Performance Under Pressure: Protecting Performance in High Transformation Environments
Transformation is no longer optional. But keeping your organization performing while it changes? That's the real challenge.
Advances in AI, shifting stakeholder expectations, and relentless competitive pressure are forcing leadership teams to move faster than ever. Boards want ROI. Teams want clarity. And leaders are caught in the middle, driving change while simultaneously being accountable for the results that change is meant to produce.
That’s not easy, and it’s not something most leadership teams are talking about openly.
This breakfast is a small, closed-door conversation with a group of senior leaders who are navigating this in real time, no presentations, no polished answers, just an honest exchange on what’s working, what’s not, and where the friction is actually showing up.
Hosted by Sachi Kittur, former People and Culture executive and now Future of Work Advisor, with Karun Mehra at Pender & Howe, this is a curated group of leaders across transformation, operations, and technology coming together for a candid exchange of hard-won lessons and practical perspectives.
We'll explore:
How organizations are introducing new technologies without disrupting performance
How leadership practices need to evolve when the pace of change is constant
How to keep culture and trust intact while keeping teams engaged and aligned as everything around them shifts
How to ensure transformation efforts actually translate into measurable outcomes
You'll leave with sharper thinking, real-world frameworks, and a room full of people wrestling with the same questions you are.
8:00 – 8:30 AM Arrival, Breakfast & Networking
8:30 – 8:40 AM Welcome & Framing
8:40 – 9:20 AM Peer Discussion + Real-World Case Examples
9:20 – 9:30 AM Closing Reflections & Key Takeaways
9:30 – 10:15 AM Networking
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About the Host
Sachi Kittur is a former People and Culture executive and now a Future of Work Advisor at New Human X, with over 20 years of experience operating inside high-growth and transformation environments, from early-stage tech companies to more established organizations navigating scale and complexity.
Her work sits at the intersection of AI, leadership, and culture, focused on guiding leaders through the next era of work, how they make decisions under pressure, communicate change with clarity, and redesign work in ways that sustain performance while strengthening trust.
Recognized as one of Canada’s SME Top 30 Most Inspiring Women, Sachi brings a grounded and practical lens to the future of work, shaped by lived executive experience, not theory, across technology, media, and consumer organizations.
NewHumanX is a leadership advisory and executive network focused on helping organizations navigate the human side of business transformation. Our team brings a diverse lens from seasoned CHRO’s who have supported organizations through periods of growth, transformation, and change.
Through executive roundtables, leadership exchanges, and strategic advisory, NewHumanX creates space for senior leaders to share real-world insights on building progressive leadership practices, strong cultures, and high-performing organizations. Our work focuses on helping companies evolve leadership, people, and operating practices alongside the pace of modern business and technology transformation.
About the Sponsor
Karun Mehra, Associate Director, Executive Search, Pender & Howe, brings a global mindset with a local heartbeat. Now based in Toronto, he leads senior-level search mandates across Canada and the U.S., drawing from a rich career that spans the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and North America.
With experience across professional services, financial services, sovereign wealth funds, industrial, and more, he brings both range and depth to every search. His career journey—from global boardrooms to high-growth, founder-led businesses—has shaped his appreciation for both scale and agility in how organizations grow and lead.
His roles in business development, market intelligence, and project management helped shape a 360° view of leadership development and transformation. His personal and professional life has steeped in cross-cultural experiences, with a deep understanding of diversity, communication, and what drives people across borders.
Karun holds a BBA in Finance, is a Chartered Accountant (ACCA, UK), and has completed Level I of the CFA. But beyond the credentials, it’s his people-first philosophy that makes him stand out.
Pender & Howe is a North American talent advisory firm specializing in leadership recruitment and consulting. We partner with organizations to build high-performing leadership teams, optimize board effectiveness, and support executive career transitions.
With a presence in key North American cities—including Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Edmonton, Boston, and New York—we offer both local expertise and global reach. As a proud member of Kestria, the world’s largest executive search alliance, we extend our impact across 40+ countries and 90+ cities, enabling seamless talent solutions for international organizations.