10 Women HR Leaders Making a Difference Through Workplace Culture and People Practices
On the occasion of International Women’s Day 2026, Amazing Workplaces® recognises a group of women HR leaders who are quietly but powerfully shaping the future of workplaces. Their work goes beyond policies and processes. They are influencing culture, strengthening employee experience, and building environments where people can perform, grow, and feel valued.
Human Resources today plays a critical role in organisational success. As businesses evolve, HR leaders are expected to act as strategic partners, culture architects, and change enablers. The leaders featured in this special coverage represent exactly that spirit of leadership.
Each of them brings a distinctive perspective to people management—whether it is strengthening employee engagement, creating inclusive workplaces, building leadership capability, or navigating organisational change. Their contributions demonstrate how thoughtful HR leadership can directly influence workplace culture and long-term organisational resilience.
Below are ten women HR leaders whose work is making a meaningful difference.
Lata Sharma
Senior Director – HR | SNVA Group
With extensive experience in human resources, Lata Sharma has consistently focused on building workplaces that prioritise collaboration, employee well-being, and organisational alignment. Her leadership approach centres around creating an environment where employees feel heard, respected, and empowered to contribute their best work.
Lata has played a key role in shaping workplace culture through initiatives that strengthen employee engagement and promote transparent communication. She has emphasised the importance of building trust across teams and ensuring that organisational values translate into everyday employee experiences.
Through her work, Lata has demonstrated how HR leadership can influence not only policy frameworks but also the deeper cultural fabric of an organisation. Her efforts reflect a commitment to nurturing workplaces that balance performance with empathy and long-term employee development.
Manisha Dash
Head HR – APAC | Celigo India
Manisha Dash is a seasoned HR leader and strategic business partner with experience across organisations such as Amazon, Deloitte India, and Water Health International. Currently leading the HR function for APAC at Celigo India, she focuses on building people practices that support organisational growth while strengthening employee experience.
Over the years, Manisha has contributed to initiatives across talent acquisition, performance management, leadership development, and HR analytics. She has played a key role in supporting organisational expansion while maintaining a strong emphasis on employee engagement and collaborative work environments.
A strong advocate for diversity and inclusion, Manisha continues to encourage workplace practices that create equitable opportunities and strengthen organisational culture. Her work reflects the growing role of HR leaders in shaping workplaces where people feel valued, supported, and empowered to contribute meaningfully.
Amruta Kharnal
Senior Manager – People & Culture | Beyond Key
Amruta Kharnal has made significant contributions to shaping progressive workplace environments by emphasising employee engagement, inclusivity, and organisational transparency. Her work reflects a strong belief that a positive culture directly influences both employee satisfaction and business performance.
She has actively contributed to developing people practices that support employee growth, encourage cross-functional collaboration, and strengthen leadership capabilities across teams. Through these initiatives, Amruta has helped create work environments where employees feel motivated to contribute meaningfully.
Her leadership demonstrates how HR professionals can serve as catalysts for organisational transformation by strengthening both people systems and workplace culture.
Divya Sathyan
Vice President – People & Culture | Zafin
Divya Sathyan is widely recognised for her thoughtful approach to people leadership and organisational development. Her work focuses on building strong people practices that enhance employee experience while supporting business growth.
Divya has contributed to initiatives that strengthen talent development, employee engagement, and leadership capability. Her efforts have helped create work environments where employees feel supported in their professional journeys while remaining aligned with organisational goals.
Through her work, she continues to emphasise the importance of building cultures rooted in trust, accountability, and continuous learning.
Ashu Sharma
Associate Vice President – HR | RSWM Limited, LNJ Bhilwara Group
Ashu Sharma has consistently worked towards transforming HR into a strategic partner within organisations. Her leadership focuses on aligning people practices with long-term business objectives while ensuring that employee well-being remains central to organisational culture.
Through her work, she has encouraged the adoption of progressive HR practices that strengthen employee engagement, leadership development, and workplace transparency.
