Scania Southeast Asia names Sharmeel Kaur as human resources director

Scania Southeast Asia has appointed Sharmeel Kaur as human resources director, effective January 2026. 

Based in Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia, she reports to Managing Director Joyce Antar and will lead HR strategy, talent development, and organisational culture initiatives.

Her responsibilities include aligning HR with business strategy, fostering innovation, ensuring employee wellbeing, and embedding psychological safety across the organisation. Strategic people priorities will also focus on culture alignment, talent development, and DEI initiatives.

Kaur highlighted her leadership approach, saying: “I hope to earn [trust and respect] and not demand it. There will also be a lot of alignment with stakeholders at all levels, and the most important element for me is to show empathy and engage in emotional intelligence.”

She also emphasised communication as a priority: “I am a qualified NLP practitioner. Therefore, communication and listening are my priorities while addressing people-related challenges.”

Looking ahead, Kaur aims to foster a culture that “emphasises mutual respect, openness, innovation, and continuous learning within her HR team. It’s not rocket science – I like to keep it simple and not overcomplicate matters when life itself is already super complicated in this day and age.”

Prior to joining Scania, Kaur served as Vice President, People & Culture at Volvo Group Malaysia, bringing extensive experience in HR leadership and organisational transformation. Her appointment strengthens Scania’s capacity to drive employee engagement, leadership development, and sustainable growth across the Southeast Asia region.

Explore how Scania Southeast Asia is transforming HR leadership under Sharmeel Kaur’s direction by reading the full story.

(Photo credits to Scania’s official website)