Join us for Driving Success: Embedding HR Insights into Executive Strategy, a powerful session designed for senior HR leaders who want to amplify their influence and become indispensable partners to the CEO and executive team.
In this session, you'll learn how to:
- Position HR as a driver of business performance and innovation
- Translate talent strategy into measurable business impact
- Use data and analytics to guide executive decision-making
- Build executive presence and influence at the leadership table
- Foster cross-functional collaboration to shape cohesive strategy
- Communicate HR’s value in terms that resonate with the C-suite
Whether you're a CHRO or an aspiring HR executive, this event will equip you with the tools, insights, and confidence to lead at the highest level.
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from top industry leaders and walk away with actionable strategies to elevate your role.
Moderator:
Maureen Reese, Principal, Korn Ferry
Maureen is committed to solving her client’s most pressing hiring needs. She takes a consultative approach within her portfolio, assisting clients with scaling teams, providing market insight on talent, retaining top talent, and ensuring her hiring managers make sound business decisions for the company.
Maureen Reese specializes in finance & accounting searches for private equity or venture capital-backed hyper-growth companies. Maureen's industry expertise lies within media, SaaS, fintech, digital health care, entertainment, aerospace & defense, construction, non-profits, and professional services firms.
Maureen began her career as a corporate spokesperson for global corporations and was an Emmy-nominated Screen Actors Guild actor in New York, appearing in national commercials and TV shows. She was an on-camera trainer for the FBI, IRS, and the CIA. Maureen worked as a career coach with individuals and organizations in higher education and executives on Wall Street and the White House.
Maureen continues to refine her business skills at Harvard Business School’s Executive Training Program and holds a B.A. in Communications from North Carolina State University. She graduated from the Stanford Meisner Acting Program, the Actor's Studio at Lee Strasberg Theater Conservatory, and the Protocol School of Washington. She holds a certification in Corporate Etiquette and International Cultural Protocol and currently serves on the alumni board of the Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School.
Panelist:
Elisa Watts | Chief People Officer | Culture Bilder | Growth Partner
Elisa was most recently, the Chief People Officer at Bitly, where she led global HR strategy to drive growth, transformation, and inclusive culture. With prior leadership roles at Kaplan and Megaphone by Spotify, Elisa has built HR functions from the ground up, guided organizations through major transitions, and helped shape the people side of high-impact business decisions—including Spotify’s acquisition of Megaphone. Spotify's largest podcast company deal as of that date.
Her career spans Fortune 500s, edtech, SaaS, and investor-backed environments, where she’s led HR teams through rapid change and scaled talent strategies to match evolving business needs. Elisa is known for bridging business and people strategy, fostering collaboration, and unlocking the full potential of individuals and organizations.
She thrives in fast-paced, innovation-driven settings and brings a people-first approach to leadership. For Elisa, HR isn’t just about policies—it’s about creating environments where people can do their best work. When organizations get the people part right, everything else follows.
Bhavna Dave, MBA | Chief People and Culture Officer
Bhavna is a Human Resources and operations executive that has over 15 years of experience building and scaling small to mid-size global organizations and people functions by aligning the business and people strategy. Leads and develops the people function by leveraging metrics and creating a talent strategy that drives business impact. Partners, coaches and consults CEOs and Executive team members to build high performing organizations and team-driven cultures. Her specialties include: change management, US and international HR operations, transformation of HR functions, building and scaling organizations and people functions, mergers and acquisitions, metrics and analytics, executive coaching.
Anum Ganju — Global HR Executive | Culture Architect | Strategic People Leader
Anum is a visionary and hands-on Human Resources executive with over 14 years of experience driving people strategy across the Entertainment, Retail, and Hospitality sectors. Currently serving as the Global Head of Human Resources at José Andrés Group, where she leads the company’s global HR vision, infrastructure, and culture strategy across a dynamic portfolio of culinary and hospitality ventures.
Previously held senior leadership roles including Vice President of Human Resources at Seaport Entertainment Group, where she led HR integration post-merger and oversaw operations across New York and Las Vegas, and Chief People Officer at City Winery, where she built the HR function from the ground up for a multi-state organization with over 1,200 employees. Earlier roles at RealHR Solutions, Citarella, Sonnier & Castle, and Fireman Hospitality Group further showcase her expertise in organizational development, talent acquisition, employee relations, compliance, and operational execution.
Recognized for her ability to balance strategic foresight with tactical execution, Anum is a trusted advisor to executive leadership and a champion of inclusive, high-performance cultures. Her superpower lies in building scalable HR infrastructures that support long-term growth and transformation.
Timeline
8:00am - 8:45am - Registration + Breakfast + Networking
8:45am - 9:00am - Interactive Team Building Activity
9:00am - 10:30am - Program
IN ORDER TO QUALIFY FOR 1.5 HRCI + SHRM CREDITS
PROGRAM ATTENDANCE IS REQUIRED
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