The 10 Most Influential HR Leaders To Follow, 2023.pdf

LEADERS
2023
The
Most
Mohamad Kheir
Group HR Director
Power Interna onal
Holding
VOL-03 | ISSUE-08 | 2023
Influential

Hire
character.
Trainskill.
Abhishek Joshi
AbhishekJoshi
The advancements in emerging
technologies are transforming the
traditional working methods of the
business world. It is resulting in the creation of a
new transition for the way in which businesses
execute their virtual and modern-day operations.
These augmentations have led to significant
enrichments in management styles and
requirements, especially for an HR leader.
Over the past few years, HR leaders have been
endeavoring with less complex tasks and
responsibilities like keeping a track record of the
management, adhering to compliance, and
fostering healthy employee relationships.
However, today, HR pros often find themselves in
constant contact with prominent business leaders
all over the globe. With the advent of technology,
many tasks that were formerly done with a
manual approach are now being managed through
automated systems.
Today's HR leaders find themselves to be
responsible for managing and strengthening the
company's culture, managing fast-paced changes,
and empowering employees to ensure the smooth
functioning of all the primary business
operations.
Above all these functions, HR leaders are prompt
in ensuring good communication and ensure that
the employees and the organization are synced
with each other. An essential trait of any coherent
HR leader is exhibiting integrity and instinctively
caring for the employees in the workplace.
A great leader is one who thrives with a vision—a result-
oriented approach, and a goal-oriented mindset.
Additionally, they also envision a secure future for the
organization with a strategy that maintains the identification
of the working principles—mitigation of potential growth
opportunities while surmounting the challenges and
remaining ahead of the curve.
These leaders are also formulating and deploying their best
approach to attract, retain, and enhance operations with a
shared vision to boost and scale the progress of the
organization through strategic talent management. All these
aspects need passion to plan out the essential functions by
continuous learning and developing the traits that
benchmark excellence for any organization.
Shedding some light on the staunch HR leaders in the
niche, Insights Success features some of the enthralling
stories of "The 10 Most Influential HR Leaders To
Follow, 2023."
Flip through the pages and indulge yourself in the odyssey
of exhibiting sheer brilliance and achieving the lifelong
learning that paves a path to achieving the most valuable
asset of your life.
Have a Delightful Read!
T

Anish Singh
16
Creating a Better Future for
Human Workers
Mr Prasanth
Edassari
24
A Coherent Leader
Sunil Kumar
32
A Resolute Leadership
Exposing Brilliance
Edrees Al Mansour
20
Nurturing Human Capital
towards Enhancing Business
Performance
Sahar Taleb
28
Nurturing Signiﬁcant
Business Objectives

sales@insightssuccess.com
March, 2023
Editor-in-Chief
Senior Sales Managers Business Development Manager
Marketing Manager
Technical Head
Technical Specialist Digital Marketing Manager
Research Analyst
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Visualizer
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Art & Design Director Associate Designer
Sihanee M., Rouniyar A. Peter Collins
John Matthew
Sales Executives
David, Martin
Business Development Executives
Steve, Joe
Jacob Smile
Prachi M. Dominique T.
SME-SMO Executive
Sagar L. Frank Adams
Circulation Manager
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Revati B.
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Abhishek Joshi
Ankita P.
Jenny Fernandes Anish Miller

Brief
Company Name
Anish brings unique set of competencies as an HR Leader who
creates an institutionalized mechanism for driving business
performance, wears Business & HR hat together, galvanize
work on growth agenda, Transformation projects, energizes
employee engagement and mentors/develops leaders across
functions.
Featured Person
Unilever
unilever.com
Anish Singh
Head of HR
Edrees is an HR Leader with a proven record of effectively
leading HR functions to support companies’ strategic
objectives.
Al Babtain Group of
Companies
albabtaingroup.com.kw
Edrees Al Mansour
Group General Manager
Human Resource
Hoda is a Senior HR Professional with UAE & MNC exposure.
Experienced across various industries within GCC.
WEHBE Insurance
Services LLC
Hoda Elawadi
Head Of Human
Resources
Katia Hallak is a Head of Human Resources at Emirates
National Schools based in Abu Dhabi.
Emirates National Schools
wehbeinsured.com
Katia Hallak
Head Of Human
Resources
Drawing upon a long-term career Mohamad is an accomplished
and top-performing professional with rich experience in
strategic HRM, organisational development, talent and
performance management, HR transformation & digitalization
and compensation and benefits.
Power International
Holding
powerholding-intl.com
Mohamad Kheir
Group HR Director
Prasanth is a keen observer of human nature with 20 years of
experience in people management at senior levels equipped
with an MBA in Human Resource Management.
House of Shipping
houseofshipping.com
Prasanth Edassari
Global Chief Human
Resource Officer
Sahar discovers and develops innovative solutions to foster the
transition towards clean energy.
Al-Dabbagh Group
aldabbagh.com
Sahar Taleb
Chief Omnipreneurship
Officer
Stacey holds approximately 16 years of experience working in
highly pressurized environments, in which she managed to
produce a high standard of work.
Quantum Foods Holdings
Limited
quantumfoods.co.za
Stacey Geland
HR Practitioner
Sunil has been leading multiple business units and has been
involved in the key decision-making processes, strategy
formulation and implementation.
Frontline Logistics Group
flcorporate.com
Sunil Kumar
Chief Human Resources
Officer
Yomna has the ability to understand, isolate, and resolve
complex technical problems that lie within the diverse realms
of security solutions, operating systems and the often broad
nature of a customer’s environment.
AstraZeneca
astrazeneca.com
Yomna Khalil
Officer
LEADERS
2023
The
Most
Influential

