Never have HR leaders had to handle so much change so rapidly. The modern economy demands transforming companies endlessly, necessitating profound changes in the workforce and talent strategy. These forces are reshaping the role of HR and putting pressure on the HR Executive to become much more than a game changer and the leader who enables business strategy. It’s no coincidence that CEOs know they depend on their company’s human resources to achieve success.

In challenging times, vision and resilience can be significant virtues. These qualities are evident in the 10 men and women who’ve achieved a spot in The HR Digest’s 2019 list of the 10 Powerful HR Leaders. Their success is the result of an unwavering leadership acumen in the face of a hyper-competitive market. Nevertheless, their companies have shown remarkable success as they consistently deliver results. We say this with confidence, based on our interviews with HR Executives from companies such as IBM, Johnson & Johnson, Southwest Airlines, SAP, and Tesla, all of which act on their commitment to developing the people side of their businesses.