Essar Power has appointed Soumiya Venkateswaran as head of human resources, effective August 2026. She brings more than 20 years of experience across strategic HR management, business partnering, talent development, organisational effectiveness and employee engagement.
Venkateswaran joins Essar Power from Axis Bank, where she served as senior vice president – human resources from April 2024 to August 2026. As an HR partner for the bank’s Wholesale Banking business, she worked with leadership teams to develop and implement people strategies aligned with business requirements. Her responsibilities included performance management, employee development, compensation planning, organisational development and employee engagement. She also led the design and delivery of the bank’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) agenda.
Before her elevation to senior vice president, Venkateswaran served as vice president – human resources at Axis Bank from January 2020 to March 2024. During her tenure, she worked on HR business partnering, talent management and organisational effectiveness, supporting people-related priorities across the business.
Earlier, she was general manager – human resources at WNS Global Services from June 2019 to January 2020, where she gained experience in HR leadership within the business process management sector.
Venkateswaran spent 13 years at Jet Airways, from June 2006 to May 2019, progressing to the role of manager – human resources. She handled end-to-end HR operations for the airline’s corporate functions across its network. Her responsibilities included talent acquisition, manpower planning, performance management, compensation and benefits, employee onboarding, employee engagement and HR compliance.
At Jet Airways, she also managed workforce budgeting, recruitment cost analysis, performance appraisal processes and HR reporting, supporting corporate functions in a time-sensitive aviation environment.
Venkateswaran holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Administration, specialising in Human Resources, from SIES College of Management Studies, which she completed in 2006.
In her new role at Essar Power, she will draw on her experience in strategic HR business partnering, workforce planning, talent management and employee engagement to support the company’s people priorities and organisational requirements.
