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By integrating people, process, and technology, the team strengthened organisational alignment, built resilience, and shaped a performance-driven culture. Group CHRO Audrey Koh shares how redefineHR became a catalyst for sustainable growth.
Commonwealth Capital's (CCPL), HR transformation journey was driven by a clear intention. When Audrey Koh, Group Chief Human Resource Officer & Group Chief Transformation Officer first stepped into her role, her priority was to establish governance, structure, and rhythm across the organisation. Once these fundamentals were firmly in place, it became clear that CCPL was ready for a deeper shift. Leaders were aligned, employees were asking for clarity, and the organisation had reached a turning point in its evolution.
This convergence laid the groundwork for 'redefineHR', an initiative designed to transform HR from an administrative function to a strategic driver of growth. The team recognised early on that true progress required people, process and technology to be integrated. HR needed to be commercially attuned, data informed and embedded in decision making. With the organisation prepared to move forward, redefineHR became the right path to take.
The journey, however, brought its share of challenges – which the team navigated through deep listening, careful trade-offs and disciplined alignment. A defining moment emerged during a cyber incident that tested their readiness under pressure. Working through the uncertainty strengthened the team’s resilience and shaped how they approached transformation thereafter. It taught them to hold calm, communicate clearly and act as one.
At the HR Excellence Awards 2025, Singapore the group earned gold wins for 'Excellence in Recovery & Rebound Strategy' and 'Excellence in Leadership Development', emphasising the impact of their efforts.
As Koh reflects on the journey, she leaves HR leaders with an affirmation: build strong fundamentals, then be brave enough to challenge them.
Q Tell us about your inspiring HR initiative. What sparked the idea, and how did you know it was the right path to take?
The redefineHR initiative began with a clear intention. We wanted HR to move beyond administration and take its place as a strategic driver of organisational growth. When I first joined CCPL, I focused on establishing governance, structure and rhythm. Once these foundations were strong, it became evident that the organisation was ready for a deeper shift.
What sparked the initiative was the recognition that people, process and technology had to be integrated if we were to build a future ready workforce. We needed HR to be commercially attuned, data informed and embedded in decision making. The signs were clear. Leaders were aligned, employees were ready for clarity and the organisation was reaching a turning point in its evolution. That was when we knew redefineHR was the right path to take.
Q Every journey has its ups and downs. Can you share a challenge your team faced and how you worked through it together?
One of our biggest challenges was driving transformation across business units with very different operating realities. Logistics, food services and manufacturing each required a nuanced approach. It took humility to listen deeply, courage to make trade offs and discipline to create alignment across the organisation.
A defining moment came during a cyber incident that tested our readiness and resilience. My team had to make decisions quickly, communicate steadily and support operations under pressure. That experience strengthened us. It taught us how to work as one, hold calm through uncertainty and lead with clarity. The lessons we gained from that moment shaped how we approached transformation from that point forward.
Q What impact has this initiative had on your organisation so far, and what do you hope it inspires in the wider HR community?
redefineHR has changed how our leaders think about people, performance and capability building. One of the most significant shifts has been the move toward a performance-driven culture. We introduced clearer expectations, structured feedback and disciplined development conversations. Employees experienced greater transparency and a stronger sense of growth and accountability. This mindset shift has taken root across the organisation.
We also saw tangible internal outcomes. Our engagement scores have risen steadily since 2021, reflecting stronger leadership alignment, clearer communication and a workforce that feels connected to the organisation’s direction.
Externally, the results speak for themselves. The group earned multiple national and industry awards across transformation, leadership development, talent and culture, signalling that our efforts have created sustainable impact. As a group, we achieved gold in 'Leadership Development' and in 'Recovery & Rebound Strategy' at the HR Excellence Awards 2025, as well as silver in 'Talent Management & Acquisition and Workplace Culture & Engagement' at the 18th Singapore HR Awards.
Our logistics arm, Commonwealth Kokubu Logistics, achieved the 2025 Enterprise 50 Award and Sustainability Innovation Special Recognition Award, gold in 'Business Transformation' at the HR Excellence Awards 2025, gold in Transformation and Innovation at the 18th Singapore HR Awards, and the 'Best Cold Chain Service Provider' at the LogiSYM Awards 2025.
Our retail arm, Commonwealth Concepts, achieved silver in 'Business Transformation' at the HR Excellence Awards 2025 and the Excellence Service Award 2025, with 107 star, 53 gold, 79 silver awards, and 2 EXSA superstar finalists.
For the wider HR community, I hope redefineHR shows that meaningful transformation is not dependent on size or resources. It begins with discipline, clarity and a belief that HR can shape the future of any organisation when it leads with purpose.
Q Looking back, is there a moment, person or value that kept you and your team motivated throughout the journey?
A pivotal moment that anchored us was the decision to instil a performance-driven ethos. It required us to challenge comfort zones, rethink long-held assumptions and reframe conversations around accountability. Seeing leaders embrace this shift and employees respond with trust and ownership strengthened our belief in the journey.
The encouragement from the founder played a defining role. His confidence in our ability to lead meaningful change created psychological safety for the team to experiment, innovate and stretch beyond what we initially thought possible.
The value that held us steady was purpose. We wanted to build an organisation where people could thrive, where leaders were accountable and where transformation was not an event but a way of working. When challenges arose, returning to that purpose reminded us why the work mattered and kept the team aligned and motivated.
Q If you could offer one golden nugget of wisdom to HR professionals aiming for excellence, what would it be?
Build strong fundamentals, then be brave enough to challenge them. Excellence does not come from complexity. It comes from clarity, consistency and the courage to reimagine what HR can be. Learn the business. Understand people deeply. Stay curious. Use data thoughtfully.
Above all, never let the size or history of your organisation dictate what is possible. Transformation begins when HR believes it can make a meaningful difference and acts with conviction.
Read more interviews on why organisations have won trophies for their HR practices - head over to our Winning Secrets section!
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