementing, and managing various strategic HR Initiatives. He has been the Head of HR for various businesses, independent companies, and JVs within L&T Group, including leadership roles in the Middle East & Africa Region. He has led various transformational initiatives within the organization including digital transformation. He has been an established thought leader and widely acclaimed speaker in various national and international conferences and forums.
On the academic front, he has 3 Master’s degree (Economics, Labor Studies & Human Resource Management). He has also earned a degree in Law (LLB) and a doctorate in leadership from the University of Madras. He is also an alumnus of London Business School where he has done his Sr. Executive Management Program.
Dr. C. Jayakumar has various national and international certifications and accreditations in the Psychometric and behavioral sciences domain. He is also certified in Organizational Development from the NTL Institute of Advanced Behavioral Sciences, USA.
Dr. C. Jayakumar has made an immense contribution in the Human Resources arena over the years. He presides on the boards of esteemed professional bodies and in the Board of Studies of various prestigious educational institutions such as:
- Academy of Human Resource Development (AHRD)
- All India Management Association (AIMA)
- SAP SuccessFactors CHRO Advisory Board
- Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), National Committee on Leadership & HR
- IIM Trichy
- School of Inspired Leadership (SOIL) etc.
- Chairman of the Sub-Committee on HR & IR of CII Western Region for the year 2023-24.
- FICCI HR & Skills Main Committee for the year 2024-25
- Under Dr C Jayakumar’s leadership, L&T has been recognized as India’s Best Employers among Nation Builders 2023 by Great Place to Work, India and Most Preferred Workplace 2023-24 by Team Marksmen in association with India Today.
- Jayakumar has been recognized as one of the Top 100 Great People Managers in India 2023 by Great Manager Institute. He has also been honored with HR Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022 by FICCI and in 2021 by Economic Times & People Business.
He is a life member of NIPM, NHRDN & ISTD.
Nitu Bhushan
Chief Human Resources Officer, South Asia
Pernod Ricard
Nitu Bhushan
Chief Human Resources Officer, South AsiaPernod Ricard
Nitu Bhushan is the CHRO for South Asia at Pernod Ricard.
With over two decades of experience in HR, she has worked across various sectors managing HR operations in different capacities and roles including Accenture, Asian Paints, HSBC, Mondelez International and Abbott.
Nitu completed her postgraduation in personnel management from the Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Pune. She also has an engineering degree in electronics and telecom.
Cyrus Broacha
Indian anchor, theatre personality, comedian, political satirist, columnist, podcaster & author
Cyrus Broacha
Indian anchor, theatre personality, comedian, political satirist, columnist, podcaster & author
Cyrus Broacha, often hailed as India's king of wit and satire, is a multifaceted talent known for his distinctive comedic style on television, radio, and stage. Whether he's hosting shows, penning columns, or making us laugh through his unique skits, Cyrus has firmly established himself as a stalwart in India's entertainment industry.
Gopalji Mehrotra
Head Human Resources
HPCL Mittal Energy
Gopalji Mehrotra
Head Human ResourcesHPCL Mittal Energy
Gopalji Mehrotra is a strategic HR leader partnering Boards and CEOs in leading large scale global transformational programs for businesses at inflection point.
He has three decades of deep and diverse experience in 6 industry sectors (FMCG, Manufacturing, Pharma, Automobiles, IT, Energy and Chemicals) with first hand exposure to cultures in 21 countries gained while contributing to growth of businesses via accelerated global expansion, cultural transformation, mergers and acquisitions.
He currently heads HR at HMEL, leading change for future-readiness of a $12 billion Oil and Chemicals business into a $25 billion Integrated Energy Corporation.
Passionate about building hi-performing teams and nurturing leaders while growing businesses, he is also an ICF certified MCC Coach and a mentor to CXO’s. Beyond the boardroom he is a history buff with a penchant for discovering evolution of world civilizations and their cultures. As an intrepid explorer he loves adventure and nature and can be found on Himalayan treks and off-roading trails.
Ravi Jayasekera
Acting Chief Executive Officer & Chief People Officer
Hemas Holdings PLC
Ravi Jayasekera
Acting Chief Executive Officer & Chief People OfficerHemas Holdings PLC
Ravi Jayasekera is the Acting Chief Executive Officer and Chief People Officer of Hemas Holdings PLC, Sri Lanka. With over 20 years in HR leadership, Ravi is known for his ability to transform organisations through innovative, people-focused strategies.
Ravi's career began in the banking sector, starting in business roles at ANZ Grindlays Bank before transitioning to HR. He has held senior HR leadership positions at Standard Chartered Bank and HSBC, including roles such as Head of HR for Sri Lanka, Australia, and Mauritius, and Senior Manager Group HR at HSBC. His notable achievements include leading the People and Culture transformation at Union Bank of Colombo following its acquisition by TPG.
As Vice President of the Association of HR Professionals, Ravi champions community building in HR and advocates for continuous upskilling of HR professionals.
A firm believer in the power of human potential, Ravi is driven by his mission to help organisations change and people succeed.
Irene Tan
Vice President, Human Resources India & Southwest Asia
The Coca-Cola Company
Irene Tan
Vice President, Human Resources India & Southwest AsiaThe Coca-Cola Company
Irene Tan, the Vice President of Human Resources for India & Southwest Asia brings a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of driving organizational growth through talent acquisition, performance enablement, and employee development.
Her journey with The Coca‑Cola Company began in 2012 in Singapore as a talent sourcing consultant for the Asia Pacific Group. Over the years, Irene's dedication and expertise led her to become the lead talent acquisition partner for Greater China & Korea, where she spearheaded innovative campus recruitment programs, fostering both gender and generational diversity.
In 2015, Irene transitioned to the role of Executive Recruiting Director in Singapore, overseeing numerous executive search mandates across the Asia Pacific region, including the Bottling Investment Group (BIG). In 2020, she was appointed as the Talent & Development (T&D) Director for Asia Pacific where she played a pivotal role as part of the global T&D Leadership team, championing the talent agenda and nurturing a diverse succession pipeline. She successfully launched Learning and Enterprise Capability initiatives in the region, further solidifying her reputation as a transformative leader.
Prior to joining The Coca‑Cola Company, Irene was affiliated with the international executive search firm Spencer Stuart and holds a Bachelor of Social Sciences degree from the National University of Singapore
Surajit Bit
Director - Operations and People Management
SHRM India, APAC & MENA
Surajit Bit
Director - Operations and People ManagementSHRM India, APAC & MENA
Surajit has over 22 years of industry experience, mostly in B2B events. Prior to his present role, he was Director, Projects, Marketing Communication and M&A at Messe Düsseldorf India. Previously he has also held key roles at All India Management Association (AIMA), The Times of India Group, Informa India, Exhibitions India, among others.
Surajit holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Bangalore University and is a postgraduate in Business Management.
He has been a speaker at various forums associated with B2B events and a strategic advisor for Delhi Management Association and Haematology Conference series in India. He was selected 40 under 40 by Medgate Today Magazine for his contribution to the Medical Devices industry engagement in India.
Debasis Sarkar
Executive Vice President - Head Global Compensation, Benefits and Enterprise HR
HCL Technologies
Debasis Sarkar
Executive Vice President - Head Global Compensation, Benefits and Enterprise HRHCL Technologies
As the Executive Vice President and Head of Global Compensation and Benefits and Enterprise HR, Debasis Sarkar leads the strategic design and implementation of the company's compensation and benefits function, aligning them with HCL Technologies’ global business objectives. He also heads the ‘Enterprise HR’ function, encompassing Global HR Shared Services, Global Policies & Compliance, Global Mobility and Employee Relations fostering a culture of excellence and innovation.
Deb brings over two decades of HR management experience to his role, with deep expertise in compensation strategies, benefits design, and enterprise HR management. He also anchors the global HR shared services organization. This team supports all key hire-to-retire employee lifecycle processes. While managing global policies and compliance, his job is to ensure a well-balanced set of policies in every market of operations which is employee friendly, aligned to market practices and Business goals and also compliant to local legislations of every country.
In the past Deb has held several HR senior leader positions including the ‘Head of HR for the APAC and Middle East’ region at HCL Technologies, where he played a pivotal role in supporting business growth across 17 countries.
Throughout his career, Deb has successfully led numerous HR transformation projects, managed HR operations during mergers and acquisitions, and developed performance incentive programs tailored to diverse global markets. His leadership has been instrumental in driving employee engagement and retention, thereby contributing to HCL’s position as an employer of choice.
Debasis holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Human Resources Management from Xavier Institute of Social Service and a certification in Designing and Implementing Assessment Development Centers.
Rahul Walia
Executive Director-Forensic & Financial Crime Strategy, Risk & Transactions
Deloitte, India
Rahul Walia
Executive Director-Forensic & Financial Crime Strategy, Risk & TransactionsDeloitte, India
Rahul is an Executive Director in Forensic & Financial Crime practice within Deloitte India.
He is a seasoned professional with close to 3 decades of experience in B2B enterprise sales, business development, account management, and general management to propel gains in startup, growth and turnaround climates in blue chip Indian and multinational corporates.
