Sejal Patel D.
Sejal Patel D.
Chief People and Operations Officer - Ayar Labs
For Sejal Patel D., a career in human resources did not begin in HR at all.
Her professional journey started in management consulting and corporate strategy, where she worked alongside organizations to develop growth plans, transformation initiatives, and long-term business strategies.
But over time, she noticed a recurring challenge.
Even the best strategies struggled to succeed when organizations overlooked the people responsible for executing them.
“We quickly realized that if you didn’t focus on the people, the change management, and the competencies, strategy wasn’t going to see the light of day.”
That realization became the foundation for a career dedicated to helping organizations align business performance with people performance.
Building a People Practice from the Ground Up
Early in her career, Sejal worked alongside renowned organizational performance expert John Katzenbach, a respected business thinker known for his work on teams, culture, and organizational effectiveness.
Together with the founding team at Katzenbach Partners, she helped build what would eventually become one of the industry's leading people and organizational consulting practices.
The firm was later acquired by Booz & Company and ultimately became part of PwC’s People Practice.
That experience gave Sejal a front-row seat to how organizations navigate growth, transformation, and large-scale change.
More importantly, it reinforced a belief that would shape her leadership philosophy for years to come:
Business success is ultimately driven by people.
The Leader Who Opened the Door
When reflecting on the individuals who have had the greatest influence on her career, one person stands out immediately.
Pooja Jaspal.
“She was the one who brought me into the HR world.”
Sejal describes Jaspal as not only an exceptional HR executive but also one of the most impactful mentors she has worked with throughout her career.
What stood out most was her ability to balance strong business acumen with genuine humanity.
“She’s one of the best humans and one of the most talented HR leaders.”
Beyond her strategic thinking and leadership capabilities, Jaspal's willingness to invest in others and actively support their growth left a lasting impression.
Her example demonstrated that great HR leadership is not simply about policies and processes—it is about building relationships, developing people, and creating environments where others can succeed.
Navigating the Intersection of SaaS and AI
As organizations continue adapting to rapid technological change, Sejal believes talent leaders are operating at a unique inflection point.
“We’re in an interesting evolution between a SaaS-driven world and an AI-driven world.”
Over the last decade, organizations have invested heavily in software platforms designed to improve efficiency, automate workflows, and streamline recruiting and people operations.
Now, artificial intelligence is beginning to reshape many of those same processes.
Sejal sees the current environment as both exciting and challenging.
The rapid emergence of AI has the potential to automate many repetitive and manual tasks that organizations historically relied on software solutions to solve.
At the same time, businesses are still determining how these technologies fit into existing workflows and operating models.
Combined with the workforce disruptions created by the pandemic, hiring surges, economic uncertainty, and changing business priorities, the result has been a period of significant adjustment across the talent landscape.
“It’s been a little choppy.”
For leaders, the challenge is not simply adopting new technology but understanding how to integrate it thoughtfully into the future of work.
Advice for Talent Leaders in 2026
As organizations continue preparing for an AI-enabled future, Sejal believes talent leaders must think like business leaders first.
Her advice heading into 2026 centers on workforce planning, business discipline, and long-term organizational sustainability.
“We are always, foremost, business leaders.”
She encourages organizations to remain intentional about growth, ensuring hiring decisions align with business performance, revenue expectations, and future workforce needs.
For Sejal, effective workforce planning is not simply an HR responsibility—it is a business imperative.
At the same time, she believes HR leaders have a unique role to play in helping organizations navigate the broader implications of artificial intelligence.
“The AI conversation isn’t just about technology.”
While the tools themselves will continue evolving, Sejal sees the larger challenge as one of mindset, adoption, and organizational change.
In many ways, HR leaders are becoming stewards of how work itself evolves.
The organizations that succeed will be those that help employees adapt to new ways of working while maintaining strong cultures, clear communication, and a thoughtful approach to change management.
By combining business discipline with a deep understanding of people and organizational transformation, Sejal Patel D. represents the kind of forward-thinking HR leader helping shape the future of work.
