Chief People Officer, APAC

Overview

Our client is a cornerstone of the global industrial and technology landscape. A name synonymous with engineering excellence, innovation, and sustainability for over a century and a half, they operate at the forefront of digital transformation.

Their portfolio is critical to the future of industry, logistic, aviation, infrastructure, transport, and healthcare. The APAC region is their most dynamic and strategically vital growth market, home to a vast, diverse workforce and a hub for future-focused innovation. This is a rare opportunity to join the executive leadership of a true global titan.

The Mandate

The PATMI Partnership has been asked to identify and appoint a visionary Chief People Officer for the APAC region. This individual will be the principal architect of the human capital strategy for this complex, multi-country territory. The CPO will serve as a core member of both the regional executive team and the global HR leadership team, tasked with transforming the people function to power business growth, cultivate a premier leadership pipeline, and solidify the company\'s status as the employer of choice across the region.

We are seeking a strategic operator - a business leader first, with deep HR expertise - who can navigate immense complexity, drive large-scale transformation, and serve as a trusted counsel to the APAC CEO.

Responsibilities

• Business-Aligned HR Strategy: Craft and execute a multi-year people strategy that is inextricably linked to the commercial and operational objectives of the APAC business units.
• Executive Leadership & Influence: Act as the primary strategic advisor on people and organizational issues to the APAC CEO and the regional C-suite, influencing key business decisions.
• Talent & Succession Architecture: Overhaul the talent management framework to ensure a robust, diverse, and future-proof pipeline of leaders for critical roles across the region, with a keen focus on local talent development.
• Cultural Transformation: Champion and evolve a high-performance, inclusive culture that embodies the global values of the enterprise while respecting the rich diversity of the APAC region.
• Digital HR Acceleration: Lead the digital transformation of the HR function, leveraging data and analytics (Workday/SAP SuccessFactors experience highly desirable) to enhance employee experience and drive strategic insight.
• Operational Excellence & Compliance: Provide executive oversight for all HR operations, ensuring flawless compliance across the diverse and complex regulatory landscape of APAC nations.
• Team Leadership: Mentor, develop, and inspire a large, distributed team of senior HR professionals, elevating their capability to act as strategic business partners.

The Ideal Candidate & Qualifications

Experience

• 15+ years of progressive HR leadership within large-scale, multinational corporate environments.
• A minimum of 8-10 years in a senior HR leadership role (e.g., HR Director, VP HR, CPO) with direct responsibility for a multi-country APAC portfolio.
• Proven experience as a true strategic partner to a Country/Market/Regional CEO and their leadership team.
• Demonstrable expertise in leading complex, region-wide HR transformations (e.g., M&A integration, operating model redesign, cultural change programs).
• Deep, hands-on understanding of the talent, labor, and regulatory environments in key APAC markets (e.g., China, India, Japan, ASEAN).

Competencies & Attributes

• Strategic Acumen: Possesses superior business and financial literacy. Sees the direct line between people strategy and commercial value creation.
• Leadership Stature: Charismatic, influential, and credible. Can challenge, coach, and constructively debate with C-level executives.
• Cultural Fluency: Exceptional emotional intelligence and cross-cultural communication skills to navigate the vast diversity of APAC seamlessly.
• Results Orientation: A track record of delivering tangible, measurable business outcomes through people-focused initiatives.
• Change Agility: A resilient and agile leader who can thrive in a complex, matrixed global organization and lead through ambiguity.

Qualifications

• A Bachelor\'s degree is essential.
• An advanced degree (e.g., MBA, Masters in HR/IR) and/or senior professional certifications (e.g., SHRM-SCP, SPHR) are strongly preferred.

The Offer

This role represents a premier seat at the leadership table of one of the world\'s most respected corporations. It offers unparalleled scope, impact, and the opportunity to shape the future of work across a vast region. The compensation package will be comprehensively structured—including base salary, substantial variable incentives, long-term incentives, and executive benefits—and will be highly competitive to attract the foremost talent in the market.

Application Process

This is a strictly confidential search process. Initial inquiries will be managed with the utmost discretion.

Interested and qualified candidates should submit a comprehensive curriculum vitae.