Leadership Insights: A conversation with Simin Askari, SVP – HR & Business Excellence at DS Group
Team AdvantageClub.ai
August 11, 2026
In this episode of Advantage Engage, Smiti sits down with Simin, Head of HR and Business Excellence at DS Group, to unpack a career that moved from sales to entrepreneurship and finally into HR. With DS Group nearing its 100th year and now ranking among the country’s top 15 FMCG companies, Simin shares how the organization balances performance-driven rewards with a strong, values-led culture across a workforce spanning four generations.
A Chat with Simin Askari
Here is the excerpt:
Speakers: Smiti (Co-founder & CEO, AdvantageClub.ai) and Simin (Head of HR & Business Excellence, DS Group)
Smiti
Welcome to another episode of Advantage Engage, where we talk to amazing leaders, learn from their journey, and get inspired by them. My name is Smiti. I am the co-founder and CEO of AdvantageClub.ai, a global employee experience platform focused on rewards, recognition, well-being, and engagement. We’re all the way in Noida today, and we’ve lined up another amazing podcast episode for you. With me is Simin, the Head of HR and Business Excellence at DS Group. I think it’s going to be really interesting because of the scale of DS Group and how big it is. Also, I love Simin’s journey because she has worked in so many industries and has years of experience. But I’m not going to give away too much right now. I’ll let her talk about it. So, Simin, welcome to the show.
Simin
Thank you so much, Smiti, and thank you AdvantageClub.ai for having me here on this podcast.
Smiti
Simin, let’s start with your career journey, you’ve had a really interesting path. I know the viewers would love to hear about it. How have you moved through different stages in your career over the years? How did you get started, and how did you end up in HR?
Simin
Well, it’s been a really interesting journey, and I think life just takes you through all kinds of twists and turns, ups and downs, and sometimes you just have no control, it kind of just happens. So I started my journey as a salesperson, working hardcore in sales and then business development. I eventually evolved into an HR person. So, the early years of my career were basically about helping me understand the fundamentals of business: figuring out what customers like and dislike, how to interact with them, how to deal with stakeholders, and really how to listen deeply. And that’s one thing that’s really helped me get to where I am today as an HR professional.
My journey started from sales, then I moved to business development, then entrepreneurship, and finally into HR. I kind of evolved into this person. While I was an entrepreneur, I got curious about what really makes businesses grow beyond just revenue. How do we make people more performance-driven? What can be done to help an organization truly thrive and grow because of its people? That’s where my interest and passion lie.
It kind of took me some time, and I slowly started working towards that. In my current role too, I feel like I’m becoming more process-oriented. I understand the connections between data and performance. I’d say this has really helped me grow into a business excellence professional alongside HR. So, it’s been an interesting journey- tough, full of twists and turns, and full of learning. I feel like I’ve grown as a person everywhere I’ve been. It’s only helped me.
Smiti
That’s interesting, especially since you’ve been on the other side of the table. You’ve dealt with customers, and as an entrepreneur you’d have done everything. I call it the “chairman does everything” mindset. So, do you think that helped you become a better HR leader, since your customers are now your employees? I feel the entrepreneurship journey is a really humbling experience, and it makes one become more empathetic towards people. Do you think that’s really helped you on this path?
Simin
Oh yes, Smiti, I think it has. What’s really helped me is starting from sales. It helped me understand the basic fundamentals of business. Ultimately, your customer, whether internal or external, is the king, and you need to know how to meet their expectations. That’s where you start. I think everyone should really start in sales, honestly. In fact, today I’d say I sell jobs everywhere.
Being an entrepreneur, as you said, from the chairman to the peon, that’s actually where you get your hands dirty, doing everything and making sure everything is running smoothly. You go all out. And that’s what helps you as a professional too, because you understand how different functions are connected, and how your decisions, whether people-related or not, ultimately affect the bottom line. If you understand how the different functions interlink, how different people work together, and how the decisions you make ultimately have an impact, that definitely helps, and the business benefits from these kinds of experiences.
Smiti
Let’s talk about the DS Group. It’s a really, really big group. There are so many businesses inside the business itself, and you’ve been with the group for more than a decade now, almost 12-plus years ago. So tell us more about the group. How big is it? How have you seen the company evolve over the past decade since you’ve been there?
