SMPL
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], November 8: The 4th edition of India's Most Agile HR Leaders 2024, a flagship initiative under Rethink HR, brought together the creme de la creme of India's HR community for an evening of glitz, thought leadership, and celebration of excellence. The event stood as the most anticipated and influential platform in the HR ecosystem, recognizing those who are pioneering change and steering their organizations through agility and resilience.
The evening unfolded with an intellectually stimulating panel discussion, "Agility in HR: Navigating the New Workforce Reality," moderated by Nidhi Gupta, People Partner - EY India. The distinguished panel featured leaders like Dr Jayant Kumar, CHRO - Adani Realty, Krishnakumar CS, Senior VP & CHRO - Essar Power, and Ruhie Pande, Group CHRO - Sterlite Power. Their engaging discourse explored emerging trends in HR, the paradigm shifts driven by technological disruptions, and the imperative for leaders to foster adaptive and innovative cultures.
Reflecting on the evolving HR landscape, Dr Jayant Kumar remarked, "There are fundamental shifts taking place in organizations due to disruption in technology. Organizations need to innovate organically and reevaluate value creation for the customer. Employees need to keep upgrading themselves and improve their 'curiosity index.'" His insights underscored the urgency for continuous learning and adaptability in a world shaped by constant change.

In his keynote address, Chief Guest Vijay Aggarwal, Managing Director - Prism Johnson Ltd., highlighted the critical role of agile leadership in building resilient and forward-looking organizations. He emphasized that a transformative mindset and proactive leadership are pivotal in creating sustainable growth amidst a constantly shifting business environment.
Commenting on the essence of the event, Rishi Kapoor, Partner & Business Head at Sapphire Connect, articulated, "In today's multifaceted and dynamic business world, true agility lies in the strength of the people. Any great organization flourishes with the support of empowered teams." His statement resonated deeply with the evening's theme, which centered on the importance of empowering individuals to drive collective success.
The grand unveiling of the Coffee Table Book followed, a curated anthology that celebrates the visionaries who have redefined HR excellence in 2024. The honorees showcased in this edition exemplify dynamic leadership, strategic thinking, and an unwavering commitment to fostering agility within their organizations.
This year's edition garnered an overwhelming response, with 235 applications from across sectors. A rigorous selection process ensued, resulting in 55 shortlisted candidates, of which only 29 exceptional HR leaders made it to the coveted list. Our distinguished jury members expertly and seamlessly conducted this meticulous process designed by our Process Partner - Ernst & Young, lending their esteemed expertise and insight. We are deeply grateful to:
Anthony Joseph, Former CHRO, HGS
Dr Prince Augustine, Former Executive Vice President, Group Human Capital & Leadership Development, Mahindra & Mahindra
Ranga Iyer, Consultant, Advisor to Lincoln International & Independent Director on Boards
Dr Ritu Anand, Former Chief Leadership & Diversity Officer & Deputy Head HR, TCS

Here's a list of our 29 Top HR Leaders of 2024:
Anirban Banerjee, Chief Human Resources Officer, Avendus
Arun Dinakar Rao, Chief People Officer, Birlasoft
Ayush Gupta, Director (HR), GAIL (India) Ltd
Dakshdeep Singh, Senior Vice President (Vice President and Digital Transformation), PeopleStrong
Deepak Sharma, Head - HR & Admin, Adani Power Limited - Kawai
Indrajeet Sengupta, Senior Vice President Human Resources, Mahindra & Mahindra Automotive
Joy Banerjee, Group Head - Human Resources, IL&FS Group
Kavita Kurup, Global Head of Human Resources & Corporate Communication, UST
Leena Wakankar, Head - Human Resources, Infrastructure & CSR, ASK Group
M Lakshmanan, Chief Human Resources Officer, L&T Technology Services Limited
Mamata Vegunta, Executive Director, Head of HR - DBS Tech India, DBS
Megha Jigalur, HR Manager - India SEA & MEA, MillerKnoll
Neha Rana Dutta, Chief Human Resource Officer, Espire Hospitality Group
Nimisha Rana Pathak, CHRO India, Alvarez & Marsal
Pallavi Dhawan Gupte, Senior Director Human Resources, Dun & Bradstreet India
Pankaj Mittal, SVP & CHRO APAC, American Tower Corporation
Poonam Chandok, Vice President & Head - HR, L&T Energy (Hydrocarbon), Larsen & Toubro
Prateek Dubey, Global CHRO, Mankind Pharma Ltd
Praveen Purohit, Vice President and Dy Group CHRO, Vedanta Resources Ltd
Ranjini Chakraborty, Director HR, Giesecke + Devrient Mobile Security India Pvt Ltd
Ritesh Bhardwaj, Senior Vice President & Chief Human Resources Officer, National Bulk Handling Corporation Pvt. Ltd.
Ritu Kalra, Head Strategic Growth, Indian Spinal Injuries Centre
Saidutta Nanda, President & Global HR head, Macleods Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
Shambhavi Solanki, Group Head - Human Resources, Policybazaar.com
Sheetal Bhanot Shetty, Chief Human Resources Officer, Infra.Market
Sudeep Sharma, Vice President & Head - People, Learning & Culture, HCL Healthcare
Sunder Natarajan, Chief Human Resources Officer, IndiaFirst Life
Suresh S. Shinde, Head HR India, Admin & SSE, Tokheim India Pvt. Ltd. (A part of Dover Fueling Solutions)
Yuvaraj Srivastava, Group Chief Human Resource Officer, MakeMyTrip
With its seamless blend of elegance, substance, and foresight, India's Most Agile HR Leaders 2024 established itself as the pinnacle of HR excellence, igniting meaningful dialogue and setting new benchmarks for leadership in a dynamic era.
(ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by SMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)