He has been a change agent with proven success in high value concept sales, solution-based sales, and relationship management. He possess exemplary ability to foster strategic alliances with major clients and business partners.
Rahul has a diploma in hotel management and holds an MBA degree in Marketing.
Neelmani Singh
Group Head - Learning & Head-Global Centre for Leadership (Gyanodaya)
Aditya Birla Group
Neelmani Singh
Group Head - Learning & Head-Global Centre for Leadership (Gyanodaya)Aditya Birla Group
Neelmani Singh (Neel) is the Group Head of Learning for Aditya Birla Group (ABG), and Head of the Global Centre for Leadership of ABG -Gyanodaya.
Previously, he was Head of Leadership Development at Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL), Head of Talent & Learning for India and South Asia at Standard Chartered Bank, led people and organisation capability at Microsoft Corporation and Group Learning Manager at ICICI Bank.
Neel holds an MBA (MA in Applied Psychology) from the University of Delhi and a Pre-Doctoral (M.Phil.) in Clinical Psychology from NIMHANS, Bangalore. Neel is a Certified Professional Facilitator (CPF) by the International Association of Facilitators (IAF).
Neel’s experience and academic background (MBA-OB, OD and MPhil Clinical Psychology) have helped him gain a unique perspective in People Development areas enabling him to see it from a macro-strategic/Organizational context to facilitate the large systemic People and Organization Development agenda and at the same time to partner and fuel at the micro - Individual level growth too.
Rajeev Sharma
Director - Talent Acquisition
Amazon - India
Rajeev Sharma
Director - Talent AcquisitionAmazon - India
Rajeev Sharma is Director of Talent Acquisition for Amazon India. Rajeev joined Amazon in May 2019 and has over 22 years of experience across various specialties of Human Resources management such as Talent Acquisition, Talent Management and HR Advisory. Rajeev has been instrumental in sharpening the focus on Talent by setting up the right mechanism to build a Diverse workforce and enable the organization to hire talent that raises the bar.
Rajeev has previously held leadership positions in Bank of New York Mellon, Barclays and Bank of America.
Rajeev favorite things…
- Traveling
- My Favorite 3 F’s – Food Family Friends
- Sports and Outdoor Adventure
- Music
Philippe Pelletier
HR VP Transformation & Asia, India HR Head and Global Business Services Managing Director
Renault Group
Philippe Pelletier
HR VP Transformation & Asia, India HR Head and Global Business Services Managing DirectorRenault Group
Philippe Pelletier joined RNTBCI as Head of Human Resources in October 2022. Philippe Pelletier joined Renault Group in 2019 as VP Human Resources, Transformation and Organization.
Previously Philippe had held Global Senior HR Positions at General Electric between 2002 and 2017 across multiple Businesses and Regions. He started his career in 1987 with Schneider Electric in Human Resources. In 1994, he joined Mars in HR. He has worked and lived in France, UK, Czech Republic, Hungary and India.
Philippe graduated with a degree in Economics & Political Sciences from Institute d ’Etudes Politiques de Paris and a Degree in Law from Paris University.
Ina Bajwa
Chief Talent Officer
Tata Digital
Ina Bajwa
Chief Talent OfficerTata Digital
As the Chief Talent Officer at Tata Digital, Ina leads the entire talent value chain of the company, with the talent strategy aligned to the company’s strategic priorities. She has been with the Tata Group for 11 years and has held multiple leadership positions across Tata Communications and Tata 1mg.
She has over two decades of intra-disciplinary experience in human resources and has worked across sectors such as Technology, Banking and Consulting. Prior to the Tata Group, Ina has worked with BCG, HSBC and Essar Group, holding various leadership positions in HR, including global roles, with specialised experience in areas of People Strategy & Culture, Talent Management, Learning, Leadership & Organisation Development, Diversity & Inclusion, Driving large-scale transformations/change and Strategic Resourcing.
She is a student of human-centric leadership, and endeavours in increasing her quotient of adaptability, resilience and empathy in her leadership. She excels at partnering with CXOs and business leaders to build & execute their people strategy to solve complex people problems that impact business outcomes. She remains fascinated by the evolution of the people function in its contributions to creating value for the top and bottom-line growth for the company. In 2022, she brought home 3 Brandon Hall Awards (Academy awards equivalent for HR function) for creating change programs that impacted business outcomes.
Ina completed her Post Graduate Diploma in Human Resources from K.J. Somaiya Institute of Management Studies and Research, Mumbai and also holds a degree in Economics and English Literature from Panjab University.
Abhijit Bhaduri
Chief Executive Officer
Abhijit Bhaduri LLC
Abhijit Bhaduri
Chief Executive OfficerAbhijit Bhaduri LLC
Abhijit was described by the San Francisco Examiner as the "foremost expert on talent and development” and among the “ten most sought-after brand evangelists”. Forbes describes him as "the most interesting generalist from India" He teaches at the Penn CLO Executive Doctoral Program and led L&D globally for Microsoft. Abhijit was the first Chief Learning Officer for Wipro. He has led global teams at Colgate-Palmolive, PepsiCo, and Tata Steel. He is the author of bestsellers like "Don't Hire the Best" and "Career 3.0," and has been published by Harvard Business Review, HBR Ascend, Forbes, Business Line, Times of India and Economic Times. SHRM voted him as the No 1 HR Influencer on social media.
Abhimanyu Chaudhary
Co-Founder & Chief Business Officer
Xoxoday
Abhimanyu Chaudhary
Co-Founder & Chief Business OfficerXoxoday
Abhimanyu is the co-founder and CBO of Xoxoday. Abhimanyu is an MBA from the International Management Institute - Belgium with 15+ years of experience in consumer sales and brand management.
Abhimanyu started his career as a sales manager at Tata Steel and worked his way up to become GM of Sales at Tata before quitting and co-founding Xoxoday.
Abhimanyu loves to travel and enjoys long drives with friends and family. He has a keen interest in Politics and loves to read about great political leaders in his free time.
Deepak Bhatia
Country Leader - Digital Service & Operations Management
BMC Software
Deepak Bhatia
Country Leader - Digital Service & Operations ManagementBMC Software
Deepak Bhatia is a seasoned leader with over six years at BMC Software, currently heading the Digital Service and Operations Management portfolio for BMC India. With a career spanning multiple technology companies, Deepak has developed a unique perspective and deep expertise across industries such as Banking, Finance, Telecom, Manufacturing, and Robotics. Recognized as a thought leader in driving digital transformation and operational excellence, he has a proven track record of navigating complex challenges and delivering impactful solutions. Deepak is known for his strategic approach to leveraging technology, fostering industry partnerships, and building frameworks that streamline service operations and enhance business outcomes.
Kevin Oakes
Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder
i4cp
Kevin Oakes
Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founderi4cp
Kevin Oakes is the author of the bestselling book Culture Renovation: 18 Leadership Actions to Build an Unshakeable Company, which Brene Brown calls "The best playbook I've seen when it comes to creating organizational cultures" and that is in use by organizations ranging from Fortune Global 500 companies to the most innovative growth companies worldwide. Kevin is also the CEO of The Institute for Corporate Productivity (i4cp), the leading research firm that specializes in discovering next practices in human capital; he’s consistently rated by HR Executive Magazine as one of the most influential thought leaders in the industry.
Ankit Aggarwal
Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Unstop
Ankit Aggarwal
Founder & Chief Executive OfficerUnstop
Ankit Aggarwal is the Founder & CEO of Unstop, a community engagement and hiring platform for students and freshers , where talent meets opportunities. Unstop is a playground for talented individuals to learn, upskill, showcase their skills, gain CV points, and get hired to unlock their true potential throughout their academic journey. Unstop has a community of ~7 Million+ Students and Freshers.
Ankit’s journey combines a background as a Consultant at top firms, including Sapient and Deloitte, with a passion for education, demonstrated through his involvement with Teach for India. Ankit’s dedication to Unstop has been duly recognized, earning Unstop the distinction of the Best Workforce Enablement Startup by Entrepreneur India and the prestigious Startup 50 Trailblazer Award by Dun & Bradstreet. His impactful ideas have reached global audiences through his engaging TEDx talks, and he was named among India’s 100 Great People Managers by Forbes in 2020.
Prabir Jha
Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Prabir Jha People Advisory
Prabir Jha
Founder & Chief Executive OfficerPrabir Jha People Advisory
Prabir Jha, an alumnus of St. Stephen's College, Delhi, and XLRI Jamshedpur is the Founder & CEO of Prabir Jha People Advisory, a boutique platform for retained strategic advisory, talent search and executive coaching.
Combining an impeccable academic and professional record, in his stint as a civil servant, he handled the entire gamut of HR & IR issues of the Indian Ordnance Factories. On his switch to the corporate world, after almost a decade in the government, his initial HR years were with Thermax & Tech Mahindra. Thereafter, Prabir served on the executive team as the Global CHRO at two NYSE-listed Indian majors, Dr. Reddy’s and Tata Motors before moving to lead HR at another Fortune 500 giant as the Group CHRO of Reliance Industries Ltd., making him the only Indian to have headed the HR function of two Fortune 500 companies. Prior to starting his own advisory firm, he was the President & Global Chief People Officer at the pharma major, Cipla.
