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Leading HR
in Hypergrowth

By Arnaud Despierre, Senior Partner

What does it take to shape the people agenda of an organization in hypergrowth mode? What kind of CHRO is more likely to be successful in an environment that can often be in a state of ‘controlled chaos’?

For the last few years, as central banks have opened the taps of cheap money, the world has been awash with liquidity. A flood of capital is chasing good business ideas and there is a wave of hypergrowth companies rushing to become unicorns.

Hypergrowth companies can be start-ups or scale-ups but, in both cases, speed is a defining factor. For hypergrowth CEOs who have a clear business vision and easy access to capital, the biggest bottleneck is often people. This is where a strong Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) can make a significant difference in the development of the company.

Our team at Kingsley Gate interviewed eight CHROs of some of the most successful hypergrowth companies in Asia to share their experience and lessons learned. The picture they painted was highly consistent.

All hypergrowth CHROs concurred that they need to think and act like a business leader to make a true difference.
Contributors
Anand Wong
Anand Wong
VP of People & Culture at Love
Bonito
Chin Yin Ong
Chin Yin Ong
Chief People Officer
Grab
Cary Shek
Cary Shek
Vice President
People & Culture Look
Sophie Xue
Sophie Xue
Senior HR Director
Alibaba Group
Joyita Poddar
Joyita Poddar
Chief Human Resources Officer Livspcae.com
Genevieve Godwin
Genevieve Godwin
Chief People Officer PropertyGuru Group
Srikanth Chandrashekhar
Srikanth Chandrashekhar
Founder of Scribe Zero and Member Singapore Institute of Directors
Sonam Jain
Sonam Jain
Group Human Resources Manager Jadestone Energy
Key
Insights
Hypergrowth companies
are challenging environments
Hypergrowth companies, often technology or e-commerce related, offer challenges that can differ starkly from established companies.
This is not your typical
corporate HR role
In hypergrowth, the CHRO role transforms into a hands-on, results-driven business leader, breaking away from conventional HR norms and prioritizing simplicity in strategies.
Leadership in hypergrowth
requires special attributes
Thriving as an HR leader in hypergrowth demands attributes such as being a data-driven problem solver, embracing failure as part of the journey, daring to hire those smarter and pacing oneself in the relentless environment.
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