Simin
When I joined the organization about 12 years ago, the group was already a well-known name, and I’d say it had a deep-rooted commitment to family values, as well as a strong reputation for quality and innovation. But, over time, it has become a diversified organization, with many different lines of business. It’s been really cool to be part of the whole transformation journey that we’ve been through.
Over the years, we’ve made sure our people are future-ready, and our processes are super digital and tech-enabled. We work in the most modern ways possible, and honestly, that’s something I find really fascinating personally, to be part of this transformation. Today, DS Group is one of the top 15 FMCG companies in the country, and we’ve crossed 10,000 crore in revenue. We have super ambitious goals for ourselves since we’ve been around for 96 years. We’re almost hitting the 100-year mark, so everyone’s got really ambitious targets, and we’re pretty confident we’ll reach them.
Smiti
Definitely. Also, you can see there are different types of people since the group has been here for nearly 100 years, people from all generations. So, how do they manage to work together? I’d love to understand that.
Simin
Yes, I think everywhere I go, whenever I have a conversation with someone, people have shared this. We have people in the organization who’ve been with us for over 40 years, and then we have the younger generation coming straight out of college. So just imagine the different generations working together. But I think what’s really central to us and core to who we are is our collaboration. That’s one of our core values. That’s how we actually identify people we bring in who want to come and work with us.
Collaboration, empathy, and mutual respect are super important to us. This organization really tries to value loyalty and legacy, but we also appreciate the fresh ideas that come from the young folks who join straight out of college. Because there’s mutual respect, there’s also a bit of reverse mentoring that keeps happening, and because each of us sees the value in what the other person brings, the synergy happens, and everyone’s able to work together.
Smiti
And have you noticed any challenges with this new generation coming in, especially when working in the FMCG sector versus other, psychologically “cooler” sectors? Do you think your employer branding helps you there?
Simin
Of course, employer branding definitely helps, and we’re a pretty well-known name in the country and also outside the country. But I think the roles we offer, especially through a specific program we have, the ESP program, that’s what really makes it aspirational for people coming into the FMCG sector. I think it’s all about how the organization functions, how roles are defined, and the clarity we provide when we explain what’s expected from them. The freedom we give to our young folks to come in, explore, and work alongside those who’ve been in the system for a long time is important.
Also, what works for these younger generations is how we, as leaders, drive performance initiatives, because the younger generation doesn’t have the patience to wait for annual appraisals. They want their efforts recognized right away.
Smiti
And you’ve been on both sides, the business side and the HR side. So you clearly get how performance-related initiatives make more sense. How does the DS Group handle this issue? Do you link performance-based rewards with culture-driven rewards? And how do you motivate the workforce?
Simin
For us, our reward strategy is pretty comprehensive. Of course, it’s performance-based rewards; that’s the intersection of people and strategy. But while doing that, it’s also about making sure recognition and rewards aren’t just for outcomes but for impact too. Our people understand that excellence gets rewarded, and it goes beyond just KPIs or numbers- things like how you collaborate, your learning agility, and how you are with your peers. So the philosophy is comprehensive.
From an organizational standpoint, there’s one main philosophy, but we also let some customization happen at the business level. So local leaders have the flexibility to tweak it because rewarding a salesperson in the spices business would be totally different from someone at a manufacturing unit for dairy. So those things can be customized, but the overall philosophy stays the same. It has to be ultimately tied to our core values and ethics.
Smiti
Yes, so it’s like the perfect mix of a culture-driven reward and a performance-driven reward, not just tying it to performance, but also connecting it to the core values or culture of the organization. But how do you balance the two? I’ve seen a lot of organizations struggle to create these awards. Where do you draw the line between performance-based rewards and rewards that are given just for following the culture, regardless of performance? That mix is something I’m really interested in learning about from you.
Simin
You’ll have to have a mix if you have a strategy like that, and in our case it’s a layered approach. There will be performance-led rewards, because obviously performance has to be there and you just can’t ignore that. But we want to make sure our core values stay intact and that people follow them. So there’s a set of rewards and recognition that go beyond just the numbers: peer-to-peer evaluations, spot rewards and recognition moments, stars that keep going around, and thank-you notes we give to people just for exhibiting certain behaviors.
We want to keep reinforcing that these are the behaviors that are acceptable in the organization, the kind we want people to embrace and show. So it’s not a one-size-fits-all thing. It’s a layered approach. There’s also a big focus right now on learning and development, and we’ve designed rewards to make sure learning is happening all the time. It can get a bit tricky because you need a carrot-and-stick approach, but we want to add more character to it.
