Somya Sugandha

VP HR APAC

GE Vernova

Somya was born in Orissa, a state in eastern India, and spent most of her formative years living across different parts of the country. She earned her undergraduate degree in History (Honours) from JMC College, University of Delhi, and her master’s degree in Human Resources from SIBM, University of Pune.

Somya has been a key HR leader at GE since 2015, playing a pivotal role in business integration, talent management, and organisational transformation.

She began her career in 2002 at Airtel as a management trainee before moving to Genpact in 2005 as an HR Manager, supporting GE Money’s ANZ operations. In 2007, she joined EY’s people consulting practice, working across industries on projects spanning leadership development, HR transformation, change management, performance management, compensation, and job evaluation.

In 2011, she was handpicked by Alstom to design the talent management function in India, where she led company-wide initiatives, integrated the Grid business acquired from ABB, and managed campus relations, including a graduate trainee programme. Following GE’s acquisition of Alstom in 2015, Somya moved to France to take on a Global HR Business Partner role at GE. She led HR for businesses operating across multiple geographies, focusing on integrating teams, building company culture, and driving organisational effectiveness.

In 2018, she relocated to Singapore to lead HR for GE Power in the region, with a mandate to create a unified “One Power HR” team. Since 2019, she has also taken on the additional responsibility of managing Global Growth Markets (now GEIM) for the Asia region. With the ongoing evolution of GE Power, she has been leading HR for the Gas Power business in Asia-Pacific, driving leadership coaching, market expansion strategies, diversity representation, and a sustainable organisational culture.

Having lived in several countries outside India, Somya has gained a broader perspective on the world and a deeper appreciation for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). She is passionate about developing people and supporting their success. Committed to coaching and mentoring women and children, she strives to make a meaningful difference in their lives. She has recently joined the board of the Disabled People’s Association (DPA) to further her advocacy for people with disabilities.

Her passion for coaching has led her to pursue a professional certification in the field. As a strategic partner to the business, she takes pride in seeing HR make a direct and measurable impact on business success.