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Anubhav Verma Appointed as Chief Financial Officer at Einride Ahead of Public Listing

Smita SinghbySmita Singh
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Anubhav Verma Appointed as Chief Financial Officer at Einride Ahead of Public Listing

Anubhav Verma Appointed as Chief Financial Officer at Einride Ahead of Public Listing

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Stockholm, Sweden, November 2025 – Einride AB, a global pioneer in electric and autonomous freight technology, has announced the appointment of Anubhav Verma as Chief Financial Officer, effective January 2026. The appointment comes as the company advances toward its planned public listing on the New York Stock Exchange via a proposed business combination with Legato Merger Corp. III (NYSEAMERICAN: LEGT).

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Anubhav Verma brings over 16 years of global experience in capital markets, M&A, and strategic finance, making him a critical addition to Einride’s leadership as it prepares for a high-growth public trajectory. Most recently, he served as CFO at MicroVision (NASDAQ: MVIS), a leading LiDAR technology company, where he led software expansion efforts across the U.S. and EU, diversified the company’s client base across automotive, industrial, and defense sectors, and scaled operations for commercial impact.

Previously, Verma held senior finance roles at Exela Technologies, where he was instrumental in executing a $2.8 billion SPAC reverse merger, and began his career in investment banking at Credit Suisse, specializing in technology transactions.

Roozbeh Charli, CEO of Einride, emphasized the strategic timing of the appointment:

“Anubhav’s experience in leading a multi-billion dollar SPAC combination and cross-border expansion in automotive and industrial sectors directly aligns with our growth strategy as we prepare to make our public market debut. His leadership will be instrumental in positioning Einride to capture this market shift.”

Commenting on his new role, Anubhav Verma stated:

“Einride has built a remarkable foundation of technology, talent, and global momentum. As the Company prepares for a public listing, my focus will be to drive financially disciplined growth and rapidly scale operations globally to become the leading player in the multi-trillion dollar freight and logistics industry and establish long-term enterprise partnerships especially in the U.S. markets.”

Einride is currently positioned to transform the $4.6 trillion global road freight industry, having secured over 25 enterprise clients across seven countries, including a growing footprint in the United States—its second largest market. The company boasts a contracted ARR of $65 million and potential long-term ARR exceeding $800 million through Joint Business Plans with top-tier customers.

Its AI-powered platform combines Freight-Capacity-as-a-Service (FCaaS) and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) offerings, with proven results in cost-effective, safe, and sustainable freight operations. The company has obtained regulatory permits for autonomous operations in both the U.S. and Europe, and maintains a zero-incident safety record.

The business combination with Legato, expected to close in H1 2026, values Einride at a $1.8 billion pre-money equity valuation, equipping the company for rapid global scale.

About Einride

Founded in 2016, Einride is a technology company that designs and operates electric and autonomous freight systems, revolutionizing road transportation through cost-effective and sustainable solutions. Its platform integrates AI-driven route planning, electric truck fleets, autonomous vehicles, and charging infrastructure. The company operates across North America, Europe, and the Middle East, serving major global shippers with a mission to replace diesel freight at scale.

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Swati Rustagi leads the Employee Experience strategy & team for Adobe India, the company’s second-largest region. With over 25 years of HR leadership across FMCG, healthcare, financial services, and e-commerce, she has held impactful roles partnering with Clevel executives and leading specialized functions such as rewards, leadership development, talent, employee relations, DEI & talent acquisition. Swati is known for building value-driven, high-growth ecosystems and has consistently helped shape resilient organizations through transformative business partnerships. She holds a postgraduate degree in Human Resources from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences and an undergraduate degree from Ramnarain Ruia College, Mumbai University. She is certified in ISO, TPM, Change Management, and is also a certified OD professional via the National Training Lab, US. Recognized for her contributions to the HR community, Swati has received the Margadarshak Award at FOSTIIMA for her work in DEI and was named one of Business World’s “Most Powerful Women in HR.” She actively contributes to the broader HR ecosystem and serves on the board of the National HRD Network in India, a non-profit professional body for HR practitioners.

Wessam Bahgat is a senior HR and Human Capital leader within Big 4 consulting and professional services, with 16+ years of impact across multinational and regional organizations. She has built and led people strategies that directly support business transformation, leadership readiness, and workforce sustainability across complex, fast-paced environments.


Throughout her career, Wessam has led hundreds of executive assessment centers and structured feedback engagements, delivered extensive leadership and capability-development programs, and driven large-scale talent management, succession planning, and learning & development initiatives. Her contributions include designing and launching career development and internal mobility frameworks within multinational organizations, strengthening leadership pipelines, and enabling data-driven people decisions. As a Certified Assessor, content designer, and facilitator, she is recognized for translating human capital strategy into measurable organizational outcomes.


Beyond corporate impact, Wessam is deeply committed to societal and ESG leadership. She has led and sponsored initiatives focused on environmental sustainability and community well-being, including Nile River clean-up campaigns, planting over 100 trees in local Egyptian schools, promoting responsible waste management, and supporting carbon-reduction awareness initiatives. Her work reflects a belief that HR leadership plays a critical role in shaping not only organizations, but also the broader future of work and society.


Simin Askari is a seasoned people and business leader with over three decades of experience across diverse industries, including manufacturing, media, technology and diversified conglomerates. Her professional journey reflects a rare integration of commercial acumen, strategic HR leadership and organisation-wide transformation, anchored in a deep belief that sustainable business success is achieved when people, purpose and performance move together.


An Economics graduate with a Master’s degree in Business Management, Simin began her career with reputed organisations such as HCL and The Times of India. She embarked on an entrepreneurial journey before returning to the corporate world holding senior leadership role within the Apollo Group, where she headed Human Resources for Apollo International Ltd., the diversified businesses of parent company, Apollo Tyres. These experiences built a strong foundation in managing complexity, scale and multicultural workforces.


In her last corporate assignment as Group CHRO and Head – Business Excellence at DS Group, Simin led strategic HR and business excellence initiatives for a ₹10,000 crore, multi-business conglomerate. Her mandate spanned organisation design, leadership capability building, policy and process standardisation, performance management and large-scale digital transformation of people and business processes. She played a pivotal role in strengthening organisational capabilities, improving operational efficiencies and embedding governance, consistency and fairness across diverse businesses.


Simin’s leadership philosophy is grounded in systems thinking and leadership accountability. She views culture as the organisation’s operating system and engagement as an outcome of leadership behaviours, transparent processes and meaningful growth opportunities—not as standalone initiatives. By designing robust frameworks for performance, development and rewards and by introducing digital interventions across HR and business processes, she has consistently focused on creating resilient, high-performance organisations.