Mohamad Kheir
Group HR Director
Power Interna onal
Holding

At the heart of every
successful organization is
a strong culture that fosters
engagement, growth and
a sense of purpose for
its employees.
C
o
v
e
r
S
t
o
r
y

he role of Human Resources (HR) has evolved
Tsignificantly over the years. What was once viewed
as a support function has now become a critical
driver of an organization's success. Today, HR professionals
are at the forefront of leading and shaping an organization's
people strategy, residing on the delicate cusp between
people and business.
A successful HR leader understands the intricacies of the
business's operations and knows how to leverage human
capital towards achieving growth.
Mohamad Kheir, Group HR Director of Power
International Holding is a proficient leader with a
verifiable history of success in creating robust people
training and development culture/programs, developing,
driving, and executing strategic HR initiatives to promote
operational excellence and accomplishing business
objectives.
In an interview with Insights Success, Mohamad Kheir
shares valuable facts highlighting his professional tenure
and his journey as an HR leader in the dynamic business
arena.
Below are the excerpts from the interview:
Brief our audience about your journey as a business
leader until your current position at Power
International Holding. What challenges have you had to
overcome to reach where you are today?
Throughout my career, I have gained a broad knowledge
and success in HR functions including talent
acquisition/retention, benefits, compensation, training, risk
management, and employee relations.
Skilled in leading HRIS, HR AI, Metaverse in HR learning,
Robotics in HR, applying RPAs in Government affairs,
Chatbot AI, succession planning and career development,
automation and digitisation, go green initiatives, paperless
employee relations transactions. Knack for workforce
planning and implementation, staff monitoring, and talent
development.
In my existing role as the Regional Group HR Director of
Power International Holding, I play a genuine role as an
Intuitive leader with expertise in coaching and developing

teams for the organisations to support continuous
improvement and drive strategies that improve the business.
Reaching here wouldn't be easy without penciling down a
proper individual development plan and assertion on
reaching your objectives even against the wind.
The Human Resources function has experienced a dramatic
transformation over the past century. Along the way, roles
and responsibilities have shifted as internal business
models, and external market conditions have changed.
The evolution of the perception of HR, however, has not
kept pace. HR is beginning to break from its traditional,
process-oriented role into a new, strategic function that
solves real business problems.
Tell us something more about your company and its
mission and vision.
Power International Holding (PIH) is a diversified business
conglomerate, grouped into 5 main sectors: General
Contracting, Industries & Services, Agriculture & Food
Industries, Real Estate and Lifestyle (Hospitality,
Entertainment & Catering).
At PIH, we are committed to the sustainability and success
of each entity, providing them with the necessary tools,
resources, and centralized functional support to ensure
development and growth. Our focus on specialization
allows each business to strive towards achieving the
organization's objectives and goals.
With a rich history of successfully completing complex
projects across diverse sectors worldwide, PIH has
accumulated a wealth of experience, making us
knowledgeable experts in each of our fields.
At our core, we are driven by a powerful vision: to create a
brighter future for Qatar and the world. Our mission is to
achieve this vision by maximizing stakeholder value
through the efficient management and support of a
diversified portfolio of businesses.
To achieve this mission, we are committed to continuously
refining our business strategies and operations, leveraging
our expertise and resources to drive growth and profitability
across our portfolio. We strive to foster a culture of
innovation, collaboration, and excellence within our
organization, empowering our teams to develop and
implement creative solutions that address the needs of our
stakeholders and the wider community.
Enlighten us on how you have been impacting the HR
management sector through your expertise in the
market.
As a regional Group HR Director, I direct all the aspects of
regional employee relations, government affairs, payroll,
talent management, C&B, talent development, HRIS.
Oversee all the facets of human resources function,
including providing leadership, encouraging teamwork,
collaboration and facilitating related work processes to
achieve high-performance standards and staff pride in
performance and contribution. Render exceptional HR
services and information to leaders, managers, staff, and
clients accurately and in a cost-effective manner across Asia
and Europe region.
Ensure two-way communication between division and
group HR on strategy, changes, developments, and
feedback. Act as a core advisor to the executive
management team on critical organisational and
management strategy. Establish a culture of transparency,
diversity equity, inclusion, and personal growth based on
HR initiatives. Develop competencies framework and
ensure the successful implementation of SAP
SuccessFactors.
Describe in detail the values and the work culture that
drives your organization.
At PIH, we believe that our commitment to Corporate
Social Responsibility (CSR) is integral to our success as a
responsible corporation. We recognize that our economic,
socio-cultural, and environmental practices are
Our mission is to maximize
stakeholder value by efficiently
managing and supporting a
diversified portfolio of businesses.
The 10 Most Influential HR Leaders To Follow, 2023

interdependent and that our long-term interests are best
served by prioritizing sustainable development and social
well-being.
As a responsible corporation, we are dedicated to respecting
the interests of all our stakeholders, including our
employees, customers, suppliers, industry partners, and the
wider community. We strive to create value for our
stakeholders through our operations and investments,
driving economic growth, social progress, and
environmental sustainability.
Undeniably, technology is playing a significant role in
almost every sector. How are you leveraging
technological advancements to make your solutions
resourceful?
Technology is playing a significant role in driving business
performance and boosting productivity. It is becoming
essential for day-to-day business running and achieving
growth and success when utilized effectively. Undeniably,
technology plays a major role in minimizing operational
costs and maximizing revenues. In HR, we leverage
technology to improve business performance using cloud-
based solutions SAP Success Factors, e-learning, AI and
integrated career path. I have successfully integrated the
competencies framework with every job profile while
taking into consideration the levels of proficiency for every
role.
What, according to you, could be the next significant
change in the HR management sector? How is your
company preparing to be a part of that change?
Changing the operating model is essential from a traditional
federated, hierarchical HR model with customers on the
outside and siloed HR groups to a people-centric HR
operating model while taking into consideration the hybrid
work model for collaboration.
In addition, with technological advances, the metaverse
workplace offers virtual reality environments that let you
work from anywhere in the world. While these changes
happen in technological aspects, change management
implements efficient strategies to execute changes, control
them and help people to adapt to them.

