Absorbing complexity. Delivering clarity.
I'm a senior transformation leader operating at the intersection of people, process, and technology. With 20+ years of experience across consulting and industry, I've led organization design and transformation programs across CPG, Financial Services, Pharma, Media & Entertainment, and Travel. I've redesigned operating models for organizations with 25,000+ employees, built global capability hubs, and delivered more than £50m in measurable business value through large-scale transformation initiatives.
A snapshot of who I am — the work that drives me, the people who anchor me, and the curiosities that keep me learning every single day.
I'm Rahul Bhushan — a Digital Strategy, Transformation, and Organization Design leader, currently serving as Global Director, Organization Design, GBS & Mirai Transformation at Unilever. With more than 20 years of experience across consulting and industry, I've helped organizations reimagine how they operate by aligning strategy, people, process, and technology to drive sustainable value creation.
My career has spanned leadership roles across Financial Services, Telecoms, FMCG, and Consulting, working with organizations including ICICI Bank, Ernst & Young, Vodafone, Adobe, and now Unilever. Over the years, I've designed large-scale operating models, led enterprise-wide technology and workforce transformations, governed multi-billion-pound workforce budgets, established greenfield delivery centers at speed, and delivered SAP SuccessFactors implementations across 29 markets.
I've also led large-scale digital marketing and customer experience transformations focused on Customer Data Platforms (CDPs), AI-driven content transformation, and digital commerce — helping organizations modernize their marketing ecosystems, unlock data-driven personalization, and scale digital engagement globally.
I'm passionate about building organizations that are not only more efficient and scalable, but also more human-centered, resilient, and future-ready.
"Aim for the stars — you may reach the moon, and then aim even higher."
Outside of work, I'm a husband and father to two daughters — the people who keep me grounded and remind me what truly matters. I'm also an amateur wildlife photographer, a passionate home baker, an avid reader of history and management, and a foodie who travels as much for cuisine as for culture.
From hiring private bankers in Mumbai, to redesigning operating models for 25,000+ employees across Europe, to leading the Foods separation and Mirai ERP at Unilever — here's how the journey has unfolded.
Leading three of Unilever's most consequential transformation agendas — GBS transformation across 7 value streams, Mirai ERP, and Foods Separation — at a defining moment for the business.
Set up Adobe's global organization design and change capability — advising senior leaders on digital marketing transformation across global brands.
Three progressive roles — from Total Rewards governance to leading the org effectiveness, analytics and location strategy agenda for 25,000+ employees.
Joined as a Consultant; fast-tracked to Manager in three years. Led HR transformation, M&A due diligence, and start-up support engagements for FSI clients.
Cut my teeth in HR at India's largest private bank — hiring private bankers, building talent processes, and managing the human side of a fast-scaling business.
A curated selection of transformation programs across organization design, digital strategy, content, HR technology, M&A, and location strategy — clubbed by domain.
Operating model redesign for 25,000+ employees across 6 delivery centres. Moved from "centre-led" to globalised business services. Designed N-2 structures, integrated digital & technology into "Intelligent Operations", and implemented SAFe Agile delivery.
Designed the global Platform team for rollout of AEM Sites, AEM Assets, Adobe Commerce & PIM across 81 countries and 30+ ecommerce sites. Balanced global standardisation with local autonomy.
Organization design for global marketing operations driving annual efficiency savings and measurable improvement in campaign velocity in a high-pressure, compliance-heavy environment.
Designed a 70 (corporate), 20 (regional), 10 (in-country) operating model for global digital commerce and marketing. Established RACI, governance and 12+ standardised global processes across 89 countries.
Led HR workstream for full bank transformation — organization design, workforce planning, and job architecture & career framework design.
Operating model transformation including detailed organization design, change management, performance & career framework, job architecture and evaluation.
Led complete redesign of end-to-end content operations across 12 global studios. Integrated into a single global content production process and tech stack, delivering "follow-the-sun" capability with GenAI.
Built a global content platform for professionally produced, brand-aligned content with GenAI capabilities. End-to-end process transformation and change management.
Re-engineered the end-to-end content design and creative process — eliminating bottlenecks and standardising handoffs across creative, brand and digital teams.
Defined the global content management roadmap and platform consolidation strategy. Designed the Global Content Operations team structure for delivery at scale.
Digital marketing customer data platform implementation. Defined customer journeys, designed digital marketing use cases, and shaped measurement approach.
Customer migration from Adobe Analytics to Adobe Customer Journey Analytics (CJA). Business use case design, value measurement, operating model and demand-management process.
B2B ecommerce strategy assessment and design for a $300bn+ market cap consumer brand and the UK's top packaging company.
Led SAFe Agile implementation connecting digital and IT teams responsible for delivering efficiency savings and accelerating release velocity.
Workstream lead for Data Strategy, Migration, Reporting & Analytics on a 32+ FTE program. Delivered simplified data model, standardised metrics and CXO insight capability.
Re-engineered and digitised the global workforce planning and reporting process. Program-managed the global HR effectiveness benchmarking with the Hackett Group.