Beyond her corporate roles, Simin is an active contributor to the broader HR and leadership ecosystem. She serves on advisory boards of professional and academic institutions, is associated with NHRDN, the Delhi Management Association and CII HR & IR committees, and has also chaired the CII Western UP HR & IR Committee. She regularly mentors young professionals and future leaders, reflecting her commitment to building leadership capacity beyond organisational boundaries.


Simin’s contributions have been widely recognised. Her accolades include the Women Super Achiever Award (2010 Global HR Excellence Awards), Women Leadership Award (2014), recognition as one of the Great Yodhas of Indian HR (2017), and her recent felicitation among India’s top HR leaders at the Fortune Leadership Awards 2025.

Today, Simin engages as a Board and Executive Advisor, partnering with organisations and leadership teams on people strategy, organisation effectiveness, business excellence and digital transformation. She brings a practitioner’s depth, a system leader’s perspective and a strong governance mindset to help organisations build sustainable, future-ready enterprises.


Le Hong Phuc is one of the most influential architects of the HR profession in Vietnam and across ASEAN. He is the Founder and President of the Vietnam Human Resources Association (VNHR), which he established in January 2001 as Vietnam Human Resources Club and subsequently scaled into the country’s largest and most respected not-for-profit HR professional body.

Under his leadership, VNHR today brings together 1,200+ senior HR leaders and practitioners across Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Da Nang, Vung Tau, the Mekong Delta and other provinces. Over 60% of members are in management roles, representing nearly 800 organizations, half of them multinational corporations. VNHR hosts more than 50 professional activities annually, including knowledge forums, training programs, consulting circles and flagship events such as the Vietnam HR Summit (since 2015) and the Vietnam Labor Law Conference (since 2009)—the most prestigious HR platforms in the country.

Regionally, Phuc is a Founding Member and former Chairman (2021–2022) of the ASEAN Human Development Organization (AHDO), contributing to policy dialogue, research and regional HR capability building across ASEAN.

Alongside his association leadership, he has held senior HR and executive roles with leading global and regional organizations including Samsung Electronics Vietnam, Intel Corporation, Avery Dennison, and Novaland Group, serving as HR Director, CHRO and Deputy CEO.

Recognized among the “100 Most Influential Global HR Professionals”, Le Hong Phuc continues to shape Vietnam’s HR ecosystem—bridging enterprise leadership, professional community building and ASEAN-wide human development.

Glynnis E. Swan, GPHR, GMS-T, PCC, is a globally respected HR leader with more than 25  years of experience advancing HR operations, talent mobility, and leadership effectiveness  across multinational organizations. An immigrant from Bermuda to the United States, she  brings a culturally fluent global perspective shaped by cross-border experience and  enterprise-scale leadership. 

Her professional journey includes 15 years of consulting with Big Four firms EY and Deloitte,  followed by senior global HR operations and program management roles at Xerox and  Microsoft Corporation. She currently serves as a Senior Leader in Global Mobility and  Workforce Transformation at Vialto Partners, overseeing global consulting teams that deliver  complex talent mobility programs across the Americas, EMEA, and APAC. 

Glynnis, a three-time published author in the Triumph in the Trenches anthology series, is  the founder of The Edge of Audacity™, a coaching practice focused on career strategy,  leadership development, and conflict management. She is also a long-serving coach and  Senior Advisor with The Black in HR™, where she was named 2024 Coach of the Year. Her  work is widely recognized for advancing ethical leadership, career sustainability, and  inclusive excellence across the global HR profession. 

Glynnis has delivered measurable global impact through teaching, coaching, and leadership  development across regions. She has mentored and coached more than 800 professionals  and leaders across North America, Europe, the United Kingdom, and the Caribbean, with a  focus on culturally responsive leadership and cross-border workforce effectiveness. 

Glynnis is a highly sought-after global speaker and educator on the future of work, delivering  keynote addresses, executive panels, and university lectures on global mobility, leadership  development, toxic workplace culture, and conflict intervention. She has also designed and  facilitated leadership programs and workshops for globally distributed teams navigating  transformation, translating complex organizational challenges into practical leadership  behaviors that scale across geographies. 

Beyond corporate leadership, Glynnis demonstrates a sustained commitment to service,  mentorship, and access. She mentors with Big Brothers Big Sisters Lone Star and was  recognized as Mentor of the Year in 2023. She also serves as a volunteer mentor for women  in HR and technology with UpNotch, a leadership coach at Spelman College, and a  community partner with the University of Texas at Arlington’s Office of Access and  Achievement. 

Through her coaching and advisory work, Glynnis has provided hundreds of pro bono  coaching and mediation hours to students and underserved communities. She also serves  with Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., where she holds local and regional leadership roles.  Her work reflects a deep, sustained commitment to advancing equity, leadership readiness,  and workforce access across generations and geographies.

With over 17 years of progressive leadership experience in Human Resources, she had invested into HR career with a lot of efforts, she is one of the global Certified assessors world wide in the field of Talent Assessments,  She has also an MBA holder specializing in HR to leverage her passion about HR. Rana is a dynamic and results-driven HR Head who has shaped high-performing cultures across the BPO she worked in . Known for driving organizational excellence through people, Rana specializes in talent strategy, Talent Sourcing, employee engagement, performance management, and leadership development in fast-paced, high-growth environments.


Passionate about building inclusive workplaces where she had the courage and strength to transform start-up companies to a very tenured mature stage by strengthening employer brand, and enabling operational excellence through people.


Rana was recognized Recognized for driving employability at scale through partnerships with educational institutions, NGOs, and government bodies to help job seekers find the most relevant jobs in Egypt, and accordingly decrease the unemployability in Egypt. , enabling workforce readiness, youth employment, reskilling, and digital inclusion. Leads transformational programs in leadership development, DEI, internal mobility, and learning academies, empowering employees to progress from entry-level roles into sustainable careers.


Sirisha Kommireddi is a global leader in Talent Strategy, Culture, and Organization Development with over two decades of experience driving enterprise-scale workforce and leadership transformation across industries and geographies. Her career spans leadership roles at the erstwhile Satyam Computers, HCL Technologies, Capgemini Financial Services, Kantar’s Global Delivery Center, and Cigniti Technologies.

 

She is currently serving as Vice President Client Partnership & Success at Enablr*- Covasant’s AI-first Global Capability Center (GCC) practice, where she leads strategic GCC build and transformation initiatives, designs future-ready talent and operating models, and partners with clients to deliver sustainable business outcomes through disciplined, human-centered people strategies.

 

Known for bridging strategy with execution, Sirisha has consistently built inclusive, resilient organizations that enable leaders and teams to grow through complexity and change. A strong advocate for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB), she also contributes actively to the profession and society—serving on the Management Committee of ISTD, Hyderabad, advising the Board of Studies (Management) at MGIT, Hyderabad, and volunteering with initiatives supporting survivors of domestic abuse and underprivileged children.

Guille currently works in  PECOM as a Sr. Partner for Culture & OT supporting C- level and HR as a whole.


