Are you as obsessed about talent as we are?
Our management team is as passionate and committed to achieving that vision. Get to know them below and the expertise and experience they bring to ensure success for our customers.
Sharma Lachu
Group CEO
How did he get here?
Sharma’s time as a senior consultant in Sydney led him to realize that companies in Asia could benefit from incorporating data science into their processes. In 2009, he returned to Malaysia to do exactly that. A decade later, his vision became a passion – to create a bias-free workplace that gives anyone an equal chance to succeed.
What is he up to now?
He is the head cheerleader of an enthusiastic team, driving the company’s vision, mission, and purpose every day. At the same time, he is working on creating something new for the talent credentialing journey.
Things you can’t tell by looking
He collects sneakers (lots of them!). He spends his time ‘nerding’ out to talks by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson and gets inspired through TED Talks and by reading multiple books at once.
Want to strike up a conversation?
Astrophysics is an excellent place to start (we’re not joking). But if you’re not scientifically inclined, try sports like football (he hates calling it soccer) and Formula 1.
Thomas Lozza
Chief Product Evangelist
How did he get here?
Tom is an accidental product manager. Trained as a software engineer, he soon found his passion more in analysing customer needs than programming. He learned, on many occasions, that his product was not doing what customers needed. A couple of years later, that pain became his mission: Bridge product management, design, and engineering add a good dose of agile sauce, and create products that customers need.
What is he up to now?
He is the chief storyteller, creating a shared idea of the future of our product where our clients/users are centre stage. Also, on an agile journey that empowers teams and a culture of collaboration.
Things you can’t tell by looking
Tom came to Malaysia with just a suitcase and no job. He discovered Malaysia on his backpacking trips through Southeast Asia. His nerdy side is watching rocket launches.
Want to strike up a conversation?
Show him your favorite apps or gadgets. Tom loves talking products. If that’s not your thing, how about your travel bucket list, diving, or cars?
Tishal Rai
Senior Manager People & Performance
How did she get here?
Tish worked for 6 years in Melbourne and decided home was always Malaysia. She moved back and joined Accendo as a Project Manager in 2011 and worked for 8 years as Project Manager, Head of Professional Services, COO. She left in 2019 to start her own business in the travel industry which did really well until the pandemic hit Malaysia. She went on to work for two years for an Australian and Singaporean listed company as Regional Senior HRBP. Tish rejoined Accendo in 2023 as Senior Manager People and Culture.
What is she up to now?
Tish discovered through her career journey that her passion lies in culture and people. She brings expertise from her years of experience to help startup companies design their people and culture framework in talent management. Startups often struggle with this aspect as they tend to be highly task and result oriented. The process involves defining the organisation’s culture through a playbook, embedding it within the company, and streamlining talent management processes. This includes redefining capability matrices, implementing career pathing, and facilitating upskilling initiatives.
Things you can’t tell by looking
Tish is a professional Indian classical dancer who began learning Bharatnatyam at the age of 6. She possesses a great passion for music and dancing, believing that music transcends time and boundaries, capable of dramatically influencing one’s mood.
Want to strike up a conversation?
Talk to Tish about travel! She loves traveling as it fulfils her soul! She also loves hearing stories about people’s adventures and finding out new places to add to her bucket list.
Sai Sidharth
VP of Technology
How did he get here?
Sai has been a driving force in the tech industry for over two decades, holding various leadership roles in tech startups, publicly listed companies, and multinational corporations. His contributions have spanned the globe, delivering cutting-edge software solutions. With a deep-seated passion for nurturing tech talent in Malaysia, Sai was captivated by Accendo’s mission to empower individuals to become the best versions of themselves in the workplace, he often reflects on how Talent Pulse could have enhanced the development and success of his teams in previous roles.
What is he up to now?
As a key player at Accendo, Sai’s primary focus is to bring the company’s innovative ideas to life for our customers, ensuring our digital platforms are not just high-quality, but are recognised as the best-in-class software in the industry. He’s on a continuous quest for the most advanced technology and is committed to recruiting top-tier talent to join our dynamic team.
Things you can’t tell by looking
Beyond his professional interests, Sai harbors a deep appreciation for the musical genius of A.R. Rahman and even indulged in some DJing during his university days.
Want to strike up a conversation?
While Sai can effortlessly dive into discussions about the latest technological innovations, you don’t have to be a tech aficionado to catch his attention. Just bring up his favourite sports—whether it’s golf, cricket, or Manchester United —and you’ll have the perfect icebreaker.
Jason Lee
Finance Manager
How did he get here?
Jason has a mixed bag of finance experience in the corporate and start-up world. Not the typical square accountant (even though he wears glasses) and believes in making a difference with a start-up by blending the corporate know-how into the agility required to conquer the HR tech space
What is he up to now?
He relishes number crunching and identifying the equilibrium of income and expenses for the organisation. It is no rocket science to find the solutions to finance issues! Listen and understand, ask and he shall resolve.
Things you can’t tell by looking
He enjoys running. Life isn’t a box of chocolate but life is definitely a marathon, not a sprint. He got the running bug before the pandemic but now he is trying to find his feet again.
Want to strike up a conversation?
He is a natural movie and anime buff and enjoys the MCU coupled with the likes of Demon Slayers. At times he gets forced to watch K-dramas with the family.
Dhamiri Petra
Consultant
How did he get here?
Dhamiri has always been involved in People Strategy and was previously a consultant with Hay Group and Korn Ferry.
What is he up to now?
He is currently in his fifth year at Accendo, and is leading both the Client Insights and Client Success teams at the company.
Things you can’t tell by looking
Can you tell by looking that he really loves cooking? He does and enjoys cooking for friends and family or hosting barbecues on weekends. What you can’t tell by looking is that he is active in Muay Thai. Did you know he used to train in Muay Thai camps in Thailand in his youth?
Want to strike up a conversation?
Talk to him about movies, books, or science. Then you’ll have his attention.
Wayne Loong
Director of Professional Services
How did he get here?
Wayne wears many hats. He aspires to advance his career in the Digital HR industry. He began his journey in an HR generalist role in corporate (client-side) before joining a leading HR/Talent Tech product principal in the APAC region. He is also a project management practitioner and is passionate in design-thinking. He previously held managerial roles and co-led transformation and digitalization initiatives in various industries prior to joining Accendo. Hence, many hats.
What is he up to now?
He is currently occupied with the Operations Transformation journey at the company and is strategizing the adoption of innovative and sustainable delivery and support practices across teams within Accendo.
Things you can’t tell by looking
He is known as the aeronautical engineer who is “lost” in the Digital HR space. Instead of exploring the universe beyond Earth, he prefers to scuba dive and discover the wonders within the sea world, hoping that one day, he may find the Lost City of Atlantis. One day, but not today.
Want to strike up a conversation?
One cannot go wrong with topics on innovation and design thinking. If those are not your cup of tea, maybe you can talk about any Netflix series (no spoilers, please!). And preferably not topics that have been excessively discussed on social media or in your WhatsApp groups.
