Kyndryl’s HR Shift: New Chief to Steer Talent Strategy in the AI Era

NEW YORK, NY – January 06, 2026 – Kyndryl, the world's largest IT infrastructure services provider, today announced a significant leadership transition in its human resources division. Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) Maryjo Charbonnier, a foundational leader since the company's inception, will retire on March 31. She will be succeeded by Mark Paulek, an internal leader who has been instrumental in shaping the company's commercial HR strategy, effective April 1. The move signals both a commitment to leadership continuity and a strategic pivot to align its massive global workforce with the demands of the AI era.

Charbonnier will remain with Kyndryl as an Executive Advisor until the end of August, ensuring a smooth handover. The transition comes at a critical time for the technology services industry, where the race for talent, particularly those skilled in artificial intelligence and cloud computing, is more intense than ever.

Forging a Culture: The Legacy of a Founding CHRO

Maryjo Charbonnier’s tenure at Kyndryl is noteworthy for its foundational impact. Joining the company as it spun off from IBM in late 2021, she was tasked with the monumental challenge of building a distinct corporate culture and HR framework for a new entity of nearly 90,000 employees. Her departure marks the end of a formative chapter for the company.

Under her leadership, Kyndryl established "The Kyndryl Way," a cultural touchstone focused on being restless, empathetic, and devoted. This was more than a slogan; it was supported by a massive operational overhaul. Charbonnier led what has been described as an "unprecedented" HR transformation, consolidating 48 disparate HR platforms into a single, modern system and streamlining over 1,400 salary structures down to 113. This complex integration was crucial for creating a cohesive employee experience and providing the company with a unified view of its talent.

"Maryjo has been instrumental in shaping Kyndryl into an employer of choice and building a culture that attracts, develops and retains exceptional talent," said Martin Schroeter, Chairman and CEO of Kyndryl, in a statement. He credited her with cultivating a "highly engaged workforce" that led to the company earning more than 100 workplace awards worldwide.

Her focus on upskilling has been a cornerstone of Kyndryl's talent strategy. During her tenure, employees logged 8.8 million training hours and earned over 74,000 digital badges. By fiscal year 2023, the company had achieved over 35,000 hyperscaler certifications, a 100% increase year-over-year, demonstrating a disciplined and scalable approach to preparing its workforce for future technological shifts.

A Blueprint for Stability Through Internal Succession

In naming Mark Paulek as the next CHRO, Kyndryl is executing a deliberate internal succession plan, a move that emphasizes stability and deep institutional knowledge. Paulek is not an outsider; he joined Kyndryl in 2022 and has been a key architect of its human capital strategy, leading HR for the company's entire commercial organization. His work has spanned Kyndryl's global operations across countries, its specialized practices, Kyndryl Consult, and its vast delivery network.

This background provides Paulek with an intricate understanding of the company's business drivers and talent needs. The promotion from within is a testament to what Schroeter called the "strength of Kyndryl's leadership bench and focus on talent development and succession planning to drive growth."

"With his deep understanding of Kyndryl's business and strong track record of building and leading high-growth organizations, Mark is uniquely positioned to advance our human capital strategy," Schroeter continued. This decision ensures that the foundational work laid by Charbonnier will evolve rather than be replaced, providing continuity for employees and customers alike. Paulek's experience in high-growth technology companies prior to Kyndryl also equips him with an external perspective on building agile and thriving organizations, a valuable asset as the company continues to cement its post-spin-off identity.

A New Human Capital Strategy for the Age of AI

The leadership change is explicitly linked to the next wave of technological disruption: artificial intelligence. The press release highlights the need to deliver value "in the AI era," placing Paulek at the forefront of preparing Kyndryl's workforce for this transformation. The challenge is significant, as industry data shows that while a vast majority of leaders expect AI to reshape jobs, few believe their current workforce is adequately prepared.

Kyndryl has already begun laying the groundwork with its "AIR" framework—Anticipate, Integrate, Reskill, and Redeploy—designed to keep its workforce ahead of disruption. The company's AI-powered Kyndryl Bridge platform already generates millions of insights to aid teams in making faster, more informed decisions. Paulek will now be responsible for accelerating these initiatives.

His mandate will likely involve expanding upon the company's robust upskilling programs, with a sharper focus on AI literacy and practical application. This includes training employees to use AI in their daily tasks and re-engineering processes to leverage the technology for greater efficiency and innovation. It also means fostering a culture where continuous learning is not just encouraged but is integral to career progression, ensuring that Kyndryl can deploy talent with the right skills to meet evolving customer demands for AI-driven solutions.

Navigating a Competitive Talent Landscape

Kyndryl’s strategic HR moves are not happening in a vacuum. The entire IT services sector is grappling with similar challenges. Competitors are also aggressively overhauling their talent strategies. IBM, Kyndryl's former parent, heavily utilizes AI and data analytics in its own HR functions, with platforms like an "AI Skills Academy" and a "Career Coach" to guide employee development. Similarly, DXC Technology recently appointed a new Chief People Officer with a mandate to lead a global "people-first strategy" that also leverages AI for talent development.

These industry-wide trends underscore the urgency of Kyndryl's mission. The success of technology service providers is inextricably linked to the quality and skills of their people. Attracting and retaining top talent in fields like AI, cybersecurity, and cloud computing requires more than competitive compensation; it demands a compelling employee value proposition centered on career growth, cutting-edge work, and a supportive culture.

As Mark Paulek steps into his new role, his primary task will be to build on the strong foundation he helped create, ensuring that Kyndryl's human capital strategy not only keeps pace with the industry but also serves as a key differentiator that powers its growth in an increasingly complex and AI-dominated world.