With more than 25 years of experience in multinational companies leading Human Resources, Communications, Talent and Sustainability functions globally, her focus has been on always transforming organizations and teams into better versions of themselves.


Guille began her career at Grupo Zucamor, in the Early Career Program (at that moment owned by International Paper) in Argentina. She worked for six years in the Training area, moving later to an HRBP role and supporting many M&A processes along the way. After this, she joined VOLVO CE to establish its operations in the southern cone, supporting the business for the first 12 months until they were settled and had corporate processes well-established. 


Then, she joined Avery Dennison as an HRBP for Argentina & Chile. supporting all functions. Within Avery she had the opportunity to work for the HQ inside the Corporate HR team in the US in many key initiatives (Performance Ratings, Communication for multicultural audiences, Leaning Systems, Org efficiency, among others). She later lead the Global Talent Process for the Materials Business, and thanks to her assignment in the US, she came back to Argentina with a  brand new position for the region: Leadership & Organizational Development Regional Manager. This constituted a new beginning for the function in the region, which was already exporting talent across the globe. 


After 8 years in Avery, Guille joined hibu as a Talent VP, supporting the company in two radical changes: one was helping leaders and teams move from the successful Yellow Pages Business, to manufacturing, marketing and selling digital products; the second was dealing with a take over at the exact same time this transformation was occurring: brand, identity, culture and all.  In 2018 she joined San Miguel Global, a fresh produce and processed ingredients company. Originally family owned and local, now a global strong player. Helping SAMI through that integration, upskilling  and culture transformation was her main goal as a CHRO. 


Lastly, Guille joined Axilalent as a COO and also Client Partner.


She was born in Buenos Aires and lives with her husband and two children. She enjoys nature, spending time with her family and travelling to experience new cultures.

Handi Kurniawan is SVP – Group Head of Human Capital Strategy & Talent Management at Bank Mandiri, Indonesia’s largest bank by assets. With over 25 years of leadership experience across banking, multinational corporations, and diverse industries in Asia, he has led large-scale human capital transformation, leadership development, and workforce capability initiatives. Previously, he held senior roles at Standard Chartered, General Electric, Sinar Mas, Jardine Matheson, and Shangri-La Group. In 2025, he was recognised as one of the 100 Most Influential HR Leaders in Southeast Asia. Handi holds an MBA from the University of Western Australia and a Master of Arts from the University of Michigan.

Handi is also a best selling author of 4 career and management books. He actively contributes to the society being mentor and lecturer to students and professionals in the SEA Region and Hong Kong 


For three decades, Kathy Vizachero has grown people to grow organizations. Currently the Global Head of Organizational Development at AAK, she drives strategic transformation initiatives to bolster the effectiveness and efficiency of the plant-based oils company; her remit includes global efforts in talent development, succession planning, culture and engagement, performance management, and learning and development.

Kathy’s experience as an HR and talent executive, working as a thought partner to top leaders, includes leading human resources for MedTech multinational SprintRay, corporate learning functions at T. Rowe Price and Cristal Global, and large-scale federal change at MITRE and Booz Allen. She has worked with teams in Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Americas across healthcare, financial services, IT, professional services, and nonprofit sectors. Her work has enabled organizations to achieve top recognition from the Association for Talent Development and Best Places to Work programs. A consistent thread throughout her career is a pragmatic and persistent focus on creating organizations fit for human beings.

Shreshtha Desai is a strategic and deeply operational People Operations leader recognized for building resilient, human-centered companies at scale across global and distributed teams. With over a decade of progressive HR leadership, she brings a distinctly international perspective to designing people systems that balance regional nuance with enterprise-wide consistency. Her work translates business strategy into disciplined, cultural intelligence and scalable People practices enabling tech companies to grow responsibly while fostering connection, trust, and performance across borders, functions, and cultures.

Equally respected in the leadership group and alongside teams, Shreshtha is known for a leadership style grounded in partnership and collective success. She operates as a trusted advisor to C-suite, founders and executive teams during periods of rapid growth and transformation, while remaining deeply attuned to the employee experience at every level of the Company. With a teams-first mindset and a steady global lens, she brings clarity to ambiguity, rigor to decision-making, and credibility to the People function, building companies where leaders are accountable, teams are aligned, and people are empowered to do their best work, 


Dr. Naresh Kumar Puritipati is a seasoned HR leader with over two decades of comprehensive experience across India and Southeast Asia, spanning FMCG, retail, manufacturing, and large-scale supply chain operations. He is currently the Human Resources Director at Lactalis Group – Lactalis India, where he plays a pivotal role in shaping people strategy, leadership capability, and organizational effectiveness for one of the world’s largest dairy multinationals.

Prior to Lactalis, Dr. Puritipati served as Chief Human Resources Officer at Spencer’s Retail, where he focused on attracting, developing, and engaging talent to drive consistent business performance in a dynamic retail environment.

A significant part of his career has been with the The Coca-Cola Company ecosystem, including Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages, where he held multiple senior leadership roles over more than a decade. His responsibilities spanned Integrated Supply Chain HR, Market Operations, Organization Development, and Cadre Building, covering 22 manufacturing units across India. Internationally, he served as HR Director (Country Head–HR) for Coca-Cola Myanmar and was part of the senior leadership teams of Coca-Cola Bottler Malaysia, supporting greenfield operations and capability building.

Known for building future-ready organizations, Dr. Puritipati brings deep expertise in talent pipeline creation, leadership development, employee engagement, succession planning, and HR analytics, making him a respected people leader across the region.

A seasoned HR Leader with extensive expertise in all HR areas. With past working experience  covering large geography in the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey, I have developed deep  understanding about culture and business context in a highly dynamic part of the world. My  experience has always been in challenging complex matrix organizations involving  stakeholders across the Globe in either developed and mature markets as well as  developing and unregulated markets. Working with various industries including Telecom,  Manufacturing, Building Materials, Energy Projects/Products, Automotive and Retail sharpened my business acumen significantly.  

I was so fortunate to co-lead the integration plans and culture transformation in multiple  countries following GE acquisition of power generation and transmission business from Alstom, the well-known French industrial conglomerate in late 2015. I lead synergy projects,  engagement initiatives and leadership team integration during times of uncertainty in a  mature, fair and professional manner reflecting a balanced focus on people and business. Above all, I am proud to have been contributing to coaching/developing several business  leaders and building very resilient and high-performing teams in many organizations I was  part of.

