Profile
“No matter how many clients I have, I make sure to call each one personally every quarter. It’s a chance to not only update them on their portfolio, but also check on how they’re doing personally”
Kelvin Rampersad,
Carte Wealth Management
With a career inspired by a passion for people and business strategy, Sarah Novelli has become a transformative leader in the human resources space.
Originally studying psychology, Novelli’s journey into HR began when a corporate HR team sparked her curiosity about employee engagement, leadership development, and capability building. Shadowing their work inspired her to shift her academic focus, leading to a bachelor’s major in HR and a master’s degree in legal and ethics, with a specialisation in industrial relations.
Today, with 15 years of experience, Novelli serves as executive director of people and culture at BGIS, a global leader in facilities management. Over the past three years, BGIS has undergone aggressive growth, tripling in size, and Novelli has been instrumental in ensuring the organisation has the right talent in the right roles at the right time.
“HR functions are game changers for companies seeking a competitive advantage,” Novelli asserts. Her approach empowers her team of HR, recruitment, learning, and systems leaders to operate with creativity and autonomy, driving innovative solutions aligned with organisational strategy.
A proponent of data-driven decision-making, Novelli has led the development of a digital dashboard tool that provides managers with real-time insights, including turnover, tenure, and gender demographics. This tool enables targeted strategies tailored to team needs, ensuring HR initiatives deliver measurable ROI.
“This is the best time to be in HR,” she says. “We are no longer a support function but strategic leaders shaping the future of organisations.”
Novelli’s forward-thinking leadership continues to redefine the role of HR, demonstrating its critical impact on business success.
L36, 680 George St., Sydney, NSW 2000
0429912013
sarah.novelli@apac.bgis.com
linkedin.com/in/sarahnovelli
apac.bgis.com
Sarah Novelli
Executive Director, People and Culture
BGIS
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“I strongly believe in working smarter, not harder. I think it’s one of the keys to living a great life, and I want to share that with as many people as possible”
Kelvin Rampersad,
Carte Wealth Management
2010
2015
2017
2018
2020–present
Started her HR career
2010
HR Business Partner at Ventia
2015
Graduated with Bachelor of Business, Human Resources
2017
HR Business Partner at BGIS
2018
2020: HR Business Manager at BGIS
2021: Graduated with Master in Law and Ethics, specialising in Industrial Relations
2022: Executive Director, People and Culture at BGIS
2020–
present
Milestones
Milestones
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