Mukta Arya on the one skill that will save your HR career

SUMMARYRenee Conklin is joined by Mukta Arya, Chief Human Resources Officer for Asia Pacific at Societe Generale, based in Hong Kong. Mukta has spent nearly three decades in HR and 20 years at Societe Generale, moving through five roles across India, Hong Kong, and Singapore before becoming CHRO. She and Renee talk about what has kept her at one company for two decades, how internal mobility functions as a retention strategy, how AI is currently showing up inside her HR team, and the one skill she believes will separate HR leaders who thrive over the next five years from those who get sidelined.KEY TAKEAWAYSInternal mobility across geography and function, not compensation or title, has been the strongest retention lever in Mukta's own career.A short-term assignment or role change can reignite motivation, but sustaining curiosity long term has to be driven by the individual, not the organization.AI's clearest value right now is efficiency, but Mukta expects its bigger long-term contribution to be effectiveness, freeing HR to spend more time on advisory and creative work.Mukta frames AI as a partner to HR, not a replacement for it: HR with AI, not AI instead of HR.Curiosity, not a technical skill or certification, is the factor Mukta believes will separate HR leaders who thrive from those who get sidelined by AI.Societe Generale invests in HR's own development through a global HR academy, regional strategic development programs, and a dedicated HR for HR function, but Mukta is clear that growth is ultimately each employee's own responsibility.CONNECTMukta Arya on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/muktaarya/Renee Conklin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reneeconklin/RC HR CONSULTING NEWSLETTERIf this episode resonated with you, join the newsletter at news.rchrconsulting.com/newsletter for more resources on building a strengths aligned HR career.KEYWORDSHR leadership, AI in HR, career navigation, internal mobility, CHRO, Societe Generale, curiosity, Asia Pacific, women in HR, future of HR careers, upskilling, retention