Shazmi Ali is a visionary global HR leader currently serving as Vice President of Human Resources for Shell Business Operations (SBO) and Shell Malaysia, where he oversees HR strategies for 30% of Shell’s workforce (30,000+ employees) across international hubs in Asia and Europe. With a focus on nclusive leadership, digital transformation, and organizational agility, he drives Shell’s business evolution through future-ready talent development, culture change, and DE&I initiatives. In Malaysia, he manages the full HR spectrum for 4,500+ employees across Upstream, Downstream, and Integrated Gas operations, strengthening leadership pipelines and high-performance cultures. A polyglot with 20+ years of experience at ExxonMobil, Pfizer, and CAE, Shazmi is known for his strategic foresight, change leadership, and ability to build globally aligned, locally empowered teams. An advocate for cultural intelligence and purposeful leadership, he loves blending academic rigor with a passion for workforce innovation in the energy transition era

Carmen Wee, is the Founder & CEO of her HR Advisory Services firm, Carmen Wee &  Associates.  

As an accomplished Global CHRO with over 25 years of international business experience,  driving large-scale business transformation & change management within fast-growing  companies with multiple & complex mergers and acquisitions, she has led large, complex, and  multicultural teams globally, coaching business leaders, building high-performing teams, and  influencing stakeholders across the business ecosystem.  

She is the author of two books, ‘From The Kampung To The Boardroom: My Leadership  Journey’ and ‘Board Vibes, Lessons From My Journey’ which was published in February 2025. 

As an experienced Board Member spanning commercial, government, academia and public  institutions in Singapore, US and the UK, she had served as Compensation Committee Chair,  and member of the Audit & Risk, Finance and People Committees.  

For the past decade, she has served to transform the HR ecosystem and build capabilities. In  recognition of her contributions, she was conferred the Pioneer IHRP – Master Professional  status by the Singapore Ministry of Manpower Minister. 

Carmen holds degrees from the National University of Singapore and Regent University, US and is a Senior Accredited Director with the Singapore Institute of Director.

Vice President People & Culture at Volvo Trucks Europe South & West, based in Gothenburg, Sweden.


Executive Board Member at the Dutch Chamber of Commerce in Sweden, responsible for External Relations and Finance


Multilingual global Human Resources Leader with a sustained experience record of delivering people strategies that align to business priorities, develop leadership and enhance employee engagement. Broad and diverse leadership experience in both generalist and specialist HR functions, while working and living across multiple countries and industries.

Laurence Yap stands as a revered thought leader and innovative pioneer at the intersection of Human Resources and Generative AI. With a distinguished career spanning more than 20 years, Laurence has adeptly managed HR and Organizational Development (OD) challenges for world-class corporations, including Fortune 500 giants like Pfizer, PayPal, and First Solar. His expertise covers a vast sectoral landscape, from semiconductors and technology to retail and hospitality, allowing him to deliver bespoke, transformative solutions across multiple global regions.

Laurence’s impact is defined by his commitment to “Glocal” strategies—successfully launching cultural communication and career development programs in China and across APAC that significantly boosted employee retention and engagement. A specialist in OD for nearly 15 years, he has led high-impact initiatives in Lean Manufacturing, Leadership Academies for hundreds of managers, and Corporate Strategy Management.

Today, as the Dean of the School of AI at UOA Academy, Laurence leads the charge in democratizing AI for non-technical professionals. He is the author of Supercharge Corporate Learning and pens a highly regarded AI newsletter with over 6,000 subscribers. His leadership in the HR community is unparalleled; as the lead organizer of the CHRO Nexus Forum and a founding member of several elite HR networks, he actively drives global collaboration. A multi-award winner—including the MIHRM HR Best Practice Award and World HRD Congress Honors—Laurence continues to shape the future of work by seamlessly integrating advanced technology with actionable business outcomes.

Over the past 20 years, he has built and led strategic HR and People & Culture functions in global and regional organizations, primarily within the automotive, technology, and travel industries. He has held executive leadership roles including CHRO, Head of Communications & Sustainability, driving cultural transformation, leadership development, employee engagement, and operational excellence across multi-country environments. His work has delivered strong business outcomes through high employee engagement, low attrition, scalable talent and onboarding programs, major restructurings, and the implementation of global and regional HR systems and incentive frameworks. He has also played a key role in establishing a new company following a bankruptcy and successfully helping an organization recover and regain stability after a major business reconstruction.

Salika Suksuwan is one of Malaysia’s most influential People & Culture leaders—widely respected for pioneering inclusive workforce transformation, advancing women participation, and shaping future-ready talent ecosystems across financial services and professional services industries. Currently serving as Executive Director and Country Head of Human Resources at UOB Malaysia, Salika brings nearly three decades of end-to-end human capital leadership experience, combining strategic business acumen with deep advocacy for diversity, youth development, and work-life integration.

Across senior leadership roles at UOB, PwC Malaysia, PwC Acceleration Centers, TalentCorp Malaysia, AXA, Accenture and Standard Chartered Bank, Salika has architected some of Malaysia’s most progressive people practices. She is widely credited for launching national-impact programmes such as Malaysia’s Career Comeback initiative, driving flexible work frameworks that later became critical during the pandemic, introducing non-degree “Earn While You Learn” employment models, and leading large-scale HR digital transformations including Workday HRMS implementation and process automation.

Beyond enterprise leadership, Salika has made enduring contributions to society and national policy, having been seconded to TalentCorp Malaysia where she influenced Diversity & Inclusion policy, strengthened employer partnerships, and expanded women workforce participation. As a mentor, advisory council member of CIPD Malaysia, and education leadership advisor, she continues to shape future leadership pipelines across education and industry.

Educated at the University of Warwick and University of Malaya, Salika’s mission remains unwavering:
to build compassionate, inclusive and digitally empowered workplaces that unlock human potential and elevate Malaysia’s social and economic progress.

Somnath Bhagavatula (Som) is the Vice President, Human Resources for the Asia Pacific region for AtkinsRealis. Som partners with Leadership Teams across multiple businesses in Asia Pacific in delivering HR solutions to complex business challenges. He has been associated with the businesses in a number of roles across Human Resources and Business Operations. Som is a part of the HR leadership team of the AtkinsRealis Group.  


Som’s previous experience spans many multinational companies (including GlaxoSmithKline and HSBC) and includes a gamut of HR roles across multiple geographies within a variety of industries across professional services, banking, healthcare, pharmaceutical and consumer healthcare industries. 


Dudi Arisandi is a senior Human Resources leader with more than 25 years of experience across diverse industries, including retail, technology, consumer goods, and food and beverage. He began his HR career as an HR Officer at Hero Supermarket, later serving as HR Operation Manager at SOGO, HR Director at SC Johnson, and People & Performance Director Southeast Asia & PNG at Kraft Heinz.


Since January 2019, he has been the Chief People Officer at tiket.com one of leading OTA in Indonesia, where he leads HR transformation and has helped the company earn recognition as one of the best workplaces in Asia for five consecutive years, along with multiple industry awards. His leadership has been acknowledged through accolades such as Asia’s Best HR Leader in Asia 2024 by SpeakIn, Indonesia Distinguished HR Leader 2024 by Economic Review, inclusion among the top 50 HR leaders of 2024 by PeopleHum, and Indonesia HR Icons 2023–2025 by ETHRWorld Southeast Asia..

