Gurbani Kaur, Founder & Managing Partner
Gurbani Kaur is a seasoned strategist and operational leader with over two decades of experience dedicated to transforming businesses. Her career is a testament to the belief that sustainable growth is rooted in the powerful synergy of robust operational strategies and exceptional human capital development. As the founder of Wisteria Ascend, she serves as a trusted collaborator, turning the aspirations of ambitious founders and enterprises into tangible, lasting results. Gurbani’s journey is marked by a history of driving impact at every level. As the Head of Operations & Human Resources at Global Energy Private Limited, she demonstrated her ability to manage complex, multi-national operations, successfully establishing and overseeing offices in India, London, Dubai, Washington and New York.
Her versatile leadership was further showcased by conceptualizing a company resort and developing a high-capacity security training academy for over 500 personnel. Upon transitioning to the legal sector, she served as CEO of Law Offices of Panag & Babu, where she led a team of 70+ professionals, driving significant growth and profitability by revamping key functions from finance and HR to business development and client relations.
This wealth of experience laid the foundation for her deep specialization in ethical leadership and workplace compliance. For a combined total of over 14 years, Gurbani served as the Presiding Officer for the Internal Committee (IC) mandated by the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) Act at both Global Energy and Panag & Babu. Her hands-on approach is rooted in a commitment to fostering ethical and inclusive workplaces, a philosophy reflected in her being a signatory to the Mindful Business Charter. This unique expertise includes a specialization in conducting sensitive training programs for all levels, including leadership teams, IC members and blue-collared staff.
Her dedication to strategic growth is further enhanced by her commitment to continuous learning. Gurbani’s professional journey is complemented by her recent completion of the ‘Impactful Leadership: Enhancing your Strategic Influence’ program at Harvard Law School Executive Education, a B.A. in English (Hons.) and a Diploma in Aviation and Hospitality Management.
Key Achievements & Impact
12
PAN India Offices
Established and Overseen
3
International Hubs
Launched & Managed
85%
Employee Satisfaction
Score for Key HR Initiatives
40%
Increase in Productivity
For CXO Office Team
30%
Revenue Growth
Top Line Expansion by Process Streamlining & Enhanced Operational Efficiency
45%
Overhead Reduction
Driven by Comprehensive Resource, Talent and Contract Management
20%
Reduction in Travel Bills
By Streamlining Operations, Optimizing Vendor Relationships and Empowering Teams through Internal Training
50%
Reduced Legal Dependency
Achieved through Optimizing HR Processes, Bolstering Internal Knowledge and Upskilling the Function
70%
Reduced PR Services
Cost
Significantly Enhancing Overall Quality through Strategy and Partnership Alignment
40%
Reduction in Recruitment Expenditure
By Refining Talent Acquisition Processes and Optimizing Expenditure across all Hiring Channels
70+
Rooms Company
Resort
Conceptualised, Developed and Commercialised
100+
Professionals
Mentored
Led Executive Mentorship and Strategic Development to Build a Stronger Leadership Pipeline for Future Growth