LER 565  ·  WEEK 5  ·  ROUND 2
The Shortlist
Round 2: hiring an HR Business Partner — make the case for the best hire.

Your panel is hiring an HR Business Partner to support a business unit’s leaders. Each finalist below is a real option; weigh the trade-offs and be ready to argue your pick.

The Analyst
Dev Malhotra
Background Scale-upExperience 4 yrsTrack record Rapid early winsStakeholder trust 4.2/5Level StretchFlight risk High

Strengths

  • Sharp, data-fluent, modern toolkit
  • Builds evidence leaders act on
  • Affordable, high ceiling

Watch-outs

  • Junior for a high-stakes unit
  • Has never handled a layoff round
  • Already being recruited elsewhere
The Insider
Andre Bello
Background Internal transferExperience 8 yrsTrack record Solid, steadyStakeholder trust 4.9/5Level MidFlight risk Medium

Strengths

  • Leaders lean on him for judgment
  • Reads people and politics deftly
  • Calm in layoffs and disputes

Watch-outs

  • Too close to the leaders he must challenge
  • Light on HR analytics and data
  • Being courted by another unit
The Operator
Carol Nakamura
Background Mid-size firmExperience 10 yrsTrack record On targetStakeholder trust 3.9/5Level MidFlight risk Low

Strengths

  • Keeps the unit compliant and audit-clean
  • The only finalist who has run an integration
  • Dependable on the HR basics

Watch-outs

  • Rarely pushes the business
  • Two grievances escalated on her watch
  • Slow to drive real change
The Challenger
Renata Vossen
Background Larger rivalExperience 12 yrsTrack record Top quartileStakeholder trust 3.1/5Level SeniorFlight risk Low

Strengths

  • Runs flawless, scaled HR processes
  • Unafraid to push back on senior leaders
  • Delivers on tough org changes

Watch-outs

  • Bulldozes stakeholders to get there
  • Two reports quit after her restructure
  • Commands a senior salary
A different shortlist with a different shape: two finalists here carry real stakeholder-trust problems, not one. There is no obviously correct hire — the right answer depends on what your panel decides the team needs. Argue your case from the facts above.
Ryan LamareLER 565 · Closed Session · Shortlist · Round 2