Championing Cultural Transformation & Performance Excellence
Ankita Panda
Regional Human Resources Director – Asia Pacific
Championing Cultural Transformation & Performance Excellence
Ankita Panda
Regional Human Resources Director – Asia Pacific
3A Composites India Pvt. Ltd.
Some careers are built step by step; others take shape through bold leaps of faith. For Ankita Panda, Human Resources Director – Asia Pacific at 3A Composites India Pvt. Ltd., it has been a blend of both—a journey defined by trust, courage, and a relentless belief in the power of people to transform businesses. Her defining moment came in Singapore, when she stepped into her first full-time corporate role as an HR business partner. The scope was ambitious: navigating across multiple business verticals, adapting to different market maturities, and influencing leaders from day one. But instead of relying on a manual, she carved her own—designing initiatives from scratch, collaborating across cultures, and learning in real time what it means to lead through people. Today, at 3A Composites, Ankita applies that same fearless approach to shaping the company’s people agenda across a diverse and dynamic region. She has led sweeping transformations in performance management, nurtured a culture of adaptability, and pioneered flexible work models customised for local markets while keeping the organisation’s global values intact. A Singaporean citizen with experience spanning Singapore, Southeast Asia, and India, Ankita brings deep cultural intelligence,consulting expertise, and a rare balance of strategic vision with hands-on execution. For her, HR leadership is not about following a rulebook; it’s about creating clarity in complexity, building future-ready teams, and ensuring that every people strategy drives business results. As she puts it, “When I commit, your mission becomes my mission.” How does she deal with them? Let us know here.
Can you share a challenging people initiative you led that delivered unexpected yet transformative results?
At 3A Composites, one of the most fulfilling challenges I led was shifting our regional culture to truly celebrate performance and accountability. When I joined, pay structures and appraisals looked very different from one country to another. We introduced a “pay for performance” approach, a region-wide variable pay system, and a transparent performance process built on continuous feedback and growth. But this was never just about policies; it was about people. We listened, involved leaders early, and gave managers the tools to have open, honest conversations. The real win? Seeing managers grow more confident, employees take charge of their development, and everyone feels their contributions truly mattered.
This mindset shift, from directing to enabling, has strengthened my own leadership approach, helping me lead with empathy, trust, and a focus on long-term development.
What is your vision for the future of HR in Asia Pacific, and how are you preparing for it?
Asia Pacific is inherently complex and incredibly dynamic. And for global organisations like 3A Composites, the future of HR lies in building regional strength with global alignment. We must continue to design flexible, locally relevant solutions that reflect market dynamics, regulatory requirements, and cultural nuances while remaining grounded in global values and people principles. Our hybrid work model is a great example—a minimum of three days in the office, with flexibility based on role and business need, allowing us to foster collaboration without compromising agility. Looking ahead, I believe HR in this region will play an even more strategic, datadriven, and employee-centric role. Focus areas like leadership development, capability building, and culture shaping will be critical in driving sustainable business growth. Personally, I continue to invest in market immersion, cross-industry learning, mentoring, and staying connected to the pulse of both the business and our people. HR leaders today must not only respond to change but also actively shape what comes next
Which new tools or platforms have most transformed your approach to recruitment or performance management?
Digital platforms have transformed how we approach recruitment and performance management in recent years. Our IPCM (Individual Performance & Career Management) system is embedded across the region, ensuring fairness and consistency, and is part of our daily rhythm, enabling regular checkins, structured feedback, and realtime recognition. Dashboards and people analytics help us make proactive decisions—from predicting attrition risks to identifying performance trends and designing targeted engagement strategies. We’ve learnt that tools succeed only in a culture of accountability and openness, so we’ve invested in change management through storytelling, capability building, and demonstrating how technology strengthens, not replaces, human connection. New additions like digital suggestion boxes, career frameworks, and automated feedback tools are making HR more transparent, responsive, and employee-centric.
What leadership lesson has mentoring others taught you that you’d pass on to aspiring HR professionals?
Mentoring emerging HR talent across the region has been one of the most fulfilling aspects of my role. I’ve observed that while many early-career professionals are technically capable, they can feel uncertain when navigating ambiguity or articulating their value with confidence. These mentoring moments have reinforced an important truth for me: leadership isn’t about having all the answers; it’s about asking the right questions, offering clarity, and creating space for others to grow. This mindset shift, from directing to enabling, has strengthened my own leadership approach, helping me lead with empathy, trust, and a focus on long-term development. To aspiring HR professionals, my advice is simple: your technical expertise matters, but what truly sets you apart is your ability to build trust, communicate with impact, and influence without authority. Stay curious, keep learning, and always understand the “why” behind your work. That’s how you create lasting impact—in HR and beyond.
