SJ is a diverse collective of problem solvers for the built environment, continually reimagining ways to create a smart and sustainable future. A global urban, infrastructure and managed services consulting firm with over 70 years of track record in successful project delivery.Headquartered in Singapore, the group has a global talent pool of 16,000 in its member companies AETOS, Atelier Ten, B+H, CHIL, KTP, Prostruct, Robert Bird Group, SAA, SMEC and Surbana Jurong, based in more than 120 offices in over 40 countries. They include architects, designers, planners, engineers, facilities managers and other specialists driven by progressive thinking and creative ideas to shape a better future. Its technical experts deliver sustainable solutions that cover the entire project life cycle from planning and design, through to delivery and management, as well as a full suite of multidisciplinary consultancy services across a diverse range of sectors including transportation, water, aviation, healthcare, hospitality and renewables.

Regional HR team leadership and HR business partnership scope -- Fragrance & Beauty and Taste & Wellbeing divisions -- across the dynamic markets of South Asia, Middle East and Africa.Commercial, Product Development/Innovation and Manufacturing teams based in 13 countries (of which 8 set up during my tenure). Regional hub in Dubai with sub-regional hubs in South Africa, Egypt, Morocco and India. Exciting context of strong business performance on fast-paced, high-growth developing markets where over 3 billion consumers live to engage with and to delight, and with a huge strategic importance to Givaudan in long term.Givaudan is global leader in creation of flavours and fragrances with annual sales of CHF 7 billion in 2023. Headquartered in Switzerland, Givaudan employs around 16,000 individuals worldwide.

Regional HR business partnership at both Givaudan's divisions in their respective geographies (Fragrance: South Asia, Middle East & Africa / Flavours: Africa & Middle East), with HR team leadership responsibility in Africa & Middle East (Dubai, Johannesburg, Cairo and Casablanca).

Following a strategic geographical re-alignment, my geographical scope for the Fragrance division now included South Asia (India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka), in addition to the Middle East & Africa. I built and led the HR team in Dubai with HR generalist responsibility for the markets of the Middle East & Maghreb for both Fragrance & Flavours divisions.In February 2018, my HRBP remit was expanded by taking on the Flavours AME commercial organization. I surely enjoyed the job scope expansion with the steep learning curve it brought, allowing me to immerse even deeper in the two unique businesses.

Regional HR business partnership scope included MEA, Russia & CIS countries for the Fragrance division, and the end-to-end HR Management responsibility for Fragrances & Flavours organizations in the Middle East.

Alghanim Industries, Top 10 Best Employer in Middle East 2009 by Hewitt Associates, is one of the largest privately-owned companies in the Arabian Gulf region with multi-billion USD sales revenue delivered by over 30 different business units across Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, India, China, Vietnam and Turkey. Key industry sectors included Advertising, Automotive, Consumer Credit & Insurance, Engineering, Document Management, FMCG distribution, Manufacturing, Retail, Shipping/Transportation and Travel. Alghanim Industries employed over 12,000 employees of over 50 nationalities at that time, and dealt with over 300 global brands and agencies.HR Business Partnering role supporting the Home Division retail business of some 500 employees, store operations in Kuwait, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, and a B2B arm. Home Division was the market leader in the Home space (#2 after IKEA), offering broad range of home furnishings, accessories, kids furniture, outdoor furniture, bathrooms, sanitary ware and tiles. Led HR team and worked collaboratively with the group Centers of Expertise and the HR shared service center.

One of the most enriching and memorable stints in my career, which allowed me to develop a robust talent management toolkit and enabled me to successfully transition into the HR Generalist space afterwards. Member of HQ-based Performance & Talent Center of Expertise, designing and implementing talent management systems, processes and tools for the Group. Key focus areas included performance management, talent management (competency framework design, talent assessment / 9 Box grid, succession planning, retention risk mitigation, career paths) and HRIS (SAP Talent Suite implementation). A fascinating, high-impact journey against the backdrop of ongoing talent management integration, increasing HR maturity levels and automation.

High-volume, fast-paced, end-to-end talent acquisition for the Head Office teams and selected businesses / functions including Consumer Credit, Insurance, Facilities, Operational Excellence, Market Research, Supply Chain, Shipping, Document Management, Travel, advertising agency Impact & Echo/BBDO, IT, Finance, HR, Legal, Audit, Risk Management & Compliance and the Owner's Office. Led a small team and recruited some 400 new hires from across the world during the stint amidst regional economic boom, and subsequent slow down.

KPMG’s Executive Search & Selection practice was a 2nd tier retainer-based player operating across the Middle East markets. Regional and international searches conducted for clients predominantly in the Retail, Luxury Goods, FMCG manufacturing & distribution, Automotive, Oil & Gas, Banking / Financial Services, Industrial Markets, Technology, Government and local conglomerates. Track record of delivery led to an employment offer from a client at which point my corporate HR career started.

Solutions HRS (subsidiary of Accord Group ECE) is a Recruitment Process Outsourcing consultancy operating in the Czech Republic & Slovakia since 1999. Niche RPO consultancy established amid substantial, government subsidized FDI inflow into the Czech Republic & Slovakia, enjoying market leadership position as a result. It specialized in large scale recruitment projects and interim HR management services for green-field/brown-field operations. Clients were major multinationals from mostly Automotive, Manufacturing, R&D and BPO industry sectors. I successfully project-managed large start-ups of Black & Decker, Arcelor/Matthey, Celestica and Quanta Computers Europe.

Accord Group, an AESC & Alto Partners network member, is a multinational retainer-based executive search consultancy operating in Central & Eastern Europe since 1992. The firm operated through its Financial Services, Technology and Multi-Industry practices, conducting local and cross-country searches in Banking, IT & Telecommunications, Engineering, Manufacturing, Pharmaceuticals, FMCG, Retail, Media and others. Information & Communication Technologies/ICT sector was in the midst of global boom at that time which gave me great opportunity to work for the leading multinationals including Cisco, Microsoft, Sun Microsystems, Logica, SAS Institute, Compaq, Telenor plus leading local ICT players. Joined as part-timer during university studies.