Shahena Miah
Sutton
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Head of Human Resources
Sonali Bangladesh UK (SBUK) Limited
City of London
04.2025 - Current
- Appointed to lead and transform the HR function at SBUK, with end-to-end accountability for people strategy, governance, employee relations, organisational development, and HR operations. The role is critical to supporting SBUK’s growth trajectory, regulatory expectations, and UK banking licence ambitions.
- Overall accountability for the HR function, including HR Operations, Employee Relations, Talent Acquisition, Learning & Development, Culture, and Reward.
- Directly manage and develop HR department, while overseeing outsourced and offshore HR support models.
- Provide strategic direction and coaching to managers across the business to strengthen people leadership capability.
- Led a comprehensive people and operating model transformation, aligning HR strategy to business growth, governance, and regulatory readiness.
- Designed and implemented a financial services–aligned salary banding and pay alignment framework, covering all employees, and secured formal approval from BRENCO and the Company Board.
- Introduced a company-wide festive bonus and additional leave entitlement, inclusive of all employees, enhancing engagement, wellbeing, and cultural cohesion.
- Established HR governance frameworks aligned with FCA/PRA expectations, ACAS guidance, and UK employment law.
- Spearheaded the establishment of a Bangladesh-based FI Sales Centre of Excellence (Dhaka and Chattogram), supporting international expansion and cost-efficient scaling.
- Designed and implemented an outsourced HR service model and office infrastructure to support offshore operations, ensuring alignment with SBUK HR standards, reporting, and compliance.
- Worked closely with Finance and Operations to deliver a scalable, cost-effective international people model.
- Lead and resolve complex employee relations cases, including grievances, disciplinaries, investigations, settlements, and senior exits, ensuring fairness, documentation, and regulatory compliance.
- Act as key liaison between HR, Legal, Compliance, Risk, and the Board on sensitive people matters.
- Ensure HR processes are audit-ready, consistent, and defensible.
- Designed and delivered SBUK Culture Building sessions for all employees, embedding organisational values and expected behaviours.
- Facilitated ExCo-level culture and leadership alignment sessions, reinforcing tone from the top.
- Implemented 360-degree feedback programmes for senior managers, working with external facilitators to strengthen leadership effectiveness.
- Standardised HR policies, disciplinary frameworks, and performance management processes across the organisation.
- Progressed HR system optimisation and early-stage automation initiatives to reduce manual processes and improve HR MI.
- Identified further HR automation opportunities forming the roadmap for the next phase of HR transformation.
Global Head of HR & Talent Acquisition (Fintech, M&A, Private Equity)
Finquest
City of London
05.2022 - 04.2024
- Reported directly to the CEO, working in close partnership with the Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) and Chief Operating Officer (COO) on people strategy, revenue, operating model design, and organisational scale.
- Held global responsibility for HR and Talent Acquisition across a fast-growing, private equity–backed fintech organisation operating in nine international markets Singapore, New York (USA) Toronto (Canada), London (UK), Paris (France), Frankfurt (Germany), Luxembourg, Bangalore (India) Hong Kong.
- Led and managed global HR and Talent Acquisition teams across multiple regions, providing strategic direction, performance management, and capability development.
- Established consistent HR frameworks while allowing for local regulatory and cultural differences.
- Designed and delivered global HR strategy covering reward, performance management, employee relations, leadership development, and workforce planning.
- Supported M&A activity, including due diligence, organisational design, senior hiring, and post-acquisition integration.
- Built scalable people processes to support rapid growth in a high-change environment.
- Oversaw end-to-end talent acquisition globally, including senior leadership and specialist technical hiring.
- Partnered closely with founders, investors, and senior leaders to align hiring strategy with commercial priorities.
- Championed cross-border culture initiatives to embed a cohesive organisational culture across all markets.
- Led engagement and retention strategies during periods of growth and transformation.
- Designed and delivered the creation of a large-scale outsourced Operations function in Bangalore, India, building an offshore team of approximately 130 employees.
- Established the physical office infrastructure, governance model, and end-to-end HR framework to support rapid scale, including recruitment, onboarding, performance management, employee relations, and local compliance.
- Built and led a dedicated local HR team to support the Bangalore operations, ensuring alignment with global HR standards while meeting local regulatory and cultural requirements.
- Partnered with senior leadership to deliver significant cost efficiencies, scalability, and operational resilience, while maintaining employee engagement and service quality.
