Minakshi Samant

Partnering with business leaders and organisations on strategic people, culture, and transformation priorities in fast-evolving business environments. Engaged in selective, high-impact advisory assignments focused on aligning people strategy with business performance, strengthening leadership capability, and enabling organisational effectiveness. Areas of focus include: • Performance Management System (PMS) design and transformation • Leadership alignment and effectiveness at senior levels • Organisation and culture transformation initiatives • Change management and workforce effectiveness • Strategic HR partnering for business and operational leaders • Incentive and performance-linked people practices • Integration of digital and AI-led approaches into people strategy and decision-making Bringing together enterprise HR leadership experience, business understanding, and transformation-led execution across complex and growth-oriented environments.

Founded and currently leading the Dabholkar Foundation, a purpose-led initiative inspired by a long-standing personal vision and created in memory of my father. Focused on building a structured, scalable, and humane ecosystem for the rescue, care, rehabilitation, and protection of abandoned and injured animals. Driving the foundation’s evolution from grassroots rescue efforts to a more sustainable and community-driven model by strengthening operational processes, building partnerships, enabling volunteer engagement, and expanding long-term impact. Passionately committed to creating compassionate, responsible, and lasting change in animal welfare through both direct care and community awareness. Website: dabholkarfoundation.org

Executive Director – Sales January 2024 – March 2025 Transitioned fully into a business leadership role to lead Sales across India & SAARC, following a period of dual responsibility across HR and Sales. Led sales strategy and operations, driving a more agile, decisive, and customer-focused operating model. • Revamped incentive structures and sales capability programs to accelerate revenue growth • Strengthened execution discipline and market responsiveness across sales teams • Drove alignment between sales strategy, customer outcomes, and business performance Executive Director – HR (with additional responsibility for Sales) April 2023 – December 2023 Continued to lead HR while being entrusted with additional responsibility for Sales leadership during a critical transition phase, reflecting enterprise-wide leadership trust and strong commercial acumen. Balanced dual mandates across people strategy and revenue delivery, ensuring continuity in both leadership and business performance. • Continued leading HR while simultaneously overseeing sales function. • Stabilised leadership and maintained momentum during transition to new HR leadership • Strengthened alignment between people strategy, incentives, and revenue outcomes Executive Director -HR May 2020 – March 2023 Led HR strategy for a multi-billion-dollar revenue business, partnering closely with executive leadership to align talent, operating performance, and financial outcomes. Impact Highlights: • Partnered with business leadership in a $6B revenue environment, aligning people strategy with revenue acceleration and margin protection • Led HR for both Business vertical and Global Shared Services • Strengthened leadership and succession pipeline in critical roles • Redesigned performance and incentive structures to drive accountability and productivity • GPTW certification for the first time and consecutive years • Enabled workforce planning aligned to capital allocation and long-term business priorities

Leveraged a transition phase to deepen expertise in career and leadership coaching, while undertaking selective HR advisory assignments. Certified in Career Mentoring & Facilitation and Life Coaching, with a focus on driving meaningful, outcome-oriented transformation. Worked closely with early-career talent to bridge the gap between academic readiness and workplace expectations. Delivered independent HR advisory support to organisations on strengthening people practices and processes.

HR leader for APAC. I was responsible for the end-to-end HR function for APAC countries.

Led HR strategy for India operations, aligning people, compliance, and performance frameworks within a regulated, quality-sensitive healthcare environment. Impact Highlights: - Partnered with the Managing Director and leadership team to align talent strategy with business expansion and operational stability. - Strengthened manufacturing and commercial workforce capability to improve productivity and execution reliability. - Navigated complex stakeholder environments, including regulatory, compliance, and plant-level workforce dynamics. - Enhanced leadership capability and succession planning to reduce operational risk. - Built structured performance management systems aligned to business KPIs and long-term growth targets. - Drove engagement initiatives that supported retention of critical technical talent in competitive markets.

Led HR for a high-intellect, client-driven analytics and consulting business within a global matrix structure. Impact Highlights: - Partnered with senior leadership to support client-facing consulting teams in high-performance, deadline-sensitive environments. - Strengthened talent acquisition and retention strategies for niche research and analytics capability. - Built performance and reward frameworks aligned with revenue contribution and client delivery excellence. - Managed stakeholder expectations in a global matrix, balancing regional and global priorities. - Supported business restructuring and change initiatives while maintaining engagement and productivity.

Partnered with business leaders in a global chemical manufacturing environment to align workforce strategy with operational and safety performance. Impact Highlights: - Supported plant and business leadership in driving productivity, workforce stability, and safety culture. - Managed industrial relations and complex workforce dynamics in manufacturing setup. - Strengthened leadership capability at plant and functional levels to improve execution discipline. - Enabled workforce planning aligned to operational demand and cost structures. - Ensured compliance, governance, and risk mitigation in a high-regulation environment.

I was heading Human Resources and Admn function for Lokhandwala group of companies. Responsible for Complete HR function from strategy to execution for Lokhandwala Infrastructure (Construction company) and Solo Commodities (Retail Company dealing in branded international luxury products) and Better Homes (Real Estate Brokerage consultancy - joint venture with Better Homes , Dubai). .

March 98 to May 2000 - Commercial Executive June 2000 to December 2002 - HR Executive January 2003 to March 2005 - HR Manager, India April 2005 to January 2008 - Regional HR Manager - Asia Pacific I was Responsible for the Human Resources & Admin function for the entire APAC region. Built the entire HR function for APAC from scratch, including Employee Policies, payroll structure, statutory compliances, Performance management, Grading structure, career mapping, Learning and Development, Strategic HR intervention, and business partnering at all levels. Launched Peoplesoft in the entire APAC region. Holding Career Compass, Success factors, and HRMIS responsibility for the whole region.