Leaders
Studies show that companies with strong HR strategies experience 3.5 times higher revenue growth and 2.1 times greater profit margins. Yet, too often, HR is treated as a support function rather than a strategic driver of success. Effective HR leaders design talent ecosystems where innovation, engagement, and performance drives the company forward. Suhasini Deshpande, Director of Fidelitus HR Labs, is a dynamic HR leader with over 21 years of experience in building and scaling HR functions from the ground up.
What started as chance quickly turned into expertise, as she sharpened her skills working with startups and scaling companies to manage diverse teams across continents. Currently, as the Director and P&L Head of Fidelitus HR Labs, she acts as a strategic advisor to help businesses shape their workforce and scale effectively. From technical recruitment to CXO hiring, performance management to employee engagement, Suhasini has done it all. Her ability to transform HR into a core business function makes her an invaluable leader who ensures that companies not only grow but thrive with the right people in place.
Engaging in an interaction with Women Entrepreneurs Review magazine, Suhasini shares the details of her journey as one of the leading HR consultants in the country. Let’s read about it.
Could you introduce Fidelitus HR Labs and describe your key roles and responsibilities as its Director?
Fidelitus HR Labs is part of the Fidelitus Group, which has been in the industry for over 12 years. We are positioned as growth partners for companies at various stages of their journey. We act as strategic advisors, talent partners, campus recruitment experts, or even completely managing their HR function to provide tailored HR solutions on demand.
As the P&L Head and Director of Fidelitus HR Labs, I oversee the end-to-end business operations to deliver value-driven HR solutions. I drive client development, participate in pitches, and advise companies navigating mergers, acquisitions, and investor relations.
Beyond external partnerships, I focus on building and nurturing my team so that we stay ahead of the industry trends and deliver exceptional service.
We are strategic partners who help companies structure, optimize, and future-proof their workforce
What are your primary focus areas for driving growth at Fidelitus HR Labs from a Human Capital perspective?
We envision growth as a two-way street, that is when our clients succeed and we succeed. Since we specialize in startups and scaling businesses, our focus is on building their human capital strategy in line with their long-term vision. For instance, if a company aims to reach a certain valuation by 2027, we work backwards to design the right talent roadmap so that they have the right people in the right roles at the right time.
HR has traditionally been an in-house function, but we are changing that by offering expert, on-demand solutions tailored to business needs.
What critical challenges do you face in your current role, and how do you navigate them?
Being in HR presents its unique challenges, especially as I work to shift the perception of HR from a backend function to a core strategic pillar of business growth.
One of the most effective ways I tackle these challenges is through communication. Having been a communication coach, I understand how HR is perceived, and I tailor my approach accordingly. If someone sees HR as just an administrative function, I don’t push back aggressively, I educate them through narratives, real-world examples, and data-driven insights to help them understand its strategic value.
What are the most significant milestones in your professional journey?
One of the most significant milestones in my career was leading the creation of a unified HR policy book for a company operating across four continents. It was a complex challenge because each region had a different labor laws, work cultures, and business mindsets.
The goal was to develop a single policy framework that remained 85-90 percent uniform across all locations while respecting local regulations. It took months of research, collaboration, and countless late nights to witness one policy book, one orientation, and one performance review system for a global workforce.
How do you envision India's HR landscape evolving, and what industry trends do you foresee shaping the future?
India’s HR landscape is evolving rapidly, with AI, automation, and technology becoming central to the conversation. While these tools enhance efficiency, HR can never lose its human and emotional quotient. No technology can replace the experience, empathy, and intuition that come with working closely with people. The key is to integrate technology in a way that complements the human touch in HR rather than replace it.
Another critical shift is the need for HR to be more adaptable as the workforce expands to include Gen Z, and eventually, Gen Alpha.
Suhasini Deshpande, Director, Fidelitus HR Labs
Suhasini Deshpande, Director of Fidelitus HR Labs, began her journey with a B.Com degree and a postgraduate diploma in journalism and PR before discovering her passion for human resources. Throughout her career, she has held key HR roles at companies such as Adecco, New Era, Razorsight, Tarams Software, and Acendre.
Awards and Recognitions won: The Best Team Leader of the Year, Employee of the Year, Rock Star of the Year.
Business leaders you admire: Ratan Tata, for showing that success and empathy can go hand in hand. Dr Verghese Kurien, for the way he brought people together to create Amul from the ground up proves that strong leadership is about empowering others to build something bigger than themselves.
