Kalpana Bagamane

Kalpana works at the intersection of global organizations, culture and people and is a passionate advocate for creating inclusive, diverse, and equitable spaces for all. As an independent advisor, Kalpana partners with C-suite leaders to develop breakthrough people and culture strategies that meet organizational goals and produce sustainable impact. She also creates connection through storytelling, delivering inspiring keynotes on topics related to inclusive leadership and women in leadership.

Kalpana served as the inaugural Chief Diversity, Inclusion and Talent Officer at Kering, a luxury fashion group headquartered in Paris, where she developed the global Diversity and Inclusion mission and strategy. Just prior, she was Managing Director at leadership consultancy Russell Reynolds Associates based in Singapore, where she built the Consumer Practice from scratch, advising and partnering with clients on their talent and leadership development strategy. Kalpana also launched and led the firm’s global Diversity and Inclusion Practice and was a member of the Higher Education and Human Resources Practices.

She also served as the Global Director, Member Networks and Asia-Pacific Regional Director, Education for the Young Presidents’ Organization, a global CEO peer community, where she drove member engagement through high-impact learning content and community building  initiatives.

Kalpana is inspired by diverse cultures and perspectives, developed through working and living in 7 countries across the US, Asia, and Europe. She earned an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management (Northwestern University) where she was an FC Austin Scholar and a BS degree in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research from Virginia Tech University. She is a Member of the Sustainability Advisory Board for the Bolton Group and a Member, European Women on Boards.