Ashu’s approach reflects the growing importance of HR leaders as drivers of cultural transformation and organisational resilience.
Keerti Dubey
General Manager – HR | Republic Media Network
Keerti Dubey brings a strong perspective on people leadership and organisational culture through her experience in dynamic and high-performance work environments. She has played a key role in strengthening HR systems that support employee engagement and workplace collaboration.
Her work has involved developing frameworks that encourage leadership accountability, enhance communication across teams, and strengthen the overall employee experience.
Keerti’s contributions demonstrate how thoughtful HR leadership can support both organisational efficiency and employee satisfaction.
Priyanka Vanjari
Head – Human Resources | P. N. Gadgil Jewellers
Priyanka Vanjari has played an important role in promoting people-first workplace cultures. Her leadership philosophy centres on ensuring that organisations remain responsive to employee needs while maintaining a strong focus on business outcomes.
She has been instrumental in encouraging inclusive workplace practices and supporting initiatives that enhance employee engagement and workplace fairness. Her work reflects a commitment to building environments where employees can contribute confidently and grow professionally.
By prioritising a culture of respect and inclusion, Priyanka continues to influence the way organisations approach employee experience and workplace culture.
Lalitha M Shetty
Vice President – HR | Omega Healthcare
Lalitha M Shetty brings a strategic and thoughtful perspective to human resource leadership. Her professional journey reflects a strong focus on aligning people practices with evolving business needs while maintaining a strong commitment to employee well-being.
Over the years, Lalitha has contributed to building HR frameworks that strengthen organisational culture and enable teams to thrive in changing business environments. She has been particularly recognised for encouraging open dialogue, continuous learning, and leadership accountability across organisations.
Her work highlights the importance of creating people strategies that are not only efficient but also deeply human-centred. Lalitha continues to influence HR thinking through her focus on building resilient, future-ready workplaces.
Pooja Madappa
Senior Vice President – Global HR | Netradyne
Pooja Madappa has been actively involved in shaping people practices that support both organisational growth and employee development. Her leadership approach focuses on enabling teams to thrive through supportive policies, transparent communication, and collaborative work environments.
She has contributed to strengthening employee engagement frameworks while also supporting initiatives that encourage innovation and cross-team collaboration. These efforts have helped create workplaces where employees feel valued and motivated to perform at their best.
Pooja’s work highlights the evolving role of HR leaders as facilitators of culture, growth, and organisational alignment.
Simmi Shibu
Head – Learning & Development | The Akshaya Patra Foundation
Simmi Shibu has contributed significantly to strengthening workplace culture through initiatives that prioritise employee trust, engagement, and organisational alignment. Her leadership focuses on ensuring that employees feel connected to the organisation’s purpose and values.
She has supported the development of people-centric practices that promote collaboration, continuous feedback, and leadership accessibility. These efforts help create workplaces where employees can grow both professionally and personally.
Simmi’s work reflects the growing emphasis on building organisations where culture becomes a shared responsibility across all levels.
Conclusion
As organisations navigate rapid change, the role of HR leaders has never been more important. The women featured in this International Women’s Day special represent a new generation of HR leadership—leaders who understand that culture, trust, and employee experience are central to organisational success.
Their work demonstrates that meaningful workplace transformation does not happen through policies alone. It is built through consistent effort, thoughtful leadership, and a genuine commitment to people.
By strengthening culture, encouraging inclusion, and supporting employee growth, these leaders are helping shape workplaces that are more resilient, collaborative, and future-ready.
As we celebrate International Women’s Day, their journeys serve as a reminder that leadership in HR has the power to influence not just organisations, but the broader world of work.
Disclaimer
The leaders featured in this article have been included based on information shared with the Amazing Workplaces® editorial team along with publicly available professional profiles. The selection highlights women HR leaders who are contributing to workplace culture, employee experience, and progressive people practices within their organisations.
The order in which the leaders appear in the article is random and does not represent ranking or hierarchy. This editorial feature is intended to acknowledge diverse contributions made by women HR leaders in the corporate ecosystem.