Prabir, a distinguished HR strategist, advises firms, including startups, in India and abroad, with a special interest in Organisation Transformation, Talent Management, Executive Coaching, OD interventions, Global HR Strategy, Employer Branding, and Leadership Capability Development. Prabir has over the last many years been featured in the ‘List of Most Admired HR Professionals in India’ and has several awards to his credit. He is the recipient of the National Institute of Personnel Management (NIPM) Medal, the Reckitt & Colman Award, and the Citibank Leaders Award at XLRI, for the “highest level of academic performance, competence, originality, creativity, communication skills and leadership” as also the Director’s Medal in the Civil Services Foundation Course. He was conferred the Asia HRD Award - 2012 for “outstanding contribution to the field of Human Resource Development" and ‘The Distinguished Alumni’ Award at XLRI in 2016. He was named the ‘Digitalist of the Year' by SAP-Mint in 2018. He was ranked No. 1 amongst the 'Top HR Influencers on Twitter from India” by @BloggersAlliance and included in the ET HRWorld Influencers 2022 and LinkedIn Top Voices 2022 lists. He has been part of a New York based think tank of fifteen global CHROs, 'The Thinking Ahead Group'
In addition, Prabir is widely recognized as a transformation guru and an accomplished thought- leader whose views are closely followed across various media platforms. He has been among the most widely followed CHROs globally with more than half a million followers on LinkedIn. He is a sought-after speaker, executive coach, and a visiting faculty at various business schools and top management training institutes. He is on the Board of Trustees for Alcoholics Anonymous in India. He also sat on the HR Advisory Board of the Reserve Bank of India for five years and has been on the Board of companies in the Tata/ Cipla Group.
Pooja Chauhan
AVP & Corporate Head HR
JK Cement
Pooja Chauhan
AVP & Corporate Head HRJK Cement
Pooja Chauhan is currently working with JK Cement Limited as Head Talent Management & Business HR Head. She is a vibrant young and dynamic HR professional having 18+ years of rich exposure in Policy formulations, Job Evaluations, Talent Assessments and Driving organizational vision mission through the HR fabric of the institution. A leadership coach with special interest in innovative HR practices in the area of Employee Engagement and Talent Development. She is an enthusiastic dancer and a lifelong student.
Prior to joining JK cement she has led the Corporate HR of SRF limited and has also served as the Business HR head for their Engineering Plastics Business. She was on the Talent Management Board of Gartner. She currently leads the talent management and digitization initiatives with respect to HR at JK Cement. She has keen interest in T Group Methodologies and Human labs. She is well known for interpersonal skills and strong domain knowledge. Driving various Improvement and transformation driven change initiatives are some of the competencies that comes naturally to her.
Lopamudra Banerjee
Head– Human Resources
Carrier Midea
Lopamudra Banerjee
Head– Human ResourcesCarrier Midea
Lopamudra Banerjee spearheads the Human Resources function at Carrier Midea India Pvt. Ltd. (CMI). She joined CMI in 2012 upon the inception of the joint venture between Carrier Corporation and Midea Group. Her last assignment was Head- Organisation Development for Aviva Life Insurance.
As the HR Head for CMI, Lopa plays a key role in contributing to the growth of the India business. She has been supporting the business by developing and executing an effective HR strategy and has been instrumental in enhancing the position of the HR team in the organization as one of the major levers to achieve business success.
Lopamudra has completed her Coaching certification from ODA-CFL, (Accredited by ICF) in 2015 and is a passionate Coach and loves working with individuals to help them channelize their energy for enhanced business results. She also loves to connect with young minds and frequently delivers guest lectures in higher educational institutions on different topics leveraging her industry experience.
Post her graduation from St Stephen’s College, Lopamudra pursued her Masters in History from Delhi University. Lopamudra has more than 25 years of experience of which she spent more than 10 years in Consulting with firms like Ernst & Young and PriceWaterhouseCoopers where she had an opportunity to work across industries and contribute in different areas. She also enjoys the role of a mentor to professionals facilitating career transformations.
Rohan Sylvester
Talent Strategy Advisor, Employer Branding Specialist Product Evangelist
Indeed,India
Rohan Sylvester
Talent Strategy Advisor, Employer Branding Specialist Product EvangelistIndeed,India
An experienced content creator, with over eleven years of experience across verticals, Rohan Sylvester has a demonstrated history of working in the content industry. Combining his passion for content, data-driven insights, and recruitment technologies, he is able to provide companies with actionable strategies to enhance their recruitment.
As the recruitment evangelist for Indeed in India, Rohan leverages Indeed’s extensive platform data and research to support HR and TA professionals across India with insights that could help them attract and hire the right talent.
Rohan is a Marine Engineer and an alumnus of Birla Institute of Technology.
Davesh Thakur
Head – Mahindra Leadership University
Mahindra Group
Davesh Thakur
Head – Mahindra Leadership UniversityMahindra Group
Davesh Thakur is a strategic HR leader with over 20 years of experience in driving organizational excellence through comprehensive leadership development.
As Head of Mahindra Leadership University, he designs and implements transformative programs that nurture leaders at all levels, empowering them with essential skills for future challenges. His focus on cultivating adaptive and innovative leaders ensures that the Mahindra Group is well-equipped to thrive in a dynamic business environment.
Drawing from his experience at Lodha Group, JSW, Tata Group, and SP Jain School of Global Management, Davesh champions initiatives that foster a culture of continuous learning and collaboration, ultimately enhancing organizational performance and driving sustainable growth.
Genevieve Moat
Senior Vice President, People, Global Commercial Organisation
HP Inc
Genevieve Moat
Senior Vice President, People, Global Commercial OrganisationHP Inc
Genevive Moat is the SVP and Global Head of People Operations for the Commercial Organization at HP since 2024. With a wealth of HR expertise spanning sales, technical, and operational teams within global organizations, Genevieve is a seasoned leader in Human Resources Management, Labor and Employee Relations, MADO, and Change and Project Management. She has successfully led and inspired remote teams across diverse global locations, driving people strategies that align with and propel business objectives. Genevieve's leadership style is centered on empowerment, fostering an environment where her teams are motivated to excel. Beyond her professional achievements, Genevieve is passionate about active pursuits, travel, cooking, and connecting with friends. Genevive is based in the United Kingdom with her husband and three children.
Shalinder Bakshi
Partner
EY
Shalinder Bakshi
PartnerEY
Shalinder is passionate about the people agenda and its criticality in achieveing transformation. Over the last 22+ years, building businesses across geographies, managing P&L, sharing thought leadership and insights, mentoring teams defines his role as a Partner & Leader.
With an extensive background in Human resources, Shalinder has been at the forefront of strategizing and driving large-scale transformations involving operating models, digital and technology, strategic workforce planning, skilling/learning/ capability building at scale, leadership development for over 20,000+ professionals and building global communities of practice.
His entrepreneurial spirit and leadership acumen have been instrumental in expanding EY's market presence and strengthening our brand. The drive to create a better working world is at the core of his professional philosophy, which he actively pursue through advocating for diversity, equity, and inclusiveness, and by emphasizing the impact of digital technologies on the future of work.
Amit Vaish
Vice President & Head Human Resources
Optum India
Amit Vaish
Vice President & Head Human ResourcesOptum India
Amit brings over 25 years of human resource leadership experience in diverse industry contexts in India and the Asia Pacific region. In his current role with Optum, a UnitedHealth Group company, he has overall responsibility for partnering with leadership teams to grow and lead the India operations from a human capital standpoint.
As a member of the India leadership team, he is also responsible for supporting the overall transformation of the operations, technology and shared services entities in India.
Prior to Optum, Amit spent close to 16 years in HR leadership roles with Accenture and then Barclays, supporting their growth journeys in India and other emerging markets in the APAC region.
Earlier in his career, Amit spent a few years in HR consulting with global majors like Arthur Andersen and EY, where he partnered with a wide range of clients on large-scale business and HR transformation programs in India, Middle East and Africa.
A seasoned and passionate HR leader and certified executive coach from the Coaching Foundation India Limited (CFI), Across his varied career experiences, Amit has consistently elevated the talent agenda to deliver an enhanced employee experience and strategic impact for the business. He has led the journey for his global organizations to build recognized employer brands in India.
Amit holds an MBA in human resources from XLRI, Jamshedpur and a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi. He is also a global fellow of talent management from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.
Nanjappa B S
Senior Vice President, Human Resources
Infosys
Nanjappa B S
Senior Vice President, Human ResourcesInfosys
Nanjappa B.S is a seasoned Human Resources professional with a career spanning 22 years. In his current role, he is Senior Vice President, Human Resources at Infosys Ltd. At the center of his responsibilities lies employee experience, business partnership, engagement and employee relations at Infosys.
He leads the creation and sustained development of global employee engagement initiatives as well as industry-leading HR frameworks. In addition, Nanjappa leads the team that drives strategic people initiatives and cultural transformations across the organization.
