Challenges in Talent Management

Kaija Bridger leads People operations for KONE in South East Asia, the Middle East and Africa (APM). She is responsible for driving the People strategy across the region and partnering with the business to enable business results and strengthen KONE as a Great Place to Work. Kaija has worked at KONE for more than 7 years. Prior to relocating to Singapore, Kaija worked as the Head of Talent and Culture in global operations. She was globally responsible for providing strategic direction on talent, career and leadership development across KONE to attract, develop and engage talent. In addition to Talent Acquisition and Management, she was leading the Cultural development of KONE including change management and Diversity, Inclusion and Equity.

Prior to KONE, Kaija worked in HR consulting building and implementing talent strategies, including talent assessment and development practices across industries. She held several sales and business development roles and worked as a Managing Director. Kaija holds a Master of Science in Psychology and is a licensed Clinical Psychologist. She is passionate about people and nurturing a culture of collaboration, creativity and inclusion. When she is not working, you can find her at the gym or having fun with friends. With her Finnish-Australian family, she enjoys boating, skiing and travelling.

Ricky Foo is a Partner and Director with Mercuri Urval. He delivers executive search and leadership advisory solutions to clients in the APAC region. He specializes in the Healthcare/Life Science, Industrial and Technology sectors, where he focuses on mid-to-large size international companies. In the last 9 years, he has worked across the Asia Pacific countries on many complex assignments.



Prior to joining Mercuri Urval, Ricky was a Senior Consultant / OD Manager with a Singaporean consulting firm. He is a professional trainer/facilitator and he has led several change management projects in local and international companies. Throughout his career, he worked with senior executives and professionals to drive change in organizations and also to develop individuals and teams to their fullest potential.



Ricky earned a Master of Arts (Education and Human Development) at George Washington University. He is fluent in English, Mandarin, Cantonese and Malay Language.

Chie Fujimoto is an accomplished and dynamic Human Resources leader with over 20 years of experience in the industry, currently serving as the Head of People Experience for Asia-Pacific and Japan at Nokia. Chie is recognized for her strategic thinking, strong cross-cultural understanding, and ability to drive innovative HR initiatives across a diverse range of markets. Chie began her HR career at Nokia where she honed her skills in talent management, employee engagement, compensation & benefits and organizational development. Over the years, she has held various HR leadership positions, including her current position since 2019. She has made a significant impact on the company's HR policies and practices, playing a pivotal role in transforming Nokia's workplace culture and enhancing employee experiences. Outside of her professional life, Chie is a dedicated advocate for diversity and inclusion, mentoring young professionals and supporting initiatives aimed at empowering underrepresented groups in the workplace. She enjoys traveling, learning about new cultures, and spending time with her family.

Adaptive executive strategy and digital transformation management professional with over 20 years of experience in digital transformation, business strategy execution, program management, change management, and solution development and delivery within the supply chain management, banking, mining, insurance, telecoms and high-tech industries.

Pasi has consulted global and regional clients for 13 years as an independent management consultant based in Singapore. He just joined a boutique strategy and digital transformation consulting firm, Renoir Group, advising South East Asian clients in their digital transformation journeys.

Christina Lu Maxwell, HR Head APAC at Neste APAC Pte Ltd (the world’s largest producer of Renewable Aviation Fuel and global producer of renewable diesel), is a strategic HR leader with extensive experience in culture transformation & organisation development in start-up, new businesses, merger & acquisition and joint ventures. She is respected for coaching senior leaders, spotting talents and delivering business results through successful human capital strategies.
Prior to that, she was the global HR and Communication Senior Vice President for Volvo Group Group Trucks Asia business unit. She has also taken on roles as Regional HR in Robert Bosch SEA and Commerzbank.
Christina graduated with a Bachelor Degree in Arts from National University of Singapore. She also has a Masters Degree in Administration from James Cook University, Australia as well as a post Diploma in Human Resources from Singapore Institute of Management. She is certified as Gallup Strengths Coach. She is a Board Member of Habitat Humanity of Singapore.