Change management should consider digital adoption,
identify the change agents, consider the change as part of
the culture, and surely to be humanized with a data-driven
approach.
PIH is part of that change while considering people
analytics where it highlights the following key areas,
diversity and inclusion, employee experience, retention,
workforce planning and talent acquisition. Furthermore,
moving from employee well-being to a holistic, healthy
organization that goes beyond the physical health and safety
of the employees to more flexibility and opportunities for
their training and empowerment.
Where do you envision yourself to be in the long run,
and what are your future goals for Power International
Holding?
The digital transformation will never end, starting from
automating the day-to-day operations, automating
onboarding and offboarding processes, and employee and
manager self-services, till we embed AI in our daily work.
AI and chatbots are the next big thing to replace tier 0 and
tier 1 in the HR service delivery model and while
implementing the same, we should always keep in mind
that employee centricity shall always domain and humanize
the process maps.
It is additionally digitizing the succession planning and
integrating it with predefined frameworks from identifying
the critical roles across the organization, assessing and
selecting the potential successors, evaluating the gap,
developing and grooming the identified successors and
monitoring to review and track the progress.
What would be your advice to budding entrepreneurs
who aspire to venture into the HR Management
industry?
If you're an aspiring entrepreneur looking to start a business
in the HR management industry, here are a few pieces of
advice that could help you on your journey:
Get familiar with the HR industry: It's essential to have a
good understanding of the HR industry, including the latest
trends, challenges, and opportunities. This knowledge will
help you develop a better product or service that addresses
the needs of your target audience.
Identify your niche: There are various areas in HR
management, such as recruitment, payroll, benefits
administration, employee training and development, and
more. It's crucial to identify the specific area you want to
focus on and build your business around that niche.
Develop a unique value proposition: With so many HR
management businesses out there, it's essential to have a
unique value proposition that sets you apart from the
competition. Identify the key benefits of your product or
service and emphasize them in your marketing efforts.
Build a strong team: Your team is the backbone of your
business, and it's essential to hire the right people for the
job. Look for individuals with experience and skills in HR
management, customer service, sales, and marketing.
Leverage technology: The HR industry is becoming
increasingly technology-driven, and it's crucial to keep up
with the latest software and tools to streamline your
operations and provide a better customer experience.
Establish partnerships: Building relationships with other
businesses in the HR management industry can help you
expand your reach and provide additional services to your
customers.
Focus on customer service: Providing excellent customer
service is essential for building a loyal customer base.
Ensure that your team is trained to provide exceptional
customer service and that you have processes in place to
address any customer concerns or issues that arise.
Starting a business in the HR management industry can be
challenging, but with the right strategy and approach, it can
also be incredibly rewarding. Good luck!
At our core, we are driven by
a powerful vision: to create
a brighter future for Qatar and
the world.

Anish Singh
Creating a Better Future for Human Workers
Anish Singh
he world of work is experiencing one of its most
Tchallenging times in history as disruptive situations
and technologies are redefining what the future of
work would look like. Terms like a 4-day working week,
hybrid mode, and others are becoming common. Artificial
Intelligence powered technologies are bringing automation
in the most unexpected sectors. In such times of turbulent
change, business leaders and workers alike wonder about
what success and stability will look like in the future and
whether they will be able to cope.
Getting ahead of the trends in the future of work is Anish
Singh, Head of HR - Australia & New Zealand at
Unilever. Anish is an HR leader who works with business
leaders in establishing the Human Resource function as an
intangible asset while also leading the future of work
programs at Unilever for the future worker.
Anish wears a Business & HR hat together. He brings a
unique set of competencies as an HR Leader, creating an
institutionalized mechanism for driving business
performance, galvanizing work on growth agenda, leading
several transformation projects, energizing employee
engagement, and mentoring/developing leaders across
functions. He loves to work with business leaders to create
the future.
In an exclusive interview with Insights Success, Anish
Singh paints a picture of what the future of work will be
like.
Below are the highlights of the interview:
Briefly describe your professional journey up until now.
What challenges did you face along the way?
My purpose is "Play & Paint Together a Masterpiece." I
take pride in establishing the Human Resource function as a
competitive advantage and love to engage with business
leaders to create the future. In my career over the years, I
have had the privilege of working with CPG, the Financial
Sector & industrial sectors in various roles. These roles
range from Global to Regional, Country Lead role, setting
up new businesses, leading large-scale Growth
Transformation programs/Strategy, Change Management
Programs, Organisation Design, Expertise roles in People
Development/Employer Branding, Recruitment,
Performance Management, Sales HRBP, Industrial
Relations, and advisory board responsibilities.
What significant impact have you brought to the HR
industry?
In recent years, I have played a key role in transforming
business for profitable growth, demonstrated the largest &
longest successful implementation of 4 day working week,
been recognized as the employer of choice by Australian
Financial Review, and did leading work in Diversity, Equity
& Inclusion resulting in Unilever to be recognized as an
employer of choice for the last five years in a row.
Tell us about Unilever and its foundation pillar.
Unilever plc is a British multinational consumer goods
company with headquarters in London, England. Its
products are available in around 190 countries. Unilever's
largest brands include Dove, Sunsilk, Knorr, Lux, Lifebuoy,
Sunlight, Rexona/Degree, Axe/Lynx, Ben & Jerry's,
Omo/Persil, Wall's ice creams, Hellmann's, and Magnum.
Unilever is organized into three main divisions: Foods and
Refreshments, Home Care, and Beauty & Personal Care.
How does Unilever promote workforce flexibility, and
what is your role in it?
Unilever has always been working to suit the need of
employees, and flexibility is our currency. Under Future of
Work cornerstones, we promote doing experiments for the
March 2023 | 16 | www.insightssuccess.com
The 10 Most Influential HR Leaders To Follow, 2023

