I’m Hermina Khara. A speaker, executive search partner and former global HR executive. I’ve built a business, led people and culture across 14 countries, and now help organizations find their next leaders.
On stage and in conversation, I connect what I’ve learned about hiring and leading people with what life has taught me about judgment, self-trust and starting again.
As a speaker, panelist and moderator, I bring the perspective of someone who has hired leaders, led a global people function and built a business. My talks and moderated conversations give audiences questions to ask, assumptions to reconsider and ideas to put into practice.
For women’s leadership events, professional communities and emerging leaders.
How we learn to back our own judgment, speak before we feel completely ready, and begin again. Audiences explore where they defer to others and one decision they can take ownership of.
For leadership teams, HR audiences and business forums.
What technology helps us see, what it can miss, and why human judgment matters. A practical lens for questioning AI-assisted assessments and recognizing potential beyond familiar patterns.
For career events, organizations and the next generation of leaders.
Career changes, unconventional paths and lived experience. Audiences consider better questions for understanding someone’s capability and how to articulate the value of their own journey.
For women’s networks, employers and community gatherings.
How sponsorship, access and representation shape who gets to lead. A conversation about moving from encouragement to action through introductions, advocacy and opportunities.
Speaking engagements · Panel participation · Moderation · Facilitated conversations
Discuss your event ↗I know what it means to build a team, lead through change and be accountable for the people decisions inside a business. That experience shapes how I approach executive search today.
Connect about a search ↗I lead senior leadership and executive search mandates across the private, public and not-for-profit sectors, working with organizations in BC and beyond.
My work grew from talent acquisition into global people leadership across 14 countries, spanning HR operations, employee relations, culture, inclusion and the employee experience.
Building a recruitment business gave me a firsthand understanding of entrepreneurship, client relationships and the responsibility of growing a team.
Surrey & White Rock
Women in Business Awards
I’m proud to have been recognized among women contributing to business and community in the region I call home.
I’m a mother, a partner, an eldest sister and a South Asian woman born and raised in Vancouver.
My career hasn’t followed one straight line. I moved through finance and sales, co-founded a business, built a career in talent and HR, and stepped into executive search. I’ve also had times when I needed to pause, rebuild and change direction.
Being one of the few women of colour in a leadership room shaped what I notice and what I care about. Who gets heard. Who gets an opportunity. Who has someone willing to speak up for them.
That’s why supporting women and contributing to my community are such a meaningful part of my life. And why I keep coming back to a simple intention: leave people better than you found them.
Outside of work, you’ll often find me by the ocean, on a spin bike, reading, or finding a good place for coffee.
Supporting women and girls is part of how I spend my time, build relationships and contribute. Through board, advisory and volunteer roles, I bring my experience to organizations creating opportunities for others.
My involvement includes the advisory committees of BeaYOUtiful Foundation and Dress for Success Vancouver, alongside my support for Laadliyan and my contributions to women’s leadership, representation and community.
Supporting women and girls includes creating space for conversations about culture, representation and opportunity. I’m proud to support Laadliyan and to have joined its International Women’s Day panel.
Reflections on leadership, life and lessons along the way.
“Stop asking if you are ready. Start asking if you are willing.”
I’ve changed industries, built a business and taken on roles I hadn’t done before. There were things I knew, and plenty I had to learn.
Sometimes the opportunity arrives before the confidence does. You ask questions, prepare, and take responsibility for learning what you need to know.
Willingness gives you somewhere to start.
With all the things we carry, we can give ourselves permission not to be everywhere.
There are so many rooms to walk into, people to meet, events to attend and opportunities to say yes to. And sometimes, especially as women, we feel we should be showing up for all of them.
We can celebrate others, make introductions and share opportunities while being honest about our own capacity.
Being supportive doesn’t mean we have to be everywhere.
“Your lived experience is your greatest credential.”
A résumé can tell you where someone has worked and the roles they’ve held. A conversation can tell you how they think, what they’ve learned and how they respond when things don’t go to plan.
Having worked in both HR and executive search, I’m interested in the experience behind the titles. Career changes and unconventional paths deserve curiosity.
There is often more capability there than a familiar career path would suggest.
For speaking, panel participation and moderation, share your audience, event date and the conversation you want to open up. For executive search, tell me about your organization and the leadership role you’re considering.
Find me on Instagram ↗