HR transformation is the process of elevating HR from an administrative support function into a strategic business partner, one that touches structure, technology, and process while staying tied to commercial outcomes. In this session, Maher Sabbagh, Group Director of People, Culture at AmicaVerse Holdings, breaks down what it actually takes to align HR strategy with business goals from the very start of that journey.

Maher argues that HR leaders need to understand the operating model and speak the commercial language of the business, not just its policies and procedures, since every HR decision ultimately affects the bottom line. He draws on his experience leading HR due diligence on a $1.5 billion acquisition involving 15,000 employees across four manufacturing facilities in Bangladesh, illustrating how deep business involvement shapes a successful transformation.

The conversation also tackles performance management as a continuous dialogue rather than a once-a-year event, the challenge of shifting organizational culture from the top down, and how HR should be structured, including centers of excellence, HR business partners, and the sensitive question of when to bring in senior leadership to carry a transformation through.