India at the Heart: Rebecca Adams’ vision for Cohesity’s global success

As the workplace undergoes a profound transformation, the Chief People Officer has emerged as a strategic architect at the heart of organisational success. Rebecca Adams, Chief People Officer at Cohesity—a global powerhouse in data management and security—exemplifies this evolution with rare insight and candor. My conversation with Adams, fresh from her visit to India where Cohesity is investing deeply in talent, technology, and culture, revealed a leader whose intelligent, forward-thinking approach to people strategy is shaping not only her company but also the future of work itself.

When Adams describes Cohesity’s presence in India, her enthusiasm is palpable. “We’ve had roots in India since our founding in 2013,” she notes, highlighting both the company’s Indian-American founder and its Bengaluru-born CEO. India is more than a strategic outpost—it’s Cohesity’s largest employee base, home to around 2,200 of its 5,500-strong global workforce.

But the India story is not just about numbers. It’s about community, family, and growth. Adams recalls the buzz of the new Bengaluru office opening, where staff brought their families to celebrate. “It was really special,” she says, reflecting on how India’s technology ecosystem and deep talent pool have positioned it as a key driver of Cohesity’s global ambitions.

The company’s expansion is not limited to one city. With offices in Pune, Bengaluru, Delhi, and Mumbai, Cohesity is committed to growing across all functions. Adams emphasises that talent in India isn’t just about engineering prowess—every part of the business is represented, reflecting the country’s “triple threat” of world-class institutions, vast population, and technological dynamism.

Adams’ own role mirrors the transformation sweeping across HR leadership. “I wouldn’t do the job if it wasn’t strategic,” she shares candidly. The Chief People Officer is no longer a function confined to policies and payroll. Instead, Adams partners closely with Cohesity’s CEO, CFO, and other senior leaders to inform decisions on where to expand, how best to serve customers across time zones, and how to cultivate a workplace where people genuinely want to stay.

Her focus for the next 15 to 18 months is refreshingly clear: attract the best talent, retain them, help them grow, and make Cohesity the best place to work. It’s a team effort, she insists, enabled by empowering leaders at every level. The challenge is not just about managing people across continents and time zones, but ensuring everyone feels part of one cohesive team.

With global talent shortages and the so-called “war for talent” making headlines, Adams sees things differently. “I don’t think there’s a shortage of talent,” she says. The key, she believes, lies in listening and acting on feedback. Cohesity’s ‘Cohesity Listens’ platform is a case in point. Employees are asked for feedback every other week, and managers are expected to assess, consider, and respond to this input as part of a continuous feedback-action loop.

This is especially important with early-career employees, who “have a lot of feedback to give and want to share their points of view.” The feedback culture at Cohesity is not about ticking boxes; it's about fostering genuine dialogue. 

The company’s benefits—like refresh weeks in December and ongoing enhancements tailored to local needs—are direct results of employee input.

Adams is realistic about the limits of this approach. “We can’t make everybody happy all the time,” she admits. But the act of listening and the willingness to take meaningful action set Cohesity apart in a crowded market.

One of Cohesity’s distinguishing features is its truly multi-generational workforce. “We have every generation that is alive,” Adams laughs, from Boomers to Gen Z. This diversity brings its own management challenges. Gen Z employees, for instance, want to understand the ‘why’ behind decisions and expect to be part of the process. Boomers and Gen Xers may be more comfortable with straightforward directives.

Cohesity’s solution? Personalised manager training. Leaders learn how to tailor communication strategies to different generations, ensuring everyone feels included. “It’s like a family,” Adams says. Just as parents adapt their approach for each child, managers must ensure their style resonates with everyone on the team.

Few topics dominate workplace conversations today as much as artificial intelligence. Adams sees AI as an enabler, not a source of fear. “There’s so much work that we all have to do, both tactical and strategic. The employee who wants true work-life balance will find AI helps them get it,” she explains.

Cohesity has embraced AI not only as a business tool but as a way to empower employees. Regular company and team meetings feature showcases of successful AI adoption, helping to demystify new technologies and encourage a culture of learning.

Crucially, Adams notes that upskilling is for everyone. The company’s oldest employees are as engaged as the youngest. “IT, HR, our CEO, our CFO—everyone is supportive. I haven’t seen resistance so far,” she says, underscoring the importance of organisation-wide buy-in for successful change management.

As the shelf life of skills gets shorter and technology evolves, Adams’ hiring philosophy is refreshingly pragmatic. Beyond degrees, she looks for a growth mindset, passion, and collaboration. “The only thing that’s constant is change,” she says. Employees who are flexible, eager to learn, and able to work well with others have the edge.

Cohesity’s hiring strategy is rooted in diversity—of background, geography, and thought. While there is no conscious shift towards hiring only younger employees, the company remains agile, ready to adapt as new technologies and business needs emerge. “It just depends on what’s coming out next year that we don’t even know about yet,” Adams reflects.

With operations spread across 28 offices and customers in more than 140 countries, Cohesity has mastered the art of balancing global consistency with local nuance. While global training, onboarding, and policies provide a common framework, local people partners and employee-led belonging communities ensure cultural relevance.

These communities give employees a voice in shaping what matters most to them, whether in India, Germany, or the United States. “We try to be very conscientious about what is needed in each location,” Adams says, emphasising the importance of cultural sensitivity in global people strategy.

Despite these successes, Adams is candid about the ongoing challenges. “The hardest thing is we can’t make everybody happy all the time,” she reiterates. The reality of a competitive talent market means employees are constantly comparing notes with peers at other companies, and sometimes being courted by them. Cohesity’s approach is to stay agile—listening, adapting, and enhancing benefits wherever possible within the realities of budget and resources.

Looking ahead, Adams is realistic and optimistic. The future workplace will be shaped by new technologies, evolving skills, and changing expectations—especially around flexibility and work-life harmony. As she puts it, “Every year, the students who are graduating are learning things we haven’t learned. We need to teach each other.”

Adams’ advice for organisations is clear: be open to change, foster a growth mindset, and keep learning. Success in the age of AI will depend on asking the right questions, not just having access to the latest tools. “It takes practice,” she says, “and we’re all learning together.”