Anish Singh
Head of HR,
Unilever

future of working (e.g., 4-day working week), future of
worker (U work), future of workplace (hybrid), and future
skills (future fit plan). These reflect the different
development routes that each of our employees may be on
at any point in time. They recognize that many people will
be working differently. But wherever somebody is, we will
help them to be ready for today and their future working
life.
What is your take on technology's importance, and how
are you leveraging it?
Technology is vital to accuracy in today's fast-paced world,
and to our business in every part, it's absolutely important.
Our take is to be advancing and keep ahead in the game of
HR through technology.
What will be the next significant change in the human
resource industry, and how are you preparing for it?
The world of work of tomorrow is going to be very
different. HR will move from "process-thinking" to
"experience thinking." The "blended workforce" will grow
exponentially. Many experiments will start with the future
of work and inside the HR function: virtualize, externalize,
unbundle jobs, start networking, live the gig economy by
example, partner up with multiple providers, crowdsource.
What are your goals in the upcoming future?
Our goal is our vision is to help make an awesome
organization impacting people, profit, and the planet.
What advice would you like to give the next generation
of aspiring business leaders?
Listen deeply, co-create, build design thinking, and be agile.
Be ready; technology will disrupt and help you, so being
ahead of the curve will help.

Edrees Al Mansour
Nurturing Human Capital towards Enhancing Business Performance
With a proven record of supporting companies’
strategic objectives with HR functions, Edrees
Al Mansour, Group General Manager
Human Resources of Abdul Aziz Saud Al Babtain Group
of Companies is leading with great effectiveness.
Edrees has been continually implementing HR initiatives,
policies and procedures that attract and retain talent while
maintaining productivity and bottom-line results. He has
successfully managed multimillion-dollar budgets and
worker counts of more than 8000 in corporations with
offices in Kuwait, the GCC, and abroad. He has received
training in cutting-edge Canadian and British institutions as
well as in international HR best practices. He is a specialist
in assisting executive management with successful HR
strategies.
AbdulAziz Saud Al Babtain & Sons Group began as a
consumer goods distributor. It eventually diversified over
the years with activities covering a broad spectrum of
sectors, such as FMCG,F&B,Tobacco, Consumer
Electronics & Home Appliances, Central Air Conditioning,
Agricultural, Real Estate, Hospitality, Investments,
Manufacturing, and others.
Today the Group is adopting a strategic plan that is aimed
not only at maintaining business sustainability but is also
growth-oriented. As a result, recently, the Group invested in
upgrading its systems and solutions infrastructure, and
current executive management is introducing operational
efficiencies in all sectors, all geared to ensure a stronger
position for the Group and provide it with a competitive
edge to gain higher grounds among other large groups of
companies in Kuwait.
In an exclusive interview with Insights Success, Edrees
shares his wisdom on developing organizations and talent
for success.
Briefly describe your professional journey up until now.
I am a keen and astute HR professional with a track record
of leading Multicultural HR and Administration teams at
listed companies across Kuwait, GCC, and internationally
with oversight of multi-million-dollar budgets and
headcounts exceeding 8000+ staff. Trained in international
HR best practices from top establishments in UK and
Canada, I am skilled at supporting executive management
with effective HR strategy aligned with the company vision
and mission.
I started working during my graduation studies at Kuwait
University. My professional journey began as a teller at
Al-Tijari Bank (now CBK, Kuwait). Progressing through
the roles of Human Resource Officer, Senior Officer,
Manager and Group General Manage Human Resources
my career has witnessed the paradigm shift how Human
Resources profession has evolved over the years.
HR professionals are always faced with these challenges-
instilling the right attitude, culture, and ethical behavior
across the organization. If you can ensure that these
winning elements are aligned effectively across your
workforce, it will help the organization to steer forward way
ahead of competition. This involves constant collaboration
and leadership with stakeholders and top management.
What significant impact have you brought to your
industry?
I am a proponent of the LEAN methodology without
compromising on quality. Through these years, I have
bought significant cost savings while maintaining employee
satisfaction. Streamlining and restructuring the workforce

has helped organizations to prosper and expand far and
beyond.
Tell us about your company and its foundation pillar.
With its humble beginnings way back in 1958, the firm has
developed into a leading player in the Kuwaiti market,
expanding its presence across GCC countries.
The company strives “To build successful businesses and
lasting partnerships, driven by values.” And the values at
the core are Passion, Customer Focus, Excellence, Unity,
Integrity, and Accountability.
How does your company promote workforce flexibility,
and what is your role in it?
Since I joined our firm in July 2021, we have been
encouraging employees to learn new skills as they grow
I am a proponent of the
LEAN methodology without
compromising on quality.
Through these years, I have
bought significant cost
savings while maintaining
employee satisfaction.
Streamlining and
Restructuring the workforce
has helped organizations to
prosper and expand far and
beyond.
“

