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POLITICO names Sonia Fernandes Global Chief Human Resources & Diversity Officer
January 31, 2024
ARLINGTON, VA – POLITICO today announced that Sonia Fernandes has been named as the global Chief Human Resources and Diversity Officer. In this new role, she will be responsible for leading, integrating, and harmonizing POLITICO’s talent functions across continents. Fernandes will drive positive change that will impact and elevate the well-being, professional growth, and experience of every POLITICO across seven newsrooms, two continents and seven time zones.
This new position marks the first time in the publication’s 17-year history that the function will be centralized globally. Fernandes’ dual role as Chief Diversity Officer reflects POLITICO’s commitment to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and empowering workplace in line with its ambition for additional global growth.
“POLITICO’s success is driven by great journalism and great people,” said Mark Dekan, Chief Operating Officer of POLITICO Media Group. “Sonia brings a wealth of international experience and a fresh perspective to POLITICO. Her role is integral to building upon POLITICO’s track record as the most successful news start-up of the 21st century as we grow into a top global brand.”
“It is a privilege to join POLITICO, an iconic brand dedicated to purpose-driven work with people at its heart,” said Sonia Fernandes. “I look forward to the exciting journey ahead and the limitless possibilities we’ll create together as a team.”
Fernandes brings over two decades of expertise in HR management and transformative change to her new role. She is seasoned in shaping organizational, cultural, and talent ecosystems to drive business growth and was most recently the Chief People Officer for the MediaCom Asia Pacific division of WPP, a global advertising agency, and was responsible for the well-being of 2500 employees across 15 countries. Sonia’s extensive career spans global entities such as KPMG, Bain & Co., the BBC, and MediaCom, where she spearheaded progressive HR strategies with a focus on design and execution. Having lived and worked in New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Australia, Singapore, and India, Fernandes possesses deep knowledge in international HR. She has an expertise in integrating cross-border HR strategies and operating models to align with commercial objectives.
Fernandes’ deep commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) will serve her as POLITICO’s first Chief Diversity Officer. Balancing local needs with global scalability, she champions a ‘people-first, better results’ approach, fostering a human-centric and high-performing culture. She is a collaborative force in driving diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, having designed and implemented 75 grassroots programs across 15 countries. Additionally, she has played a key role in leading M&As from due diligence to integration, implementing strategic talent-mapping programs, and overseeing large-scale recruitment projects.
Born in India, Fernandes holds a B.A. in Psychology & Sociology from The University of Mumbai and a master’s in management & Employment Relations from The University of Auckland, New Zealand. She will be based in POLITICO’s Rosslyn headquarters and will begin her new role on February 8th.
About POLITICO
POLITICO is the global authority on the intersection of politics, policy, and power. It is the most robust news operation and information service in the world specializing in politics and policy, which informs the most influential audience with insight, edge, and authority.
Founded in 2007, POLITICO has grown to a team of more than 1100 journalists and media professionals across North America, and Europe. In October 2021, POLITICO was acquired by, and is subsidiary of, Axel Springer SE.
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