Founder & CEO –Desirover.com | Leadership Coach | HR Advisor | Author | Speaker | Mentor | Thought Leader
About Ramesh Ranjan
With over four decades of distinguished experience in Human Resources Management, Ramesh Ranjan is a widely respected HR leader, leadership coach, author, and community builder. He is the Founder & CEO of Desirover.com, and currently serves as an HR Advisor to ITCO Industries, besides coaching and mentoring a select group of CEOs and CXOs. He is the former CEO of Global HR Community (GHRC)
Ramesh is recognized for his ability to bring together people, purpose, and performance, blending human understanding with business insight. His work bridges corporate leadership, entrepreneurship, and community impact — reflecting his deep commitment to building organizations and individuals that grow with integrity and meaning.
HR Advisor & Consulting Engagements
Ramesh serves as the HR Advisor to ITCO Industries, a 30-year-old market leader in specialty chemicals and manufacturing based in Hosur, India.
In this role, he is helping the organization transform its HR systems and culture, develop a structured HR handbook and competency framework, and build leadership capabilities for future growth.
His consulting work spans organizational design, culture transformation, HR analytics, and digital HR transformation.
Desirover.com – The Travel Community
Beyond HR, Ramesh is also the Founder & CEO of Desirover.com, an innovative online travel community platform that brings together travel enthusiasts to share authentic travel stories, itineraries, and experiences from around the world.
Desirover celebrates the spirit of exploration by blending travel storytelling with practical guidance — featuring user-generated travel diaries, curated itineraries, local insights, and cost-friendly travel plans.
Born out of Ramesh’s own passion for travel and writing, Desirover.com aspires to become India’s first comprehensive travel storytelling hub, where each journey becomes an inspiration for another.
Global HR Community (GHRC)
Ramesh is the Co-Founder & former CEO of the Global HR Community (GHRC) and Communios, an emerging digital platform for HR and people managers worldwide.
Under his leadership, GHRC has been honored with the India 5000 MSME Award for Excellence (2024) and ranked among the Top 10 HR Communities in the World by LinkedIn, with a fast-growing network of over 10,000 members and followers.
GHRC has evolved into a global learning and networking ecosystem, enabling professionals and organizations to Discover, Connect, Learn, Grow & Contribute.
Through webinars, workshops, mentoring programs, and industry collaborations, GHRC fosters continuous learning and promotes the future of work through digital transformation, leadership, and innovation.
👉https://globalhrcommunity.com/
Professional Journey
Ramesh’s professional career spans over 40 years across industries and continents. He has held senior leadership roles in organizations such as:
Schneider Electric India, American Power Conversion (APC), Chevron Texaco/Caltex India, Praxair India, Co Systems India, Indian Herbs, and ITI.
His early career in Industrial Relations (IR) at ITI Ltd. gave him the opportunity to work under some of India’s most eminent HR leaders — Dr. Udai Pareekh, Dr. T.V. Rao, and Dr. K.R.S. Murthy — on groundbreaking organizational development initiatives, including India’s first Performance Management System with self-appraisal and performance review feedback, replacing the traditional ACR system.
Over time, Ramesh transitioned into leadership roles across manufacturing, engineering, energy, and technology sectors, where he became known for his ability to build high-performing teams, transform HR systems, and align people strategy with business growth.
Schneider Electric India (2005-2015)
Vice President of HR Services (India)
- HR Shared Services Expansion: Scaled HR coverage from 36% to 100%, extending support to over 16,500 employees across sales, manufacturing, R&D, and IT.
- Team and Infrastructure Growth: Increased the HR Shared Services team from 36 to 100 members and supported organizational growth through 10 acquisitions.
- Digital Transformation: Launched the “HR Goes Digital” program, implementing Oracle Fusion, Taleo, and other global tools to streamline HR operations.
- Productivity and Efficiency: Boosted HR services productivity (1:140 to 1:220) and reduced operational costs by 16%, raising customer satisfaction by 22% over three years.
- Awards and Recognition: Won the 2013 SSON Award for VOICE (an internal customer experience feedback program) and the NHRD Best HR Practice Award for “Campus Connect.”
