People Matters Unplugged

HR function has evolved beyond administrative or facilitative processes to become a key rol in the success of organisations. Helen Snowball, HR Director at PropertyGuru Group, joins People Matters Unplugged to share her insights on shaping culture and capability through innovative HR strategies. With a people-centric approach, Helen illustrates how HR can redefine its role as a strategic business partner and custodian of culture. In addition, she explores the transformative power of HR in co-creating impactful organisational cultures, where digital skills, resilience and agile decision-making drive business success. A conversation with innovative insights and practical strategies for HR leaders who want to empower themselves in their role.

HR leaders are far more than traditional support—they are strategic partners, shaping and guiding the company’s culture and values. Simar Deep Kaur, Chief Human Resource Officer of, joins the new episode of People Matters Unplugged to share her invaluable perspective on the role of HR in fostering an aligned, purpose-driven workplace. With over 19 years of experience, Simardeep offers actionable insights on how HR leaders can influence and collaborate with CEOs to drive long-term vision, uphold core values, and cultivate deep engagement across all teams. From building strong connections with business managers to wearing the "business hat" and continuously learning, this episode provides a roadmap for HR professionals who aim to lead with purpose and facilitate meaningful, company-wide impact.

Today's HR leaders must deeply understand their business and go beyond traditional functions to become strategic partners. This requires agility, adaptability, and technological competence. Time of silos is over. Talent management implies upskilling, reskilling, retraining, and promoting diversity, equality and inclusion. Ruhie Pande, Group Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) at Sterlite Power and guest on the new episode of People Matters Unplugged, shares her inspiring thoughts on how HR professionals can meet the challenges of the new context.

Organizational culture goes beyond traditional policies and benefits. It is a ‘way of life’ that directly impacts employee satisfaction and retention. @Loganathan A/L Balakrishnan, Chief Human Resources Officer at Habit Group, and guest on the new episode of People Matters Unplugged, shares his inspiring thoughts on the evolving role of HR in the age of AI. This leader, with more than 20 years of experience in talent management, believes that while technology tools and artificial intelligence can improve efficiency, true success in retaining employees and creating a workplace culture depends on maintaining a people-centric approach.

An ‘entity’ that lives in every part of the company and in the vision that each member of the work team has of the business. Corporate culture is not an abstract concept, but a collective and permanent construction, based on trust, training and empowerment of employees. It is an ‘organism’ that evolves on its own and adapts and learns from its environment.

The "Five Bs Framework" for managing talent pipelines—Buy, Build, Borrow, Bridge, and Bounce—is a key strategy to help organizations acquire, develop, and retain top talent. Creating a strong employer brand, aligning HR policies with business objectives, and leveraging data analytics can revolutionize recruitment and retention practices. In the second episode of People Matter Unplugged, we're thrilled to host @Khim Tan, a seasoned HR strategist with three decades of extensive experience in human capital management. Khim dives into the critical role that talent management plays in driving business success and shares her expertise in data-driven HR practices to make informed decisions, reduce bias, and enhance employee engagement. This episode is a must-listen for anyone committed to mastering the art of talent management.

A positive work environment, centered on safety, learning, and holistic well-being, is key to attracting top talent and ensuring that employees feel valued. By offering growth opportunities and promoting core values, organizations can foster agility and address new contextual challenges. In a new episode of People Matters Unplugged, we have the privilege of speaking with Ashwani Prashara, Chief Human Resource Officer - Hydrocarbons at @Reliance Industries Limited, who shares his unique insights into how encouraging cross-functional collaboration and empowering employees to take ownership drives success and cultivates a thriving workplace.

Radical self-inquiry - a courageous inward journey - must be a leader's first priority. Only with this clarity can they lead teams where everyone shares purpose and a sense of commitment. This principle inspires Jerry Colonna, founder and CEO of @Reboot.io, in his work to help hundreds of leaders find their deepest mission.  In a new episode of People Matters Unplugged, we have the privilege of speaking with Jerry, who shares his unique insight into how a leader's unattended wounds can affect their role and effectiveness.

When business and talent leaders are aligned in their mission, employees are able to understand the impact of their work more clearly. This alignment is what fosters a sense of purpose and motivation. In this episode of People Matters Unplugged, we speak to a leader who believes in translating vision into impact: Rizwan Khan, Vice President of People & Culture, at Porter.

Stewardship is all about having a holistic approach to leadership and organisational success. Individual contributions have a direct impact on the organisation. When we aim high as a team, we do it for our collective good. That's a lesson we learned from our guest, Saurabh Govil, President and CHRO at Wipro.

In times of crisis, compassion and empathy set apart great leaders from ordinary ones. It's a test of character for those placed in charge of others. This is one of the many lessons we learned from Elisa Abalajon, CHRO and Agile Transformation Lead at Universal Robina Corporation.

HR leaders aren't just business partners but business leaders in their own right. That's the message of Arun Dinakar Rao, Chief People Officer at Birlasoft. Arun believes maintaining strong employee connections is at the heart of thriving organisations. Listen to his views 

Where does a great work culture start? In this episode of People Matters Unplugged, we revisit real-world examples from Ewan Clarkson, Piyush Mehta and Susie Gleeson-Byrne about how they build a culture of excellence in their respective organisations.

Susie Gleeson-Byrne takes us through the concept of cultural dexterity and how it applies to leadership in global organisations. In this conversation on People Matters Unplugged, she provides practical tips for uniting teams with diverse cultures.

Revisit the words of wisdom of three inspiring women who graced People Matters Unplugged with their presence: Jaclyn Lee, Mukta Arya and Priyanka Anand. Each of them offers insights into how they lead with courage and conviction at a time when women are taking on more prominent roles as business leaders and culture curators.

Innovate. Experiment. Execute. This continuous cycle of improvement is at the heart of Genpact's culture. With its proprietary tools – from Genome to Amber – the company has been on the leading edge of innovation, using technology to empower its people. Piyush Mehta, CHRO of Genpact, tells us all about it in this episode of People Matters Unplugged.

From London to New York, to all across Asia, Ewan Clarkson has found a lot more unites global work cultures than divides them. The best experiences at work have been around creating a meaningful environment where people can be the best version of themselves. As Chief People Officer of PwC Mainland China and Hong Kong, Ewan recommends an "outside-in" approach to understanding a company's external environment and situating their people development programmes at the heart of the solution. Ewan shares his insights in this episode of People Matters Unplugged.

India, along with Brazil and Japan, are among the countries where it is most difficult for employers to retain talent. Competition is fierce and winning over the right people in an emerging market is not easy. Our guest Kevin Freitas, CHRO of fantasy sports platform Dream11, shares with us how HR teams are working to enhance the candidate experience.

The narrative of talent development isn't a monolith. Instead, it's a constantly evolving story of individuals who embrace continuous learning as a vocation. They welcome change and strive to stay ahead in their chosen fields. In this episode of People Matters Unplugged, we speak to a leader who has become one of the most highly regarded speakers and thinkers in the realm of People & Work – Peter Attfield, Chief Talent & Learning Officer at Jardine Matheson.

Mukta Arya, CHRO for APAC at Societe Generale, knows very well the intricacies of turning an organisation into an employer of choice, while cultivating a high-performance culture. Mukta embodies the idea of a modern talent leader. She is both creative and adaptable, and ready to take on challenges innovating in the space of people & work. Today, she shares the secrets of unleashing the potential of talent in Asia Pacific.