Breakout

Melinda Drexler

Vice President, Global PeopleComms Technology, Manulife

Melinda Drexler is a seasoned HR leader with over 20 years of experience in enabling HR strategy and leading teams to drive organizational agility through innovative thinking and process redesign, powered by emerging technologies. At Manulife, she champions the implementation and integration of connected experiences, ensuring employee-centric solutions are at the forefront.

Before joining Manulife, Melinda held key roles at BlackBerry, including Global Talent Acquisition Manager and Global Head of Talent Acquisition Delivery and Operations, before assuming the role of Global Director of HRIS.

An ambitious learner and authentic leader, Melinda is passionate about inspiring and igniting enthusiasm for designing meaningful employee experiences. She is dedicated to fostering a culture of belonging and recognition, serving as the Executive Sponsor of Manulife’s Global Women’s Alliance (GWA) ERG. Melinda obtained a Bachelor of Arts from York University and an HR Management Diploma from Conestoga College.

Why attend

Sessions

Breakout session

Tuesday, April 28, 3:15PM - 3:45PM

Aligning Recognition Strategy & Technology: Connecting Platform & Performance at Manulife

SHOWCASE

Get an inside look at how Workhuman customer Manulife builds and scales its enterprise recognition ecosystem. In this session, Melinda Drexler, VP of Global PeopleComms Technology, will share the platform enablement perspective behind activating a company-wide recognition strategy, highlighting how the Workhuman platform fuels consistency, drives adoption, and supports continuous evolution across the organization.

Melinda will explore how Manulife’s Podium program anchors a structured, year-round recognition calendar, delivers meaningful insights through reporting and analytics, and offers the flexibility required for programs to expand and adapt over time. The session will also emphasize the critical partnership between program owners and platform teams in turning recognition strategy into scalable, employee-centered experiences.

You’ll leave with practical guidance for leveraging recognition to strengthen culture, advance inclusion, and align with broader HR and business priorities.

Melinda Drexler

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