Aligning People and Business Strategies with Cindy Thomas

Talent Management Truths

"I think that business strategy is important, but the people strategy is equally important to support the business strategy. So when the business strategy evolves, you have to evolve the people strategy." - Cindy Thomas

How well does your people strategy align with the overall business strategy for your organization? Are you part of the process up front, or catching up in reaction mode after the business strategy is locked down? In today’s episode, my guest makes the case for why the PEOPLE strategy must be a critical component of an organization’s overall goals and strategy.

My guest is Cindy Thomas. Cindy is an Executive HR professional, business leader, coach, facilitator, and speaker. Her work draws on 20 years of organizational leadership experience, Business transformation and Executive Coaching in multiple global locations.

She started her career in the financial services industry in 2004 at PwC. Before joining KONE Canada as the Director of People & Communications in 2023 she was the Head of People & Performance (CANAC & R&D) at Kraft Heinz, and prior to that the VP of People & Culture at Quark Expeditions (a Global Polar Expeditions company part of the Travelopia (KKR) group) in hospitality, travel, and tourism industry.

She has worked in several executive management positions with PwC, Nokia, Hilton Worldwide, and Pizza Hut International (Yum! Brands) on four continents, namely: Africa, Asia, North & South America.

Based in Canada, in her current position, Cindy Thomas leads the People & Communications (HR) for KONE, Canada.

Cindy Thomas is a graduate of the University of Stellenbosch, Cape Town, with specialization in Business: Industrial Psychology and Logistics Management with a further specialization in Labor Relations & Organizational Development. She is married and is a mother to a daughter. As an avid traveler and eternal explorer, Cindy speaks English and Afrikaans fluently and has learned German, French and Spanish as part of her many travels and work experiences. The only continen

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