along with the organization. Job enrichment efforts,
upskilling, and reskilling are a part of our culture now,
enabling employees to be more flexible in their jobs and
taking up new challenges.
What is your take on technology’s importance, and how
Digitization efforts have been an integral part of my
experience over the years. I have been instrumental in
introducing IT systems and specialists to navigate
companies ensuring sustainability and profitability. Reports
and analytics play a major part in our decisions. Firewalls
and Network security are important factors in protecting
company information. While technology is vital, one
thing to bear in mind is that it should be a facilitator and
not a constraint. From an HR perspective,reliance on
technology should not be a hindrance to employee
engagement .
What will be the next significant change in your
industry, and how are you preparing for it?
As a firm believer in technology as a facilitator pre and post
covid, technology will continue to evolve for the betterment
of organizations resulting in timely feedback paving way to
improved employee and customer satisfaction.
Organization-wide analytics across departments to play a
greater role going forward. This is my understanding
regarding the trends as someone who spends time meeting
with Senior HR leaders across the globe through functions
at London Business School and Harvard.
As someone who has spent my career with major banks in
the region, I am always keen on understanding new trends
in the banking industry and looking forward to actively
continue my association.
Further, executive leadership training programs are planned
to leverage my expertise in this field.
Focus on your employees as your most valuable assets.
Introduce a performance-oriented culture where they are
nurtured and taken care of with competitive salaries,
benefits, and bonuses.
Edrees Al Mansour,
Group General Manager Human
Resources
Abdul Aziz Saud Al Babtain Group
of Companies, Kuwait

Mr Prasanth
EDASSARI A Coherent
Leader
As an MBA graduate in HR from Oxford
Brookes University in the UK, Mr
Prasanth Edassari, began his career in
the United Arab Emirates (UAE) within the
Insurance and Marine oilfield sector, where he
worked in administration and customer service
for approximately five years.
While working in these roles, he developed a
strong interest in people management and its
impact on organizational success. To pursue his
passion for HR, he made the decision to resign
from his position and relocate to the UK to
pursue his HR qualification.
After completing his HR degree, Mr Edassari
worked for several UK-based companies,
including EHS, E&Y, and Adecco. In 2003, he
returned to the UAE, where he commenced a
career in HR and progressed through the ranks in
various industries, including HVAC,
manufacturing, electronics, and consultancy.
Currently, he serves as the Global Chief
Human Resources Officer at House of
Shipping, a business consultancy and advisory
services company that caters to organisations in
the shipping and logistics industry, where he
manages a staff of over 1,000 shipping and
logistics professionals from 49 different
nationalities, with operations spanning 15
countries and offices on every continent.
In an interview with Insights Success, Mr
Prasanth Edassari shares his professional tenure
and journey in the niche.
Mr Prasanth Edassari
Global Chief Human
Resources Officer
House of Shipping

My primary challenge has been to persuade other
stakeholders of people's crucial role in driving business
success.
To convey this message, I often use the phrase "PROFITS
THROUGH PEOPLE POWER," which emphasizes the
fundamental importance of effective people management.
Despite holding high-level positions, some senior
stakeholders may overlook this critical aspect of business
strategy. As such, it is essential to continually educate and
communicate the value of investing in human capital to
achieve sustainable growth and long-term success.
industry?
The shipping & logistics industry has always been known
to be a 24/7 industry as while we sleep, there are ships
sailing across oceans, and the challenge is that our
employees always need to be on call whether it's a weekend
or a public holiday and even when they are on holiday.
As HR professionals, we bring in as much of a friendly
culture in the organization and more flexibility when it
comes to working, including work-from-home and hybrid
working policies, extended holidays, employee wellness
initiatives/allowances, top-class medical insurance, etc. We
make sure we work hard and play hard too.
To support our HR
initiatives, we have
implemented SAP as one of the
main platforms, which has proven to
be a valuable tool in streamlining
our HR processes and improving
efficiency.
House of Shipping is a leading provider of business
consultancy and advisory services to clients in the shipping
and logistics industry. Our consultancy services cover a
wide range of areas, including Legal Services, Human
Resources, Finance and Tax, IT, Strategy, and Marketing.
Whether a client wants to establish a presence in the
shipping, maritime, and logistics sector or expand their
existing operations, our team of consultants is available to
provide customized solutions tailored to their specific
needs.
In addition to our core consultancy services, we also offer a
range of value-added services that are designed to help our
clients maximize their success. From ongoing support and
training to innovative technologies and tools, we are
committed to providing our clients with everything they
need to achieve their goals.
How does your company promote workforce flexibility,
and what is your role in it?
As a senior HR leader, we recognized the need for our
industry to remain productive even amidst the challenges
posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, which included working
remotely - a particularly difficult feat in our industry. To
address this, we implemented hybrid and remote working
policies to enable our employees to adapt to this new
scenario while still maintaining their productivity levels.
We understand the importance of providing our employees
with the flexibility and support they need to navigate these
unprecedented times.
Our approach has been to strike a balance between ensuring
business continuity and safeguarding the health and well-
being of our employees. We believe that by investing in our
employees' welfare and embracing new ways of working,
we can emerge stronger from this crisis.
What is your take on technology's importance, and how
As a senior HR leader, I firmly believe that technology
plays a critical role in managing people effectively across

