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Subhash Menon, Group Chief Human Resources Officer at Angel One, brings decades of experience in shaping people strategies that drive business transformation. At Angel One, a leading fintech platform, democratising access to financial markets for millions of Indians, Subhash plays a pivotal role in fostering a culture of innovation, agility, and inclusion.
Angel One is Great Place To Work CertifiedTM for 9 years in row, and is ranked #20 in Top 100 India’s Best Companies To Work For 2025 among many other prestigious recognitions.
Subhash shares his insights:
1. Looking back on your 25+ years in HR, what pivotal moments have shaped your leadership style and philosophy?
Looking back, my journey in HR has been like a long cricket Test Match — less about flashy sixes and more about grit, patience, and seizing the right moments.
I like betting on people. Giving those a chance who have the hunger to learn, the resilience to fail, and the courage to try again. I’ve seen that faith pay off in extraordinary ways.
Another point is the value of focus. Doing fewer things but doing them with depth and impact. That’s stayed with me: don’t spread yourself thin, but play the long innings with consistency. There are many flashy ideas, but execution & executing well is the key.
Over the years, I’ve also learned that leadership means constantly updating your playbook. The world of work keeps changing, and if we’re not adapting, we’re already behind. I like pushing my team to experiment constantly with tech, tooling, frameworks, and so on, which also helps with growth & learning.
And finally, I believe in always putting the organisation first and going beyond what’s expected, because that’s how you build a culture where bold moves are possible.
If I had to sum it up: back people, stay relevant, focus deep, and always keep the team ahead of the individual. That’s been my leadership style through every season.
2. How do you personally define a “great place to work,” and how does that definition shape your people strategy?
For me, a Great Place To Work is one where people feel a deep sense of trust, purpose, and belonging. It’s not just about policies or perks; it’s about creating an environment where individuals are empowered to take bold steps, learn continuously, and know their contributions truly matter.
This philosophy directly shapes our people strategy at Angel One. We use a simple framework I think of as Empower – Enable – Elevate.
We empower Angelites by giving them the space and confidence to experiment and take ownership of projects, from launching new fintech features to leading internal initiatives like Design Lab or Angel Bold Conversations (ABC). We enable them with the right support systems, like progressive policies, AI-driven learning platforms, and mentorship, so that setbacks become learning opportunities rather than roadblocks.
And we elevate performance by recognising effort and impact, ensuring Angelites feel their growth is aligned with the organisation’s mission.
Ultimately, this ensures Angelites can think big, go beyond what’s expected, and grow alongside the organisation, making Angel One a truly great place to work.
3. What’s one initiative or practice you’ve championed that had a measurable impact on culture or business performance?
One initiative that has had a profound impact on our culture and performance is Design Lab. It was born from a simple belief: innovation is not the privilege of a few, it’s the responsibility of everyone. By applying Design Thinking, we created a space where roles and hierarchies fade, and every Angelite feels empowered to bring bold ideas forward.
The impact has been twofold. On the cultural side, it has unlocked creativity, collaboration, and confidence—Angelites see themselves not just as executors, but as innovators. On the business side, several ideas born in Design Lab have been funded, executed, and delivered measurable outcomes, reaffirming that when you give people ownership, they rise to the occasion.
For me, Design Lab is a reminder that the most powerful transformation happens when you trust your people, blur boundaries, and give them the canvas to reimagine what’s possible. That philosophy continues to fuel the way we think about growth at Angel One.
4. As Gen Z enters the workforce, how is Angel One adapting its culture and policies to align with their expectations, values, and workstyles?
Gen Z is a generation that values authenticity, inclusivity, and impact and at Angel One, our culture is built on the same foundation. Collaboration, innovation, and trust are our core values, and they shape how we work every day.
Collaboration ensures that Angelites, irrespective of role or background, feel heard and included. Innovation keeps our culture dynamic, with opportunities for continuous learning and experimentation. Trust gives Angelites the confidence to take bold moves, knowing the organisation has their back. Together, these values create a workplace that feels progressive, empowering, and future-ready.
We’ve translated these values into policies that reflect the realities of today’s workforce. From free mental health services for employees and their families, to flexi medical benefits, to inclusive health covers that extend to LGBTQIA+ partners, live-in partners, gender transformation surgeries, infertility treatments, and surrogacy — we’ve consciously gone beyond the traditional.
Equally important is continuous learning, which Gen Z values deeply. That’s why we launched Angel Bold Conversations (ABC), our in-house podcast and learning series. It’s a much-anticipated monthly ritual, with over 2,000 Angelites joining each session and feedback scores of 4.8/5. It gives Angelites the chance to engage directly with maverick leaders who’ve built at scale and challenged convention.
We’ve also embedded AI into our learning ecosystem. Platforms like O’Reilly and Udemy provide personalised, AI-curated learning paths, while initiatives like Tech Talks & AI Labs ensure knowledge is hands-on, applied, and connected to solving real-world challenges.