Nanjappa holds a PGDM along with a certification from Stanford for an Executive Leadership Program. He is an avid sports enthusiast and has been a national level athlete. He is an active contributor to HR publications and is a speaker at industry events.
Prashanth Nair
Chief Human Resources Officer
Crompton Greaves Consumer Electricals
Prashanth Nair
Chief Human Resources OfficerCrompton Greaves Consumer Electricals
After having spent close to 20 years in industry, out of which the last 10 was in the role of HR Head, have decided to pursue an entrepreneurial journey with the objective of "making a difference" to the larger eco-system leveraging my knowledge, experience and perspective.
Suvarna Mishra
Chief Human Resources Officer
PLUXEE
Suvarna Mishra
Chief Human Resources OfficerPLUXEE
Suvarna Mishra, CHRO at Pluxee India, formerly Sodexo Benefits and Rewards Services, has 20+ years of experience managing HR for large, complex organizations focusing on talent management and organisation effectiveness/development initiatives.
At Pluxee, Suvarna has been instrumental in driving substantial organizational growth by aligning HR strategies with business objectives. Under her leadership, Pluxee India has achieved significant recognition, including five (5) consecutive years as a Great Place to Work, top scores in the Happiness Index for India; and prestigious GEEIS Level 3 certification for gender equality & diversity; and its overall HR practices.
She has successfully led organisational transformation through multiple mergers and acquisitions, enhancing HRs’ efficiency by leveraging digitalisation in HR.
Industry has accorded her with notable certifications from the National HRD Network, Indo French Chambers of Commerce, and NDTV.
Ahmad Sabih Kidwai
Director Talent Management, Learning & OD, Greater India
Schneider Electric
Ahmad Sabih Kidwai
Director Talent Management, Learning & OD, Greater IndiaSchneider Electric
“I believe all of us are on our own journey and many a times this takes us through a different discovery of ourselves and the world around”
As a seasoned HR Leader, Sabih provides strategic HR business partner support to drive HR excellence. Throughout his HR Leadership and management career, he delivered Commendable results for Schneider Electric, Rockwell Automation, Avery Dennison, Denso and others.
In his current capacity Sabih leads Talent Management, OD & Learning for Schneider Electric – Greater India.
Guiding organizations in emerging market through significant growth and transformation for Business turnaround from an HR perspective has been Sabih’ specialty. He has been very actively leading and influencing the Organizations he has worked for driving this convergence and creating the desired Culture. Takes lot of pride for aligning organizations with business strategy and driving synergy to achieve business results. Has been recognized for leadership transformation and coaching young leaders both within his own Organization and outside.
He has been a speaker at various management and academic forums and enjoys sharing knowledge. He is also recognized as a Top Leadership Voice on LinkedIn. Fond of sports, he is an amateur runner and cyclist. He maintains consistency in his intellectual levels by reading. He also enjoys poetry and is versed well enough to recite poems by many Urdu poets.
Sabih also supports children education through a family trust that runs school for poor children and have more than 450 students.
Oshana Dias
Chief People Officer
Fortude
Oshana Dias
Chief People OfficerFortude
Oshana is a Human Capital Management expert with 18 years of experience, transforming employee alignment strategies for global organizations in various industries. As the Chief People Officer at Fortude, she brings a wealth of expertise to her role.
She is an EXCO Member of the Association of Human Resource Management, a SHRM-SCP certified trainer, and a PCC-accredited Professional Coach from the International Federation of Coaching. She conducts training sessions for the HR community and coaches individuals to achieve their goals.
Ruchi Mago
Chief Human Resources Officer
Orange Business
Ruchi Mago
Chief Human Resources OfficerOrange Business
Ruchi is a dynamic HR leader with nearly 20 years of transformative experience across all facets of human resources.
As part of the Global HR leadership team at Orange Business Internationally, she currently heads Human Resources and Employee Experience for India and serves as the APAC Diversity Lead.
Renowned for her strategic thinking, agility, and ability to lead diverse teams across geographies, Ruchi has driven numerous global initiatives, including building a Center of Excellence for Talent Acquisition and establishing GCCs in India and Malaysia. Her expertise spans Total Rewards, Talent Management, and Strategic HR projects, making her a pivotal force in shaping innovative HR solutions and creating high-performing teams.
Karuna Vempala
SVP-Talent Acquisition
Cigniti Technologies
Karuna Vempala
SVP-Talent AcquisitionCigniti Technologies
Karuna Vempala (Known as Karan) is the Head of Talent Acquisition @ Cigniti ( A Coforge Company ) . He leads the Talent Acquisition group and spearheads Hiring & Resourcing function for the organization. He collaborates with Senior Management and other key stakeholders to implement organizational level hiring strategy. Karan is an Industry recognized Talent Acquisition professional with compassion as core value and has more than 2 decades of experience in Solutions Hiring, Super niche skills hiring, Permanent & Contractual Hiring followed by strategic deployment. He has vast experience of Global hiring practices in countries such as America, South America(Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, and Mexico) United Kingdom , Canada, Europe, ANZ, South Africa and emerging markets .
Prior to Cigniti, Karan worked at AppLabs (A CSC Company) where he drove Talent Acquisition efforts for various hiring streams and handled the world- wide hiring needs of a large multi-million Enterprise accounts. Karan delivered high volume hiring demands and implemented robust frameworks that attracted talent to various programs . These frameworks were instrumental in building strong projects and portfolios within the company globally.
Karan is social and digital media enthusiast, Recruitment blogger, Networker, and a Speaker in Human Resource events and forums.
Karan is an alumnus of the Pune University from where he completed his Master’s degree in Personnel Management. His academic profile includes a Master’s program in Human Resources Management and DLL & LW from premier business management institutes based in Pune.
Ritu Gupta
Director, Global Talent Solutions
Ameriprise Financial, India
Ritu Gupta
Director, Global Talent SolutionsAmeriprise Financial, India
A Professional with an overall 24 years of cumulative work experience in Finance and Talent Development. Started with Secretarial work as a Company Secretary, explored Auditing as a Chartered Accountant, Passionate about connecting with people and sharing knowledge and hence became a facilitator and loved the Power of Questioning which encouraged me to become a Certified Coach.
Ritu is an Extraverted Feeler which made her a Certified Coach and Leading Facilitator on multiple Soft Skill aspects. She leads with Cool Blue energy and love to get into details which helped her explore Audit, Finance and Secretarial avenues. She loves playing with numbers which got her into Financial Reporting and Financial Planning. She is full of Earth Green energy which helps her collaborate with different groups.
Dinusha Jayamanne
Chief People Officer
Brandix
Dinusha Jayamanne
Chief People OfficerBrandix
Dinusha Jayamanne is a seasoned HR professional with extensive experience in the industry. She currently serves as the Senior General Manager in Human Resources at Brandix. She has also held positions as Director of Human Resources at Fonterra Brands Lanka and is also currently the Vice President of the Association of HR Professionals (AHRP) in Sri Lanka. Dinusha is known for her expertise in professional development and knowledge sharing, playing a pivotal role in uplifting HR standards in the country. She has been instrumental in promoting transformational coaching and sustainable positive change within organizations. Her leadership and commitment to excellence have made her a respected figure in the HR community and professionals.
Anil Santhapuri
Head - Academy for Management & Leadership Excellence
TVS Motor Company
Anil Santhapuri
Head - Academy for Management & Leadership ExcellenceTVS Motor Company
Anil Santhapuri is a values-based and results-oriented Talent professional, with 21 years of professional experience in the areas of talent management, learning & leadership development. His career span includes working with organizations like FIS, Western Union, HCL Technologies, CGI, Mahindra Satyam and iGate Global Solutions.
Stephen Martin
Chief of Staff
Center for Creative Leadership (CCL)
Stephen Martin
Chief of StaffCenter for Creative Leadership (CCL)
As Chief of Staff, Stephen Martin serves as the liaison for CCL’s Boards of Trustees and Governors, the executive team, and Office of the President; he directs and produces executive communications; and he co-leads the organizational strategy function. Formerly, he served as Director of the Brand & Communications team for CCL Global Marketing, where he oversaw brand management and global communications strategy, including content marketing, SEO, social media, PR, and media relations.
Additionally, Stephen is certified by CCL as an executive leadership coach and provides executive coaching services to CCL clients and private clients.
Formerly a full-time business and education journalist, Stephen has collaborated with executives on op-eds and columns for many of the world’s top media outlets and has created speeches and presentations for corporate, education, and NGO audiences globally. He serves as Communications Consultant for the U.S. advisory and search firm Prime Chief of Staff, and he previously co-wrote a bi-weekly guest column on social innovation in the Raleigh News & Observer.
Stephen earned an MA in Applied Arts & Sciences, with a focus on international studies, from the University of North Carolina–Greensboro and a BA in English with honors at Duke University. He holds a Certificate in Disruptive Strategy from Harvard Business School Online.
