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Faces of HR: 'Data informs, but humans decide' is Alex Png's simple rule to balancing AI and the human touch

Faces of HR: 'Data informs, but humans decide' is Alex Png's simple rule to balancing AI and the human touch

Drawing on predictive talent analytics and a human-centric approach to technology, The Hoffman Agency's APAC CPO shares how organisations can act with foresight, empathy, and agility in uncertain times.

As organisations race to keep pace with technological disruption, artificial intelligence is increasingly shaping how leaders understand and support their workforce. For Alex Png (pictured above), Chief People Officer (APAC), The Hoffman Agency, the most meaningful impact lies in predictive talent analytics, which reveals signals of capability, engagement, and retention that often go unnoticed. These insights enable HR to design experiences that are both data driven and deeply personal, helping leaders act with greater foresight and empathy while optimising organisational outcomes.

Leading through rapid transformation, he believes, requires moving beyond traditional change management towards true change readiness. By treating agility as a skill to cultivate and modelling comfort with uncertainty, leaders can encourage curiosity over perfection and reinforce the idea that learning is progress, not failure.

Once teams internalise that learning is progress, not failure, transformation becomes a shared sport, not a stress test.

Ahead of his session at HRO’s #InteracTechAsia2026, Alex speaks with Mary Ann Bundukin about why organisations must not only digitise HR but humanise technology, auditing every tool, process, and metric through the lens of whether it makes work more meaningful and equitable. He emphasises that designing technology around trust and transparency can help build not just efficient organisations, but resilient and inspired ones.

Q As technology becomes more embedded in our daily lives, what’s one way you have seen AI or digital tools meaningfully improve people outcomes?

The most meaningful impact of AI has been its power to elevate human potential, pushing us toward new frontiers with less friction than before. Predictive talent analytics now help us see beyond performance snapshots. In fact, it uncovers capability, engagement, and retention signals that once went unnoticed. It enables HR to design experiences that are both data-driven and deeply personal. When technology helps leaders act with foresight and empathy, it enriches our people and optimises our organisational outcomes.

Leading through rapid transformation isn’t easy. What mindset shift has helped you lead teams more effectively through change?

The mindset shift was moving from change management to change readiness. Instead of viewing change as a disruption to control, I now treat agility as a skill to cultivate. It starts with modelling comfort in uncertainty and rewarding curiosity over perfection. Once teams internalise that learning is progress, not failure, transformation becomes a shared sport, not a stress test.

Q We often talk about becoming more tech-savvy while staying human-centric. What's one way you personally try and maintain that balance?

I hold a simple rule: Data informs, but humans decide. Before major decisions, I intentionally step away from dashboards to reconnect with instinct, context, and empathy. Technology should deepen our insight, not dilute our humanity. The leaders of the future will be those who can interpret algorithms without losing authenticity — who remember that every number still represents someone’s story.

Q As a speaker at InteracTech Asia 2026, what is the #1 call-to-action you hope for attendees to take away from your session?

Don’t just digitise HR, humanise technology. This means auditing every tool, process, and metric through a single lens: Does it make work feel more meaningful and equitable? If we design technology around trust and transparency, we build more than efficient organisations; we build resilient, inspired ones.


Human Resources Online is proud to host its first edition of InteracTech Asia 2026 – an exclusive event that brings together HR leaders, technologists, and business strategists to reimagine how people and machines can thrive together. Taking place on 20 May in Singapore, find out more about the event here.

I want to attend the conference: If you're keen to attend this closed-door conference, kindly register your interest here. For speaking opportunities, please write in to Mary Ann Bundukin. We look forward to welcoming you!

I want to sponsor:
 Engage in meaningful dialogue through dedicated speaking slots, roundtable discussions, and at your booths! If your organisation provides any digital transformation talent solutions and products, you’ll fit right into this event. To learn how you can sponsor, please reach out to a member of our team now!


Photo / Provided

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