The Human Resources function has evolved through the decades, in tandem with the dynamic and competitive business requirements. This has necessitated Human Resources to be a strategic partner to the business, hence requiring a more strategic and services-focused outlook. Focusing on the overall growth of a company, including the development and success of employees, the Human Resources function is now expected to partner with the business to be able to provide tangible value to the organization. Behind the evolution of the Human Resources function, lies the unperturbed dedication of industry leaders like Pooja Malik, who never hesitate to experiment and explore the uncharted terrains of what an HR leader can achieve.

As an agile, adaptable and experienced HR Leader, Pooja Malik is currently positioned as the Group Head of HR at Dmi Finance, guiding future generations on collaborating with the business to provide customizable, competitive and sustainable solutions. Having led various organisations towards success throughout her illustrative career journey, Pooja is dedicating herself completely to lead Dmi Finance to greater summits by the virtue of her unmatched industry expertise. Here are some highlights from our interaction with her.

Give us a brief overview of Dmi Finance.  What are some important features of your expertise as an HR professional?

Technology, new partnerships, and innovative thinking are all being used by Dmi to rethink how credit is distributed in India. Dmi now specialises in digital lending, corporate lending, home financing, MSME finance, and asset management. Dmi's mission is to direct India's digital revolution in order to entirely recreate digitally native financial services.

Our determined focus on managing internal & external stakeholders has enabled us to build a future-ready organization to not only serve our customers and channel partners, but also our employees. To create a culture of support where each employee has access to resources for their holistic development, we have developed a thorough long-term plan focusing on a range of actions from hyper-personalization to career development and growth opportunities, a compassionate way of communication, new-age wellness programmes, and fostering employee engagement. Our most recent designation as a & Future Ready Business& by the Economic Times HR Awards is a testimonial to this very effort. Empowerment and meritocracy are promoted by the organization. As a driven person, I prefer remaining engaged and give best efforts at my job.  At Dmi HR Operations are `Business as Usual' and my primary focus is on Strategic HR Leadership and Talent Management.

Take us through your early educational journey and the prior industry experience. After graduating from Jesus and Mary College with a bachelor's in sociology, I oversaw the HR Operations at the US Embassy in India. I kept working there while obtaining my Post Graduation from XLRI Jamshedpur. I joined MSD Wellcome Trust, as their HR and Management Head. Then, while on sabbatical, I worked as a freelance HR consultant to further my personal objectives while still developing my career.I eventually became the Vice President of HR-Corporate at Anand Automotives, a core manufacturing company, as I kept achieving my own objectives. Before joining Dmi Finance as Group Head-HR, I was connected withMytrah NN4 Electric as Head HR. I had the chance to develop a solid skill set from all of these diverse industry experiences.

What are your various roles & responsibilities as the Group Head at Dmi Finance?  Tell us about some key business challenges that you face & how you counter them.

My current role gives me the freedom and authority to implement changes as well as the chance to build a business that upholds the values of transparency, respect, trust, and empowerment. Among my duties include establishing HR transformation plans, developing employee engagement programmes, and talent acquisition. My prior challenges included convincing the organisation to invest as much in people as in commercial success and gaining executive backing for innovative HR initiatives. Dmi is more advanced in this regard, investing heavily in both people and in technological and commercial advancement.

I work in the very collaborative field of HR which requires participation of many to enable the firm in achieving its goals. Therefore, my collaborative mindset, the assistance and support I was able to receive from my colleagues, and my ability to persuade or convince stakeholders of the necessity of doing things were the three characteristics that worked for me.

“Collaboration, focusing on the bigger picture & the ability to influence people has worked for me throughout my career. One needs to recognize her/his own potential &  cultivate a career in line with one's own unique professional & personal ambitions”

What are some of the most significant milestones that you have achieved? What has been the driving force behind your success as a business leader?

Milestones are for me are the means to an end. One of the consequences that I hold dear is that when I visit any of my former employers, people remember me as a capable professional who significantly transformed their HR procedures. I am regarded as being fair and compassionate, even if I occasionally had to make difficult choices that were unfavorable to some. Additionally, I have been able to change every organization I have worked with into a stage of a performance-centric institution with international practices.

Drawing from your experience as a successful business leader, what would your advice be to young women and girls who also aspire to become business leaders and entrepreneurs in the future?

My advice would be to be collaborative and be the driver of your own life.  Women often feel that they need to prove they are smart, but that's not always the case. A collaborative attitude not only helps you to grow but also allows others to seek help from you too. Secondly, don't be a victim. Take action which makes sense to you, even if someone cannot understand. Personally and professionally, do what is suitable for you and be assertive, instead of compromising and blaming a person or circumstances. Most importantly, turn challenges into opportunities. Agility, Adaptability, and Versatility are the cornerstones of growing in any field.

Pooja Malik,Group Head Of Hr,Dmi Finance

Pooja is a seasoned HR professional with a strong track record in strategic HR leadership positions, encompassing end-to-end HR Management in a variety of cultures & industries. Having worked for the US Government, a US-UK joint venture in the pharmaceutical industry, Core Indian Manufacturing, electric mobility, & financial services, she has been exposed to the best global HR practices in a complex & demanding environment.