Sapphire Connect successfully hosted the 4th edition of India’s Most Agile HR Leaders 2024, a distinguished event that celebrated the achievements of the country’s leading HR professionals. The event drew a full house of industry leaders, HR professionals, and corporate visionaries, all converging to recognize and celebrate the pinnacle of HR leadership.
An initiative of Rethink HR, this annual event is one of the most coveted and influential gatherings in the HR domain, spotlighting leaders who have redefined industry standards with their strategic agility and people-centric approaches. The grand celebration was marked by insightful discussions, invaluable networking, and a formal unveiling of the India’s Most Agile HR Leaders 2024 Coffee Table Book, featuring 29 top HR leaders.
Out of 235 applications received, 55 were shortlisted, and after a rigorous evaluation process, these 29 HR leaders were honoured for their remarkable contributions to transforming the workplace. This rigorous selection process was designed with precision by our Process Partner – Ernst & Young and the distinguished jury panel:
· Mr. Anthony Joseph, Former CHRO, HGS
· Dr. Prince Augustine, Former Executive Vice President, Group Human Capital & Leadership Development, Mahindra & Mahindra
· Mr. Ranga Iyer, Consultant, Advisor to Lincoln International & Independent Director on Boards
· Dr. Ritu Anand, Former Chief Leadership & Diversity Officer & Deputy Head HR, TCS
Mr. Vijay Aggarwal, Managing Director - Prism Johnson Ltd., served as the event’s Chief Guest. He addressed the audience with valuable insights on the evolving role of HR in fostering growth and adaptability in a competitive environment.
The highlight of the evening was a thought-provoking panel discussion titled “Agility in HR: Navigating the New Workforce Reality”. Moderated by Ms.Nidhi Gupta, People Partner - EY India, the discussion featured an elite panel including Dr. Jayant Kumar, CHRO - Adani Realty, Mr. Krishnakumar CS, Senior VP & CHRO - Essar Power, and Mrs. Ruhie Pande, Group CHRO - Sterlite Power. The session witnessed the panellists delve into emerging HR trends, strategic adaptability, and innovative workforce practices.
Mrs. Ruhie Pande, in her reflections on agility, stated, “Agility means the ability to change and constantly evolve in today's landscape. We have launched a chatbot which surveys employee engagement and satisfaction on a day-to-day basis. Such tools help us stay in touch with the pulse of the employees.” Her words highlighted the importance of staying proactive in understanding and enhancing employee experiences.
Mr. Rishi Kapoor, Partner & Business Head - Sapphire Connect, shared his thoughts on the significance of agility in HR, saying, “In today's multifaceted and dynamic business world, true agility lies in the strength of the people. Any great organisation flourishes with the support of empowered teams.”
The award ceremony followed, where top HR leaders were felicitated for their exceptional contributions. The audience engagement and positive feedback from attendees underscored the event's significance as a platform for recognizing leadership excellence and fostering industry collaboration.
Here’s a list of our 29 Top HR Leaders of 2024:
1. Anirban Banerjee, Chief Human Resources Officer, Avendus
2. Arun Dinakar Rao, Chief People Officer, Birlasoft
3. Ayush Gupta, Director (HR), GAIL (India) Ltd
4. Dakshdeep Singh, Senior Vice President (Vice President and Digital Transformation), PeopleStrong
5. Deepak Sharma, Head - HR & Admin, Adani Power Limited - Kawai
6. Indrajeet Sengupta, Senior Vice President Human Resources, Mahindra & Mahindra Automotive
7. Joy Banerjee, Group Head - Human Resources, IL&FS Group
8. Kavita Kurup, Global Head of Human Resources & Corporate Communication, UST
9. Leena Wakankar, Head - Human Resources, Infrastructure & CSR, ASK Group
10. M Lakshmanan, Chief Human Resources Officer, L&T Technology Services Limited
11. Mamata Vegunta, Executive Director, Head of HR - DBS Tech India, DBS
12. Megha Jigalur, HR Manager - India SEA & MEA, MillerKnoll
13. Neha Rana Dutta, Chief Human Resource Officer, Aspire Hospitality Group
14. Nimisha Rana Pathak, CHRO India, Alvarez & Marsal
15. Pallavi Dhawan Gupte, Senior Director Human Resources, Dun & Bradstreet India
16. Pankaj Mittal, SVP & CHRO APAC, American Tower Corporation
17. Poonam Chandok, Vice President & Head - HR, L&T Energy (Hydrocarbon), Larsen & Toubro
18. Prateek Dubey, Global CHRO, Mankind Pharma Ltd
19. Praveen Purohit, Vice President and Dy Group CHRO, Vedanta Resources Ltd
20. Ranjini Chakraborty, Director HR, Giesecke + Devrient Mobile Security India Pvt Ltd
21. Ritesh Bhardwaj, Senior Vice President & Chief Human Resources Officer, National Bulk Handling Corporation Pvt. Ltd.
22. Ritu Kalra, Head Strategic Growth, Indian Spinal Injuries Centre
23. Saidutta Nanda, President & Global HR head, Macleods Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
24. Shambhavi Solanki, Group Head - Human Resources, Policybazaar.com
25. Sheetal Bhanot Shetty, Chief Human Resources Officer, Infra.Market
26. Sudeep Sharma, Vice President & Head - People, Learning & Culture, HCL Healthcare
27. Sunder Natarajan, Chief Human Resources Officer, IndiaFirst Life
28. Suresh S. Shinde, Head HR India, Admin & SSE, Tokheim India Pvt. Ltd. (A part of Dover Fueling Solutions)
29. Yuvaraj Srivastava, Group Chief Human Resource Officer, MakeMyTrip