Beyond his corporate role, Dudi is also a professional coach and mentor for various organizations and individuals, a lecturer, podcaster, and an active speaker at numerous conferences and industry events. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from Padjadjaran University and a Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering from Bandung Institute of Technology. He also contributes to the broader HR community as Chairman of PMSM Indonesia (Indonesia society of HRM) , and part of Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry committee, and the Council of Experts of DPP AMSI IHHRMA (Hotel & Hospitality HR Association).

Josh Craver is a global HR and operating leader with more than 25 years of experience advancing leadership effectiveness, business transformation, and organizational resilience across more than 40 countries. He has held senior global roles spanning management consulting, financial services, education, and technology, including leadership positions at Booz Allen Hamilton, Satyam (Tech Mahindra), Western Union, HSBC, FIS, and Guild Education, helping organizations translate talent strategy into measurable enterprise impact. His work has contributed to Booz Allen Hamilton, Satyam, and Western Union achieving #1 rankings in the Association for Talent Development’s BEST Awards, and earlier in his career he was recognized as Training Magazine’s Top 40 Under 40. 

Josh is a sought-after global speaker on leadership, talent management, and the evolving role of HR in business transformation. Known for integrating values-based leadership with operational excellence, he advises CEOs, boards, and senior leaders on building long-term value for all stakeholders. He is an adjunct professor teaching leadership and emotional intelligence, a strategic advisor to AI and HR-focused startups, and currently serves as Fractional Chief Operating Officer for The Autism Community in Action. He has also served on numerous HR industry boards, contributing to the strategy, standards, and long-term vision of the HR profession globally. An author and thought contributor on talent and leadership, and through his work as an operator, advisor, educator, speaker, and nonprofit leader, Josh continues to influence the HR profession and shape how organizations build capability, responsibly integrate AI, and deliver human-centered performance in the future of work.



Shri Debi Prasad Satpathy, Director (Human Resources), BEML Limited is a seasoned HR Professional with over three decades of experience across Central and State Government sectors.  

A Certified Executive Coach accredited by ICF, Shri Satpathy has played a pivotal role in driving HR transformation through strategic innovation, digital integration, and progressive people practices. At BEML, he spearheaded the implementation of SAP HCM and customized IT- enabled HR solutions, significantly advancing HR digitalization, operational efficiency and data-driven decision making. He has pioneered numerous people-centric policies that reflect his forward-thinking approach and empathetic leadership. He has consistently championed the rights and welfare of employees and has proactively addressed the challenges faced by employees. 


A firm believer in holistic employee development, Shri Satpathy has introduced structured policies for learning and development, ensuring capability building remains institutionalized and outcome-driven. He has also initiated impactful L&D practices, including Building Internal Capability for People Development, Train the Trainer, and the mentoring scheme “BANDHAN”, which has been widely appreciated. His active contribution towards establishing Assessment Development Center and strengthening the Performance Management System (PMS) across the company has further enhanced organizational effectiveness.


From driving ERP implementation and custom HR-IT modules to streamlining administrative systems, he has seamlessly integrated technology into HR operations. Also, he pioneered the implementation of a comprehensive ORACLE ERP- based HR solution at Hindustan Paper Corporation Ltd., underscoring his long – standing commitment to technology – led HR modernization. His emphasis on systems thinking has not only improved efficiency but also fostered a culture of accountability and accessibility across the organization. He has actively fostered inter-PSU collaboration by executing strategic partnerships with other CPSEs to jointly drive learning and development. These alliances reflect his larger vision of knowledge sharing, and cross-functional integration. He made enduring contributions to employee development by establishing a Centre of Excellence at BEML’s manufacturing unit at Bangalore. 


An alumnus of Berhampur University with postgraduate qualification in Industrial Relations and Personnel Management, Shri Satpathy’s career is marked by a constant pursuit of excellence, and his legacy is one of meaningful change, progressive policy-making, and deep-rooted impact in the field of Human Resource Management.

A fitting recognition of his outstanding contributions is reflected in his being a recipient of the prestigious Golden Peacock HR Excellence Award -2024, and National HR Excellence Award 2025 – National Institute of Personnel Management.

Dr. Tapas Kumar Pattanayak is a seasoned Human Resource leader with over three decades of experience across large public sector enterprises in the core, infrastructure, and energy sectors. He began his career  with Hindustan Copper Limited at the Malanjkhand Copper Project, gaining early exposure to HR function.

He subsequently joined IOCL, a Maharatna CPSE, where he served for more than 30 years in diverse HR leadership roles across multiple locations before joining NALCO. His stints at Refineries provided deep expertise in industrial relations, administration, employee services.

A defining phase of his career was his pivotal role in the 15 MMTPA Greenfield Paradip Refinery, where he established HR systems from inception, led large-scale manpower mobilisation, and managed sensitive stakeholder issues involving land-losers and displaced persons. He later served at IOCL’s Refineries Headquarters as Executive Director (HR), overseeing HR function of nine refineries. He also served as Executive Director (HR), Pipelines Division.

Jaclyn is a seasoned HR Professional with close to 30 years of experience in the full spectrum of Human Resources at both Singapore and the regional level. She has led major strategic changes in the various organizations that she has worked for and possesses rich experience in managing large-scale HR projects at local, regional, and national levels. She is currently the Chief Human Resources Officer for Certisgroup, a leading outsourced services partner those designs, builds, and operates multi-disciplinary smart security and integrated services. As CHRO of Certis Group, covering 25,000 global employees, she steers the global human resources strategy, aligning it with our corporate vision to drive excellence, innovation, and growth across our diverse operations. Her role involves fostering a high-performance culture that values diversity, inclusion, and continuous learning, ensuring Certis remains at the forefront of the security industry. 

In Jaclyn’s previous role as Chief Human Resources Officer for the Singapore University of Technology and Design, she worked with the board, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), senior academic leadership, and the Ministry of Education, to set up the initial strategic roadmap, talent strategy, as well as the human resource frameworks and structure needed to build the fourth public university. 

Jaclyn sits in many national committees such as the Job Redesign Centre of Excellence (IHRP), panel advisory member in IAL, Board Director in ITE Education Services. She was a previous council member at Singapore Human Resources Institute.

She is the recipient of the Public Administration Medal (Silver), Skills Future Fellowship, and was named one of Visier Top 50 HR Global leaders in 2026. 

Angela works at the intersection of business, talent and technology as an innovative HR leader and advisor, focused on maximizing people’s potential to transform and grow businesses, create vibrant careers and strengthen communities. Most recently, Angela was the chief leadership and human resources officer at Accenture, where she was responsible for 750,000+ people serving clients across 120+ countries. As a change leader, Angela led numerous talent transformations including designing a model of shared success that aligned goals with incentives, reimagining performance and rewards, achieving dollar for dollar gender pay equity, and driving large-scale AI talent rotation with 600,000 people upskilled in Gen AI and Agentic fundamentals. She championed cultural and operational HR reinvention, with double digit gains in HR productivity, experience and cost savings. She also worked extensively with Accenture’s Board of Directors, leading the interactions of the Compensation, Culture and People Committee. 