Designed and rolled out global HR dashboard, fair-pay dashboard, diversity dashboard, HR effectiveness dashboard, resourcing dashboard, and employee listening models.
Implemented Beqom reward platform for 13,000+ employees. Designed and launched flexible compensation structure across the workforce.
Pushed back on across-the-board pay increases. Designed segmented rewards focused on critical roles to retain key talent during market disruption.
Designed and launched special pay plans to retain the top 100 leaders post the Vodafone-Idea merger.
End-to-end program owner for Vodafone's first digital & R&D hub in Malaga. Led location assessment across 5 European countries, secured government incentives, built business case, and delivered live centre despite COVID — earning international press coverage.
Overall program lead for the setup of a 200 FTE call centre in Tirana — from business case through centre go-live. Pilot for the SLA-based recharge model.
HR due diligence for a leading British wealth manager with £20bn in assets — leading the people-side of cross-border integration.
HR due diligence for the acquisition of an Indian target — assessing people risk, culture, talent retention, and integration cost.
HR due diligence for a large engineering target — covering organisational structure, total rewards exposure, and integration roadmap.
Project-managed a $240m global network services acquisition. Ran the PMO for due diligence across 15 countries.
A selection of organisations I've had the privilege of working with — across industries, geographies, and transformation agendas.
Selected pieces I've published on organisation design, GenAI transformation, and the changing shape of work in the AI era.
Why organisations that put customer experience at the centre of their design — not as an afterthought — outperform those that bolt CX onto siloed teams. A perspective on structure, accountability, and the operating model choices that make customer-led organisations actually work.
Read on Adobe →A field-level look at why GenAI programs stall after the pilot. The pattern is rarely the technology — it's the absence of process redesign, accountability shifts, and the courage to retire legacy ways of working. A practical playbook for turning experiments into enterprise impact.
Read on LinkedIn →AI is forcing a fundamental rethink of how we structure work — span of control, layers, role boundaries, and where humans add unique value. A perspective on what changes in the org chart, what becomes obsolete, and how to design for a workforce that is increasingly augmented.
Read on LinkedIn →Three pillars on the foundation of data-driven decision-making — supported by the principle that the world is one family.
"I lead by creating an unbossed environment — giving people decision-making authority within a strategic framework, then removing blockers and ensuring alignment so they truly own outcomes."
On empowering teams · Malaga setup"I make curiosity a habit. We hold regular innovation sessions where the only goal is to question what we are doing — no deliverable pressure, just space to think differently."
On building a learning culture"Psychological safety is the top priority. When someone raises a concern, I thank them publicly — that one act signals more about culture than any policy document ever could."
On high-performing teamsA few selected recommendations from leaders, peers and clients across my career — capturing the impact I'm proud of more than I could ever describe myself.
Rahul was a fantastic addition to our Strategy, Platform & Architecture team at Adobe, bringing a deep understanding of the transformation imperatives of digital marketing initiatives. He was instrumental in developing our core approach to implement the Adobe Experience Platform at customers into effective organizational structures and processes, integrated it with best practices from our largest engagements, and continued to evolve our methodologies as the technology and customer capabilities matured. And he proved to be very reflective and highly engaged in providing impulses for our internal processes and use of technology. It was an absolute pleasure to work with Rahul in such an open, trusted, and inspiring fashion!
I've had the pleasure of working with Rahul over the past several years in Vodafone. I've seen him excel in all the different roles that he has performed across Rewards, Data, Reporting & Analytics and OE. Rahul comes with a really strong strategic mindset. He is extremely data driven and analytical in his approach. He is always challenging the status quo. He is a pleasure to work with and an asset to any organization.
Rahul brings with him a unique blend of capacities i.e. data-driven solutions mind-set, ability to transfer skills to others, cross industry knowledge and project management skills. In a short period of time, he earned respect & credibility from his seniors and peers. Rahul's ability to get outside-in perspective and give structure & framework to our collective thought & vision was one of the key reasons that we were able to bring game-changing introductions to the Total Rewards Proposition at Vodafone India. I miss having Rahul in the team and wish him all the best in the new & challenging role that he has taken up with the Vodafone Group.
Worked with Rahul for 2 years. First of all, he is an excellent manager and was always extremely supportive of tasks and initiatives, as well as giving effective advice on how to execute. Technically he had a strategic vision to deliver a future ready team and service to HR. It was a pleasure.
Rahul is a thorough professional and very diligent in his approach of work. Always brings his more than 100% energy and sincerity in his delivery. Wish him super success in his life ahead.
Working with Rahul on M&A and start-up engagements at EY was a masterclass in pace, structure, and stakeholder craft. He was promoted from Consultant to Manager in three years for good reason — and continues to be one of the strongest org design minds I know.
View the full set of recommendations on LinkedIn ↗
Whether you're redesigning your operating model, shaping a digital transformation, navigating a tricky org challenge — or just want to swap notes on AI, photography or baking — I'd love to hear from you.