Vandana Negi joins Jubilant FoodWorks as Head of Learning & Development

Jubilant FoodWorks has appointed Vandana Negi as its Head of Learning & Development, bringing in a leader with experience spanning learning and development, leadership development, talent capability building and organisational effectiveness.

Negi joins the company at a time when organisations are placing greater emphasis on capability building, leadership readiness and continuous learning as business priorities evolve. In her new role, she will focus on creating a learning ecosystem that supports employee growth while contributing to business performance and organisational effectiveness.

Speaking about her decision to join the company, Negi said Jubilant FoodWorks' combination of scale, growth ambitions and people-centric culture influenced her move.

"What attracted me to Jubilant FoodWorks is its unique blend of scale, growth ambition, and people-centric culture," she said.

She added that the opportunity to shape a future-ready learning environment across the organisation was a key motivation behind the move.

"What excites me most is the opportunity to shape a future-ready learning ecosystem that enables employees at every level to grow, lead, and contribute meaningfully to the organization's growth journey."

Focus on building long-term capability

Negi's immediate priorities centre on establishing a strong foundation for long-term capability development across the organisation.

According to her, the initial focus areas include:

• Understanding capability gaps and strengths across functions and leadership levels
• Assessing learning requirements in line with business priorities
• Strengthening managerial and leadership capability frameworks
• Enhancing learning experiences through digital, experiential and on-the-job learning
• Improving learning governance, measurement and business impact tracking
• Aligning talent development, succession planning and leadership growth

She said the broader objective is to reposition learning as a business driver rather than a standalone activity.

"Ultimately, the goal is to ensure that learning is not viewed as an event but as a business enabler that drives performance and growth."

Linking capability building to business outcomes

Negi views learning and capability development as critical components of business strategy, particularly as organisations navigate changing workforce requirements and accelerating technological shifts.

She believes capability building can contribute to organisational growth through several areas:

• Developing leaders capable of managing complexity and driving growth
• Strengthening functional expertise and operational excellence
• Accelerating digital and AI readiness
• Encouraging ownership, innovation and continuous improvement
• Supporting employee engagement, career development and internal mobility

"As organisations grow, the ability to continuously build new skills, adapt to change, and develop strong leaders becomes a competitive advantage," she said.

Negi emphasised that capability development should remain closely tied to future workforce requirements and organisational priorities.

"When people grow, the organisation grows. Therefore, capability building must be closely connected to business priorities and future workforce requirements."

Experience in leadership and learning transformation

Throughout her career, Negi has worked across learning and development, leadership development and organisational effectiveness initiatives.

She said her experience has involved partnering with business leaders to design and implement learning strategies that support both people and business outcomes.

Among the areas she highlighted from her professional journey are:

• Building leadership development frameworks
• Leading large-scale capability transformation initiatives
• Establishing learning governance mechanisms
• Creating programmes designed to prepare leaders for future challenges

These experiences, she said, reinforced her belief in the role learning plays in long-term organisational success.

"Learning creates the foundation for sustainable organisational success."

A leadership philosophy centred on people, purpose and performance

Negi describes her leadership philosophy through three principles:

• People
• Purpose
• Performance

She believes employees deliver stronger outcomes when they understand the purpose behind their work, are empowered to take ownership and receive support to grow professionally.

Her leadership approach is shaped by:

• Curiosity and continuous learning
• Collaboration and partnership
• Accountability and execution excellence
• Empathy and respect for individuals
• A growth mindset that encourages experimentation and innovation

"As a leader, my role is not only to deliver outcomes but also to create an environment where others can thrive and perform at their best," she said.

Building a culture of continuous learning

Looking ahead, Negi intends to work closely with leaders, managers and employees across Jubilant FoodWorks to strengthen learning and development across the organisation.

She described continuous learning as an essential capability for both individual and organisational success.

"My message is simple: learning belongs to all of us. In a rapidly changing world, continuous learning is no longer optional; it is essential for personal growth, professional success, and organisational excellence."

As she begins her tenure, her focus remains on creating a culture where development is embedded into everyday work through learning experiences, collaboration, coaching and innovation.

"I look forward to listening, learning, and working closely with leaders, managers, and employees across the organisation to build a culture where development happens every day through experiences, collaboration, coaching, and innovation."

The appointment signals Jubilant FoodWorks' continued focus on capability building and leadership development as organisations increasingly prepare workforces for changing business demands and emerging skills requirements.