Before joining Accenture in 2015, Angela spent 15 years at Towers Watson as a consultant and ultimately practice leader where she advised CHROs and other leaders across industries on HR transformation, engagement, and total rewards. She speaks frequently on these topics as well as reinventing work with AI, skills, pay equity, executive incentives, and performance innovations. 

Committed to learning both as a student and teacher, Angela earned her doctorate from Georgetown, with an interdisciplinary concentration in organizational psychology, behavioral economics, and cognitive neuroscience. She completed an apprenticeship in teaching at Georgetown and is currently pursuing certification as a leadership and performance coach through Brown University. She also holds a Master of Arts degree in speech communication from Colorado State University where she taught public speaking. 

Angela is a member of the Women’s Leadership Board of the Public Policy program at Harvard’s Kennedy School, HR50, the CHRO Association (formerly the Human Resources Policy Association) and the Center for Executive Succession.

Allan Ang is a global Chief People Officer and people & culture leader with over 15 years of HR leadership experience across some of the world’s most recognised brands, including Visa, Estée Lauder Companies and Yum! Brands. Now CPO at Reap, Allan partners closely with the founders and leadership teams to build a high-performing and rapidly-scaling organisation.

Known for his straight-talking, values-led approach, Allan specialises in building leadership capability, scaling organisations with purpose, and creating cultures where people feel trusted, clear on their role, and able to do their best work. His career spans Europe, the Middle East and Asia, leading complex transformations that connect culture, performance and growth.

At the heart of Allan’s work is a simple belief: great businesses are built when leaders create clarity, teams are genuinely enabled, and empowered. His leadership style is anchored in partnership, transparency, humility and accountability – setting teams up to win.

Beyond his corporate role, Allan is deeply committed to giving back. He serves on the Advisory Board of the University of Sussex Business School and actively mentors and supports others to realise their potential, driven by a strong belief in ethical leadership and global citizenship.

Mr. Ayush Gupta, Director (HR), GAIL (India) Ltd is a 1992 batch Electrical Engineer from IIT Roorkee, MBA in Operations Management & P G Diploma in Human Resources Management. He has over 34 years of varied and rich experience in the field of Human Resource Management, Projects, Operations and Maintenance in Oil & Gas Sector and Process Industry.

Mr. Gupta is working with GAIL since last 27 years. He is among the youngest Directors to be on the Board of GAIL India Ltd.  He is a strong proponent & practitioner of sustainable business practices and ensuing highest standards of safety in plant & pipeline operations. He has taken several initiatives to promote gender equality & women empowerment.  


During his tenure at GAIL, Mr. Gupta had been instrumental in introducing various initiatives, such as Spandan (Monthly Wellness Hour dedicated towards enhancing employees’ physical, mental and emotional well-being), Ojas (young employees engagement & development platform), Abha (for educating, mentoring and hand-holding of spouses of GAIL employees for their entrepreneurial ventures), Samanvay (Care, Connect & Commit – to establish a periodic two way communication in the organization), Mentoring Journey – Saarthi (a unique approach towards development of young talent), AI Tarang (to empower employees to innovate & grow in the age of AI), etc.  


He is a recipient of the prestigious Chevening Science, Innovation, Policy & Leadership Fellowship from UK Government in 2013, Winner of the National Corrosion Awareness Award 2004, Emerging HRD Thinkers Award in 2011, HR Leader of the Year Award-2024, recognized as the Visionary CHRO by CXO Lanes and as Top 50 HR Thought Leaders of 2024,  2025 by Economic Times HR World and Honorary Fellow of Indian Management Association by AIMA.  He is author & co-editor of the book titled ‘Natural Gas Markets in India’ published by Springer International and has to his credit several awards for papers published and presented at national and international forums. 


He also serves as Chairman of GAIL Mangalore Petrochemicals Ltd and as Director on the Boards of GAIL Gas Ltd, ONGC Tripura Power Company Ltd & China Gas Holdings Ltd.


He is an Executive Committee member of SCOPE (Standing Conference of Public Enterprises), Member on the Board of Governors of Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology & Indian Institute of Petroleum & Energy, Director on the Board of IFTDO (International Federation of Training & Development Organizations), Member, HR Core Committee of All India Management Association (AIMA), Member, CII National Committee on Industrial Relations, Member, IPEF (Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity) Labour Rights Advisory Board, Member, Industry Advisory Board of The American Society of Mechanical Engineers – India, Member in the National HR Committee of FICCI, Member on the Board of Governors of the Management & Entrepreneurship and Professional Skills Council (MEPSC) of AIMA, Member in the Governing Council of United Nations Global Compact Network India (UN GCNI), Honorary President of the Indian Institution of Industrial Engineering (IIIE), Delhi Chapter and Co-Chair of the FICCI Committee on Corporate Security & Disaster Risk Reduction.   


Sakshi Khosla is one of India’s most accomplished Chief Human Resources Officers—widely respected for architecting governance-led people strategies, executive compensation frameworks, and large-scale organization transformations across financial services, real estate, and diversified conglomerates. Currently serving as Head of People at CBRE India, Sakshi brings nearly two decades of deep human capital leadership experience, combining board-level governance expertise with enterprise-wide culture building and transformation leadership.

Across senior leadership roles at CBRE India, Max Life Insurance, Max Group, and GE, Sakshi has consistently driven organization structuring, leadership hiring, M&A integration, succession planning, performance and rewards redesign, and workforce transformation at scale. She has been a trusted partner to Boards and NRC committees—leading executive compensation governance, designing ESOP and long-term incentive frameworks, and strengthening leadership pipelines to ensure continuity in complex, regulated environments.

Her early career foundation in HR consulting at Aon Hewitt and operational leadership at TCS equipped her with rare end-to-end mastery of HR strategy, diagnostics, and implementation—making her a sought-after advisor for business leaders navigating growth, transformation, and regulatory complexity.

Sakshi is an award-winning HR leader, having received the Emerging Future HR Leader Award and the prestigious Chairman’s Award at Max India. An alumna of IIM Bangalore’s Next Generation CHRO Program, she holds advanced degrees in HR and Organizational Psychology from Delhi University and Lady Shri Ram College for Women.

Her mission remains clear:
to build future-ready organizations where governance, talent, and culture become the strongest drivers of sustainable business performance.


Balaji Ethirajan is one of India’s most respected human capital strategists and execution leaders—widely recognized for building scalable talent ecosystems, integrating people strategy with enterprise growth, and shaping the evolution of the HR services and supply-chain sectors. Currently serving as Global Chief Human Resources Officer at TVS Supply Chain Solutions Limited, Balaji leads people strategy for a workforce of over 18,000 employees across 25 countries, positioning HR as a central engine of global expansion, operational excellence, and leadership continuity.

