Meet Our HR Stars Awards Judges
We take the judging process of HR Stars Awards seriously, and that is why we have gathered a team of industry experts to evaluate the entries and select the winners. Our judges come from diverse backgrounds in human resources, with extensive experience and knowledge in various areas of the field. They bring a wealth of expertise to the table and are committed to maintaining the highest standards of fairness, impartiality, and transparency in the judging process. Get to know our esteemed panel of judges below.
Kevin Chua is the Chief Human Resources Officer of the United World College South East Asia, a mission-led international school widely recognised as a global leader in International Education. He was also previously the Chief People Officer of the National University of Singapore, which has been consistently ranked the top three Universities in the Asia Pacific.
Prior to the Education sector, Kevin has worked in global and APAC HR roles in Fortune 500 companies in industries as diverse as Medical Technology, Pharmaceutical and Energy; as well as with premium organisations in the Singapore Public Service.
Kevin began his HR career in Learning & Development and Talent Management, and continues to be passionate about developing people to help them achieve their potential. This has led him to become a certified Executive Coach, where he has provided leadership coaching to Board Directors; and Business, Finance and HR leaders across the Asia Pacific.
Kevin serves on the Board HR Committees of two charities in Singapore; he regularly speaks at HR Conferences and has been a Judge for HR Awards.
As a judge at the Singapore National HR Stars Awards, Kevin’s contributions will undoubtedly enrich the selection process, ensuring the recognition of outstanding HR practices and professionals.
Sid Bhasin is an award-winning HR leader, Executive Coach, and Team Coach with nearly two decades of global HR experience. With a distinguished career at Google, Standard Chartered, Ocwen, and Aon, Sid has been instrumental in shaping HR strategy, driving transformation, managing change, and developing leaders across diverse industries and cultures.
Currently serving as Chief of Staff for Google’s Asia-Pacific Googler Experience team, Sid focuses HR strategy, Business operations, and Transformation. Beyond his corporate role, Sid holds the prestigious Professional Certified Coach (PCC) designation from the International Coaching Federation (ICF). He is renowned for his expertise in leadership development, team dynamics, and organizational change, empowering senior leaders and teams to achieve their full potential.
Sid’s dedication to advancing HR practices has earned him multiple accolades, including the Chief of Staff Asia’s HR Stars Awards: Best Up & Coming HR Leader (2023), Best Career Coach (2021), and People Matters HR Leader Award (2016).
Nitin Goil has more than 20 years of experience in the field of leadership development, coaching and counselling and has been a consultant for various global institutes/organisations in the United States, India and Singapore. Nitin’s mission is to make workplaces more compassionate and human and is a passionate thought-leader, especially around topics of DEI, well-being and employee engagement. He has spoken and presented at several National and International forums across Asia and North America.
Nitin is currently a Senior Advisor with the NeuroLeadership Institute in Asia Pacific where his role involves expansion of NLI’s work and footprint across the region. He also is the founder of Innergy Asia, an organisation that works with non-profits and educational institutes to offer leadership workshops and mentoring to youth leaders in Asia.
Nitin has a Master degree in Education & Administration and a Bachelor degree in Psychology both from the United States where he also lived and worked for 13 years before moving to Singapore in 2010.
Sonia McDonald is a renowned Australian executive coach, advisor, keynote speaker, thought leader, and award-winning author. As the CEO and founder of LeadershipHQ and The Leadership Collective, she is dedicated to empowering and building great leaders and workplace cultures worldwide. Her contributions have been recognized globally, with her being named as one of the Top 250 Influential Women in the world and Top 100 Australian Entrepreneurs by Richtopia.
Sonia has over 25 years of experience in human resource management and has held various leadership positions across the globe. She is an expert in leadership, organisational development, workplace diversity, and the neuroscience of leadership. Sonia has authored multiple books, including Leadership Attitude, Just Rock It!, and First Comes Courage. She is also a regular contributor to publications such as The Australian, HRD Magazine, Smart Healthy Women, and Women’s Business Media. Her insights and expertise have been featured in various publications, including BBC Capital, The Australian, HRD Magazine, Business Insider, and Richtopia.
Sonia’s expertise in leadership and workplace culture has made her a sought-after speaker and advisor globally. With her experience, knowledge, and passion for empowering others, Sonia continues to make a significant impact on the global business community.
