Milandi Hugo’s career trajectory is a powerful reminder that leadership does not always follow a straight line. When she joined PSG Financial Services’ graduate programme in 2016, she was fresh out of industrial engineering—a discipline far removed from the world of human resources. Yet a decade later, she now sits as the company’s Head of HR, a role she has shaped with the very systems-thinking and problem-solving skills she honed as an engineer.
Hugo’s journey began with an open mind and a willingness to step outside her comfort zone. While her engineering training equipped her with a logical, data-driven mindset, she quickly discovered that these very skills were highly transferable to HR—whether designing efficient recruitment processes, optimising performance management systems, or building organisational culture. “At its core, HR is about people systems,” Hugo says. “And systems thinking is what engineers do best.”
Her rise through the ranks was not without challenges. She had to learn the nuances of labour law, talent development, and employee relations—domains traditionally dominated by specialists from social sciences or business backgrounds. But Hugo credits her success to a relentless focus on delivery, resilience, and results, even when the path ahead was unclear.
Her advice to young professionals is refreshingly pragmatic: “You don’t need to have everything figured out from day one. Focus on what you can deliver today, be resilient when things don’t go as planned, and keep your eyes on the results—the rest will follow.” She also encourages graduates to embrace cross-functional roles and to view setbacks as stepping stones rather than roadblocks.
Hugo’s story is a testament to the value of diverse thinking in leadership and a reminder that the best career paths are often the ones we forge ourselves. For PSG, her appointment signals a commitment to innovation and fresh perspectives—qualities that are as essential in HR as they are in engineering.
About The Author
