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Thome Group News

Introducing the new Head of Thome’s

Human Resources Department

Eleana Choy

Eleana Choy recently joined Thome as our HR needs to adapt by being more business, and by proactively contributing to
Head of Group Human Resources.
strategic, to bring HR to a greater height to the development and accomplishment of the

support the business.
organization-wide business plan and She is a very experienced HR
objectives.
practitioner whose previous senior HR role Strategic HR is taking a more forward-

was at Sembawang Shipyard for 20 years thinking approach whereas the transactional HR has to move away from being
where she led a team of 13 HR personnel.
is more administrative. They are two administrative and become consultants to

different elements of Human Resources, the line managers, giving advice on HR Eleana holds an Executive Master
however, and they cannot be separated as related matters. We will be the point of Business Administration (EMBA) from

we need both. So the biggest challenge for contact for each department, supporting Nanyang Technological University.
me now is to align the team in our pursuit to them to achieve their business goals.
How long have you been in Thome and

be more strategically focused.
have you settled down well?
I would also like to see more HR
functions driven down to department I have been with Thome for three months I would like to quote Helen Drinan,

managers with the guidance from HR. It is and I have assimilated well into the Former President and CEO of the Society
critical to have line managers taking on the company with the support of all. The people for Human Resources Management:

role of HR manager in managing their in Thome are nice, professional and helpful
“If HR does not force its way into the
people, after all it is in their interest if Being in Thome for this short period, heart of strategic planning in organizations,
what is your view on the group HR and it will default to a technical and
people stay because of their good
management.
what are the challenges ahead?
transactional dead end”
Three months into the job what What will be your first steps to Other key aspects to moving forward

impressed upon me is the Thome Human achieving your goals for Thome’s HR include attracting new talent, retaining good
Element drive in the company and how department?
employees, identifying and nurturing new

strongly the Human Element is imbedded in talent within the organisation, and engaging First and foremost, what I would like to
everything we do.
our employees in a meaningful way which see is the HR team to take on more of a

enhances their employment satisfaction.
The first thought which comes to my Business Partner role where the department
mind about Group HR is “Rethinking HR”. has a good understanding of the company’s I am looking forward to meeting these

My view is that the current HR is more business and is run like a business by challenges and working with the HR team
transactional, more administrative. I believe
thinking what would best serve the overall
to build on our successes.

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Issue 36: March 2014