Smiti
And I think with such a diverse workforce, upskilling would actually make more sense for you. How many employees are there in total?
Simin
Over 10,000.
Smiti
And these are spread across various industries, so every industry would have a different learning module you’d want to implement. Yes, this is really interesting. And when we talk about general employee engagement, of course, rewards, recognition, and performance-based bonuses are trending right now, but what’s also coming to the forefront since the COVID-19 pandemic is well-being. More organizations are going out of their way to create well-being strategies, which earlier were mostly limited to insurance programs, or maybe one annual health checkup on campus. More organizations are coming up with interesting ways, including OPD services, health checks, fitness, and well-being programs. Are there any initiatives DS Group has taken in this direction?
Simin
Yes, we’re not different, and I think the pandemic really reinforced that this should definitely be a major focus. We want to go beyond just basic compliance, not just annual factory worker health checkups. We have a doctor on call right there at the premises, plus a medical center. We take a comprehensive approach: mental health, physical health, and financial health. For physical health and well-being, there are a bunch of initiatives that happen all year round. We have various schemes and tie-ups with hospitals to make sure our employees get beneficial treatment packages.
We also have talks, seminars, and webinars that keep reinforcing things, and sometimes some unconventional things too, like conversations for young parents about the well-being of their kids, and for young women who are on maternity leave or expecting.
We’ve also had financial well-being sessions for people who work blue-collar jobs, which I think is really important, because that’s a part of society that doesn’t really understand much about investments or insurance, and is often just struggling to get by, with salaries getting exhausted by the end of the month. I think that’s helped our people understand why financial well-being matters and how to go abo
Smiti
Yes, especially nowadays, young kids live paycheck to paycheck. They don’t have any understanding of savings. Initially, when we started, a lot of kids used to come and say, “Why is my PF being deducted? Don’t cut my PF.” They don’t want to worry about long-term investments and only care about short-term things.
Simin
I know it might sound crazy, but I’ve got an interesting analogy. When we kicked off the whole life insurance thing, employees were supposed to pay a certain premium, but most of the younger ones weren’t really interested. So our insurance head went up to them and said, “Look, think about it like this: you’re not having a pizza for one day. Just one day in a year, that’s all you’re spending. Can’t you just give that much?” I don’t know how, but it actually worked.
Smiti
That’s important; you’re right. Young people don’t really get how important financial well-being is. And I think with how this year’s been going since January, with everything happening, I think people are going to take life insurance more seriously now. We also started thinking about getting life insurance this year because of everything going on, plus we’re new parents. Until now, we hadn’t even thought about it. So I think this is mostly a generational thing, and it’s all about priorities. What matters to me might not be your priority, and vice versa, depending on what’s happening around you. That’s interesting. So generally, at DS Group, you’ve taken a lot of HR initiatives over the past decade. Can you talk about one HR initiative you’re really proud of, one that felt like it made a real difference in the organization?
Simin
Yes, we’ve been taking a lot of HR initiatives. That’s part of why I’m so excited, because getting up and going to work every day feels like starting fresh. There are a couple of initiatives I’m really proud of. One of the first ones I took on worked out really well for us: the ESP program. It basically brings in young graduates from the top B-schools in the country and puts them through a long induction process where they get exposure to different functions and businesses. They actually work on process improvement projects and are ultimately placed in strategy and even operations, directly under a business head, HOD, or director. It’s helped us build a pipeline of leaders.
The young leaders bring fresh perspectives and have helped us look at the way we used to work from a new angle; plus, they bring the advantage of having studied at the best institutes in the country and also bring a lot of analytical approaches to work. We launched our 11th ESP program in April, and I’m really proud of it. I feel it’s truly added a lot of value.
Another thing I think we’ve done really well is the Learning Academy, called “Disha,” which means direction in Hindi but also cleverly incorporates DS, so it helps with the branding too. Disha is an AI-enabled platform that delivers hyper-personalized learning journeys for our people. It drives learning and development within the organization, making it learning on the go for everyone. It has tons of customizable modules, tailor-made to fit specific needs.
People can browse and even opt into courses that might not originally be part of their learning path. There’s been a lot of excitement about that. Hyper-personalization isn’t in the future. It’s happening right now. I believe the faster solutions can adapt to be more personalized and customized for their users, the better they’ll be, and everyone on the AI bandwagon, including us, will benefit.
