In an era of rapid technological advancements and evolving workforce expectations, the summit spotlighted the trends and innovative HR solutions shaping the retail industry. Thought leaders and experts shared insights on fostering a culture of innovation, integrating emerging technologies into human resource management, and adapting to the changing dynamics of retail HR.
The highlight of the summit was the Keynote Address by Sunjoy Dhaawan, Vice President-HR, DHL Express India.
Emphasizing the critical role of people, growth, and digitalization in business success, Sunjoy Dhaawan said, “In order to become profitable and stay profitable, managing costs or reducing costs is one of the single most important thing in the minds of not only HR people but also business leaders. Improving supply chain resilience is the second. Becoming more environmentally sustainable is becoming a key priority already with 22% people ranking it amongst the top 3. And the fourth is growing market share. The HR ask is to get the HR equation right. I firmly believe that P is equal to GQ has to be the equation. What is P here? People. It’s the people who will deliver the growth and the quality for you. Technology will also help you to become a great, create the right kind of engagement, both mass as well as customized. But it is also important that you keep a balance of tech and touch. And therefore, in your HR equation, I have added another element- the D for digitalization is very critical for HR and the business to be able to be successful. And therefore P is equal to GQ plus the D.”
RAI Retail HR Tech Summit 2025 – Kumar Rajagopalan, CEO, RAI; Sunjoy Dhaawan, Vice President-HR, DHL Express India
The day-long summit featured a series of engaging panel discussions and roundtable sessions where HR leaders and industry experts explored the transformative role of technology in retail workforce management. Key discussions included ‘The Role of HR Tech in Enhancing Employee Experience,’ ‘Enhancing the Role of Technology in Learning and Engaging with the Next-Gen Retail Workforce,’ and ‘HR Metrics That Matter: Using Tech to Measure and Optimize Workforce Productivity.’ Additionally, a special session, ‘ZingHR.ai & Retail: The Power of One,’ provided insights into AI-driven HR solutions.
The summit also hosted dynamic roundtable discussions on ‘The Future of Work: Hybrid Models and Tech-Driven Collaboration in Retail,’ ‘HR Metrics That Matter,’ and ‘Fueling Retail’s Next Chapter with HR Tech,’ fostering knowledge exchange and strategic insights to drive the future of HR in retail.
Discussing the evolving role of HR in retail, Khushboo Moondra, Deputy Head – HR, Trent Ltd, said, “So, I think pre-COVID, if we look at retail, it was largely about hiring, recruitment, and matriculation, those were the two main metrics we focused on. It was about understanding employment trends, are people happy, are they not happy? But post-COVID, with the kind of rapid growth and transformation we’ve seen, the focus has shifted. Now, it’s not just about recruitment but quality recruitment, do we have the right skill sets? Instead of just tracking attrition, we are now looking at how to retain the right talent.”
Highlighting key enablers in modern retail, P. Senthilkumar, Sr. Partner, Vector Consulting Group, said, “The key enablers, of course, are time to service—6 to 10 minutes flat, irrespective of what you are going to order from the catalogue. And most importantly, the quantity that you are going to order. No more bulk buying. You can order whatever you want. And of course, the valued customers are the end generations. And they incentivize these guys with instant gratification.”
Highlighting the transformative impact of AI in HR, Haneesh Nambiar, Head – HR, Apollo Pharmacies Ltd, said, “AI has completely changed the way we approach talent management. Earlier, we just looked at recruitment sources and the number of hires. Now, it’s about optimizing costs, identifying talent, and assessing employees beyond just their performance. Does a person have the potential to take on more? Can they multitask and expand their capabilities to meet the future needs of the organization? Because at the pace we are growing, our HR approach has to evolve accordingly.”
Retail HR leaders speaking at the summit included, Akash Ashesh- Titan Company, Anjali Goel – V Mart Retail; Binny Ashish – Celio Retail; Deepali Mathur – Spykar Lifestyles; Haneesh Nambiar – Apollo Pharmacies; Hari Krishnan. N – Reliance Retail; Kavita Bagwe – BigBasket; Khushboo Moondra – Trent; Neeti Sharma – Adidas; Prasad Rajappan – ZingHR; Rachana Singh – Instituto Marangoni; Raghvendra D Singh – Reliance Retail; Ravi Shankar Singh – Lifestyle International; Sandhydeep Purri – Hardcastle Restaurants; Sandiep Batra – Adani Airport Holdings; Saurabh Deshpande; Shoppers Stop; Udhaya Shankar – Metro Brands; Yogesh Somani – Mr. DIY India; among others.
The Retail HR Tech Summit 2025 reinforced the growing importance of technology in shaping the future of workforce management in the retail sector. By fostering insightful discussions, knowledge-sharing, and collaboration among industry leaders, the summit served as a catalyst for innovation and strategic growth in HR. As retail businesses continue to evolve, the integration of HR technology will remain crucial in enhancing employee experience, driving efficiency, and building a future-ready workforce.
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