From industrial engineer to HR Head: How an unconventional career path can shape a successful journey to the top

Milandi Hugo's career trajectory is a testament to how an unconventional path can lead to a successful journey to the top. Despite not initially envisioning a career in financial services, Hugo joined PSG's graduate programme in 2016, where she discovered a connection between her industrial engineering background and the industry's systems, processes, and flow. This insight resonated deeply with her, ultimately leading her to head up Human Resources at one of South Africa's leading financial services groups.

Initially focused on client experience and delivery, Hugo's understanding expanded to recognize the importance of the back end in creating a positive client experience. This realization drew her towards the people side of the business, where she became interested in how to make employees' lives easier so they could excel in their work.

Hugo's engineering background proved invaluable in her transition to HR. She employed systems thinking, structured problem-solving, and the ability to break complex challenges into manageable parts to build effective HR strategies and processes. Hugo's confidence in making this career pivot grew through the trust placed in her by her colleagues, who believed in her ability to deliver results.

Throughout her career, Hugo has remained within PSG, finding immense value in the ownership and opportunities the company has provided. This long-term commitment within one organization has allowed her to develop a deep understanding of the business, its people, and how everything interconnects. Hugo emphasizes that building something with real roots is a powerful accelerator of one's career.

In her current senior leadership role, Hugo has shifted her mindset from solving problems herself to enabling others to solve them. She believes that developing people is integral to the strategy, as nothing can be delivered without capable and motivated individuals. Hugo's advice to young women entering the workforce, especially those unsure about their career paths, is to stay the course, take on challenges before feeling fully ready, and let their work demonstrate their capabilities. Success in the long run depends on delivering results and maintaining resilience.