Dhirendra Nath
Group Chief People Officer
Dhirendra Nath is a visionary Senior Human Resource leader responsible for driving multi-generational global workforce strategy across SLK Group businesses. Over two decades of diversified experience across different industry segments shaped Dhiren (as he likes to be called) into the seasoned professional he is today.
In this exclusive interview, Dhiren engages with CEO Insights and walks us through his exceptional professional journey and the unique traits of SLK Group.
What is the motivation that fuels your daily routines?
I believe at the core of every successful and sustaining organization there is a strong enabling culture that manifests into a committed workforce. Building and sustaining such an enabling culture is complex, challenging and exciting. This is what motivates me every day. Over the past few years, a CHRO’s role has become more strategic with increased emphasis on employee well being, experience and engagement, leading to high performing teams.
We are at that exciting juncture in time with a multitude of factors simultaneously impacting the Workplace, creating tsunami like upheaval, making corporates respond by incorporating hybrid, digital and gig approaches with much more velocity. This also has a direct implication on all people
processes career management, performance management, rewards etc. We could not have bargained for a more exciting opportunity than this.
How would you define SLK as an organization and its position in the market? What is the unique proposition that your organization offers to clients?
SLK is a unique company in a variety of ways. Our niche lies in staying flexible, nimble-footed and technologically advanced. I describe it as a “small-big company”. Being small makes us hyper focused on customers, extremely agile and highly entrepreneurial. At the same time, we have a size (character of big) that allows us to bring all the capabilities to the customer in the IT services area, be it software development, highend digital skills, AI ML solutions all under one roof. This mix of being small, flexible, and entrepreneurial while also providing a full spectrum of services to customers gives us an edge in the market.
The second aspect is that we are extremely focused on automation. We are not averse to cannibalizing our own revenue in the quest bringing an automation driven transformative way of achieving results for customers, unlike the traditional model of status quo driven long-term engagements of managing BAU. This approach makes us a trustworthy player for customers. Zero customer attrition from inception is a testimony to our bold customer centric approach. Coupled with our core value “Customer Intimacy”, a large part of our growth has been referential, which speaks volumes about deep customer satisfaction.
The bedrock of such differentiation with customers is built through institutionalized robust practices driven by non hierarchical, open culture, formal and informal connects across our teams and
How would you define SLK as an organization and its position in the market? What is the unique proposition that your organization offers to clients?
SLK is a unique company in a variety of ways. Our niche lies in staying flexible, nimble-footed and technologically advanced. I describe it as a “small-big company”. Being small makes us hyper focused on customers, extremely agile and highly entrepreneurial. At the same time, we have a size (character of big) that allows us to bring all the capabilities to the customer in the IT services area, be it software development, highend digital skills, AI ML solutions all under one roof. This mix of being small, flexible, and entrepreneurial while also providing a full spectrum of services to customers gives us an edge in the market.
We all are the product of our exposure. No challenge is big enough and there is a solution for everything. All it requires is a positive mindset and critical thinking
The second aspect is that we are extremely focused on automation. We are not averse to cannibalizing our own revenue in the quest bringing an automation driven transformative way of achieving results for customers, unlike the traditional model of status quo driven long-term engagements of managing BAU. This approach makes us a trustworthy player for customers. Zero customer attrition from inception is a testimony to our bold customer centric approach. Coupled with our core value “Customer Intimacy”, a large part of our growth has been referential, which speaks volumes about deep customer satisfaction.
The bedrock of such differentiation with customers is built through institutionalized robust practices driven by non hierarchical, open culture, formal and informal connects across our teams and
transparent exchange, helping us create a harmonious working environment. Our talent practices are driven with the aim to achieve a seamless experience and an empowering ecosystem where all lifecycle processes are simple, self service driven, objective, well defined and transparent.
Could you reflect on some of the toughest challenges you have encountered in your journey so far? How did you overcome them and what did you learn from them?
There is no one instance that I can pinpoint as the toughest moment in my journey. I firmly believe ‘We all are the product of our exposure’. No challenge is big enough and there is a solution for everything. All it requires is a positive mindset and critical thinking. I can recount my stint abroad managing multiple geographies as something that has influenced me deeply to be the professional, I am today. I faced a new challenge every day – an unparalleled and steep learning curve. Dealing with diverse socio-economic, cultural, linguistic and legal ecosystems while managing teams in Africa, the Americas and Europe is unique and kept me on my feet.
In recent times, the pandemic has tested all of us both as professionals and as individuals. However, never before has the role of CHRO been so vital in ensuring employee well-being without affecting business continuity.
Dhirendra Nath, Group Chief People Officer, SLK Group
Dhirendra Nath, Group Chief People Officer at SLK, has led the people strategy the firm's rapid growth and is chartered to make SLK an employer of choice. He is a change agent and a significant contributor in SLK Group’s transformative journey from a single firm to a bouquet of companies, driving synergistic capabilities across the technology spectrum. Dhiren’s career, a remarkable two-decade journey, has traversed the length and breadth of corporate HR across the globe, building, scaling and transforming operations in multiple regions, across large businesses.
Could you reflect on some of the toughest challenges you have encountered in your journey so far? How did you overcome them and what did you learn from them?
There is no one instance that I can pinpoint as the toughest moment in my journey. I firmly believe ‘We all are the product of our exposure’. No challenge is big enough and there is a solution for everything. All it requires is a positive mindset and critical thinking. I can recount my stint abroad managing multiple geographies as something that has influenced me deeply to be the professional, I am today. I faced a new challenge every day – an unparalleled and steep learning curve. Dealing with diverse socio-economic, cultural, linguistic and legal ecosystems while managing teams in Africa, the Americas and Europe is unique and kept me on my feet.
In recent times, the pandemic has tested all of us both as professionals and as individuals. However, never before has the role of CHRO been so vital in ensuring employee well-being without affecting business continuity.
Dhirendra Nath, Group Chief People Officer, SLK Group
Dhirendra Nath, Group Chief People Officer at SLK, has led the people strategy the firm's rapid growth and is chartered to make SLK an employer of choice. He is a change agent and a significant contributor in SLK Group’s transformative journey from a single firm to a bouquet of companies, driving synergistic capabilities across the technology spectrum. Dhiren’s career, a remarkable two-decade journey, has traversed the length and breadth of corporate HR across the globe, building, scaling and transforming operations in multiple regions, across large businesses.