Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, February 2026 – Olivier T. Vankerk has been appointed as Chief People Officer at Newfire Global Partners, joining the organization at a pivotal moment as it accelerates growth in an AI-enabled world.
In his new role, Olivier will focus on building a people-powered Growth Operating System that translates market and client demand into recruitment and development strategies, fostering a vibrant culture where employees feel seen and valued, and collaborating across the enterprise to lead business transformation and organizational evolution.
Prior to this appointment, Olivier served as SVP People Technology & Transformation and earlier SVP People Analytics & Technology at UnitedHealth Group. There, he led enterprise-wide HR transformation for a 400,000-employee organization, secured $200M in funding for digital HR modernization, deployed Oracle HCM and AI-enabled learning platforms with high adoption rates, implemented AI-driven automation saving thousands of hours, and introduced governance and analytics frameworks that significantly improved efficiency, engagement, and internal mobility.
Earlier in his career, Olivier held multiple senior HR leadership roles at IBM, including Director Talent for IBM Sales & Distribution, where he led global workforce planning and salesforce effectiveness for a 40,000-employee organization across 170+ countries. His experience spans workforce analytics, succession planning, performance management, DEI integration, and enterprise transformation. He also served in early career roles at Seagate.
Beyond corporate leadership, Olivier is Founder and Chief Innovation Officer at REV Labs Advisory Services and a Strategic Advisor to Gloat, advising on AI-enabled HR innovation and workforce transformation.
At Newfire Global Partners, Olivier will help build the skills, structures, and leadership models required for success in an AI-enabled environment—focusing on upskilling, clear career pathways, and aligning talent to high-impact client work.
About Newfire Global Partners
Newfire Global Partners is a Boston-founded IT services company operating across four continents, specializing in building innovative software solutions across Digital Healthcare, EdTech, Cybersecurity, FinTech, and Mobile Gaming. The company provides software development, staff augmentation, and advisory services to help organizations bring transformative ideas to market.
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