The Payal Nanjiani Leadership Podcast

NANDINI MEHTA | CHRO OF METRO BRAND LTD

Ms. Nandini Mehta is a passionate leader with more than two decades of
experience in Retail Operations, Training, and HR. She currently heads HR for Metro Brands Ltd. in the capacity of CHRO. She is known for her transformational work in Training and HR and has handled turnkey roles in her current as well as previous organization. Ms. Mehta loves learning new things, handling challenges, and building teams to deliver results. Some has been a key contributor in making her
previous organization a Great Place to Work.

In her previous organization, she also headed the DEI initiatives at a group level. She is not just a double graduate but has also done her PGCHRM from XLRI
and is a certified executive coach from CFI. She has represented her organizations on various panel discussions, interviews, and keynote speeches. She has been recognized as the Woman Achiever of the year 2016 - 17 by Jain University and also as Top 100 HR Professionals in the year 2017-18.

Dr. Niranjan Hiranandani | Acclaimed industrialist and philanthropist from
India and founder and MD of the Hiranandani Group of Companies. 

An entrepreneur of his generation with a degree in Chartered Accountancy,he leads companies that cross sectors from real estate to the new age of data centers,industrials, and logistics. Hiranandani Group was transformed into a global conglomerate by his futuristic vision and sharp business skills. He
embarked upon entrepreneurial roles by being at the helm of India’s leading real estate business house, ‘Hiranandani Group’. He is rightly accredited as a "Real Estate Wizard" for his extensive knowledge, industry expertise, and penchant for policymaking. 

He holds key positions in prominent industry and Government organizations, as well as chairs numerous trusts and private bodies, earning him the title of 'Thought Leader' in the Indian business ecosystem.


His skills as a mentor, motivator, guide, philosopher, and leader enable him to
build a strong team that has deep self-actualization and self-esteem. He exemplifies true leadership qualities by developing a cadre of leaders who share his values and sense of responsibility. His personality is defined by leadership, brilliance, excellence, and philanthropy. A visionary man aptly referred to as "the man who saw tomorrow" is well known for his

Kamal Sharma | Digital Transformation Leader

He is a digital technology leader with over 20 years of experience driving digital transformation for large MNCs as well as Indian business conglomerates across multiple industries. Kamal is a well-known culture evangelist who helps people maximize their potential to drive digital innovation and develop digital strategies.

Kamal Sharma is an accomplished GCCs/GICs digital technology leader with extensive experience in
driving digital transformation for large MNCs across multiple industries. Currently, he holds the
position of Senior Director of Digital Transformation at Carrier, a global leader in HVAC, refrigeration,
fire, and security solutions, where he spearheads Carrier's digital charter and its Global Capability
Centre – Digital Hub India – in Hyderabad. As a Digital Transformation Leader, Kamal is also
responsible for driving digital innovation, developing and implementing digital strategies that align
with Carrier’s overall business objectives and enhances the company's competitiveness in the rapidly
evolving digital landscape.
With a wide-ranging experience in technology, business strategy, and digital leadership, Kamal has
worked with top-tier MNCs like Satyam and IBM for many years and has earned the distinction of
becoming one of the youngest CIOs at the age of 28 while leading Mindlance as its youngest-ever
Global CIO. Over the last two decades, Kamal has navigated various strategic and leadership roles,
delivering successful digital transformations for multinational giants such as Jay Kuling and Tally
Solutions.

D Narain | President, South Asia, and Global Head of Smallholder Farming
for Bayer.

 As President for South Asia, D oversees Bayer’s Life Science business operations across
India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan, and as Global Head of Smallholder Farming, he leads the
efforts focused on providing holistic and innovative solutions for farmers in developing economies to
enable them to grow their farms into sustainable businesses.
D has more than 3 decades of global experience in the Food and Agriculture sector, having
leadership roles in Asia, Europe, and the Americas. He is a passionate advocate of transforming
Smallholder Agriculture globally to improve livelihoods and foster rural development through
building and scaling socially focused commercial enterprises. He has also been a pioneer in bringing
innovative financing and risk management solutions to farmers across the world.
He started his career with ITC in India and was part of the team that spearheaded ITC’s entry into
Agribusiness. In 1998, he joined Monsanto as Chief Financial Officer for the India Region and held various global Finance and Commercial roles worldwide. In 2015 he was named
Monsanto’s Executive Officer & Treasurer at its global headquarters in St. Louis, USA. Passionate
about driving leadership and organisation development including inclusion and diversity, D has
mentored hundreds of leaders across functions throughout his career. In 2017, he was named as one of
the top Diverse Business Leaders by the St Louis Business Journal for his continued focus on
expanding the impact of inclusion and maximizing a growing diverse workforce within Monsanto and
in the community. Post-acquisition of Monsanto by Bayer in 2018, D took over his current role, steering
the integration of Monsanto with Bayer in the region, resulting in a significant acceleration in business
growth. He is also a Chartered Accountant.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in Commerce from the University of Madras in Chennai, India, and an
MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University in Illinois, USA.