K Thivenathan, or Thivi, is a seasoned HR Leader with an illustrious career spanning multiple decades. With extensive experience working with world-renowned companies such as Coca-Cola, Honeywell, Epson, Eli Lilly, and UTAC, Thivi has established himself as a trusted advisor and expert in his field.
Thivi’s expertise lies in his ability to facilitate cross-border culture transformation and M&A initiatives, thanks to his talent for identifying pain areas of business and implementing simple yet engaging people practices to address them. Throughout his career, Thivi has won multiple industry awards and accolades, including the HR Leader Award (Malaysia, 2006), being a finalist for the Best HR Leader Award (Singapore, 2011), and winning Asia’s Best HR Team Award for Change Management (HRM Asia, 2017)
In the mid-2010s, Thivi was a member of the distinguished judging panel of Aon Hewitt Best Employer Award in Indonesia and Singapore. Over the years, Thivi has also written and contributed to numerous articles for HR magazines in the region.
Post retirement, Thivi served as the Council Member of Institute of Adult Learning (Singapore University of Social Science) until early 2022, while continuing advisory roles for several organizations in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand
Jennie Lim brings over 20 years of experience to her role, expertly managing a range of HR functions from talent management to employee development. She has made significant contributions to aligning HR strategies with business objectives, thereby enhancing overall organizational performance and employee satisfaction. Her commitment to fostering a positive work culture is evident in her strategic leadership and innovative approach.
In her career, Jennie has proven herself as a strategic thinker, capable of spearheading transformative changes within HR that benefit the wider organizational goals. Her philosophy emphasizes the importance of connecting the hearts and minds of team members to achieve collective success. This focus has turned her into a recognized figure in improving workplace environments and increasing workforce engagement.
Beyond her technical abilities, Jennie’s approachability and exceptional interpersonal skills highlight her leadership qualities. Her recent appointment as a judge for the HR Stars Awards showcases not just her expertise but also her esteemed position within the HR community. This role allows her to influence and recognize innovation and excellence in her field, further establishing Jennie as a pillar of leadership and mentorship in creating impactful workplace cultures.
Balli Kaur Jaswal is the author of five novels, including Singapore Literature Prize finalist Sugarbread, and the international bestseller Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows, which was selected for Reese Witherspoon’s Book Club and optioned for film rights by Ridley Scott’s production company. Her latest novel Now You See Us was listed as a notable book by the Washington Post upon its release in March 2023.
Jaswal has appeared in international writers’ festivals to conduct workshops, lectures and keynote speeches on creative writing, pursuing an artistic career, the power of storytelling, global citizenship and social justice advocacy through literature. Her op-eds and essays have appeared in The New York Times, Harper’s Bazaar and Conde Nast Traveller among other publications. A former writing fellow at the University of East Anglia, Jaswal has taught creative writing at Yale-NUS College and Nanyang Technological University, where she completed her Ph.D. in South Asian diaspora writing.
Paul Howell is one of Asia’s most experienced business journalists covering workplaces and the HR profession in the region. With a media career spanning more than 20 years, and bases in Melbourne, Dhaka, Singapore, and Hong Kong, he is adept at building large-scale professional communities and empowering them with news, insights, and relevant analysis.
After leading the US-owned HRM Magazine in Singapore for more than 10 years, he launched Chief of Staff Asia in September 2021. This professional trade media brand for the digital age combines both online (website, socials, video) and offline (printed magazine, awards and live events) platforms to bring all of Southeast Asia’s HR professionals and best practice case studies together in one community.
Paul Howell is a permanent resident of Singapore, where he lives with his wife and two children.
Allison Moore is a highly accomplished professional currently serving as the Tech Editor at Chief of Staff Asia. With a genuine passion for human resources in Southeast Asia, Allison brings a unique perspective and extensive experience to her work.
A recent graduate with a double bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a diverse background in digital marketing, Allison possesses exceptional skills in copywriting, content creation, and search engine optimization. She is eager to explore the dynamic world of HR technology and use her expertise to create informative and engaging content.
As an accomplished author, Allison has published a travel guide showcasing her deep connection to her home, Bali. Her perceptiveness and strong research skills enable her to deliver insightful and thought-provoking content.
Allison’s creativity extends beyond her professional endeavours and into her free time where she pursues her artistic hobbies through painting, designing clothes, and immersing herself in captivating novels. Her well-rounded approach to life and work allows her to bring a fresh and innovative perspective to her role as a judge in the HR Stars Awards.
