Bengaluru, Karnataka, India, May 2026 – Neelima Vijaykumar has been elevated to the role of Head of Healthcare HRBPs India at Merck Group, marking a significant milestone in her HR leadership journey within the organization. In this role, she will work closely with business leaders and HR teams to shape people priorities, strengthen HR business partnering, and drive strategic workforce initiatives across Merck’s healthcare business in India.
Neelima Vijaykumar has built an extensive career with Merck Group, spanning over a decade across multiple HR domains. Prior to her elevation, she was serving as Global HRBP – Medical Writing, where she contributed to global HR strategy and business alignment within specialized healthcare functions.
Her journey at Merck reflects consistent growth across the Total Rewards and HR business partnering landscape. She previously held roles such as Total Rewards Lead – India & Indonesia and Total Rewards Lead – India, where she was responsible for designing and implementing compensation and benefits strategies across key markets, strengthening employee value proposition and reward frameworks.
Earlier in her career, she served as Assistant Manager – CoE Total Rewards, Senior Specialist – Regional Benefits APAC, and Senior Specialist – CoE Total Rewards, gaining deep expertise in compensation structures, regional benefits strategy, and HR center of excellence functions. She began her journey with Merck as a Management Trainee and HR Generalist, steadily building a strong foundation in HR operations and talent management.
Neelima holds an MBA in Human Resources Management from the University of Mumbai, which has supported her strong grounding in HR strategy and leadership throughout her career.
Merck is a leading global science and technology company headquartered in Germany, with a legacy of over 350 years. Operating across Life Science, Healthcare, and Electronics, Merck is driven by a passion for innovation and a commitment to improving lives through science and technology. The organization fosters a culture of curiosity, responsibility, and sustainability, empowering its global workforce to shape a better future.
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