With nearly three decades of industry-defining experience, Balaji has played a formative role in shaping India’s modern staffing and talent services landscape. As former Managing Director & CEO of Randstad India & Sri Lanka and Director & COO of Ma Foi Management Consultants, he led large-scale integrations, introduced Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) to the Indian market, spearheaded franchise-led expansion into tier-2 and tier-3 cities, and built nationwide talent networks that set industry benchmarks.

Balaji is known for architecting best-in-class recruitment, leadership development, and post-merger integration frameworks—driving organizational readiness during acquisitions, joint ventures, and rapid business scaling. His thought leadership on employment trends and workforce transformation is frequently featured across national business media and television.

Educated at INSEAD, the National Law School of India University, and Pondicherry University, Balaji’s mission is clear:
to build agile, execution-driven people systems that power sustainable enterprise growth in a globally connected workforce.


Chereen Godwin is a globally respected HR executive and transformational business leader, recognised in the Global 100 HR Leaders Hall of Fame 2025 for her outstanding contribution to human capital, organisational leadership and enterprise transformation.

A South African national, Chereen holds a BA degree in Psychology and Economics, a BA Honours in Applied Psychology, and a postgraduate certification in Economics and Organisational Behaviour from Heriot-Watt University. She brings over 30 years of international executive experience, having led people and business agendas across Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe and Latin America, including a senior expatriate assignment in Europe

In 2025, Chereen’s leadership scope expanded beyond the people function when she was entrusted with a dual mandate, combining her role as Global Chief People Officer with a line management appointment as General Manager for the Southern Hemisphere. This transition reflects a rare level of executive trust and capability, requiring deep commercial acumen, operational ownership, market accountability and the ability to translate strategy into measurable business outcomes—while continuing to lead at enterprise level.

Chereen has held Senior Director, Vice President and C-suite roles, spanning industries including Retail, Manufacturing, Direct Selling, Pharmaceuticals, FMCG, and currently IT and Cyber Security. Her career includes senior leadership roles at Performanta, PepsiCo, and AstraZeneca, where she served in multiple regional and global executive positions, including Vice President HR for South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa, HR Director for Emerging Markets Projects, and Leadership & Organisational Effectiveness Director supporting international sales and marketing organisations. Earlier in her career, she built strong operational foundations at Avroy Shlain Cosmetics (Sara Lee/Douwe Egberts) and Edcon (Edgars Group).

Chereen is widely recognised for her ability to lead enterprise-wide transformation, organisational design, and leadership capability building, particularly in start-up, turnaround and high-growth environments. Her progression into a line leadership role underscores a leadership philosophy grounded in commercial accountability, decisive execution, cross-functional credibility and people-centred performance—demonstrating how strategic HR leadership can successfully translate into broader business stewardship.

Beyond her professional achievements, Chereen is a proud mother of two sons and an avid endurance and racquet sports enthusiast, with a passion for running, cycling, swimming and padel—embodying the resilience, discipline and balance that define her leadership approach.


Fong-Tuan Chen is a board-facing, enterprise and people transformation leader with over two decades of experience shaping high-performing organisations across industries as diverse as utilities, FMCG, financial services, consulting, medical technology, property, global tech, conglomerates, and luxury retail. Growing up in a family of teachers, he was anchored early by the belief that human potential is meant to be nurtured—not just observed—an ethos that continues to define his leadership today.

Trained as an engineer, Fong-Tuan brings systems thinking, data fluency, and problem-solving precision to the people agenda. Complementing that analytical foundation, his years as a national ballroom dancer instilled discipline, resilience, and a competitive drive—elements he channels into building high-trust cultures and measurable performance outcomes. Known for his ability to “quantify the unquantifiable,” he blends rigorous analysis with deep human insight to design people initiatives tied directly to retention, capability uplift, and productivity.

Currently, Fong-Tuan serves as Group Chief People Officer at Valiram (since June 2025), leading the people and culture agenda across markets—strengthening talent strategy, accelerating leadership capability, embedding a high-performance culture, enhancing total rewards, and reimagining employee experience to support ambitious growth. Prior to this, he led group-wide people transformation as Senior Executive Vice President, Group Human Capital at Maybank (2022–2025), with earlier leadership roles across rewards, performance, talent, and organisational design. His career also includes senior HR leadership at Berjaya Corporation Berhad, Samsung Electronics, Mah Sing Group Berhad, and regional roles spanning Asia Pacific.

In a world where leadership is too often defined by quarterly results and checkboxes, Chetana stands out for something deeper: a human-centric commitment to people, purpose, and positive impact. As Chief Human Resources Officer of LTIMindtree, her career is a testament to the belief that organisations thrive when they nurture both talent and values.

With nearly three decades of cross-industry experience, Chetana has consistently elevated HR from an enabling function to a strategic, societal, and human force. Her leadership journey reflects a rare synthesis of business acumen, technological foresight, and deep human empathy, positioning HR as a true partner to enterprise growth and social progress.

Today, as the Chief Human Resources Officer of LTIMindtree, she leads the global people agenda for over 90,000 employees across multiple countries, shaping culture, leadership development , talent strategies , and digital HR at scale. 

Chetana has been instrumental in guiding LTIMindtree ,  through one of the most complex transitions in the tech industry, the merger of LTI and Mindtree. In that pivotal period, she didn’t just align HR systems and policies; she thoughtfully wove together two distinct cultures into a single narrative of shared identity and purpose. Through open communication, empathy, and a people-first mindset, she helped employees navigate uncertainty and confidently embrace a new chapter together.

Chetana’s career spans marquee organizations including Reliance Infrastructure, GVK Group, L&T Group, Gati, and now LTIMindtree. Across these roles, she has designed and executed performance management systems, leadership development and succession frameworks, mentorship programs ,  Talent strategies , employee experience and employer branding strategies, consistently raising the bar for HR excellence.

Her influence extends far beyond internal transformation. Chetana is deeply engaged with industry forums and partnerships that advance the HR profession and the broader social agenda. She has been a strong voice for diversity, equity, and inclusion, both within LTIMindtree and across her cross-industry career, championing conversations that matter and advocating for meaningful action.

Sanchayan Paul is the Chief Human Resources Officer at Network18 Media & Investments  Limited.  

Previously, he served as CHRO at Modenik Lifestyle, an Advent International portfolio company,  where he managed the integration of two of their portfolio businesses and led the post-merger  culture and talent transformation. 

Earlier, he had a stab at entrepreneurship, founding KaryaMitr, a tech-enabled job search and  skilling platform for India’s blue-collar workforce. 