Vandana Vishnu
Faculty & Director of Coaching, APAC
Center for Creative leadership (CCL)
Vandana Vishnu
Faculty & Director of Coaching, APACCenter for Creative leadership (CCL)
Vandana Vishnu leads coaching talent for the Asia Pacific region at CCL, maintaining the quality of coaching engagements for our clients and working closely with 120+ coaches. She’s a leadership facilitator and coach with 22 years of experience. She is deeply committed to developing inclusive leadership processes in organizations to positively influence the business outcomes and development of human potential in the workplace.
Before joining CCL in 2012, Vandana’s career included executive coaching, consulting, and HR learning & development. She also served as an Assistant Professor at the Goa Institute of Management.
Vandana has a Diploma in Coaching Supervision from Coaching Supervision Academy, a Postgraduate Programme in Management degree (PGPM&IR, HR) in Human Resource Development from XLRI Jamshedpur, and a BA in Economics from Patna Women’s College.
Varun Gadhok
India Business Head
Center for Creative Leadership
Varun Gadhok
India Business HeadCenter for Creative Leadership
Varun is a dynamic, innovative Sales and Business Development Professional with commendable cross-cultural experience at analyzing the competitive landscape, conducting research and attaining continuous profits through focused strategic work-flow, planning and business process analysis.
A creative and dedicated Business Management Expert equipped with over 25 years of successful leadership experience in deploying new business models, expanding channels and analysing important industry market intelligence to develop effective business strategies.
A Business Transformation specialist, with expertise in Subscription (SAAS) business model, cloud, IOT. Highly skilled at developing complex initiatives and implementing sales improvement strategies to drive overall business retention and customer base expansion.
Sulbha Rai
Chief People Officer
RenewBuy
Sulbha Rai
Chief People OfficerRenewBuy
Sulbha has a multi-faceted 18 years of experience in the Human Capital profession focused on Strategic HR interventions driving business optimization. Her strength is designing and conceptualizing sophisticated processes, driving organizational and people capabilities.
She has developed a Global perspective and cross-cultural competence through her experiences and has strong networking and relationship management skills. She nurtures an excellent connection with Leadership and people across levels and organisations.
She has earlier worked at EY, driving strategic and innovative People Strategy.
She later started her entrepreneurial journey and founded People Matrix – an HR consulting firm committed to leveraging ‘People’ assets to organizations success and creating a winning proposition for business and people.
Currently, she is the Chief People Officer at RenewBuy, an insurtech player which brings insurance and financial products to end consumers through its large distribution model.
She has a BE in Electronics and Comm and an MBA in HR & Finance.
Allwyn Dsilva
AVP & Head of Learning & Development & Future of Work
Tata Communications
Allwyn Dsilva
AVP & Head of Learning & Development & Future of WorkTata Communications
Allwyn serves as the AVP and Head of Learning & Development (L&D) and Future of Work at Tata Communications. Prior to this, he held the role of Global Head of HR at Tata Communications Transformation Services (TCTS), where he led the development and implementation of a business-focused HR strategy aimed at building a best-in-class organization.
As a key member of the HR leadership team, Allwyn supports business leaders in making key talent decisions and provides strategic guidance on leadership development through expert advice and consulting. Recognized as one of the most iconic leaders in learning and development, he has made significant contributions to the field.
He carries a rich experience of over 2 decades working across the value chain in Telecom and Managed Services. He is also a Tata Communications veteran and has been with the company for nearly 18+ years. Allwyn was also part of the Internal Communications and Employee Engagement team earlier. He has championed organizational development initiatives for Employee Value Proposition, Business Restructuring, Learning Academies & Skills transformation.
Stephen Martin
Chief of Staff
Center for Creative Leadership (CCL)
Stephen Martin
Chief of StaffCenter for Creative Leadership (CCL)
As Chief of Staff, Stephen Martin serves as the liaison for CCL’s Boards of Trustees and Governors, the executive team, and Office of the President; he directs and produces executive communications; and he co-leads the organizational strategy function. Formerly, he served as Director of the Brand & Communications team for CCL Global Marketing, where he oversaw brand management and global communications strategy, including content marketing, SEO, social media, PR, and media relations.
Additionally, Stephen is certified by CCL as an executive leadership coach and provides executive coaching services to CCL clients and private clients.
Formerly a full-time business and education journalist, Stephen has collaborated with executives on op-eds and columns for many of the world’s top media outlets and has created speeches and presentations for corporate, education, and NGO audiences globally. He serves as Communications Consultant for the U.S. advisory and search firm Prime Chief of Staff, and he previously co-wrote a bi-weekly guest column on social innovation in the Raleigh News & Observer.
Stephen earned an MA in Applied Arts & Sciences, with a focus on international studies, from the University of North Carolina–Greensboro and a BA in English with honors at Duke University. He holds a Certificate in Disruptive Strategy from Harvard Business School Online.
Charles Walter
AVP & Head Human Resources
Hyundai Motor India
Charles Walter
AVP & Head Human ResourcesHyundai Motor India
Charles has over two and a half decades of HR leadership experience, crisscrossing Information Technology, Consulting & Manufacturing industry across geographies including the United States, Europe & South-east Asia.
He currently oversees the People Strategy, HR Management & Development domains across Hyundai Motor India.
As an empathetic thinker, a people-centric practioner & a global business focused leader Charles has many accolades in setting up People Framework & Human-centric Systems as part of Mergers & Acquisitions; effecting Culture Transformation in a joint venture arrangement: building Leadership levels to support Business outcome; Peer-led Agile Work Groups to enhance co-creation & foster innovation and importantly devotes much time to nurture young talent.
At Hyundai, under his leadership the HR Team had garnered much credence for institutionalizing leadership excellence, pioneering ‘smart’ work culture and establishing futuristic people practices including the industry inspiring role-based framework.
He Chairs the Human Capital Group at the Society of Indian Automobile Manufactures (SIAM) and works to skill-up the nation being a Member, Governing Council of the Automobile Skill Development Corporation (ASDC) and as a Member, CII National Committee for Skilling & Livelihood.
An ardent lover of country music, Charles also spends time reading and volunteering
Anurag Sinha
Chief Product and Technology Officer
foundit
Anurag Sinha
Chief Product and Technology Officerfoundit
As the Chief Product and Technology Officer at foundit.ai, Anurag is leading a dynamic team of product managers, engineers, designers and data scientists dedicated to developing impactful and user-friendly products. With 22 years of experience in the software industry, he has a rich background in both Big Tech and startups, working across diverse sectors including e-commerce, SaaS, cloud computing, office productivity, food tech, and people tech. His expertise lies in product strategy, innovation, customer experience, and leadership. Notable projects include contributions to Microsoft Office, the shopping and delivery experiences at Amazon.in, and the development of Amazon Prime. He holds an MBA degree from INSEAD, engineering degree from NIT Surathkal and MS in Comp Science from National University of Singapore.
Vimal Nair
Chief Business Officer
foundit
Vimal Nair
Chief Business Officerfoundit
Vimal is currently serving as the Chief Business Officer at foundit, is a seasoned Software/SaaS sector leader with an impressive track record of over two decades. His distinguished career spans leadership roles at globally recognized firms, including Quickbase, Wipro, Mindtree, Accenture, and Infosys. Notable positions include Managing Director of International Business at Quickbase, contributing significantly to his illustrious professional journey. Vimal's global exposure extends to clients across the USA, Europe, Australia, and the Middle East, where his cross-cultural perspective and high-energy management style drive innovative solutions. His passion for organizational transformation is evident in his proficiency in Business Management, Mergers & Acquisitions, and Venture investments, consistently enhancing operations and fostering revenue growth. Actively engaged in the international business community, Vimal contributes through keynotes, seminars, and journals, serving as a Jury & Advisory board member for various Indian conference forums. His commitment to success is underscored by a history of delivering innovative solutions aligned with organizational
Rohit Vishal Gupta
Chief Human Resources Officer
Varun Beverages
Rohit Vishal Gupta
Chief Human Resources OfficerVarun Beverages
Rohit Vishal Gupta is the CHRO of Varun Beverages Limited.
He has been Head Of Human Resources with high performance track record in various industries including FMCG, IT, Healthcare, Packaging & Printing and Apparel industries. Highly Skilled in Talent Management, Strategic HRM, Industrial relations and Employee Engagement with proven credentials in handling scale globally and built capabilities for scaling up of businesses in Subcontinent and working across global stakeholders.
Rohit was a Global Leader at Wipro Ltd for Talent Management, Behavioral L&D, CHRO technology org and HR and prior to that CHRO Wipro GE Healthcare South Asia, Director HR- GEBE. Head CSR & Head Education Solutions Initiative.
He was CHRO and Management Committee Member - Printing and Packaging Business and Personal Care products business in ITC Group
Rohit is Certified Coach, Postgraduate from Tata Institute of Social Sciences and Graduate in Industrial Chemistry with top honours from Delhi University
Rohit Chaudhri
Head -Human Resources Business Partnering
Ramboll
Rohit Chaudhri
Head -Human Resources Business PartneringRamboll
Experienced org development professional with a demonstrated history of working in the EPC, mining & metals, shipping industries. Skilled in talent management, learning and development, employee engagement, performance management, talent acquisition and employee relations. Strong operations background with a PG in Human Resource Management (XLRI), Masters in strategy and defence.
