breakout

Petrena Wood

Director, International HR Operations, Manulife

Petrena is a dynamic HR leader with nearly three decades of experience in the financial industry. She began her career as a customer service representative at Boston Financial Data Services (BFDS), where she spent 16 years honing her skills in business operations in various roles before joining Manulife/John Hancock Financial. Currently, as the Director of International HR Operations, Petrena excels in crafting and implementing global HR strategies, managing cross-functional teams, and ensuring compliance with international labor laws. She is celebrated for her expertise in relationship building, project management, and leadership, establishing her as a recognized thought leader. Throughout her career, Petrena has guided teams across diverse cultures, focusing on operations, process improvement and HR administration. As the former Experience Solutions Enablement Lead, she spearheaded HR transformation projects, aligning innovative HR tools with organizational objectives. Her certifications as a Human Center Design Luma Practitioner and Certified Wellness Coach highlight her commitment to fostering growth and innovation. With a background in Business Administration from Northeastern University, Petrena combines strategic vision with a hands-on approach, delivering impactful results in international HR strategy and compliance.

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Sessions

Breakout session

Tue, May 13, 11:25 am - 12:15 pm MT

Recognition as a Cultural Catalyst-Manulife’s Journey

STEP UP FOR LEADERS

Recognition isn’t just about appreciation – it’s a strategic tool for shaping company culture. At Manulife, their Podium program does more than celebrate achievements; it reinforces values, engages employes, and strengthens brand pride. From integrating recognition into their Stars of Excellence program to showcasing recognition on social media, they’ve made recognition a company-wide movement.

Now celebrating five years of Podium, Manulife is taking recognition to the next level through employee-driven insights, a structured recognition calendar, and data-backed improvements. Learn how they’ve built a sustainable, high impact recognition culture – and how you can do the same.

This session is for HR and business leaders who want to move beyond basic recognition and create a program that drives engagement, retention, and business success. You’ll leave with proven, actionable strategies to elevate recognition into a culture-building powerhouse.

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Not your average HR conference

World-class speakers boldly tackling today’s most urgent topics. Personalized content thoughtfully-curated to your role and goals. Next-level networking experiences that connect leaders from all over the world.

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