Faith Pereira

Unyielding Grit & Grace

Faith Pereira

Head of HR,

MatchPoint Solutions

For those driven to forge their paths and redefine success, obstacles are mere challenges to overcome. Faith Pereira embodies this ethos; her journey is coloured by extraordinary resilience and fortitude in the face of personal adversity. Beginning her professional career as the Country Level Head at Wurth Elektroniks, Faith embarked on a trajectory demanding trust and leadership, despite stepping into uncharted professional territories. However, beyond the confines of her career, Faith encountered challenges that tested her mettle to its core. Navigating the demands of single parenthood while manoeuvring through career transitions, Faith Pereira displayed remarkable resilience during a period marked by personal challenges. At a time of divorce and without familial support, she embraced the responsibility of raising her three-year-old daughter while striving to excel professionally. This phase, balancing the needs of a young child with the demands of a burgeoning career, highlighted Faith’s unwavering dedication and determination. Her journey, laden with personal trials and professional challenges, took an unexpected yet favourable turn after witnessing significant organisational growth over 13 years. This pivotal moment led her to MatchPoint Solutions, where her values aligned seamlessly, allowing her to flourish both in her professional role and in her personal fulfilment. Within the nurturing environment fostered by MatchPoint Solutions, Faith not only reclaimed her leadership stature but also emerged as a mentor, guiding and nurturing emerging leaders within the organization. In a conversation with TradeFlock, Faith discussed her resilience, embodying qualities of fortitude, empathy, and transformative leadership.

What unique strengths distinguish you as an HR leader, particularly in the dynamic engineering solutions industry?

My strengths as an HR leader in the engineering solutions industry lie in my technical acumen with cutting-edge tools, strategic talent management, adaptability, collaborative leadership, data-driven decisionmaking, change management expertise, and commitment to compliance and ethics. I also prioritise employee development, focusing on building not just industry experts but impactful leaders. This approach guides policies tailored to actual employee needs, fostering work-life balance and optimised pay structures, and enhancing productivity and well-being.

What were the toughest challenges you encountered as an HR professional in engineering?

In engineering HR, I’ve adeptly managed challenges like talent acquisition in a competitive market, bridging technical skill gaps, steering diverse teams, facilitating seamless technological transitions, retaining key talent, advocating for diversity and inclusion, ensuring strict regulatory compliance, and resolving various employee relations issues. Balancing the responsibilities of single motherhood within a competitive industry demanded not just professional excellence but also a resilient, positive outlook. This experience emphasised the importance of adaptability and strategic thinking in navigating the ever-evolving landscape of engineering.

With your startup background, how will you scale HR practices while preserving the agility inherent in startup cultures?

With my startup background, I recognise the essence of preserving agility while scaling HR practices. To maintain this delicate equilibrium, I aim to implement scalable HR systems and technology. Adopting agile recruitment strategies will ensure adaptability. A structured yet flexible onboarding process will swiftly integrate new hires. Goal-oriented performance management practices encouraging continuous feedback will be crucial. I’ll facilitate ongoing learning opportunities and create adaptable HR policies to streamline scaling without unnecessary bureaucracy. Fostering a startup culture demands transparent communication, proactive employee engagement, and leveraging HR analytics for informed decision-making.

What do you do outside of work for a balanced life and rejuvenation?

Maintaining a holistic lifestyle is key for me to thrive in all aspects of life. My faith in Jesus Christ plays a central role—I find solace and positivity through reading and meditating on scriptures, which greatly enhances my mental well-being and quality of sleep. Music is another passion; I compose and write gospel songs. Cooking and hosting gatherings bring me immense joy. Staying physically active is essential. I enjoy dancing and take pride in managing my chores. Above all, spending time with my toddler is my greatest delight. Exploring new places invigorates me, and I indulge in crafting organic skin and hair care products. Additionally, I pursue fashion consulting as a hobby. These activities collectively recharge me and contribute significantly to a balanced and fulfilling life outside of work.

What are your future plans?

My future is expansive—I aim to venture into consulting, fashion, skincare, and writing while establishing a shelter for women and children. This space won’t just provide refuge; it’ll empower individuals to stay true to themselves, teaching resilience without compromising their beliefs. I aspire to coach individuals through life’s complexities, offering guidance and support through tough decisions. My goal is to emphasise that success doesn’t require sacrificing convictions. Empowerment, especially for women, children, and teens, is crucial; teaching them to stand firm in their truths amid societal pressures. These plans aren’t solely about personal pursuits; they’re about fostering resilience, integrity, and empowerment in others, striving to create a positive impact that resonates beyond personal success.

How do you manage talent growth and succession in specialised areas like cloud infrastructure, AI, and security for sustained skilled leadership?

I’d craft a robust strategy aligning with our business objectives and the dynamic landscape of cloud infrastructure, AI, and security. This involves conducting skill gap analyses, aligning talent development with long-term goals, pinpointing critical roles, establishing a leadership competency framework, tailoring individual development plans, facilitating cross-functional training, identifying high-potential individuals, creating succession plans, staying updated on industry trends, and defining metrics to measure the efficacy of talent development and succession planning in these specialised domains.