Mumbai: Speeding up its growth journey, dentsu has strengthened its leadership team with the appointment of Unmesh Pawar as chief people officer (CPO) for India & South Asia. In his new role, Pawar will report to dentsu APAC chief people officer Luke Speers, and dentsu India interim CEO Peter Huijboom.
Pawar will continue to bolster dentsu’s distinctive talent expertise across the Indian and South Asian markets, overseeing all aspects of the talent strategy while assisting dentsu India leadership in shaping the culture journey to retain and attract best-in-class talent. He will also continue to work towards enhancing the network’s employee experience and overarching value proposition - stepping up the network’s consistent effort to design a future-ready, people-focused organisation that delivers against the changing needs of clients in this fast-moving economy.
Pawar has more than 25 years of experience in diverse aspects of human resources, with an early foundation in services and consulting. He has expertise in developing high-performance leadership teams and leading large-scale, complex cultures. He has built differentiated capabilities for well-known brands such as Accenture, Mastek, Tata, and Peerless by designing and deploying innovative talent management practices.
Previously, Pawar served as KPMG's chief people officer, guiding the brand through a period of rapid change and delivering on a progressive people agenda.
Speaking on the appointment, Speers said, "We are delighted to have Pawar joining us. His experience and performance over a long period of time perfectly align with the transformational nature of developing people, strategies, and products fit for the future. The path ahead for this great market is incredibly exciting, and I very much look forward to partnering with him to enhance the way our employees experience dentsu every day."
Huijboom added, "dentsu has always positively adapted to the fast-changing market dynamics with agility. Attracting and retaining key talent is crucial to continuing to serve our clients with excellence and passion. Pawar will play a key role in that. The experience and expertise he brings will add value and help accelerate success. We are delighted to have him on board!"
Sunil Seth, who has been supporting the network as human resources director for South Asia, will continue to maintain his role in dentsu India. He will report to Pawar and focus on the people function's operations, making sure they are set up for success.
Speaking on his new role, Pawar commented, "The ongoing transformation has set dentsu on the path to lead the future and become the preferred choice for its clients. It is a huge opportunity for me to build a talent-powered capability that is distinctively local. This is a fantastic opportunity to grow and deliver innovation and value, and nurture talent as we instil new levels of pride amongst our employees."
