Top HR Leaders in 2025: Building a Culture of Connection

Have you ever worked in a place where your every need was taken care of? If yes, then you must thank your HR. The HR leaders are the ones who are doing exactly this in their respective organizations, trying to make the office a better place for you. Let’s look at the top HR leaders in 2025 and how they have impacted their companies. 

Sonia Coleman – Chief Human Resources Officer, The Walt Disney Company 

Sonia Coleman has been instrumental in aligning Disney’s HR strategies with its overarching business objectives, making her one of the top HR leaders to follow in 2025. In February 2025, under her leadership, Disney announced significant changes to its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, aiming to integrate DEI efforts more closely with business goals and values. This strategic move reflects a refined focus on storytelling and entertainment, core to Disney’s mission. 

Leena Nair – Chief Human Resources Officer, Unilever

Leena Nair is one of the top HR leaders and has been pivotal in driving Unilever’s sustainable business growth and fostering high employee engagement. Under her leadership, employee satisfaction scores rose by 4% during her tenure, reflecting her commitment to creating a positive workplace culture.

Chris Atkins – CPO, The Muse

As the fairly recently appointed CPO of The Muse, Chris Atkins has revolutionized career development platforms, enhancing job seeker experiences. The Muse’s user base grew by 25% in 2024, and the platform boasts a 4.7/5 user satisfaction rating, indicating its significant impact on job seekers. 

Hellen- Alice Miranda– Head of People Operations, Humu

Hellen- Alice Miranda is one of the top HR leaders to follow in 2025 who has pioneered data-driven HR practices at Humu, enhancing employee satisfaction and productivity. Companies utilizing Humu’s services reported a 7% increase in employee engagement and a 5% boost in productivity metrics.

Anne-Marie Balfe – Global Talent Leader, EY

Anne-Marie Balfe focused on building a purpose-driven culture at EY, leading to increased employee retention. EY’s turnover rate decreased by 4% under her leadership, and employee engagement scores improved by 6%, reflecting a more committed workforce.

Brian Little – Chief People Officer, Hootsuite

Brian Little led initiatives in mental health support at Hootsuite, boosting employee well-being and engagement. These programs resulted in a 10% reduction in employee sick days and a 7% increase in overall job satisfaction ratings.

Joanne Smith – Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer, Delta Air Lines

Joanne Smith enhanced employee training programs at Delta Air Lines, contributing to improved customer satisfaction. Post-training implementation, customer satisfaction scores increased by 5%, and on-time performance metrics improved by 3%.

Thomas Udesen– CPO, Bayer

Thomas Udesen is one of the top HR leaders in 2025 because of the advanced diversity recruitment strategies he introduced at Bayer, strengthening organizational innovation. Bayer saw a 6% increase in diverse hires and a 4% uptick in innovation-related project outputs during her tenure.

Bringing Change, One Company at a Time

Here are the top HR leaders in 2025. The leaders mentioned in our blog are some of the most influential HR leaders in the world today, and the changes they have brought to their respective organization stands as a testament to this.