Stelis Biopharma today announced the appointment of S Raghavendra Rao as chief human resources officer (CHRO). Rao joins the biopharmaceutical company after managing multiple roles at Siemens, where he was the vice president & head, learning and leadership development.
An HR professional with over two decades of cross sectoral experience, Rao has held many positions in manufacturing, engineering, automotive, apparel, footwear, semiconductor, IT, R&D at some of the most recognised Indian organisations like Arvind, Eicher, and Tata and some of the most prominent brands world over such as Volvo, ABB, NXP Semiconductors (formerly Philips) and Siemens Ltd.
With a strong grasp of business and organisational fundamentals, Rao comes in with a stellar track record of impacting and transforming organisations and individuals. Driving large scale change management comes with an ease for him as his expertise spans the entire HR value chain. Driving business aligned strategic HR and influence business outcomes, talent development and leadership development and driving HR in start-up ventures is where he thrives.
He has demonstrated strong implementation capability in Quality Management Systems which include ISO Management System, People Capability Maturity Model (PCMM) and Total Quality Management.
Rao began his professional career with Eicher’s international division as the head of people- related processes, in 1995. There, he was responsible for all end-to-end HR functions.
In 1998, Rao moved to Volvo India as senior manager-HR, where he was responsible for recruitment, training and development, compensation and benefits, as well as employee relations.
After six years at Volvo, he moved on to ABB Global Services, as the head of HR. He stayed put there for almost five years, leading the corporate R&D centre, engineering services centres, as well as manufacturing units.
In 2009, he left ABB to join NXP semiconductors, as director and country HR manager. Additionally, he held the position of global business HR partner for an R&D sector in Europe, where he was responsible for providing strategic leadership for the HR function, in the leadership team.
Post NXP, he did a short stint at Tata Motors for more than a year, as the head of HR and administration, handling the entire gamut of HR and administration functions, including formulating the HR strategy, structure and systems. After Tata, he joined Siemens as the head-HR, in 2013.
A bachelor of commerce from Bangalore University, Rao holds a PGDPM in human resource management from the National Institute of Personnel Management. He is also a research scholar in organisational behaviour from XLRI.
Commenting on his new role, the newly appointed CHRO said, “I am looking forward to playing my part in overseeing human resources management, setting the HR agenda and allow the organization to approach HR from a more strategic and long-term perspective. “