Shruti Madhavan
Head of Revenue
KLAY
Shruti Madhavan
Head of RevenueKLAY
Shruti is the Head of Revenue at KLAY Preschools & Daycare, with over 20 years of experience across the Education, FMCG, and Services sectors. She has held diverse leadership roles in organizations such as Unilever, Revlon, and 24 Mantra Organic.
Passionate about making a meaningful impact in the early childhood space, Shruti takes pride in creating an enabling work environment that addresses the unique challenges faced by women.
She holds an MBA and a certification in Strategy & Leadership in a VUCA World from IIM-Bangalore. Shruti is dedicated to ensuring children have access to stimulating and nurturing environments at KLAY
Dimple Kaloya
Head of HR GSC India & Global Functions GSC HTC
HSBC Global Service, Operations and Technology Centers
Dimple Kaloya
Head of HR GSC India & Global Functions GSC HTCHSBC Global Service, Operations and Technology Centers
Dimple is a Head of HR GSC India & Global Functions GSC HTC at HSBC Operations, Services and Technology Centers. She is an experienced HR leader who has worked across industry and consulting with a specific focus on aligning people strategy to business strategy. She has practical and hands on experience in transforming Global HR organizations and partnered with senior business leaders. She has led large HR Operations, Restructures and Organisation Designs, Transformation and HR Shared Services teams. Dimple is an adept problem solver and demonstrates the ability to juggle multiple and competing priorities and translate strategy into clearly defined action plans utilizing sound business acumen and grounded experience. She believes in harnessing the power of people to create customer delight and long-lasting business impact and drives optimal cost and performance of organizations in fast growing, commercial and international arenas. She is passionate about providing evidence-based insight in helping organisations attract and retain talent. She has worked global roles with Ernst and Young, Aon, WNS and Standard and Poors.
Dimple has written many industry papers across a variety of topics in HR and is a Bachelor in Information Technology and has a Masters in Business Administration.
Prachi Rastogi
Diversity & Inclusion Leader, APAC
IBM
Prachi Rastogi
Diversity & Inclusion Leader, APACIBM
Prachi Rastogi is the D&I leader for APAC & Japan. Her current role involves ensuring gender balance at executive roles, inclusion of LGBT+ community and an accessible environment for people with disabilities. She is Responsible to create a climate that fosters respect for differences, stimulates innovation, encourages collaboration, and allows employees to work productively in a culturally diverse environment.
Apart from her day job she facilitates Mindfulness sessions in the corporate world and educational institutes. She believes that collaboration amongst humans and increased awareness is what will help us survive and succeed in the coming times.
Rajnish Kumar
Vice President - Human Resources Department
Newgen Software Technologies
Rajnish Kumar
Vice President - Human Resources DepartmentNewgen Software Technologies
Rajnish has over two decades of experience in Financial Services, Information Technology, Telecom & Automobile industry. He has led transformations in reputable organizations and also set up HR practices for IT Product and start-up organisation. Successfully co-founded idea7 Business solutions and helped set up Market research, CRM & training practices for Automobile OEM customers.
Rajnish is a postgraduate in Human Resource Management and a certified Financial Planner (CFP). He has worked with organisations like Yes Bank, Infosys, Bharti Airtel Ltd & Reliance Group. He is currently working with Newgen Software as VP-HRD.
Srilata Kolachana
Director, Learning & Development
APAC SBU | CGI
Srilata Kolachana
Director, Learning & DevelopmentAPAC SBU | CGI
Srilata currently leads learning for APAC as the Director for Learning and Development at CGI. In her earlier work stints, she was the Country head for Training for India, at Hinduja Global Solutions. Prior to that she was the Senior Director, Talent Management and Development, Sutherland Global Services, heading the Talent Management initiatives for Healthcare Vertical globally and the project leader for the Inclusivity and Diversity initiatives at Sutherland India.
Srilata has previously worked in leading IT firms like Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC India), Franklin Templeton India, Convergys Information Management (India), Tech Mahindra, Health Management Research Institute and Infor Global Solutions leading OD, L&D and Talent Management Functions.
Education & Certifications:
- The Wharton School, Associate Fellow, Talent Management 2018
- Global Talent Management Leader, Talent Management Institute (Credential Id – AFP99894072)
- Independent Director Certificate – Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs
- Currently pursuing Executive FPM (PhD) program in Organizational Behavior from XLRi
- Master of Business Administration (Marketing and Finance) Osmania University
- Certified in training - International Certificate in Training Skills - City and Guilds London.
- Certified Assessor- Assessment and Development Centers - T.V Rao Learning Systems.
- Certified Behavioral Analyst
- Certification in LSIP and Power Coach Fundamentals
- Certification workshops in the areas of Instructional Methodology, Psychometric Test Professional, Assessment Centre Analyst, Certified Performance and Competence Developer, Certified Organizational Development Analyst (CODA)
Prime Areas of Expertise: Talent Management, Organizational Development, Equity and Inclusion Strategy (Gender, Cultural, Generational, and Emotional) and programs, Succession Planning, Leadership Development, Emotional Intelligence, Culture and Change Management Initiatives, Competency and Capability frameworks, Performance Management Strategy, Team Building Interventions
Additional Interests: Training in Indian Classical Music (Carnatic Vocal)
Total Experience: 20+ years
Pooja Bhagat
Vice President Total Rewards, APAC & EMEA
UnitedHealth Group
Pooja Bhagat
Vice President Total Rewards, APAC & EMEAUnitedHealth Group
Pooja Bhagat is the Vice President of Total Rewards at UnitedHealth Group (Optum), bringing over 23 years of HR experience across various industries and geographies. In her role, she specializes in managing organizational transformations, including restructuring and M&A scenarios, and designing performance and rewards solutions.
She has successfully led large, diverse teams and is passionate about building a rewarding work environment that aligns with the organization’s mission and the needs of its global workforce. Her expertise lies in creating HR strategies that drive engagement and support the overall vision of UnitedHealth Group
Arati Parashar
Vice President & Business Head
Zaggle SAVE
Arati Parashar
Vice President & Business HeadZaggle SAVE
With over 20 years of experience in FinTech, Software Solutions, Media, Retail, and Employee Engagement, Arati specializes in profit-centric management, sales leadership, operational excellence, and strategic marketing. Currently, as the Business Head - Zaggle SAVE, she spearheads strategic initiatives that has resulted in an outstanding 200% growth in the fiscal year 2023-2024. Her proactive approach to fostering innovation and driving sustainable growth has consistently yielded exceptional results. Arati excelsin leading diverse, cross-functional teams and managing projects that significantly enhance sales and profitability. By blending an entrepreneurial mindset with corporate acumen, she prioritizes customer satisfaction while nurturing vital stakeholder relationships.
Harmeet Kaur Gupta
Head – Global People Services
Ericsson
Harmeet Kaur Gupta
Head – Global People ServicesEricsson
Harmeet has 21 years’ experience in HR Lifecycle Strategy & Operations including Recruitment, Rewards, International Mobility, Time & Payroll, Talent Management, Learning & Development, Reporting & Analytics and Strategy, Operations & Transformation.11 years with Ericsson Managing a span of 550+ employees supporting HR Operations for 100,000 Ericsson employees
Udit Bhatia
India Learning Leader
Ernst & Young
Udit Bhatia
India Learning LeaderErnst & Young
Experienced leadership professional with a demonstrated history of working in diverse industries in the area of training and development. Also skilled in Behavioural, Leadership development, Talent Management, Performance Improvement, Coaching, and Employee Engagement and thus a seasoned human resources professional.
Megha Gupta
Head Human Resources, India
C2fo
Megha Gupta
Head Human Resources, IndiaC2fo
Megha Gupta is an influential HR leader with 20 years of experience, renowned for her expertise in strategy, organizational development, talent management, and driving diversity and inclusion initiatives.
She has worked for organizations in financial technology, US based IT services , Telecom and creative sector. Her areas of expertise includes strategic business partnership, organizational development, leadership development, talent management, Performance management, Diversity & Inclusion, Compliance and employee engagement. She has worked extensively with teams across US, Europe, APAC and India.
With a passion for fostering inclusive work environments and mentoring future leaders, Megha has become a prominent voice in the HR community. Her dynamic presentations and insightful contributions have made her a sought-after speaker at prestigious HR conferences and educational institutions. She is also a professional Mentor and Coach and have completed 1000 Hours of coaching.
Awards and Accolades:
LinkedIn–Top Voice Badge : LinkedIn 2024
Top 20 HR leaders ”: HR SUCCESS TALK 2024
Most Innovative HR Leader Award: by World HRD Congress - 2021
Winner of BW Business World : HR40under40 - 2020
Winner of Are You in the List – 2016 : Emerging HR Leaders award by People Matter
Vigneshwaran Ramdass
Vice President- Talent Development
AGS Health
Vigneshwaran Ramdass
Vice President- Talent DevelopmentAGS Health
As the Vice President for Learning and Development at AGS Health, a leading provider of revenue cycle management services, Vigneshwaran have over 18 years of experience in designing and delivering impactful learning interventions for a diverse and global workforce.