Global HR Director for Global Supply Chain & Manufacturing (ITB Division)
- Global Team Leadership: Led a team of 56 HR professionals, supporting 6500 employees across the U.S., Europe, Asia, and China.
- Strategic HR Initiatives: Rationalized manufacturing operations, balancing production shifts from mature to emerging economies.
- Integration & Development: Successfully integrated HR policies post-acquisitions, fostering cohesion within Schneider Electric’s global HR framework.
Head of HR (India Subcontinent) for APC India
- Organizational Growth: Helped grow APC’s India operations by expanding sales from $27M to $114M, increasing manufacturing plants from 3 to 8, and scaling R&D from 10 to 50 employees.
- Union Relations: Prevented union influence by fostering robust employee engagement initiatives, creating employee committees, and rationalizing compensation and titles.
- Leadership: Led a team of 24 HR members, reducing attrition from 24% to 12% and successfully transitioning APC into Schneider Electric post-acquisition.
Caltex India Pvt Ltd (2002-2005)
Head & General Manager of HR (India & Sri Lanka)
- Integration and Standardization: Led the integration of three organizations, standardizing HR policies, job grading, and compensation across India and Sri Lanka.
- Talent and Performance Management: Developed competency frameworks and implemented a performance management process that streamlined talent development and succession planning.
- Leadership Council: Established the India Leadership Council, unifying leadership from three companies post-acquisition of Chemoleums Lubricants.
CoSystems India Pvt Ltd (2001-2002)
General Manager of HR
- HR Department Setup: Founded the HR department for this telecom software company, designing policies, bands, and an HRIS system.
- Rapid Expansion: Supported rapid scaling from startup to 320 employees in a year, implementing campus recruitment and setting up competency frameworks.
Praxair India Pvt Ltd (1997-2001)
Senior Manager of HR
- Corporate HR Establishment: Set up corporate HR functions, overseeing policies, compensation, benefits, and performance management.
- Mergers & Acquisitions: Played a key role in acquiring Asiatic Industrial Gases, implementing seamless HR integration and restructuring operations.
- Employee Services: Established a small e-services company within Praxair for internal IT support, helping to streamline global support services.
Indian Herbs (1994-1997)
Manager of HR
- HR Stabilization: Established foundational HR processes, including organization design, job grading, and policy development for this natural products company.
- Expansion Support: Supported company expansion by doubling workforce, setting up new units, and fostering industrial relations stability through leadership engagement.
ITI Ltd, Bangalore (1987-1994)
Assistant Personnel Manager
- Foundational HR Role: Gained experience in OD, policy making, compensation, and HRIS as a trainee and later as an assistant manager in India’s telecom pioneer.
- Training & Development: Headed the ITI Model Plant’s Training Centre, supporting ISO certification efforts and implementing training programs.
- OD Project Participation: Worked on an organizational development project alongside eminent HR leaders, introducing self-appraisal systems and performance review feedback, replacing outdated assessment models.
Leadership Coaching & Mentorship
A passionate believer in human potential, Ramesh is a certified Executive Coach who partners with leaders to help them unlock self-awareness, navigate complexity, and drive meaningful change.
He was handpicked by Dr. Marshall Goldsmith, the world’s #1 leadership coach, as part of the prestigious MG 25 India Coaches Group, under the “Pay It Forward” initiative.
In recognition of his contribution to leadership development, Silicon India Magazine named him among the Top 10 Prominent Leadership Coaches of 2023.
Ramesh currently works as an Executive Coach to several CEOs and CXOs, guiding them on authentic leadership, emotional intelligence, and strategic transformation.
He also serves as a Mentor at E-Cell, IIT Bombay, supporting young innovators through Eureka!, Asia’s largest business model competition.
Academic Contributions
As an academic and thought leader, Ramesh has shared his expertise with students and professionals across the globe. He has taught as Professor of Human Resources and Visiting Faculty at leading Indian business schools such as:
XIME, WE School, NMIMS, IFIM, Christ University, and ISME (Bangalore).
He also served as Visiting Professor at the Prague University of Economics & Business, Czech Republic, where he delivered lectures on Global HR Practices, Leadership, and Digital Transformation.
