Nov 2021 – Sep 2023 · 1 yr 10 mos · Mumbai · On-site

• Rejoined at the request of the Chairman to lead people and organizational restructuring in the aftermath of COVID.
• Worked directly with the Chairman as part of the Strategic Leadership Team, with responsibility for workforce restructuring, HR governance, cost rationalization, and statutory compliance across multiple group companies.
• Led pan-India industrial relations across 27+ trade unions in 25+ states, negotiating and settling matters for a large workmen workforce in close coordination with labor authorities.
• Executed the orderly closure of 150+ retail/shop establishments and few manufacturing units under the NCLT framework, ensuring 100% statutory compliance and zero major industrial disruptions during closures.
• Designed and implemented structured separation and settlement frameworks, enabling timely workforce exits while minimizing litigation and operational risk.
• Stabilized HR governance during insolvency by standardizing closure protocols, documentation, and compliance processes across group entities.
• This assignment strengthened deep expertise in large-scale restructuring, union negotiations, closure management, and insolvency governance under high-stakes conditions.

Nov 2021 – Jul 2023 · 1 yr 8 mos · Mumbai · On-site

• This role was the primary reason for my return to Carnival Group for a second stint, undertaken at the request of the Chairman. I worked closely with the Chairman on strategy and execution, building and scaling purpose-led businesses at the intersection of agriculture, sustainability, rural livelihoods, and ESG.
• As EIR / Business Head, I owned the end-to-end business lifecycle, including strategy, execution, and monetization, with full responsibility for the lead-to-conversion funnel, partnerships, and revenue models through first-principles thinking and cross-functional collaboration.
• Built recurring revenues at an ARR run-rate of ~₹50 lakh per month, mobilized few crores in donations for Gaushala operations, and raised VC/PE funding to scale sustainable, natural, and biodegradable products derived from cow dung.
• Led land acquisition and greenfield farm development across Kerala, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh, and personally drove the acquisition of 400+ indigenous cows (Gir, Kankrej, Punganoor, Red Sindhi, Sahiwal), working directly with farmers and breeders nationwide.
• Worked hands-on with architects, contractors, and execution teams to build farm infrastructure from scratch, while engaging with government ministries, senior bureaucrats, and donors to align the initiative with national sustainability and conservation priorities.
• This role strengthened capabilities in entrepreneurship, ESG-led business building, capital raising, rural operations, and stakeholder management, delivering both commercial outcomes and social impact.

Jan 2016 – Mar 2021 · 5 yrs 2 mos · Mumbai

• Led enterprise-wide HR Strategy and Operations across 20+ diversified businesses, including Commodity Trading, Solvent Extraction, Structured Trade Financing, Retail, Cinemas, Real Estate, Automobile, IT, ITES, Food Retail, Dairy, Skilling, Technology, and Spiritual Tourism. Drove people and organizational transformation at scale across complex, multi-sector environments.
• Built and led a 100+ member HR function, with six Senior HR Leaders as direct reports; reported directly to the Group Chairman and served as a trusted advisor on people strategy, performance management, culture, leadership effectiveness, and governance.
• Played a defining role in positioning Carnival as an Employer of Choice, leading cultural transformation, institutionalizing robust HR systems, and embedding governance-led people processes across geographies and business life cycles from greenfield ventures to mature enterprises.
• Core member of the Group M&A leadership team, contributing to 15 strategic transactions, including acquisitions of 8 IT companies, 3 food chains, 4 real estate assets (malls & hotels), and 3 major cinema chains (Big Cinemas, Broadway, Glitz), along with the international acquisition of Dubai-based Novo Cinemas. Led international HR operations and post-merger integration across Singapore and Dubai.
• Managed 27 trade unions across India, ensuring uninterrupted operations across cinemas and manufacturing units, while maintaining industrial harmony in highly unionized environments.
• Conceived and scaled the Carnival Skill Academy into a profitable business vertical, raised PE & VC funding, and incubated new ventures including Periyar Dairy Farm and Spiritual Tourism, supporting long-term diversification and resilience.

Mar 2021 – Oct 2021 · 7 mos · Mumbai, Maharashtra, India · On-site

• I worked closely with the Chairman, Joint Managing Directors, and Family Office leadership to drive a cultural transformation towards professionalism and performance excellence.
• I played a key role in building Ananta, the group’s Private Equity vertical, partnering with the Joint MD & Partner to lead strategic hiring efforts. I also supported the acquisition of a beauty brand and led co-founder hiring for Elegare.
• Within the Family Office, I successfully led talent acquisition across domains such as Private Credit, Structured Debt, Private Equity, and Public Markets. I was instrumental in structuring and professionalizing the Family Office, introducing a continuous performance management system that shifted the organization from a traditional setup to a high-performing, metrics-driven environment.
• My contribution was defined by a strategic blend of HR leadership, organizational design, and investment-focused talent acquisition, aligned to the long-term vision of the family enterprise.

Sep 2015 – Jan 2016 · 4 mos · HDFC House- Mumbai

• Responsible for driving end to end Learning and Development agenda at HDFC AMC
• Campus Interface and development
• Employee Development and Review.
• Capability building, Future talent Audit Need Assessment & Audit with Actions.
• OD, Change and Employee Capability.
• Employee Engagement
• Employer branding & Communication
• HR Policy research, Development and benchmarking.
• Employee Experience Management
• PMS Exercise and process

Dec 2010 – Aug 2015 · 4 yrs 8 mos · Mumbai Area, India

• Compensation & Benefits: Ensured accurate and timely processing of salaries and benefits.
• Training & Development: Oversaw seamless execution of all training and development programs.
• Employee Relations: Managed and nurtured positive employee relations.
• Recruitment & Selection: Directed efficient and effective recruitment and selection processes.
• Performance Monitoring: Continuously monitored and assessed employee performance.
• My Career Progression:
• Executive HR - Learning: Initiated career managing learning programs for 5 Group companies which included Real Estate, Entertainment, Education, Mall Management & Hospitality.
• Assistant Manager HR & Learning: Promoted to oversee broader HR functions for Real Estate, , Education, Mall Management & Hospitality.
• Senior Manager HR & Learning: Advanced to lead the entire HR department, driving strategic HR initiatives and organizational growth for Real Estate, Entertainment, Education, Mall Management & Hospitality.

Mar 2010 – Dec 2010 · 9 mos · Kandivali Plant

• To provide comprehensive strategic and operational support to the Senior General Manager- HR & Organization Development for the Automotive and Farm Equipment Sector (AFS), one of the Group’s most complex and talent-intensive businesses.
• Worked closely with the Executive Vice President - Group HR, supporting strategic, enterprise-wide initiatives including Mahindra Rise and the Leadership Academy, contributing to large-scale culture, leadership, and capability-building interventions.
• Played a key role in coordinating high-level leadership forums, preparing structured reports, presentations, and decision notes, and enabling cross-functional alignment to drive priority HR and OD initiatives.
• Managed complex executive schedules, organized leadership and learning events, and handled highly confidential information with discretion, professionalism, and governance discipline.
• Actively contributed to the design and execution of HR and OD initiatives aimed at improving organizational performance, leadership effectiveness, and employee engagement building a strong foundation in strategic HR, stakeholder management, and enterprise thinking