Sowmya B H

Award-winning HR leader with 18+ years building and scaling people functions across APAC and GCC markets, with deep grounding in the IT, Retail, Insurance and technology-enabled services sector. Proven partner to senior leadership on organizational design, workforce transformation, and culture-building — translating business priorities into HR strategy and operating models that scale with growth. Track record of leading large, multi-country HR teams (3,000+ employees, 6 countries), driving inclusive culture initiatives recognized nationally and modernizing HR operations through technology and automation.

Seeking to bring this strategic and operational depth to a CHRO mandate, with a strong foundation in governance, compliance, and data-driven decision-making to anchor the transition.

Anthropic

Academy–certified in AI Fluency; applies structured AI collaboration frameworks to workforce planning, HR process automation and responsible AI adoption in GCC/HRBP environments.

Associate Director – Human Resources at ANSR Global (2024-09 – Present)

Senior HR leader for multiple GCC-based technology and shared-services clients, with full accountability for the People function across 3,000+ employees in 6 countries. Acts as strategic HR advisor to client leadership teams.

• Serve as trusted HR advisor to client leadership teams on organizational design, workforce restructuring, and policy localization — translating business growth plans into people strategy across multiple GCC markets.
• Led the strategic consolidation of fragmented, vendor-dependent HR operations onto a single integrated platform — an organization-wide transformation spanning change management, governance redesign, and stakeholder alignment across client entities.
• Designed and implemented standardized HR operating models and governance frameworks adopted across client accounts, improving consistency and leadership visibility into HR performance.
• Established monthly executive governance reviews translating HR metrics (service quality, compliance, workforce data) into business-relevant insight for client leadership decision-making.
• Sponsored automation and digitization initiatives that cut manual HR effort by 30%, reallocating capacity toward strategic and advisory work.
• Maintained 100% payroll accuracy and full statutory compliance across jurisdictions — anchoring the credibility of the broader HR function with client leadership.

Sr. Director – People Operations (India) at Aditi Consulting Pvt Ltd (2024-06 – 2024-09)

• Provided strategic leadership across the full HR remit for India operations — Talent Acquisition, Employee Relations, Compensation & Benefits, and Engagement — aligning HR priorities directly with business objectives.
• Partnered with leadership on career development frameworks, performance management design, and retention strategy.
• Championed employee experience and culture initiatives, strengthening engagement and workplace sentiment during a period of organizational change.

Assistant Director – HR, APAC Region at Horizontal Pvt Ltd (2019-02 – 2024-06)

Regional HR leader for a three-country footprint, serving as strategic partner to Regional and Global HR leadership on workforce growth, talent strategy, and organizational expansion.

• Led manpower planning and talent strategy supporting 450% headcount growth, onboarding 500 employees across 4 years while preserving culture and organizational cohesion.
• Provided regional thought leadership on HR strategy, partnering with Regional Heads to shape and implement people initiatives aligned to business expansion goals.
• Directed the end-to-end setup of new offices in Vadodara, Jaipur, and Dubai, owning organizational readiness, local compliance, and leadership hiring.
• Led a 20% payroll cost reduction over two years through comprehensive compensation benchmarking and structural pay realignment — balancing cost discipline with talent retention.
• Directed the organization-wide payroll platform transition, managing vendor strategy, data migration, and zero-disruption cutover.
• Represented the APAC region in global HR transformation programs, partnering with Global HR & Operations leadership on standardization initiatives.

Assistant Manager – Human Resources at System Advisers Group (2016-01 – 2019-01)

• Drove compensation strategy and salary benchmarking that reduced payroll expenses by 20% while preserving pay equity and performance alignment.
• Designed and implemented retention initiatives that reduced attrition from 10% to 8% within one year, strengthening workforce stability.
• Delivered high-velocity talent acquisition — recruiting 70 professionals within 2 months for a high-priority client engagement.

Assistant Manager – Human Resources at Sawridge Systems (2015-01 – 2016-01)

• Managed recruitment, employee relations, and performance management, building the operational foundation for organizational HR practices.

Assistant Manager – HR at Marlabs Software (2011-08 – 2015-01)

• Supported HRIS implementation and HR process re-engineering, partnering with business units on engagement, retention, and L&D program delivery.

HR Associate at Wipro Technologies (2010-03 – 2011-08)

• Built early career foundation in IT-sector HR operations — campus hiring, lateral recruitment, and workforce reporting; earned ISO Q101 Quality Management certification.

MBA in Human Resources – Dr. Ambedkar Institute of Technology, Bengaluru

B.E. in Electronics & Communication – APSCE, Bengaluru