He hold’s the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) - Senior Certified Professional (SCP) certification, which demonstrate my expertise in global HR management and strategic HR leadership.
Vigneshwaran leverage’s his expertise in digital learning, change management, leadership development, social learning, and strategic implied learning to align L&D strategy and skillsets with the organization’s goals and initiatives. He also led a team of award-winning L&D professionals who share his passion for modern workplace learning and innovation. Together, they have won multiple accolades for their L&D programs, including the Best L&D Team of the Year in 2022, and the Best CLO Award in 2023. His mission is to create engaging, effective, and relevant learning solutions that enhance performance, productivity, and retention.
Tania Ahuja
Founder & CEO
Nobias
Tania Ahuja
Founder & CEONobias
Dr. Tania Ahuja is Founder and CEO of Nobias. She serves on the Board of the Stern School of Business, NYU and was former director of Citigroup and US Head, Arkera. Additionally, she sits on the boards of other learning organizations including the Center of Advanced Study of India (CASI) at the University of Pennsylvania, the Salome Chamber Orchestra, and the Summit Music Festival.
Tania holds a PhD in Finance from Stern School of Business, NYU, a BS in Statistics from Bombay University and an MS in Operations Research from Case Western Reserve University.
Nishith Upadhyaya
Executive Director - Knowledge & Advisory Services
SHRM India, APAC & MENA
Nishith Upadhyaya
Executive Director - Knowledge & Advisory ServicesSHRM India, APAC & MENA
At SHRM India, Nishith leads a growing advisory practice focussed on enabling clients realize business goals though better alignment of people practices. He is focused on achieving business growth through effective execution of client consulting mandates for the whole practice in domains such as Vision & Values cascade, Organization Structuring, Performance Management System & other HR process design. In his stint in a corporate role, Nishith has worked with the Bharti group- as a part of the Organization Design and Talent Management team. Here – he worked on projects such as shared service design and implementation, manpower planning, and organization structure design and evaluation. Prior to working with SHRM, Nishith was with the HR consulting teams of PwC, ECS, and Aon Hewitt. Nishith holds a Master’s Degree in Human Resources and Organizational Development (MHROD), presently MBA-HRD, from Dept. of Commerce, Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi and is a certified practitioner of BIOSS tools and methodologies for organization design and leadership capability assessment.
Amogh Deshmukh
Head - Leadership Practice
SHRM India
Amogh Deshmukh
Head - Leadership PracticeSHRM India
At SHRM India, APAC & MENA, Amogh heads the Executive Leadership practice and Amogh is responsible for the creation and implementation of the Executive Leadership strategy for the region. Extensive experience in providing business-relevant counsel and consulting solutions to top Indian/Global organizations primarily in the areas of leadership strategy, development, succession management, and talent acquisition. Consulted C-Suite level clients from diverse industries including automotive, BFSI, FMCG/CD, IT/ITES, healthcare, manufacturing, pharmaceutical, retail, start-ups, and telecommunications.
A trusted executive coach and a dependable talent development consultant extensively involved in research & publication, implementation of interventions and best practices, and helped clients in implementation of leadership development and talent management initiatives. Frequently quoted in trade and business magazine on talent and leadership development.
Shaakun Khanna
Senior Advisor
SHRM India
Shaakun Khanna
Senior AdvisorSHRM India
Shaakun Khanna is Senior Advisor with SHRM and specializes in HR Transformation, Skills[1]Based Organizations, Employee Experience, Talent Management, and HR Technology. With 25 years of comprehensive experience across India, APAC, and the Middle East, he has built a solid reputation in HR consulting, technology transformation, and strategy development, particularly within industries such as IT, professional services, consumer electronics, and banking.
In his recent role as Vice President and Head of HCM strategy and transformation for Oracle Corporation in Asia Pacific, Shaakun managed ecosystems to successfully implement Oracle Human Capital Management and other SaaS solutions, while cultivating relationships with key executives. Previously, as Head of HCM Strategy & Transformation, he led numerous HR transformation projects, securing key deals and enhancing Oracle’s market presence. His leadership at Right Management India as Country Head involved managing talent management initiatives and overseeing the country’s P&L.
Shaakun also served as Country Head at IBM Kenexa, where he built a significant consulting business and led projects focused on employee engagement and leadership assessment. Earlier in his career, he established the 'Strengths-Based Leadership Development' practice at Gallup Consulting and engaged with high-stakes clients like Microsoft and Tata Group.
Shaakun holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Administration and a Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce from Delhi University. He is a Certified Strength Performance Executive Coach and is pursuing ICF Coach Certification. Additionally, he is certified in the Gallup Q12 Employee Engagement Model. With a proven track record of driving organizational effectiveness through innovative, technology-driven solutions, Shaakun is well-equipped to partner with organizations in their HR transformation journeys
Dedeepya Ajith John
Senior Director - South & Advisory Services
SHRM India, APAC & MENA
Dedeepya Ajith John
Senior Director - South & Advisory ServicesSHRM India, APAC & MENA
A passionate and multi-tasking business professional with over a decade of experience, Dedeepya handles the portfolios including Advisory, Research and Academic Partnerships catering to the regions of India, as well as APAC regions. She further also heads the South Region for SHRM India and is responsible for business development and consulting in the area of Human Capital Management. Prior to this, she has worked with Oracle India as HR Consultant. Her areas of interest include Knowledge Management, Diversity and Inclusion, Competency Assessment and Development, Organization Development, Research and HR Analytics. She has been involved in the project design, content generation and implementation of consultancy projects in the above areas. She is experienced in using Quantitative and Qualitative research methods for diagnostic purposes including identifying relevant variables, designing questionnaires and using various statistical methods for analysis. She co-authored papers/ book chapters in the areas of Diversity and Inclusion and further has contributed extensively to various articles / interviews in leading newspapers. Dedeepya is a Mechanical Engineer from Jawaharlal Technological University (Kakinada, A.P) followed by a MBA from Indian Institute of Science (IISc, Bangalore, India). She is a certified SHRM Senior Certified Professional ( SHRM SCP), Level -1 Hogan Assessor and is certified in Job Evaluation by KornFerry - Hay. Along with her work, Dedeepya is passionate about painting, dancing and sports.
Jahnavi Kamath
Client Relationship Director Actor/ Lead Facilitator
Steps Drama
Jahnavi Kamath
Client Relationship Director Actor/ Lead FacilitatorSteps Drama
Jahnavi is working with Steps Drama as Client Relationship Director which involves
communicating with different organization’s stakeholders, designing relevant content and delivering the workshops. Jahnavi has worked extensively for 10 years with Theatre and Media industry where communications, body language and dramatics have been her key strengths.
Jahnavi holds Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology, Journalism & English Literature. Also, she has completed her Certification in International Leadership and Organizational behavior offered by Bocconi University. She has designed and facilitated over 250 high-impact programs in the areas of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Performance Management conversations, Values & Culture, Leadership training, Prevention of Sexual Harassment at workplace, Negotiation Skills, Mental Health, Coaching & Feedback, Ethics & Compliance & Communications skills.
Jahnavi has been designing and facilitating drama led trainings since 2016. She has conducted over 500 + hours of training in her 12 years of facilitation journey. She has trained over 5000 employees ranging from new joiners to Executive Committee members for clients in the BFSI, IT/ITES, Media, FMCG, Retail sectors across India, Middle East and APAC.
Clients she services at her role at Steps include – Accenture, KPMG, IBM, Target, Morgan Stanley, Pernod Ricard, HUL, Publicis Sapient, MetLife, Société Générale, Zynga, Walmart, Cognizant to name a few. Jahnavi’s expertise lies in identifying organizational learning needs and using drama as a tool to catalyze and facilitate behavior change through customized solutions keeping the learner’s and organization’s culture at heart. Her goal is to include Empathy and vulnerability-based trust in any organization’s behaviour change journey.
B V Bharath
Actor & Lead Facilitator
Steps Drama
B V Bharath
Actor & Lead FacilitatorSteps Drama
Bharath is a mechanical engineer by qualification, eight years of training in Bharatanatyam , multiple award winning street plays and college plays led him to begin working with children in the applied theatre and children's theatre genres as a professional theatre and art practitioner in various schools and organizations of repute for three years. Dabbling with acting in films and camera he stumbled upon an audition call and was selected for Steps since its inception in India and has been actively engaged with Steps in various roles and responsibilities, client engagement, research, program design and development, and as an actor- lead facilitator. Some of the projects that Bharath has successfully delivered pan India and globally through Steps have been for Goldman Sachs, Honeywell, Accenture, Zynga, Infosys, HSBC, SKF, Medtronic, EY, PWC, Varroc, IBM, KPMG, Target, Tesco, Barclays. On topics such as Unconscious Bias, Diversity, equity and Inclusion, POSH, Ethics, values and culture Conflict management. Bharath believes that being part of Step's journey in India has also enabled him to be a part of the vast cultural change that the industry has witnessed today and finds the work very impactful, self-reflective and beneficial for people. When not in the training room, Bharath can be found swimming/trekking or farming.
