Outstanding Female in HR Leadership

Sheena Ponnappan serves as the Chief People Officer at Everise, where she acts as the primary architect of the human capital strategy for a global workforce that has scaled to over 30,000 "Champions" across six strategic markets. With over two decades of experience in global talent management, Sheena has been a cornerstone of Everise’s executive leadership team since 2016. Her mandate covers the entire spectrum of the "hire-to-retire" lifecycle, where she seamlessly integrates HR strategy, succession planning, and global leadership development to support the company’s rapid international expansion while maintaining industry-leading retention rates. Under Sheena’s visionary leadership, Everise has achieved diversity representation that serves as a benchmark for the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and Customer Experience (CX) sectors. Currently, 71% of the total workforce is female, with women holding 46% of leadership positions. Her commitment to inclusivity is truly multidimensional, extending beyond gender to include mature-age employees (3.53%), individuals with disabilities (1.1%), and members of the LGBTQIA+ community (1.14%). To ensure these values are systemic rather than symbolic, she established the Everise Diversity Council. This body is dedicated to eliminating pay disparities, challenging subconscious bias, and implementing equitable policies that champion underrepresented groups worldwide. Sheena’s philosophy is rooted in the belief that holistic well-being is a primary driver of business performance. She pioneered flexible work-at-home models and family-friendly benefits that prioritize work-life harmony for a modern workforce. Her targeted wellness initiatives, including specialized stress management and health seminars tailored to women’s unique needs, have significantly enhanced employee morale. These efforts are validated by an extraordinary 91% average favorability score in the company’s latest DEI report, indicating that the vast majority of the workforce feels empowered to succeed. By blending empathy with strategic rigor, Sheena Ponnappan has redefined employee experience, proving that a culture of belonging is the ultimate catalyst for sustainable business growth and organizational excellence.