With prior experience at Vodafone India, Eicher Consulting Services, Reuters South Asia, and  Reliance Industries, Sanchayan has partnered with business leaders through start-ups, rapid  growth, complex integrations, and turnarounds. 

He is an alumnus of XLRI Jamshedpur and a Chartered Fellow of CIPD (UK), with a Digital Business  Leadership credential from Cornell University.  

A recognized thought leader, he mentors HR professionals, speaks at industry forums and  academic institutions, contributes to leading business publications, and advises HR tech start-ups.  He also served as a Mentor and Jury member for Jombay’s HR 40under40 program in 2025. 

Gerishen is an organizational design and development expert with over 15 years of experience in management, leadership, and governance. He is experienced as a dynamic strategic advisor, specializing in change management, people management, and competitive business strategy advisory. 


He has a proven track record of driving positive transformations across diverse industries, leveraging on effective talent management as a source of value, leading and supporting initiatives to create a compelling value proposition by humanizing employee experience, cultivating a lab mindset work environment to stay ahead in the age of digital transformation, and motivating new behaviors to ensure sustainable impact in the organization.  


His global experience spans +7 African countries, and he has held different executive leadership roles in different leading organizations. His belief in talent management as a driver for thriving, trust-based workplaces has shaped his approach to people management. He is currently serving as the Chief Human Resources Officer for Saruni Basecamp in Kenya.   


As a thought leader, he has significantly contributed to the human resources professional body through peer-reviewed articles on leadership, talent management, conferences speaking engagement, coaching and mentoring of the young professionals as part of his leadership contribution to the development of human capital in the continent of Africa. He is deeply committed to lifelong learning and continually seek innovative ways to contribute to developing a sustainable and ethical society. 


His academic qualifications include Masters of Business Administration for Executives, Strathmore Business School, Pan African EMBA Module Certification from IESE Business School, Spain, Bachelor of Commerce in Management from The Catholic University of Eastern Africa & Post Graduate Certifications including Higher Diploma in Human Resources Management, Diploma in Leadership, Certificate in Design -Led Strategy and Game Theory, Certificate in Cutting Edge Leadership amongst others. 

Dr. Vinay Ranjan

David YoungWook Kim is a globally respected Chief Talent Officer and transformation-focused HR leader—widely recognized for architecting high-performance cultures, future-ready leadership pipelines, and enterprise-wide talent strategies across consumer goods, technology, and automotive global brands. Currently serving as Vice President and Global Head of Talent at Hyundai Motor Company, David leads the global talent agenda for one of the world’s most iconic automotive enterprises, enabling large-scale organizational transformation across regions and cultures.

With over two decades of international HR leadership experience, David has built and led end-to-end talent ecosystems spanning Asia, Europe, and the United Kingdom, with deep expertise in leadership development, organization design, workforce reskilling, HR analytics, diversity and inclusion, and global HR shared services.

Previously, as Vice President and Head of Talent for Asia Pacific at Visa and in multiple global leadership roles at British American Tobacco, David led complex regional and global HR transformations—strengthening leadership pipelines, advancing organization effectiveness, embedding inclusion strategies, and modernizing talent development architectures across multi-country operations.

Known for his ability to translate business strategy into people capability, David has driven large-scale reskilling, performance transformation, and change management initiatives that enable speed, agility, and sustained growth in highly competitive global markets.

Honored with the BAT Global Marketing Skills Development Manager of the Year Award, David is a sought-after global HR thought leader.

His mission remains clear:
to build globally connected, future-ready organizations where leadership capability and talent excellence become the strongest engines of sustainable enterprise performance.



Sheetal Sandhu is one of India’s most accomplished culture architects and people transformation leaders—widely respected for integrating human capital strategy with business performance, governance excellence, and leadership continuity across complex, regulated industries. Currently serving as Group Chief Human Resources Officer at ICRA – A Moody’s Company, Sheetal brings over two decades of cross-industry leadership experience spanning financial services, analytics, technology, and consulting, with a reputation for delivering measurable enterprise impact.

As a strategic partner to CEOs and Boards across South Asia, Sheetal has led some of the region’s most critical people transformations. She has successfully navigated multiple CEO successions, built a 70% internal leadership pipeline, reduced attrition by 15% within a year, and driven business performance improvements exceeding 10% through integrated people strategies. Her leadership has strengthened group-wide resilience frameworks, culture transformation agendas, and ESG governance, while championing diversity, equity, and inclusion at scale.

Previously, as Head of Human Resources at Evalueserve, Sheetal led large global workforces across geographies, spearheaded digital HR transformations, strengthened leadership development pipelines, and delivered award-winning organizational development initiatives. She is also an active Board Advisor to Victoria University (Australia) and a dedicated startup mentor, shaping leadership capability across corporate and entrepreneurial ecosystems.

A recipient of the Economic Times HR Leader Award, Zee Business HR Superachievers, and the Shakti Puruskar, Sheetal is widely recognized for her commitment to advancing women leadership and building future-ready organizations.

Her mission remains clear:
to build resilient, values-driven cultures that transform uncertainty into sustained enterprise excellence.

Sheina Laws is the Director of People Services for the Americas at SprintRay, where she leads People Services across the United States, Canada, Latin America, Mexico, and India, while providing global partnership and guidance in collaboration with teams in EMEA and China. With four years at SprintRay and a recent promotion into her current role, she plays a key role in helping the organization scale effectively by building people operations that are data-informed, repeatable, and sustainable. Her work focuses on organizational development and people analytics, using insight and evidence to strengthen performance, culture, and operational rigor in a high-growth, global environment.

Known for integrating strategic discipline with human-centered leadership, Sheina brings a strong values-driven approach to employee experience, leadership development, and global people practices. In addition to her corporate leadership, she has served for five years on the board of Temecula Preparatory School, including more than four years as Board President, and provides advisory and thought leadership support to nonprofit organizations. Her career reflects a consistent commitment to strengthening institutions—whether companies, boards, or communities—through thoughtful governance, inclusive leadership, and systems designed for long-term impact.


Stuti Bajaj is a global people and business leader known for positioning HR as a strategic partner to business leadership. Her work focuses on strengthening leadership capability, organisational performance, and culture through the thoughtful integration of people strategy, technology, and business priorities.

Raised across different parts of India in a humble, values driven family, Stuti draws her leadership foundation from her parents, both working professionals, who instilled in her the belief that dedication, hard work, humility, and respect create lasting impact. These values continue to shape how she leads today.

A naturally curious and analytical thinker, Stuti began her career as a biotechnology engineer, driven by a desire to understand how things work. While engineering refined her problem solving skills, it also clarified her need to see meaningful impact, leading her to transition into HR and HR technology as a platform to influence both business outcomes and human potential.

With a career spanning leading global organisations including The Adecco Group and LHH, Boston Consulting Group, Rocket Internet and Jumia, L’Oréal, and Saxo Bank, Stuti has built deep expertise across