UK & Ireland Recruitment Business Partner (Associate Director) – Strategy & Transactions (VME)
EY (Ernst & Young)
London Bridge
08.2021 - 04.2022
- Senior recruitment and people partner role within EY’s Strategy & Transactions practice, supporting complex, regulated, and highly specialist teams across the UK & Ireland.
- Led and coordinated a 40-person offshore HR onboarding and operations team based in Manila, responsible for pre-employment checks, onboarding delivery, and candidate lifecycle management.
- Held weekly governance and operational meetings with offshore teams, UK hiring managers, EY Mobility, and Legal teams to manage international mobility candidates and resolve discrepancies.
- Acted as the central point of escalation for onboarding, mobility, and compliance-related issues, ensuring timely resolution and risk mitigation.
- Led and managed a London small team of 10.
- Managed end-to-end recruitment across the UK & Ireland for eight specialist teams within Valuation, Modelling & Economics (VME), including Economic Advisory, Real Estate Valuations, Business Valuation, Financial Modelling (London & Edinburgh), Capital Equipment Valuations, Analytics, Operations Research.
- Worked closely with senior stakeholders to deliver strategic hiring solutions aligned with growth plans and talent priorities.
- Partnered with EY Mobility and Legal teams to manage cross-border hiring, visa considerations, and international assignments.
- Worked closely with Reward and HR Operations teams to ensure offer alignment, compensation governance, and consistency with EY reward frameworks.
- Ensured recruitment and onboarding processes met EY governance, audit, and compliance standards.
Board Member – Human Capital Advisory
Christ Church Fledgelings School
London
04.2019 - 04.2022
- Served as a Board Member with specific responsibility for Human Capital Advisory, providing strategic oversight and guidance on people, governance, and organisational development matters.
- Acted as a trusted advisor to the Board and senior leadership on people strategy, workforce planning, organisational structure, and succession planning.
- Provided Board-level input on HR policies, safeguarding, governance frameworks, and employment best practice, ensuring compliance with regulatory and ethical standards.
- Supported senior leadership on performance management, leadership capability, and staff engagement.
- Contributed to discussions on culture, inclusion, wellbeing, and organisational values, bringing a professional HR and governance perspective.
- Ensured appropriate oversight of people risk, compliance, and decision-making at Board level.
Volunteer
Barrow Hedges Primary School
London
10.2018 - 07.2019
- Community volunteer role supporting school operations, staff, and engagement initiatives.
- Supported teaching staff and school leadership with classroom activities, events, and day-to-day operations.
- Assisted with administrative and organisational tasks, improving communication and efficiency.
- Demonstrated strong commitment to community engagement, inclusion, and social responsibility.
HR & Talent Acquisition Business Partner
GSMA
City of London
05.2017 - 08.2017
- Contract Talent Acquisition Business Partner role within a global telecoms and technology organisation, supporting specialist recruitment in a fast-paced, international environment.
- Delivered end-to-end recruitment across technical, commercial, and corporate roles.
- Partnered with hiring managers to define requirements, manage candidate pipelines, and deliver timely hires.
- Managed interviews, offers, and onboarding in line with GSMA governance and quality standards.
- Provided market insight and talent advisory support to stakeholders.
- Ensured a strong candidate experience while meeting delivery timelines and business needs.
Legal – VP , EMEA (Global Banking & Markets)
HSBC
Canary Wharf
09.2011 - 04.2015
- Legal operations and governance role within HSBC’s Global Banking & Markets division, supporting Treasury and Capital Markets activity across EMEA, with cross-border responsibility and exposure to global stakeholders.
- Supported Treasury and Capital Markets businesses across EMEA as part of the Client Documentation Group (COBAM), a critical control function enabling compliant trading activity.
- Held oversight responsibility for an offshore support team in India, coordinating reporting, documentation workflows, and data delivery.
- Responsible for timely and accurate reporting to US-based teams, ensuring alignment across EMEA and US regulatory and operational requirements.
- Negotiated, reviewed, and executed complex legal documentation including ISDAs, CSAs, and securities financing master agreements, in line with HSBC Group policies and global regulatory standards.
- Worked closely with Front Office, Sales, Relationship Managers, Risk, and Compliance to resolve documentation issues and support client onboarding and trading readiness.
