Chief People Officer (CHRO)

Position: Chief People Officer (CHRO) – Group HR Location: Chennai About the Role We are seeking a highly accomplished and strategic HR leader to join our client’s organization as the Chief Human Resources Officer. The incumbent will lead the Human Resources function across the Group and its subsidiaries, driving people strategy, organizational effectiveness, talent acquisition, leadership development, workforce productivity, culture transformation, and HR governance. The ideal candidate will be a seasoned HR professional with extensive experience in large, professionally managed and listed organizations, preferably from Business Services, Hospitality, Healthcare Services, Logistics, Security Services, Retail, Telecom, Aviation, or other manpower-intensive service industries. This role requires a dynamic leader who understands the complexities of managing large and geographically dispersed workforces while partnering closely with the Board, CEO, MD, and business leadership teams. Key Responsibilities Strategic HR Leadership Develop and execute the Group's people strategy aligned with business objectives and growth plans. Act as a trusted advisor to the Board, MD, CEO, and business leaders on all people-related matters. Lead HR transformation initiatives, organization restructuring, workforce optimization, and change management programs. Build a high-performance culture across all group entities. Talent Acquisition & Workforce Planning Drive end-to-end talent acquisition strategy for corporate, leadership, and frontline workforce requirements. Develop robust hiring frameworks to support rapid business growth across multiple locations. Establish strong employer branding initiatives and recruitment excellence practices. Lead workforce planning and manpower budgeting across group companies. Leadership Hiring & Succession Planning Design and implement succession planning frameworks for critical leadership positions. Identify and develop future leaders through structured talent review processes. Drive executive hiring and leadership assessment programs. HR Operations & Governance Oversee all HR functions including Talent Acquisition, HR Operations, Employee Relations, Compensation & Benefits, Learning & Development, Performance Management, and HR Compliance. Ensure compliance with labour laws, statutory regulations, and corporate governance requirements. Establish and monitor HR policies, systems, controls, and best practices across subsidiaries. Employee Relations & Workforce Management Lead employee engagement, retention, productivity, and workforce stabilization initiatives. Manage large employee populations across multiple business units and locations. Drive harmonious industrial and employee relations across the organization. Compensation & Rewards Design competitive compensation, benefits, and reward frameworks. Benchmark compensation structures against industry standards and market trends. Drive performance-linked reward and recognition programs. HR Analytics & Digital Transformation Leverage HR analytics and data-driven decision-making to improve workforce effectiveness. Drive digitization and automation of HR processes and systems. Develop dashboards and metrics to monitor organizational health and productivity. Desired Candidate Profile MBA/PGDM in Human Resources from a reputed institution. 20+ years of progressive HR experience with at least 8-10 years in senior leadership roles. Prior experience as CHRO, Group HR Head, Chief People Officer, EVP-HR, or equivalent leadership position. Proven experience managing large employee populations (5,000+ employees preferred). Demonstrated success in leading large HR teams across multiple locations. Strong expertise in Talent Acquisition and workforce planning. Experience working in listed companies and professionally managed corporate environments. Excellent understanding of labour laws, industrial relations, compensation strategy, and organizational development. Strong stakeholder management and board-level presentation skills.