Smiti
This is really interesting. And you’re an HR leader, you’re a woman, and you work in FMCG, which is a pretty tough sector. There was that news about the first woman CEO at Unilever, which was a big deal. So what kind of barriers do you think still exist in the corporate world, especially in industrial sectors where you have manufacturing being so prominent? As a woman leader, or as a woman aspiring to be a leader in this industry, what advice would you give people, and from your personal experience, what challenges have you faced?
Simin
You’re right, I’m in the FMCG sector, and I’d say that while there have been improvements in inclusion, organizations try to make sure there are inclusive workspaces. There are challenges, both structurally and culturally. Structurally, in a manufacturing and sales-oriented organization, there are very few women on the shop floor or out in the field. But there’s also a mindset and cultural bias that exists, stemming from questions around leadership capabilities to assumptions about whether there will be continuity at various life stages of a woman. So FMCG as a sector unfortunately has these challenges, but as I see it, my job as a leader is not only to get women into the workspace but also to try to make the workspace and ecosystem compatible so they can thrive.
For young girls, I’d say there will be challenges. Your career is never a straight path; there will always be ups and downs. You need to make sure you overcome those challenges and be prepared for them. Something I always tell young girls: don’t lose hope, don’t be apologetic about your ambitions, speak openly about them, and work on building your knowledge. If you go into a meeting well-prepared and knowledgeable, nobody’s really going to question whether you’re a man or a woman. Your competence speaks for itself. I’ve never liked the term “woman leader.” I’m just a leader who happens to be a woman. That’s what I try to tell people, including my own daughter.
Independent women go out there and speak their minds. You’ve got the knowledge in the back of your head. What’s also important is knowing how to make sure you’re visible. There are lots of times when we face challenges and try to step back, but that’s when you start becoming invisible, and people just start stepping over you and moving on to the next person. And the third thing, which is the most important, is to keep learning, be curious, and stay hungry for knowledge. The more you understand different things that aren’t even in your field, the more valuable you become to an organization, and then there’s no way anyone’s going to ask whether it’s a woman or a man.
Smiti
Yes, I completely agree. Especially around here, I always say everyone is replaceable in this world, including me, you, everyone, but not everyone is indispensable.
Simin
So, it’s important to be indispensable: at the end of the day, you’re so rooted in the system and so important that if you ever have to be replaced, it would take at least three or four people to replace you. Then it doesn’t matter; people look beyond gender. You’ve got to make sure you take ownership, and that you’re present.
Smiti
Exactly. I think that’s something the younger generation kind of lacks sometimes. It doesn’t matter who you are, no matter the gender. If the younger generation gets that, if you’re there and you’re reliable, then of course you become one of those people who’s really hard to replace.
Simin
I’d say irreplaceable, but yes, definitely hard to replace.
Smiti
Has your journey included going to the shop floor and interacting with the workers? Have you done all of that in the past decade?
Simin
I can’t say I haven’t done it. Because, like I said, starting with sales, you’re interacting with the ground level, real situations, and customers right at the front. And in the manufacturing setup, when I was an entrepreneur, it was a manufacturing setup as well; you’re managing the workers, going there, understanding how to make sure they’re performing and what’s going on, what drives them, and just generally being there. I think it’s also important to understand not just the human psyche but also the processes. You look at the various processes and bring about efficiencies only when you’re actually there, not sitting in your cabin somewhere.
Smiti
Absolutely. So, what’s your favorite DS Group brand?
Simin
There are so many, way too many; it’d be really unfair for me to pick just one, but I’d probably say Pulse.
Smiti
Okay, yes, I love Pulse. It really has a great distributor network. Every corporate office you go to, every conference, there’s this little box with Pulse candy in it. There’s always Pulse, nothing else.
Simin
Before that, I used to get really excited when I’d see a Catch water bottle, the ones with the cap; now it’s always the Pulse candy.
Smiti
Pretty interesting. So, from an Indian corporate perspective, we talked about AI and all that; what do you think the future of HR looks like? Where do you think the whole employee experience landscape is heading? What do you think is coming up for us as the future?
Simin
Someone rightly said the future’s already here; it’s just not evenly spread yet. I feel HR has changed a lot from what it used to be to what it is today, and what it’s expected to be in the future, as a true business partner. I expect HR pros to be more agile, to really understand the different nuances that matter for employees. Employee experience is going to be super important; it’s going to be a hyper-personalized experience, not just employee experience. It should be personal to me: how am I feeling when I come to an organization? Also, I think somewhere the purpose-driven scope of HR is really important: how people feel engaged beyond just compensation. Do they feel valued in the organization, do they feel like they have a purpose being there? Do they feel connected?