He is a Content Management Partner for IIM Bangalore–NASSCOM’s Leadership Resource Centre, contributing to the advancement of digital HR learning.
Author & Publications
Ramesh is the author of the acclaimed Amazon Best Seller,
📘 “Making People Count: How to Measure the ROI on Human Capital”,
featuring a foreword by HR Guru Dave Ulrich.
The book provides an in-depth roadmap to HR Analytics, covering 350+ HR Metrics, AI & ChatGPT applications, predictive analytics, and data-driven storytelling in HR — making it a practical guide for business leaders and HR professionals alike.
He has also written and published widely on Digital Transformation, AI in HR, and Employee Experience in reputed journals such as Sage Publications, NIPM Journal, HR.com, and the NHRD Network Journal.
He has written and published several acclaimed articles, including:
- “Technology: The Cornerstone of HR Service Delivery in Startups” – Sage Publications (2024)
- “Digital HR Transformation – Digital and Beyond” – NIPM Bangalore (2022)
- “Artificial Intelligence in HR” – DOMAIN Journal of Management & Research (2020)
- “Voice of Internal Customer Experience” – HR.com (2014)
- “Winning the Hearts & Minds of Employees – An Internal Communication Strategy” – NHRD Network Journal (2012)
As an author and speaker, Ramesh continues to advocate for a data-driven yet human-centered approach to HR, integrating technology, analytics, and empathy to create meaningful employee experiences.
Community Leadership & Professional Associations
Ramesh has made significant contributions to India’s HR community. He has served as:
- Vice President & Honorary Secretary, NHRD Bangalore Chapter
- Cluster Lead, NHRD Whitefield/Outer Ring Road Chapter
- Member, India HR Council of AMCHAM (American Chamber of Commerce)
- Panelist, HR Directors Roundtable of Petroleum Companies
- Member, India HR Council of The Conference Board
Through these roles, he has influenced HR policy, fostered professional collaboration, and mentored hundreds of HR professionals.
Awards & Recognition
🏆 India 5000 MSME Award for Excellence (2024) – for Global HR Community, recognizing its innovation and impact in building a global HR ecosystem.
🌟 Top 10 HR Best Practices by HR Startups (2024) – awarded by NHRD Bangalore Chapter to Communios.ai for its pioneering “Community as a Service” model, enabling organizations to build private employee communities integrated with the Global HR Community platform.
🏅 Asia-Pacific HR Best Practice Award (2014) – awarded by the Shared Services & Outsourcing Network (SSON), Singapore, for Schneider Electric’s “Voice of Internal Customer Experience” program, conceptualized and led by Ramesh as Vice President – HR. The initiative was recognized for redefining employee experience through continuous feedback and engagement across the employee lifecycle.
🥇 Top HR Best Practice – NHRD Bangalore Chapter (2015) – for Schneider Electric’s innovative “Plug into Schneider Electric” onboarding program, which was selected among the top HR practices at NHRD’s prestigious Annual HR Showcase Event for its creativity and business impact.
🏅 Top 10 Prominent Leadership Coach (2023) – recognized by Silicon India Magazine for excellence in leadership coaching and executive development.
🌟 MG 25 India Coaches (2018) – selected by Dr. Marshall Goldsmith, the world’s #1 leadership coach, as part of his exclusive “Pay It Forward” initiative.
🎖️ NIPM Gold Medal – for securing the highest marks in Personnel Management at the Madras School of Social Work (MSSW).
🥇 Mary Clubwala Jadhav Gold Medal – for achieving the highest score in Research Project at the Madras School of Social Work (MSSW).
Personal Philosophy
Beyond his professional pursuits, Ramesh is a writer, traveler, and storyteller. He rekindled his early dream of being a journalist through blogging and content creation, expressing his reflections on leadership, people, society, and life.
He believes deeply in “Prakrithiye – A Way of Life”, a philosophy he is evolving, which emphasizes self-awareness, gratitude, coexistence, and the pursuit of peace, purpose, and harmony with nature and the universe.
Ramesh’s personal mantra is simple yet profound:
“The true measure of success lies not in what we achieve, but in how many lives we inspire along the way.”