Neelima Rao
Vice President - Human Resources, Global Research & Development, HUB Leader AstraZeneca
Neelima is Vice President of Human Resources for Global Oncology R&D and North America HR Head at AstraZeneca. In this role, Neelima is executive HR business partner supporting C-suite members. She is responsible for defining and implementing workforce and workplace strategy across multiple geographies globally. Neelima serves as the HR Chair of the AstraZeneca North America Governance Committee comprised of various CXO leaders.
Seminars
- The people related risks that quietly erode innovation value during integration, long before they appear in financial results
- How HR can intervene pre-close and post-close to retain critical scientific capability, leadership talent, and momentum
- Practical examples from multiple acquisitions, including retention strategy design, leadership alignment, sensitive navigation, and integration into the broader organization
- Demonstrated impact, including sustained stability post-deal and exceptionally low regrettable attrition in highly competitive talent markets
This interactive Q&A examines the full arc of talent risk during acquisition, from the moment a deal is announced to the point of genuine integration stability. Drawing on both the crosspollination approach to talent-at-risk management and the pre-and post-close intervention framework, participants will examine what HR must do, and when, to prevent the quiet erosion of innovation capability that so often follows a deal.
- At what point in the M&A process does HR intervention have the greatest impact on talent retention?
- How do you identify which individuals and capabilities are truly critical, versus simply perceived as critical?
- What does a genuinely effective retention strategy look like for a population that has every reason to leave?
- How do you sustain innovation culture and engagement when the people driving it are uncertain about their future?