all HR functions, from recruitment and employee relations
to performance management and talent development.
By leveraging technology, we gain valuable analytical
insights that help us make informed decisions and drive
positive outcomes for our employees and the organization
as a whole.
To support our HR initiatives, we have implemented SAP as
one of the main platforms, which has proven to be a
valuable tool in streamlining our HR processes and
improving efficiency. Additionally, we have adopted Udemy
as our learning platform to cultivate a culture of continuous
learning and development within our organization.
To attract top talent, we utilize LinkedIn extensively,
leveraging its vast network to connect with potential
candidates and showcase our brand as an employer of
choice. Furthermore, we invest time in marketing our
employer brand across various social media platforms,
recognizing the importance of building a strong online
presence to attract and retain talent in today's digital age.
As a senior HR leader, I believe that our industry is poised
for significant change in the near future, particularly in
areas such as environmental sustainability and digitization.
From a shipping perspective, the adoption of
environmentally friendly fuels and digital freight
forwarding will likely be key drivers of innovation and
growth.
To prepare for these changes, we have already begun
implementing technology and learning programs to support
our HR initiatives.
We recognize the importance of proactively addressing
these emerging trends and adapting to new ways of
working. By embracing digital transformation, we aim to
drive efficiencies and improve our ability to deliver value to
our employees and customers alike.
My vision is to be known as the most work-friendly
shipping & logistics organization, and our most recent
employee engagement survey by Culture Amp indicated
this approach with a score of 81% engagement, which was
5% higher than the top 25 global shipping & logistics
companies and we will strive to be better on this journey.
As a senior HR leader, I cannot overemphasize the
significance of people management, empathy, and
emotional intelligence in driving business growth and
achieving long-term success. I strongly advise leaders to
prioritize these critical elements, even as they strive to
increase revenues and profits.
Leaders who prioritize their employees' well-being and
professional development are more likely to create a
passionate, engaged, and committed workforce delivering
exceptional customer experiences.
By caring for your people, you create a culture that fosters
loyalty, collaboration, and innovation, which drives
business success. In short, investing in your employees is
investing in your organization's future.

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Sahar Taleb
Chief Omnipreneurship
Oﬃcer
Al-Dabbagh Group
March 3 28 www.
202 | | insightssuccess.com

ndeniably, a business impacts the life of a person
Uwho indulges in its products, services, or
organization. And very rarely is the case that it
impacts the lives of the ones who are remotely effected by
its offerings. But businesses like Al Dabbagh Group, that
inculcate the home-grown philosophy of Omnipreneurship,
not only impact the lives of the people they are
collaborating with, rather also the lives of the people who
are surround by the business.
For businesses as considerable as Al Dabbagh Group, the
person who overlooks the implementation of
Omnipreneurship, making sure that this aspect of their
business is not neglected, is the remarkable leader, Sahar
Taleb, Chief Omnipreneurship Officer. Sahar brings
outstanding abilities and is a powerful force in the
organization with nearly 20 years of experience in HR, PR,
and Marketing.
She inspires others to work hard and succeed with her
upbeat attitude and boundless energy. Sahar is driven by the
Omnipreneurship eco-system that governs Al-Dabbagh
Group and uses its principles of giving, earning, and
sustaining, as well as its ten golden rules, to help guide her
decisions and achieve her goals.
Insights Success had the privilege to interview Sahar,
through which she conveyed the true implication of the
term ‘Omnipreneurship’ as well as the methodology she
utilizes to ensure the impactful delivery of her
organization’s objectives.
Please brief us about your journey in your industry and
how you have made Omnipreneurship implementation
and communication excel in Al-Dabbagh Group
I come from a strong background in HR and
communication; I also worked as a consultant for both: the
public and private sectors. This rich and diverse experience
gave me the skillset needed to become the Chief
Omnipreneurship Officer in Al-Dabbagh.
First, let me introduce you to the concept of
Omnipreneurship.
Omnipreneurship is an approach to living a life of meaning.
It is the ecosystem by which we govern all our companies.
So rather than looking at things with an entrepreneurial lens
and only focusing on earning, we ensure that we are equally
focused on giving, earning, and sustaining aspects.
My main task in Al-Dabbagh Group is to cascade the
understanding and culture of Omnipreneruship within our
organization. In doing so, I work on building a culture
where giving lies at the center of our organization and the
purpose of our work. Also, with every initiative that we
launch, we ensure that we are working towards achieving 1
or 2 of the Sustainable Development Goals. So, we link our
earning initiatives to our giving and sustaining initiatives in
such a way that each one of them feeds into the other and
completes it.
Here, my background in communication helped to spread
the message and understanding and to grow a culture that is
passionate about giving back to our society and our
environment. My background in HR helped me create
meaningful training and development programs and to
launch engaging initiatives that encourage and foster
innovation.
What professional qualities and values do you think
your clients, colleagues, and employees admire in you
the most?
Honesty, transparency, and integrity are values I pride
myself in, and I believe these values are what built and
strengthened my professional reputation. Having said
that, I am often complimented on my passion and
strong dedication to work.
Sahar Taleb
Nurturing Significant Business Objectives