I believe that’s where HR becomes a real force for that transformational experience. Organizations that truly invest in these things, beyond just pay, and make sure employees feel like they’re part of a purpose-driven organization, contributing, and being valued, that’s where these organizations are going to win over others.
Smiti
Absolutely, purpose-driven strategies are a must. It’s not even optional anymore.
Simin
We talk about AI, data, efficient processes, all that’s important, but I think where HR is going to win people is the trust level, and when people feel they actually contribute to the business and that business values that.
Smiti
That’s where the change is happening. A lot of people talk about getting “a seat at the table.” Unless your strategies are tied to business objectives, those objectives don’t actually get fulfilled, and you don’t really get to be a voice at the table. This was a really interesting conversation, and now I have a bunch of fun rapid-fire questions for you. I already asked your favorite brand, but here are a few more.
The first one is which moment in your career made you realize, “Yes, this is why I love HR”?
Simin
I have evolved into an HR professional. I won’t say I consciously chose this line of work; it just kind of happened. But somewhere along the way, I started realizing that the people aspect in business is super important. That realization hit me during my entrepreneurial journey, that there could be ways and means to make the business thrive without just focusing on revenue. It would actually be led by the people. How can I make people work better when they’re more engaged, more productive? That’s kind of the moment I’d say was my “aha” moment about being an HR professional.
Smiti
That’s interesting. My second question is if you weren’t in HR, what would your alternate career path be?
Simin
I’d probably still be in sales. Somewhere, I still feel like I’m in sales, but selling jobs. I’d probably be a CEO or a sales head somewhere.
Smiti
Got it. And what’s that one piece of feedback from a peer or a teammate that changed the way you lead or the way you work?
Simin
This one’s interesting because it was a tough reality: one of my peers gave me feedback that I talk too much and don’t listen enough. That kind of hit me, because my train of thought is really quick, and I have so many opinions forming and spilling out of my mouth, and I used to never really let anyone else speak up. I think that feedback helped me a lot, and that’s why I’m able to listen and understand someone else’s perspective before I actually speak up and share my own.
Smiti
It’s the art of pausing to think, then speaking your mind. And if your team could break one rule to achieve excellence faster, what rule would you smash?
Simin
I’d say the rule of asking permission from me for everything. I’d say, just go ahead and do it, I’m sure you’re capable enough. I hired you after all. I know my team is capable, and if you fall and fail, then learn from that mistake. It’s alright.
Smiti
Yes, I do that too. Every time someone comes and asks me for my opinion, my reverse question is, “What would you do?” And most of the time they’re right, and then my response is, “So why are you asking me? Go do it.” I think empowering people really works. One, it helps you save time, and eventually it also creates a culture of excellence, where people start making decisions faster and making the right decisions faster.
Smiti
And my last fun question is what’s the weirdest place you’ve taken a work call?
Simin
Okay, so I usually don’t like taking calls, especially when I’m on vacation, but the weird part is it probably would have been at a spa. I got a call; the phone just kept buzzing, and I finally had to pick it up.
Smiti
The person must have been wondering why you are whispering. This has been a really fruitful conversation, Simin. Thank you for your time today. I’m sure our viewers would’ve loved listening to it too, and really appreciate you being here.
Simin
Thanks so much, Smiti. I’m really honored and super happy I got to share my story here. I hope this conversation sparks not just more conversations but also inspires some action. Thank you so much.
Smiti
Thanks again. This was Simin from DS Group, and it was an amazing conversation. Stay tuned for lots more awesome podcast videos coming soon on Advantage Engage.
Concluding thoughts
Simin’s journey is a reminder that the best HR leaders often come from outside HR. Her sales and entrepreneurial roots shaped a people-first, business-savvy approach that’s hard to fake. From DS Group’s ESP leadership pipeline to its AI-driven learning platform Disha, the conversation makes a strong case for hyper-personalization and purpose as the next frontier of employee experience. And her advice to young women in FMCG is simple: build competence, stay visible, and keep learning. It also applies to any professional navigating a non-linear career.
This podcast was recorded during Simin Askari’s tenure at DS Group and published on YouTube on October 6, 2025.