Most importantly, we align culture with purpose. Our North Star – To be India’s most trusted fintech brand, touching a billion lives, gives Angelites a clear line of sight between their daily work and its larger impact. For Gen Z, that sense of purpose is non-negotiable, and at Angel One, it’s built into everything we do.
5. How has technology helped personalise the employee journey at Angel One?
At Angel One, we see technology not as just a tool but as an enabler of human experience. The goal is always to make an Angelite’s journey more seamless, personalized, and empowering — and technology allows us to do that at scale.
A great example is our custom-built HR support bot. While the People Tech team spearheaded the project, the entire organisation contributed to spotting bugs, suggesting improvements, and helping it evolve. It’s a collective effort because everyone sees the value: faster resolutions, easier access to information, and more time freed up for meaningful work.
We’ve also invested in people analytics dashboards that give managers nuanced visibility into team dynamics, engagement trends, and even early warning signals. This allows us to proactively tailor support, identify growth opportunities, and respond to needs before they become challenges.
Onboarding is another area where we’ve leveraged technology. Using AI-generated video guides, we personalize preboarding and onboarding experiences for different roles and teams, making the transition smoother and more engaging at scale.
The philosophy behind all this is simple: personalisation builds trust, and trust fuels performance. By combining data-driven insights with empathy, we’re creating an employee experience where Angelites feel seen, supported, and set up for success at every step of their journey.
6. How are you addressing the growing need for continuous learning and upskilling—especially in roles impacted by automation and AI?
At Angel One, we see continuous learning as a mindset that keeps us future-ready. Automation and AI are reshaping roles across industries, and our responsibility is to ensure Angelites don’t just adapt to this change but lead it.
We’ve built a learning ecosystem that’s personalised, practical, and bold. Through platforms like O’Reilly and Udemy, Angelites get AI-driven learning paths tailored to their roles, skills, and aspirations. Whether someone is in tech, product, design, or data, they don’t have to guess what to learn next — the system curates it for them.
Beyond platforms, we bring learning to life. Our Tech Talks decode emerging technologies and domain deep dives, led by our own leaders who’ve built at scale. Our AI Labs and AI Charter take it a step further, giving Angelites the tools, mentorship, and freedom to experiment with AI — be it automating workflows or building chatbots. This ensures learning is applied to solving real business problems.
Most importantly, we keep it timely. Our monthly learning calendars focus on cutting-edge themes like generative AI for HR, AI in marketing, or machine learning for data engineers. For us, continuous learning is not about keeping pace with change, it’s about building the confidence and curiosity to drive it.
7. Angel One is recognized among the Top 20 in India’s Best Companies To Work For 2025. How do you leverage this recognition, and what impact has it had on talent attraction, employee pride, and leadership credibility?
Being recognised among the Top 20 in India’s Best Companies To Work For 2025 is not just a badge of honor, it’s validation of the culture we’ve been consciously building.
From a talent perspective, it strengthens our appeal to people from both traditional and non-traditional backgrounds. We’ve gone from being seen as a broking company to being recognised as a fintech innovator, and this recognition reinforces that innovation is truly in our DNA. It’s helping us attract the best talent in the market — people who want to build bold, scalable products in a high-trust, high-growth environment.
Internally, it fuels pride. Our employee net promoter scores (eNPS) have seen a significant jump, which tells us Angelites are not just engaged, but actively recommending us as a great workplace. It also validates our approach of nurturing leaders from within; many of our current leaders have grown their careers here, and that inspires the next generation of Angelites.
For leadership, it sharpens our credibility. Our EVP and North Star — to be India’s most trusted fintech brand touching a billion lives — feels more tangible when backed by recognition of this scale. It signals that we’re not only building for customers but also creating an environment where our people can do their life’s best work.
8. Looking ahead, what is one skill or mindset you believe the next generation of HR leaders must develop to stay future-ready?
If I had to pick one mindset for the next generation of HR leaders, it would be AI-augmented strategic thinking. The world of work is shifting too quickly for us to rely only on intuition or legacy playbooks. HR leaders must be able to anticipate multiple future scenarios, use AI and data to test those possibilities, and then apply human judgment to make ethical, strategic choices.
This requires being data-driven, open to experimentation, and unafraid to fail fast. AI can give us the speed and scale, but it’s human wisdom that provides the context and empathy. The leaders who blend the two will create not just efficient workplaces, but truly competitive and humane organisations.
In many ways, the future of HR will be less about managing processes and more about designing experiences—using technology to free up time, unlock insights, and keep the focus on people. Those who embrace this mindset will not only stay future-ready, they’ll set the benchmark for what great people leadership looks like in the age of AI.
If you’re a People Leader managing a High-Trust High-Performance work environment, and are interested to be interviewed with Great Place To Work India, feel free to write in to in_researchandinsights@greatplacetowork.com