Indeed, this is what enables me to motivate others and grow
my team’s dedication so that we are all engaged and highly
motivated to achieve our goals.
Additionally, my inherent love for meeting, learning from,
and communicating with colleagues has allowed me to
engage our community in the Omnipreneural culture we are
trying to foster. Thereby helping me create a loyal and high-
performing team.
What, according to you, are the qualities of an
exemplary HR leader, and what are the traits that make
you stand out as an influential HR leader in the modern
industry?
In my opinion, successful HR leaders need to have integrity
and instinctively care about their colleagues. They need to
be passionate about what they do, where they work, and,
most importantly, about their teams. To that end, they need
to train, develop and empower their teams. Most
importantly, they need to prepare them for success.
Successful HR leaders also need to be excellent
communicators and problem solves; They need to be able to
provide guidance and influence their teams. To facilitate
change and avoid a crisis. Most importantly, they need to
listen to their colleagues and provide a safe environment for
them to express their needs and wishes, building a long-
lasting relationship with them.
HR leaders need to be forward-thinking. They need to study
the sectors they operate in and plan for the future of their
workplaces by identifying potential threats and
opportunities, as well as implementing positive changes to
their organization to build a culture of innovation. It is up to
us to design creative approaches to attract, manage, and
develop our colleagues and to provide them with the tools
they need to passionately give back to our companies.
Throughout my career, what made me stand out was my
strong ability to connect and communicate with people. As
well as my dedication to building a healthy and nurturing
work environment, devoted to building my colleagues’
skillset and nurturing their passion for the work they do. I
pride myself on being a life-long learner. In order to
improve my effectiveness and ensure I achieve the targets I
set out for myself, I never stop learning and networking. I
strive to develop my leadership skills as well as to gain
new ideas.
Recently, I have been accepted into the prestigious
MISK 2030 Leadership program , which is an
exclusive world-class leadership development program
devoted to transforming exceptional senior Saudi leaders to
change history and achieve our common goals for vision
2030.
Enlighten us on how you are driving impact at Al-
Dabbagh’s Omnipreneural initiatives through your
expertise.
With a mandate to spread the knowledge and understanding
of all the elements of Omnipreneruship and to foster a
culture of innovation, I launched an internal platform called
the Omnipreneurship Awards. This platform connects all
15,000 of our global colleagues and encourages them to
submit innovative solutions to challenges we share on a
monthly basis. Winners of these challenges are awarded
meticulously planned courses from HarvardX and MIT to
develop a more robust culture of ideation and innovation.
In 2020 we launched the first of our annual open innovation
initiatives: a global crowdsourcing initiative that looks for
sustainable nature positive solutions to challenges within
the sectors we operate. In 2020 we asked how waste from
poultry farms can convert to value and awarded one million
dollars to the solution provider who shared a proposal for a
technology that will convert waste from poultry farms into
biodegradable plastic pallets.
In 2021, we launched our second sustainability challenge
asking, how used cooking oil can be converted into a
biodegradable base oil used for lubricants. We are currently
reviewing 2 finalists’ prototypes to choose and announce
our winner in the next quarter.
I strive to campaign for
new sustainable, innova e,
emerging technologies that
will have a transforma onal
impact on the way we
currently do business.

Separate from the sustainable open innovation challenges
that we launched, I am also very passionate about launching
training and development programs and helping create
engaging employment opportunities for aspiring job seekers
who are keen to build their experience and skill set.
This is why we are in the process of launching an online
training platform called the Omni Academy with a carefully
curated training program that will train and develop young
Saudis and better equip them with the skillset and knowhow
to become responsible corporate citizens who give back to
their communities in a sustainable manner.
Being an experienced leader, share your opinion on how
the adoption of modern technologies impacts your
industry and how is your company leveraging these
advancements to enhance its operations.
Our annual million-dollar Omnipreneurship Award is
always looking for the next big thing: new sustainable
technologies that will help us achieve our goals in a
sustainable, cost-effective way. These challenges reach out
to academics, startups, and innovators and ask them to
come up with innovative out-of-the-box technologies that
will dramatically change the way we operate while also
giving back to our communities.
Our commitment to finding and implementing nature-
positive solutions is not easy: we need buy in from
company leadership and colleagues to work together to
implement these solutions to ensure we tackle the many
climate challenges we are facing and ensure a sustainable
future.
Considering the current industry scenario, what
challenges do you face, and how do you drive your
company to overcome them?
I strive to campaign for new sustainable, innovative,
emerging technologies that will have a transformational
impact on the way we currently do business.
The Omnipreneurship Awards has aligned its goals with
Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 by identifying innovative
challenges, supporting the co-creation of innovative
solutions, and contributing to the implementation of
sustainable/eco-friendly initiatives.
Our Omnipreneurship initiatives and our sustainability
challenges encourage creating a circular economy through
sustainable innovations.
What would be your advice to budding entrepreneurs
who aspire to venture into the HR niche?
I would advise them to always commit to creating a healthy,
engaging work environment where their colleagues can
learn and thrive.
Also, ensuring that you invest in well-planned-out training
and development programs is key to ensuring you build a
skilled workforce.
And lastly, always ensure your organization has strong
values and passionately delivers meaningful impact at a
measurable scale.
How do you envision scaling Omnipreneurship
initiatives in Al-Dabbagh Group’s operations and
offerings in the future?
All of our initiatives are piloted locally on a small scale but
are then scaled up globally. Since the Al-Dabbagh group
employs 15,000 colleagues in 60 countries, and since we
are committed to spreading the culture and understanding of
Omnipreneruship across all our companies, then every one
of the initiatives we launch needs to be scalable and with a
positive global impact.
Involving your team in the setting of your goals and growth
plan gives them ownership and empowers them to work
towards a common goal. Linking these goals to giving and
sustaining initiatives grows their passion and loyalty, so you
are organically growing and globally scaling up your
projects.

