What does it really take to become a successful Chief People Officer – and how can you prepare for the step up?

In this episode of HR Coffee Time, Fay Wallis is joined by Kanika Mehra, an inspiring CPO with over 20 years of global HR experience. Having worked in fast-paced environments ranging from global giants like Amazon to scaling organisations going through rapid transformation, Kanika shares what helped her make the move into a CPO role – and what it’s really like once you get there.

From building commercial acumen and using data to tell compelling stories, to managing pressure, leading through change and staying true to your values – this conversation is packed with practical insights to support you on your own HR leadership journey.

[00:00] Introduction

[02:12] Meet Kanika Mehra

[02:25] How she got her first CPO role

[03:23] The role LinkedIn played – and how to improve your profile

[07:00] The differences between being a Head of People or HR Director vs a CPO

[09:27] Making big decisions

[14:02] Learning to lead without having all the answers

[17:50] Developing confidence and decisiveness

[22:51] Why business acumen is essential – and how to build it

[27:45] Becoming confident with data and storytelling

[33:12] Her biggest challenge as a CPO

[34:03] Balancing employee experience with business priorities

[37:59] Maintaining mental wellbeing in a high-pressure role

[40:08] The importance of values alignment

[42:38] Advice for anyone who’d like to be a CPO

[45:41] Advice for first-time CPOs

[49:57] Courses and books that have helped Kanika succeed

[52:36] Wrap-up and other HR Coffee Time podcast episode recommendations

• Connect with Fay on LinkedIn
• Fay’s website
• Connect with Kanika Mehra on LinkedIn

(Book links are Amazon affiliate links, which means Fay will receive a small commission from Amazon if you make a purchase through them.)

• My Life in Full: Work, Family and Our Future – Indra Nooyi
• Data-Driven HR: How to Use Analytics and Metrics to Drive Performance – Bernard Marr
• Working Backwards: Insights, Stories, and Secrets from Inside Amazon – Colin Bryar and Bill Carr
• Excellence in People Analytics – Jonathan Ferrar and David Green

• Episode 22: How to handle conflict at work
• Episode 31: 3 little-known LinkedIn features which will help you get your next job
• Episode 35: Helping teams thrive with personal user manuals
• Episode 47: Discovering your values to help your HR career
• Episode 106: