Sonia Fernandes named Politico’s first global HR, diversity officer

Indian American Sonia Fernandes has been named as the global chief human resources and diversity officer of Politico, a Washington-based digital newspaper focused on politics.

“In this new role, she will be responsible for leading, integrating and harmonizing Politico’s talent functions across continents,” the publication announced Feb 1 noting that the function will be centralized globally for the first time in its 17-year history.

Based in Politico’s Rosslyn, Virginia headquarters, India-born, Mumbai-educated Fernandes will begin her new role on Feb 8.

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“Fernandes will drive positive change that will impact and elevate the well-being, professional growth and experience of every Politico across seven newsrooms, two continents and seven time zones,” the publication said.

Fernandes’ dual role as chief diversity officer reflects Politico’s commitment to fostering a diverse, inclusive and empowering workplace in line with its ambition for additional global growth, it added.

“Politico’s success is driven by great journalism and great people,” said Mark Dekan, chief operating officer of Politico Media Group. “Sonia brings a wealth of international experience and a fresh perspective to Politico. Her role is integral to building upon Politico’s track record as the most successful news start-up of the 21st century as we grow into a top global brand.”

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“It is a privilege to join Politico, an iconic brand dedicated to purpose-driven work with people at its heart,” said Fernandes. “I look forward to the exciting journey ahead and the limitless possibilities we’ll create together as a team.”

Fernandes brings over two decades of expertise in HR management and transformative change to her new role. She is seasoned in shaping organizational, cultural and talent ecosystems to drive business growth, the announcement stated.

She was most recently the chief people officer for the MediaCom Asia Pacific division of WPP, a global advertising agency, and was responsible for the well-being of 2,500 employees across 15 countries.

Her extensive career spans global entities such as KPMG, Bain & Co., the BBC and MediaCom, where she spearheaded progressive HR strategies with a focus on design and execution.

Having lived and worked in New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Australia, Singapore and India, Fernandes possesses deep knowledge in international HR. She has expertise in integrating cross-border HR strategies and operating models to align with commercial objectives, according to the publication.

Fernandes’ deep commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) will serve her as Politico’s first chief diversity officer. Balancing local needs with global scalability, she champions a “people-first, better results” approach, fostering a human-centric and high-performing culture.

She is a collaborative force in driving diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, having designed and implemented 75 grassroots programs across 15 countries, Politico said.

Additionally, she has played a key role in leading M&As from due diligence to integration, implementing strategic talent-mapping programs and overseeing large-scale recruitment projects.

Born in India, Fernandes holds a BA in psychology and sociology from The University of Mumbai and a master’s in management and employment relations from The University of Auckland, New Zealand.