- Ensured strong controls, data integrity, and audit-ready documentation in a highly regulated global banking environment.
HR Business Partner VP – Global Banking & Markets
HSBC
Canary Wharf
05.2011 - 07.2011
- Short-term HR Business Partner assignment supporting Global Banking & Markets functions within a complex, fast-paced, and highly regulated environment.
- Partnered with senior managers across derivatives, FX, money markets, risk, technology, and operations, providing day-to-day HR support and advice.
- Supported workforce management activities including headcount planning, role changes, and organisational alignment.
- Advised managers on employee relations matters, HR policy interpretation, and procedural compliance.
- Worked closely with Risk and Operations teams to support operational effectiveness and people risk management.
- Contributed to consistent application of HR policies and governance standards across Global Banking & Markets functions.
HR Onboarding Specialist – Global Banking Functions
Barclays
Canary Wharf
03.2010 - 03.2011
- HR operations and onboarding role within Barclays’ Global Banking Functions, supporting large, regulated populations across front-office, middle-office, and corporate functions.
- Managed end-to-end employee onboarding for global banking functions, ensuring compliance with internal policies, regulatory requirements, and right-to-work standards.
- Coordinated background screening, documentation, contract issuance, and system access in line with Barclays’ governance frameworks.
- Acted as a key liaison between HR, Hiring Managers, Compliance, IT, and Security to ensure a seamless and compliant onboarding experience.
- Supported employee lifecycle activities including probation management, contract variations, and employee data changes.
- Maintained accurate HR records and employee data, ensuring integrity across HR systems.
- Responded to employee and manager queries, providing guidance on HR policies, onboarding processes, and employment documentation.
- Contributed to process improvements to enhance onboarding efficiency, candidate experience, and compliance outcomes.
Human Resources Management
Louis Capital Markets
London
01.2008 - 09.2009
- Reported directly to the CEO (two Managing Partners) and worked closely alongside the Chief Operating Officer (COO), supporting people operations, governance, and day-to-day workforce management in a fast-paced investment banking environment.
- Broad HR generalist role within an international investment banking environment, providing hands-on HR support across the full employee lifecycle global team.
- Delivered end-to-end HR operational support, covering recruitment coordination, onboarding, employee relations, performance management, and exits.
- Drafted and issued employment contracts, offer letters, contract amendments, and HR correspondence in line with UK employment law.
- Supported managers with day-to-day employee relations matters, including absence management, disciplinary processes, and performance issues.
- Maintained HR records and employee data, ensuring accuracy, confidentiality, and compliance.
- Assisted with payroll inputs, benefits administration, and compensation-related queries.
- Supported HR reporting and MI preparation for senior management.
- Acted as a trusted point of contact for employees, providing guidance on HR policies, procedures, and workplace matters.
- Gained early exposure to regulated financial services HR practices, building a strong foundation in governance, professionalism, and confidentiality.
Education
BSc (Hons) - Computer Science
King’s College London
London, United KingdomDiploma of Education - Advanced Diploma in Computer Programming
City of Westminster College
London, United KingdomCertification
- Human Resources (HR) Management Certificate, 2024-12-01, 395535
- Legal and Documentation – ISDA (International Swaps and Derivatives Association), 2012-01-01
Timeline
Head of Human Resources
Sonali Bangladesh UK (SBUK) Limited
04.2025 - Current
Global Head of HR & Talent Acquisition (Fintech, M&A, Private Equity)
Finquest
05.2022 - 04.2024
UK & Ireland Recruitment Business Partner (Associate Director) – Strategy & Transactions (VME)
EY (Ernst & Young)
08.2021 - 04.2022
Board Member – Human Capital Advisory
Christ Church Fledgelings School
04.2019 - 04.2022
Volunteer
Barrow Hedges Primary School
10.2018 - 07.2019
HR & Talent Acquisition Business Partner
GSMA
05.2017 - 08.2017
Legal – VP , EMEA (Global Banking & Markets)
HSBC
09.2011 - 04.2015
HR Business Partner VP – Global Banking & Markets
HSBC
05.2011 - 07.2011
HR Onboarding Specialist – Global Banking Functions
Barclays
03.2010 - 03.2011
Human Resources Management
Louis Capital Markets
01.2008 - 09.2009
BSc (Hons) - Computer Science
King’s College London
Diploma of Education - Advanced Diploma in Computer Programming
City of Westminster College