SunilKumar
C
ommencing his career in 1994 in Pharmaceutical
Sales & Marketing in India, Sunil Kumar has
worked for national and multinational companies
for 12 years.
Sunil has also worked with various industries like
Construction & Engineering, Facilities Management,
Consultancy, Oil & Gas, Hospitality as Head of HR and
now working with Logistics & Supply Chain as Chief
Human Resources Officer. He left his position as Divisional
Sales Manager (PAN India) and moved to Dubai, where he
started his career as HR Manager in 2006.
With significant expertise in the industry and a staunch
leadership acumen, Mr Kumar is exhibiting excellence as
the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) of Frontline
Logistics Group.
In an interview with Insights Success, Mr Kumar shares his
professional tenure and highlights his journey along with
the challenges he surmounted to reach the horizons of
success.
Below are the excerpts from the interview:
Mr Kumar, tell us about your odyssey in the industry so
far. What challenges did you face along the way?
It was not an easy journey in the last two decades, facing
the world’s economic slowdowns and pandemic situations.
However, the best industry practices, training and
development of talents, succession planning, organizational
development, strategic and operational ideas, and
implementations has helped me to pass through these tough
situations.
One of my key leadership skills is the pace of the right
decision-making at the right time, with a clear focus on the
objectives.
A Resolute Leadership Exposing Brilliance
industry? How does your company promote workforce
flexibility, and what is your role in it?
In the last 5 years, the industry has seen a lot of ups and
downs due to various factors of world economic slowdown
as well as the pandemic; however, the group stood strong as
a team with the support of its Human Capital, which the
company values the most. The decision to start Back-office
operations started with 5 members and still continues to
grow from its present strength of 120 staff.
This BPO process helped the company to reduce the
manpower cost by one-third and thus was able to withstand
the business operations of another 550 staff in various front
offices in GCC, even without a layoff during the tough
periods. The company took various decisions such as
temporary salary deductions, work from home, part-time
work, outsourcing, etc., to avoid laying off the existing staff
and supported over 600 families.
We started the Logistics & Supply chain Academy
(Frontline Academy of Logistics) to train the young
generations professionally for the industry. Most of the
students were hired within the group, and many of the rest
were placed in India and GCC for other companies, catering
to the increasing need for professionally trained talents.
A journey of unlimited dreams—The journey began in
2009, at Kuwait, with a small dream of 3 entrepreneurs
from a humble background.
B.P. Nassar, President & CEO - Frontline Group
Mustafa Kari- Vice President -Frontline Group
Afsal Ali- Vice President -Frontline Group

Finding trained
logis cs
professionals was
indeed a tough
task, and to employ
the right candidate,
Frontline set up its
ﬁrst academy in
the same loca on
to train and employ
the candidate for
the organisa on’s
growth.
Sunil Kumar
Oﬃcer (CHRO)
Frontline Logis cs
Group

With the great support of Ms. Febina Nassar, Director - of
Frontline Group
In 2009, from a small office started in Kuwait with fewer
shipments, handling operations through tough logistics
challenges were effectively managed with dedication and
focus.
The strategy of a go-getter attitude led to the growth of
Frontline Logistics, a group presently spread across 12
counties with 26 offices and 600 plus professionals over 14
years. Frontline Logistics has been established as a strong
service partner for various GCC corporations.
With a simple mantra of ‘Services Unlimited,’ Frontline
Group has now ventured into every possible logistical
activity that includes, Freight Forwarding, Aviation,
Relocation, E-commerce, NVOCC, LCL Consolidation,
Procurement, 3PL, Auto Spare parts, Oil and Energy,
Military Logistics, Real Estates, Hospitality Projects, and
Training & Professional Certifications.
As a part of the Frontline’s CSR activity and upliftment of
neighbourhoods in the hometown of the directors, they set
up the first Back End support operations in a small village
in India named Eramangalam, Kerala state, now providing
employment for the local populace and venture them
globally. Currently, 120 staff members from this Back office
support the other 26 offices’ functions.
Finding trained logistics professionals was indeed a tough
task, and to employ the right candidate, Frontline set up its
first academy in the same location to train and employ the
candidate for the organisation’s growth. It grew it into a
successful venture with students coming far and wide to get
trained, that too within a span of 3 years, even during the
tough Covid Situation.
Frontline Academy is the only institute in India that offers 6
months of classroom and six months of 360 degree On Job
Training to their students with international Certification so
as to be employable anywhere across the globe. Recently,
the academy opened its second branch in the neighbouring
district.
After successfully establishing the back-end operations for
own branches, the group now offers BPO services to other
multinational firms from overseas. This helps the
companies have their remote staffs working from India,
thereby saving their operational costs by one-third. This
BPO division aims to employ 300 additional staff
members for BPO by the end of 2024 and 1000 by the end
of 2027.

Frontline Groups Hospitality division manages various
properties, including Hotels, Serviced Apartments,
Residential Suites, and commercials across multiple cities
in South India.
The upcoming mega project of Wellness Tourism under the
brand Sathmya Ayurveda Resort is expected to complete by
the end of 2024. This aim is to provide job opportunities to
around 150 staﬀ from the beginning. Another Ayurvedic
treatment centre in the name of Aptha Ayurveda has also
been functioning since the last year.
Hospitality Division recently introduced Frontlines Caravan
to promote caravan tourism in the state of Kerala. Frontline
Logistics plans to establish its presence in Europe and US
by the end of 2024.
What is your take on technology’s importance, and how
As a group, we are very much interested in the advanced
technological impact and implemented various ERP
systems and aim to have AI features to facilitate the
operations and thereby deliver the best customer service
practices.
Industry 4.0 is one of the ongoing challenges and we
prepare our Human Capital with sharpened skills and
develop a strong team to meet the ongoing requirements.
Strong succession planning had helped the organization, as
well as the team members, to grow together. (74
promotions in the year 2022, 57 promotions in 2021, and
32 promotions in 2020)
We are currently working on a plan for Vision 2027, with
300% overall growth in terms of revenue and human capital
and aim to have our presence in US & Europe. Venture into
various industry segments, and plan to convert each of our
services as independent business units.
Having a sharp vision and staying focused on the goals,
taking the right decisions at the right time and empowering
the team to grow together must be the minimum mantras
people should have, couples with 100% implementation of
your strategies and regular reviews to ensure that the things
work as per your plan. As the proverb says, if you fail to
plan, you are planning to fail.

The 10 Most Influential HR Leaders To Follow, 2023.pdf

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