Tarun Jain
Project and Design Manager & Actor Facilitator
Steps Drama
Tarun Jain
Project and Design Manager & Actor FacilitatorSteps Drama
Tarun is B.Tech (Computer Science) by education. He worked with Infosys and Igate for 10 years before permanently shifting to Media field as an Actor-writer as he found his calling there (2015).
He is a skillful actor who has acted in feature film, advertisements, short films as well as theatre productions. Tarun worked as a freelance actor facilitator (since 2017) with Steps and delivered sessions for KPMG, PWC, Accenture, Walmart, Welspun, Fractal etc.
Tarun joined as a Project and Design Manager with Steps in 2022 and since then he has designed multiple sessions, specially for DEI, LGBTQIA+, Disability, mental Health and Communication Skills. He has been handling research, designing and delivery phases with STEPS and has been designing and delivering workshops for clients such as Coca Cola, Mindshare world, PWC, Accenture, KPMG, Britannia, Metlife, MIQ etc.
Tarun believes, even if we are able to change a single mindset through our work, we have succeeded as a human and that’s what keep him going.
Kriti Pant
Actor & Lead Facilitator
Steps Drama
Kriti Pant
Actor & Lead FacilitatorSteps Drama
Kriti Pant is a theatre maker, facilitator and voice over artist. She has been working across different media and contexts for thirteen years.
Her other acting experience includes performance installations, original musical theatre, public improvisations and interventions, interactive theatre-in-education performances, and work in independent film and ads.
She has worked as an actor for the British High Commission’s FCO training programmes. She is a founding member of the Tadpole Repertory, one of Delhi’s most prominent independent theatre collectives, formed in 2009. She has conducted drama workshops for schools, universities, community programmes and cultural bodies.
Kriti is a freelancer Actor and Lead Facilitator with Steps (Since 2014) and has delivered sessions for Accenture, Walmart, Publicis Sapient, HGS, Aegon Life, Yes Bank, KPMG, Morgan Stanley, Axa Business Services, Societe Generale Etc.
Also, Kriti has been part of project management which covers doing research, designing a training program and writing scripting.
She has delivered sessions on the topics DEI, Coaching, Trust and Accountability, Trust, Agility and Collaboration, Unconscious Bias, POSH, Mental Health, Coaching & Feedback, Leadership Skills etc.
Garima Dhamija
Co-Founder
Salto Dee Fee
Garima Dhamija
Co-FounderSalto Dee Fee
Garima is Co-Founder of SDF Consulting -a Talent & Leadership Advisory Firm focussed on Solving Complex People Problems.
She is an Independent Director on Boards of Listed firms.
As Co-Founder of SDF Consulting, Garima continuously works with CXOs to help them grow as people and to grow businesses, She has experience across different sizes and stages of organisations; both as a practitioner and consultant. She has worked and consulted across varied industries including BFSI, Telecom, Hi-Tech, Consumer & Retail, Healthcare and Manufacturing
Her area of interest is in helping leaders explore their own potential and become the best they can.
Garima is Co-Founder and chief champion at #LeadLikeHer Tribe which is a growing community for Women Leaders to find support and become better - personally and professionally. The tribe now has 250 members. It offers a safe and warm group to forge deep, trusting relationships. A place that you can rely on unconditionally for honest insights and perspective.
Punkkesh Chawla
Founder
Team Building Pro
Punkkesh Chawla
FounderTeam Building Pro
unforgettable experiences that elevate organizational performance. Our approach intertwines Neuro-Linguistic Programming with BELBIN's team role strategies, ensuring every intervention is impactful and tailored to drive growth.
Leading with a philosophy that one decision can revolutionize a work environment, we've curated over 120+ physical and numerous virtual activities to foster effective communication, motivation, and collaboration. The mission is clear: to facilitate an atmosphere where teams can transcend mediocrity and embrace excellence, unlocking their full potential.
Sunil D’Cruz Harry
Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Liya.Ai
Sunil D’Cruz Harry
Founder & Chief Executive OfficerLiya.Ai
Sunil D’Cruz Harry is a seasoned HR Leader turned Entrepreneur.
With over 2 decades of HR experience leading and scaling impactful teams at companies like Yahoo!, Oracle, Flipkart, GE, and LinkedIn. Leveraging all of the learnings and experience, now building his first venture - Liya.Ai™️, an all-in-one AI Employee Engagement platform.
At the helm of Liya.Ai™️, Sunil’s focus is on harnessing AI to transform employee engagement, fostering a culture where every individual feels seen, heard and valued. Our advanced sentiment analysis and predictive analytics are game-changers, offering organizations real-time insights and helping retain top talent.
Previously, as Head of Talent Acquisition for LinkedIn's R&D in India, Sunil led strategies that scaled hiring to meet innovative demands. His expertise in scalability and management ensured the seamless integration of top-tier talent, driving LinkedIn's vision forward.
Now, with Liya.Ai™️ as Founder & CEO, he is pioneering a new frontier in workplace culture, where technology meets human-centric solutions.
As a Certified Wellbeing and Life Coach, Sunil is doing his part to make employee self-care universal and the world a better place.
Shailendra Dave
Director & Founder
Bizz Cat Tech Solutions and Services Pvt Ltd (bcatalyst)
Shailendra Dave
Director & FounderBizz Cat Tech Solutions and Services Pvt Ltd (bcatalyst)
Versatile result oriented Entreprenuer with 30 + yrs experience in various business sectors like Retail, Metallurgical & Chemicals, ITES, Education & Consulting.
Specialties: IT solutions, HRMS, ERP, Business Consulting, HR Consulting and various functional areas of an organisation like Human Resources Management, Training & Development, Business Development, Retail Operations, Key Accounts Management
Worked in organisations based in India, UAE, Angola, Congo, Ethiopia, Portugal
Kanishk Agarwal
Founder
CriTaxCorp
Kanishk Agarwal
FounderCriTaxCorp
Kanishk Agarwal's career trajectory, beginning with a solid foundation at PricewaterhouseCooper, has culminated in the establishment of the dynamic law firm, CriTaxCorp. With a deep understanding of taxation, criminal, and corporate law, Kanishk has carved out a unique niche in the legal industry.
Following the tragic Nirbhaya case in 2012, Kanishk Agarwal felt a profound sense of urgency to address the pervasive issue of sexual harassment in the workplace and that is how Centre 4 POSH was carved as a separate vertical in his firm.
Kanishk's initial approach involved conducting comprehensive training sessions for companies, sensitizing both Internal Committee members and employees on the Prevention of Sexual Harassment. He was also invited as a speaker by various departments, such as the ICAI, PHD Chamber of Commerce, NHRD etc.
Leveraging his extensive experience as an external member of various Internal Committees and his involvement in legal cases related to sexual harassment, Kanishk recognized the potential of technology to reach a broader audience at a more cost-effective scale through Centre 4 POSH e-learning module which has animated case study videos.
Vanya Goel
Chief People Officer
Pitch N Hire
Vanya Goel
Chief People OfficerPitch N Hire
Making the journey from employee to employer is difficult; each role has its challenges, needs, and demands. However, it has also given Vanya a unique perspective on solving the problems associated with both of these roles.
Vanya’s experience running brands like AppSierra, GigDe, and the Voice of Woman has made her realise that a company's success lies in its human resources, which stems from having a robust and error-free hiring process.
These challenges have been addressed while designing and developing Pitch N Hire, an ATS and SaaS interview platform running on the most advanced next-gen AI.
Pitch N Hire solves the following recruitment challenges:
- Reduce time-to-hire by automating the initial candidate screening process through AI-monitored technical rounds to conducting behavioural interviews.
- Maintain regular communication with candidates.
- Reduce inherent human bias during recruitment, making your company and its culture compliant with globally accepted DEI initiatives.
- Maintain a hiring pipeline of passive and active candidates.
- A great job board for applicants looking for new career opportunities.
Komal Dhoot Saraf
Co-Founder & President
Mediwheel
Komal Dhoot Saraf
Co-Founder & PresidentMediwheel
Passionate about holistic wellness and dedicated to empowering individuals to lead healthier lives, Komal is the co-founder of Mediwheel, a comprehensive wellness company committed to promoting physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
Drawing on past experience in business development and corporate relations, Komal brings a strategic and collaborative approach to fostering partnerships and driving organizational growth. With a focus on building sustainable relationships, she is dedicated to achieving mutual success and driving positive impact.
Fueled by a curiosity for the world and a thirst for new experiences, she is an avid traveller who thrives on immersing myself in diverse cultures and traditions. She loves exploring new arts, cuisines, and customs which helps broadens her perspective and enriches my understanding of global interconnectedness.
With a love for culinary creativity, Komal finds joy in experimenting with flavors and techniques in the kitchen. Cooking not only nourishes the body but also provides a platform for cultural exploration and expression.
As a proud Gen Z mother of two, she prioritizes work-life balance and advocate for the integration of family values into entrepreneurship. Balancing parenthood with business ownership has taught her invaluable lessons in time management, empathy, and resilience.
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