Culture anchored on trust, redefining HR inside out
Siti Sabariah Ahmad Murtazam, Assistant Vice President of People & Culture, Kumpulan Wang Persaraan (Diperbadankan), widely known as KWAP, secured the Best Up and Coming HR Leader category at the 2025–2026 HR Stars Awards Malaysia. This win highlights her career trajectory, starting as a young talent in the graduate programme to her current role as […]
Brewing Culture at Scale: Combining AI and empathy at Kopi Kenangan
“Rapid scaling and genuine empathy aren’t opposing forces. When technology handles the administrative weight, leaders gain the space to put people first.” — Gemini Aryanto, Group Chief People & Culture Officer, Kenangan Brands When Gemini Aryanto brought three decades of global HR experience across Nestlé, Danone, and Yum! Brands to Kenangan Brands (Kopi Kenangan), […]
When modern leadership means banking on talent
Dr. Syukri Sudari, the Group Chief People Officer of Affin Bank Berhad, clinched the top honour in the Best HR Leader category at the 2025–2026 HR Stars Awards Malaysia. The award serves as a definitive recognition of his career imprint. Rather than steering HR as a traditional administrative support function, he has intentionally reimagined the […]
Five questions HR should ask at mid-year reviews
Mid-year reviews provide an important checkpoint for organisational alignment and workforce health. In Southeast Asia’s fast-moving business environment, six months can significantly alter market conditions, workforce needs, and performance expectations. HR teams, therefore, benefit from structured reflection during this period. Rather than focusing solely on target achievement, mid-year reviews offer insight into engagement, capability gaps, […]
Five signals employees feel they truly belong
Belonging is increasingly recognised as a core driver of engagement and retention across Southeast Asia. In multicultural environments such as Singapore and Malaysia, belonging influences how employees collaborate, contribute ideas, and commit long-term. While diversity can be measured numerically, belonging is experienced emotionally and behaviourally. Organisations often assume that inclusive policies automatically translate into belonging. […]
Five mistakes companies make when approaching DEI
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) have become strategic priorities across Southeast Asia, particularly as organisations expand regionally and operate in multicultural environments. However, despite strong public commitments, many companies struggle to translate intent into meaningful progress. DEI efforts often stall due to structural gaps, inconsistent leadership support, or a lack of measurable accountability. In markets […]
Five ways organisations can build everyday inclusion
Inclusion in Southeast Asia extends beyond diversity representation to everyday behaviours that shape belonging. Multicultural, multilingual workplaces are common across the region, particularly in Singapore and Malaysia, making inclusive practices essential for cohesion and performance. While formal diversity initiatives signal intent, inclusion is experienced daily through communication, decision-making, and recognition. Employees often evaluate belonging based […]
The First Word: People-first workplace transformation
At a time when the future of work is being reimagined across industries, hospitality is proving that meaningful transformation is not only possible but already underway. This year, Hilton has been recognised as the #1 World’s Best Workplace — the only hospitality company to achieve this twice in just three years — and also ranked […]
Five ways HR can normalise mental health conversations at work
Mental health awareness has increased across Southeast Asia, yet workplace conversations remain cautious in many organisations. Cultural stigma, fear of judgment, and hierarchical dynamics often limit openness. HR professionals, therefore, play a critical role in creating safe structures for dialogue. In markets such as Singapore and Malaysia, corporate wellbeing initiatives are expanding, but uptake varies. […]
The First Word: Leadership lessons from the frontline of Special Education
I was 19 when I first stepped into special education. At that age, I did not think about leadership in a serious way. I thought leadership belonged to people much older than me, people with years of experience, big job titles, and lots of confidence. I certainly did not expect to learn about it in […]
