Five years of Agile HR: Lessons, Wins and the Road Ahead

Agile in HR isn’t a trend – it’s a transformation, and JTI is leading the way!

Most Agile journeys in business start in software or product teams. But at JTI, the strategic value of Agile ways of working became clear – it was key to customer centricity, speed, and innovation at a time when product disruption and regulatory change were reshaping their markets.

So, rather than keeping Agile confined to IT or product, JTI put it where it could make the biggest impact: in People & Culture (HR).

Learn from an Agile HR pioneer in our next meetup

Join us for an exclusive conversation with Sergei Polianski, VP of Agile, Strategy & Portfolio Governance at JTI, and true pioneer in Agile transformation, as he shares:

• How it all started – Why JTI chose Agile as a key way of working and why HR took the lead
• The evolution of their Agile operating model – Five years of learning, adapting, and scaling
• P&C (HR) at the forefront – How HR drives real business agility, not just HR agility
• Lessons learned – What works, what doesn’t, and what every HR leader should know
• The wins of agility in P&C – Practical examples of products and deliverables where Agile ways of working were a game-changer

This is a rare opportunity to hear firsthand how Agile can truly reshape a business—beyond IT, beyond product teams, and into the core operations of an organisation.

Hosted by Riina Hellström, founder of the Agile HR Community, this informal meetup promises a wealth of practical stories, tips, and insights, fostering a rich learning environment for us all.

Whether you’re in HR, leading Agile transformation, or just curious about how agility can drive real business change, this meetup is for you. Don’t miss it!

Register now to secure your free spot and be part of the conversation!

About Sergei Polianski
Sergei Polianski is VP of Agile, Strategy & Portfolio Governance at JTI at Japan Tobacco International (JTI). As a member of the People & Culture Leadership Team, he is currently responsible for Agility enablement at Company level and also governs the P&C strategy and portfolio. Previously, Sergei was responsible for the Global Talent Management agenda including Learning & Development, Talent Processes and Leadership Development. Sergei, in his time at JTI, has also taken care of the HR-IS function and at one point led the global IT shared-services organisation. Sergei holds an MBA from Warwick University and a Masters degree in Information Science from St.Petersburg University of Electrical Engineering.