Article: In conversation with talent leaders: 5 most read interviews from 2019

C-Suite

In conversation with talent leaders: 5 most read interviews from 2019

From Amway’s CHRO on state of talent in the retail and FMCG industry to Cipla’s former Global Chief People Officer on leadership, culture and future of work, we bring to you some of the most read interviews from 2019.
In conversation with talent leaders: 5 most read interviews from 2019

Digitization, transforming leadership styles and cultures, and upskilling and reskilling, year around there were many areas in focus for the talent leaders across industries. To understand the nuances of different industries and to learn about the people challenges of diverse companies, People Matters interacted with many business and HR leaders. 

While the year 2019 was filled with several insightful conversations with talent leaders, we bring to you some of the most read out of them. 

At Amway, we want the right people in the right roles: Amway CHRO

“People Strategy cannot exist in isolation,” said Shantanu Das, CHRO, Amway India. In this interaction, Das talked about Amway’s well drafted, simple and clear strategy road map with respect to their people policy with a clear alignment to business strategy and results.

He shared how Amway is constantly relooking at its organizational structure and tracking people productivity. 

Das exclaimed, “The relooking organizational structure does not mean downsizing!”  

It means having the right people in the right roles. He believes a proper structure facilitates productivity where the right people operate in the right roles. 

Read the full interview here: In conversation with Shantanu Das, CHRO, Amway India

‘People are H&M’s secret sauce for success’ - H&M CEO

In an exclusive interaction with us this year, Janne Einola, CEO - Country Manager and Ritu Singh, CHRO, H&M India shared the secret sauce for the company’s success and how they are outdoing themselves with every passing year. 

One of the core values of the company is to show the best side of the company and not to make anyone stressful. Singh said, “While hiring, our approach is to know who you are. I think the most important thing at H&M is we want people who can be themselves.” Einola highlighted that the company welcomes the differences and it takes time to get used to that. But once the new members on board spend some time, they recognize that this relationship is very enduring. 

With a belief that people lie at the centre of every business strategy and are the true drivers of company’s success, H&M invests heavily in training for their employees. 

To know more about the best talent practices of H&M read the full interview here: In conversation with  Janne Einola, CEO - Country Manager and Ritu Singh, CHRO, H&M India

Here’s how AI is enabling HR teams at IBM & redefining their HR processes

“AI has significantly complimented our Talent Acquisition program, making it more objective and less process oriented apart from removing personal biases while selecting from a large pool of candidates,” said Chaitanya N Sreenivas, Vice President and HR Head for IBM India & South Asia. 

He shared how AI is a boon for managers who are now well equipped to make a quicker and well-informed decision. 

Besides discussing the role AI has played in redefining HR processes at IBM, he also listed some IT skills in demand. He shared, “Cloud developers, network engineers, and architects will be in great demand.” Further, data analytics specialists, with skills in Python, R, and Apache, among others, will continue to find lucrative careers in technology.

Read the full interview here: In conversation with Chaitanya N Sreenivas, Vice President and HR Head for IBM India & South Asia

HR heads should focus on people's efficiency: Panasonic CEO

Manish Sharma, CEO India & South Asia, Panasonic said, “The fundamental responsibility which I carry for myself as a CEO is to bring a talent pipeline and second is an environment where people can perform efficiently and enjoy what they do.”

With a philosophy of ‘People first and Product later’, Sharma strives to lead by example. 

In this interview, he also talked about how in today's world, the structure, content, and process of work have changed and the workplace has evolved over the years.

“It has become team-based and collaborative making the workplace interdependent and vibrant. The workplace of the future will be a world of contradictions which the following generations will need to ace,” said Sharma. 

Keeping this rapidly evolving business environment in mind, he highlighted how the role of HR and the expectations from them have changed over time. He also shared some of the best practices of the company and some threw more light on themes like digitization and innovation. 

To learn more about his thoughts and perspectives read the full interview here: In conversation with Manish Sharma, CEO India & South Asia, Panasonic

Prabir Jha on leadership, culture and future of work

“Getting the system and the process change and technology options off-the-shelf is easy. It is about influencing leadership and culture change,” said Prabir Jha, former President and Global Chief People Officer Cipla. 

Now the Founder, and CEO of Prabir Jha People Advisory, Jha shared in the exclusive interaction with us that digital is less in the technology or the mind; it is more about the heart. 

He also gave his take on the future of jobs now that technologies such as AI, IoT, and big data are making inroads into business DNA and transforming traditional jobs. 

“Create newer roles and skill sets. Coach and help migrate as many to these newer possibilities. Help those not making the cut socially relevant and productive in other ways, with empathy and self-respect. Create a leadership culture and an ecosystem where the new digital reality will naturally enable the experience,” said Jha. 

Read the full interview here: In conversation with Prabir Jha, Founder, and CEO of Prabir Jha People Advisory

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Topics: C-Suite, #Rewind2019

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