Q&A: Joshna Thakrar, Senior HR Executive
This Q&A series from Suzie Walker Executive Search shares wisdom and insights from senior leaders for the benefit of both clients and candidates.
About Joshna
Joshna Thakrar is a highly strategic, proactive, and commercially astute Senior HR Executive with extensive international experience (lived and worked in NYC, HK, Singapore, Sydney, Ecuador – work time spent in Japan, Thailand, Korea, Geneva, Paris, Germany, Amsterdam, and Zurich) . She brings a wealth of expertise in generalist HR, employee relations, and project management, particularly in the areas of restructures, carveouts, team lifts, mergers and acquisitions, divestments, system implementation, and transformation.
Her industry experience spans investment banking, retail and wealth management, asset management, fintech, private equity, and telecommunications. Joshna excels in influencing, communication, and interpersonal skills, having successfully navigated diverse local and global business environments of varying sizes, cultures, and complexities.
She is known for her resilience, attention to detail, and versatility, particularly in unionised settings. Her operational HR management capabilities extend to large client groups, supported by both direct and indirect reports, and she has effectively partnered with Centres of Excellence. With strong analytical, project management, and change management skills, Joshna has a proven ability to design and implement fit-for-purpose operating governance models within robust risk and control frameworks.
She is adept at developing senior leaders, line managers, and employees to enhance operational performance. Currently, Joshna serves as the Interim Human Resources Director at SPL - HR Consulting, where she leverages her strategic and commercial acumen as a senior HR leader.
Her interim experience includes senior HR roles at prestigious organisations such as Euronext, Arma Partners, Campbell Lutyens, SoftBank Group, Williams Lea Tag, Upland Software, and Deloitte. She has also contributed her expertise to American Express Global Business Travel, Vodafone, HSBC, Credit Suisse, Lloyds Banking Group, and Barclays.
Beyond her professional roles, Joshna is a dedicated Board Trustee at the Middlesex Association for the Blind, a Governor for the London Borough of Merton, and a Volunteer for the Metropolitan Police Merton Stop & Search Monitoring Group.
Joshna, thank you for joining us today.
We hope you enjoy this thoughtful and insightful conversation as much as we did.
Look out for more videos in our Q&A series in the Content Hub.
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