Karen Dhillon

Indorama Ventures is a global integrated leader in PET, Oxide Derivatives and Fibers serving customers in diversified end-user markets. Indorama employs 26,000 employees across the globe.

Reporting directly to the Regional Business Director ANZ with dotted line to CHRO in US, responsible to drive all strategic & operations HR activities for the ANZ region. I lead initiatives to improve employee engagement, talent development and industrial relations resulting in satisfaction and retention.

Key Achievements

• Led payroll transition to finance, resulting in cost savings and improved accuracy within 3 months of starting in the role.
• Developed and led the implementation of Australian People Plan.
• Established trusted partnerships within the business in a very short timeframe.
• Delivery of precise and compliant HR operations in a timely manner and with the highest degree of accuracy.
• Lead cyclical activities including Talent Review, succession planning, remuneration review, succession planning, culture engagement and Performance Management.
• Coach and advise senior people managers on the full spectrum of employee relation issues across the business.
• Establish collaborative relationships with the union delegates and representatives.
• Devised hiring and recruitment policies for [Number]-employee company.

Howden is a global air and gas handling company supplying fans, rotary, heat exchangers, compressors, blowers, and gas cleaning equipment to mining, oil & gas and energy sectors. Howden employs 6000 employees across the globe.

I was part of the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region executive leadership team and delivered strategic and operational HR priorities, including starting up and scaling up newly established entities in the region. I was strategic business partner reported directly to the President of APAC based in Singapore and indirectly to the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) in the UK. I was responsible for a workforce of 350 employees across 10 countries in the region (Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia, Taiwan, South Korea and Japan). As a strategic Business Partner to the APAC Leadership team on all people & culture matters and led initiatives to improve employee engagement, talent and leadership development, DEI and wellbeing resulting in higher productivity, satisfaction and retention rates. Collaborated with the APAC leadership team to deliver the people strategy in the region while simultaneously being an active team member of the Global People Leadership Team aligning the Global People and Culture Agenda.

• Key Achievements
• Received the Employer of Choice excellence Australian HR award for 2020 and was listed as 2021 Employer of Choice in the HRD magazine.
• Designed & implemented new oragnisation design across the APAC region, resulting in transformation of the business and sustainable improvement in employee engagement.
• Implemented Smart & Collaborative Ways working arrangements post COVID, increasing flexibility and productivity for employees and customers.
• Implemented Workday system and HR processes to align with the business strategy.
• Achieved significant and sustainable improvement in Engagement results over a period of 3 years, reaching 85% satisfaction rate.
• Designed and implemented Leadership Development Program for middle level People Leaders, enhancing their skills and performance.
• Implemented AON Global Job Framework across the APAC region, standardizing job descriptions, levels and compensation.
• Successfully established new business entities in Japan, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia.
• Developed 2021 global wellbeing strategy, promoting employee health and wellness initiatives.
• Trusted partner, advisor and coach to the APAC region executive leadership team with responsibility to grow and transform the region by aligning People initiatives to business strategy
• Designed and executed talent attraction and retention strategy for the APAC region to meet growth target of 10% annually.
• Developed a robust talent and succession plan to ensure the region had right talent at the right time to deliver strategic priorities.
• Managed global mobility of critical & top talent within and outside of the APAC region, facilitating development of talent and cross-culture learning.
• Facilitated strategy and leadership development workshops, enhancing team alignment and vision.
• Managed sensitive employee relation issues across the region in multiple jurisdictions that had complex employment legislations ensuring compliance and fairness.

Reported directly to the Managing Director of Howden Australia business responsible to establish & lead HR function in Australia

Key Achievements

• Successfully managed a complex merger & acquisition, including organization structure redesign, recruitment of senior leadership team, redeployment and redundancy of employees.
• Achieved $400,000 year-on-year cost savings to the business by reviewing and optimising the Worker’s Compensation category.
• Achieved additional cost savings by designing and implementing a new redundancy procedure that reduced the severance payment.
• Implemented an online Performance Management and Development process that improved employee feedback and goal setting.
• Digitized all HR records, resulting in elimination of paper records and creation of administration efficiencies.
• Designed and implemented HR policies and initiatives in line with the overall business strategy, such as leave management, bullying and harassment.
• Led the provision of annual programs, including benefits, salary, incentives and performance management.
• Coached people leaders to build and improve their leadership capability, enhancing their skills in communication, delegation, motivation, and conflict resolution.

• Established and ran own independent consulting business
• Provided coaching and recruitment services to RailCorp.

HR Business Partners Division – HR Business Partners division of RailCorp partners with business units to ensure seamless delivery of HR services. In this role, I reported directly to the General Manager of HR Business Partners, I led coached and mentored a team of 15 HR Business Partners and was responsible for workforce of 11000 employees.

Key Achievements

• Successfully delivered two phases of significant cleaning reform, resulting in efficiencies, safety and customer satisfaction.
• Rolled out a Culture Survey to measure employee engagement, satisfaction and feedback across the Service Delivery Group.
• Implemented a realignment program of Service Delivery Group of RailCorp, enhancing efficiency, collaboration and performance.
• Worked in partnership with the Director of Operations and his management team on a full range of operational and strategic HR initiatives, such as succession planning, recruitment, culture change strategy, disciplinary issues and IR matters.
• Provided expert HR advice and support on a full range of HR matters to Service Delivery business divisions of RailCorp, ensuring compliance, fairness and best practices.
• Established strong working relationships with senior line managers to facilitate the implementation of HR strategies, frameworks and initiatives that supported the workforce and business requirements.
• Led a team of HR Project Business Partners through two phases of significant cleaning reform which resulted in extensive job losses and changes in work place systems and processes.