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To keep pace with constant change, the team strengthened collaboration, supported managers, and built a safer, more open workplace. Chief Talent Officer Debica Sigamani shares how strategic HR initiatives put employees at the heart of business transformation.
At IPG Mediabrands, transformation is constant. Each shift in the fast-moving advertising and marketing industry brought new challenges, yet leaders stayed united by a shared commitment to their people and clients. This collective focus created a natural path forward, shaped through collaboration, conversation, and aligned intent.
The journey, however, was not without hurdles. Rapid juniorisation introduced unexpected pressure on managers, who suddenly oversaw teams still finding their footing. Rather than rushing to keep pace, the HR team paused to streamline processes – removing non-essential work and freeing capacity to focus on what truly mattered. They also embraced strategic responsibilities to support managers, ensuring the organisation could advance together. Debica Sigamani, Chief Talent Officer, credits her team members for their ownership and independence, noting how they consistently stepped up with both maturity and heart.
At the HR Excellence Awards 2025, Malaysia, IPG Mediabrands was recognised with multiple accolades:
- Gold for Excellence in Business Transformation
- Gold for Excellence in Hybrid Working
- Gold for Excellence in Recovery & Rebound Strategy
- Gold for Excellence in Agile Talent Mobility
- Gold for Most People-Focused CEO (Darren Yuen)
- Silver for Excellence in Work-Life Harmony
With these achievements in mind, Debica shares her advice for HR leaders striving for excellence: be open with your people. Openness shapes culture, and when HR balances business priorities with employee wellbeing, excellence follows and the organisation moves forward as one team.
Q Tell us about your inspiring HR initiative – what sparked the idea, and how did you know it was the right path to take?
Everything we’ve done has stemmed from the constant transformation that has been happening across the company.
Every time we found our footing, the ground moved again, which, naturally, is the nature of a fast-moving industry.
Thankfully, our leaders were united by something bigger: genuine care for our people and our clients. Even though our individual agencies and the Global Capability Centre have very different rhythms, everyone felt the same pressure and the same desire for shared growth.
As everyone started working more closely together, the path revealed itself. The collaboration, the conversations, the shared intent. It all just naturally aligned.
Q Every journey has its ups and downs – can you share a challenge your team faced and how you worked through it together?
Juniorisation hit us hard. The industry moved faster than anyone expected, and suddenly managers were carrying heavier loads with teams that were still learning the ropes.
Instead of trying to outrun the problem, we paused and reset. We streamlined our own HR processes first, removing work that didn’t add value so we could focus on what mattered.
The talent team also took on more strategic responsibilities to ease the pressure on managers. Throughout this, my team — Gavina Rajendran, Philip Lee, Emilia Wong, Chin Ee Ling, Elaine Tan, Joyce Tan, Najihah, and Rachel Chin showed incredible ownership and independence, stepping up with maturity and heart.
From there, clear communication, honest expectations, and supporting managers as true change agents helped everyone breathe again and move forward together.
Q What impact has this initiative had on your organisation so far, and what do you hope it inspires in the wider HR community?
The clearest impact was on the organisation itself. As we made these changes, people began to feel safer, more supported, and more willing to speak honestly about their challenges. It created the early stages of a mentally healthier environment, something that’s always ongoing, and we could see shifts in trust, behaviour, and the way teams collaborated.
For the HR team, the initiative pushed us to understand the real pressures our business teams face, the long hours, the diverse and complex client demands, and the emotional weight behind performance, which fundamentally strengthened our partnership.
I hope this inspires HR teams to go beyond policies and truly immerse themselves in the business, because that’s where real impact begins.
Q Looking back, is there a moment, person, or value that kept you and your team motivated throughout the journey?
Our senior leadership team kept us going — each of them leading with heart and never once treating the talent team as “just HR.”
We were always part of the mission, not the back office.
And my team… they show up with so much heart, even on days when the coffee machine rebels. Their willingness to go the extra mile for people, quietly and consistently, is the reason we’re able to do what we do.
Honestly, in my experience, this is one of the best environments an HR team could ask for, and I’m grateful every day for it.
Q If you could offer one golden nugget of wisdom to HR professionals aiming for excellence, what would it be?
Be open with your people.
They’re adults, and even if they don’t love everything you share, that’s alright. Openness shapes culture, and that is everything. Of course, openness has its delicate moments. That’s where HR’s true mastery comes. In finding the balance between business priorities and employee wellbeing in a way that feels fair to both.
At the end of the day, HR isn’t a separate function on the sidelines. We’re part of the business, shaping culture, performance, and people outcomes.
Excellence happens when we move forward as one team.
Read more interviews on why organisations have won trophies for their HR practices - head over to our Winning Secrets section!
Photos / Provided
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