Sanjay Samuel

About Sanjay Samuel

14 years ago, I walked into a startup with no HR function, no processes, and no team. I built it from the ground up — recruitment, operations, culture, and the company’s first digital presence. By the time I left, we had grown from 0 to 50 people.That experience shaped everything about how I think about talent.Great hiring doesn’t just fill roles. It builds organisations.Since then I’ve taken that belief into some of the most demanding talent environments in the world — Amazon’s swa teams, and for the last 6 years, Uber’s APAC sourcing function across India and Japan.At Uber I’ve built and scaled sourcing teams across two countries, two languages, and two completely different talent markets. I’ve led tech and non-tech hiring simultaneously, managed cross-cultural teams spanning Hyderabad, Bangalore and Tokyo, and partnered with business leaders across India, Japan and the US to align talent strategy with long-term growth.Some things I’ve learned across 14 years at every level of this function:The best sourcing teams are built on trust, not just process. When people feel genuinely developed and trusted — they find talent that others can’t.First-mover advantage in talent is real. The teams that map the market before the requisition opens always win.Data tells you where to look. Relationships determine whether the best candidates actually say yes.I lead with three beliefs — clarity in direction, coaching with intent, and service driven leadership. My job as a leader is to make my team’s best work possible. Everything else follows from that.Outside of work I’m a father of two, a cricket enthusiast, and someone who believes that the best conversations happen over a strong cup of chai.If you’re building a high-impact sourcing function, navigating complex talent markets, or thinking about APAC hiring strategy — I’d love to connect.

Experience

1. Talent Acquisition Leader - Apac

   Uber

   Aug 2022 — Present · Hyderabad, IN

   Lead cross-market tech and non-tech sourcing teams across India and Japan, driving strategic workforce planning for multiple business units.Spearhead sourcing excellence initiatives, introducing automation, capability building, and strategic workforce insights to accelerate hiring velocity.Partner with regional business and recruiting leaders to design scalable hiring frameworks aligned with long-term business goals.Champion process improvement, stakeholder alignment, and team coaching programs to elevate sourcing impact across APAC.

Education

• Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University

  Master of Business Administration (MBA), Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General

  2010 — 2012

Skills

• Performance Appraisal
• IT Recruitment
• Leadership
• Sap
• Change Management
• Employee Relations
• Benefits Negotiation
• Talent Acquisition
• Web 2.0
• Market Research
• Payroll
• Human Resources
• Erp
• Internet Recruiting
• Talent Management
• Contract Recruitment
• Employee Engagement
• Recruiting
• Hris
• Web Development
• Screening
• Hiring
• Business Development
• Management
• Performance Management
• Crm
• Executive Search
• Resource Management
• Strategy
• Technical Recruiting
• Interviews
• Team Management
• Sourcing
• Recruitments
• HR Consulting