Lyric.ai appoints Srilakshmi Kesari as VP and India HR Head
Lyric.ai has hired HR veteran Srilakshmi Kesari as vice president and country HR head for India as the company scales its regional presence. The Bengaluru-based AI firm is formalizing a stronger people strategy to support growth, with Kesari set to lead the function end to end.
With nearly two decades across human resources, talent engagement and organisational development, Kesari previously led talent engagement and development at a large IT services company. Her background spans HR operations for global delivery centres, and initiatives in inclusion, learning, and employee experience.
What Kesari will lead
- Design people-centric policies that are scalable and compliant for a growing India footprint.
- Strengthen employer branding to attract experienced technology talent.
- Build an inclusive, supportive culture with clear focus on learning, performance, and continuous improvement.
- Align talent development, capability building, and leadership pipelines with business priorities.
In her public statement, Kesari emphasized a workplace that supports growth, collaboration, and employee well-being. The move signals Lyric.ai's intent to treat HR as a core pillar of its India strategy as hiring competition intensifies.
Why this move matters for HR leaders
Early and growth-stage AI companies are investing in senior HR leadership earlier in the cycle. The goal is simple: build talent engines, create repeatable people practices, and protect culture as headcount rises.
For HR teams watching this space, the message is clear. Employer brand, learning architecture, and performance systems can't be afterthoughts-especially when competing for senior engineers, data scientists, and product leaders.
Signals to watch at Lyric.ai
- Codified performance frameworks tied to product and customer outcomes.
- Role-based learning paths and manager capability programs that scale.
- Inclusive policies with measurable impact on hiring, retention, and engagement.
- Sharper employer brand content and community presence in India tech hubs.
Practical takeaways for HR teams
- Audit your talent funnel by role family; fix the experience gaps that slow senior hiring.
- Publish clear growth paths and skills matrices; connect them to learning and reviews.
- Measure inclusion beyond sentiment-track mobility, calibration outcomes, and pay equity.
- Treat employer brand like a product: define the value proposition, test messages, iterate.
If employer branding is a priority this year, this overview from CIPD is a helpful starting point for structure and metrics: Employer branding essentials (CIPD).
Building AI capability across HR and business roles? Curated programs by job function can accelerate the rollout of practical skills: AI courses by job role.
Your membership also unlocks:
