PeopleStrong announced the appointment of Tayfun Topkoc as Senior Vice President – International on December 23, 2025, in the UAE. He will lead overseas operations from Riyadh. The move matters as PeopleStrong scales global growth following new investments and board-level changes.
What changed at PeopleStrong
PeopleStrong confirmed that Tayfun Topkoc will head its international business. He will focus on expanding operations across the Middle East and North Africa. He will also oversee strategy execution in other global markets.
The role places him within PeopleStrong’s senior leadership team. His mandate covers growth planning, regional execution, and enterprise engagement. He will operate from Saudi Arabia.
The appointment follows a period of organisational expansion at PeopleStrong. The company recently received strategic investment from Goldman Sachs. It also added former State Bank of India Chairman Dinesh Khara to its board.
Context behind PeopleStrong’s appointment
PeopleStrong operates as a human capital management SaaS provider across Asia and emerging markets. Its platform supports hiring, payroll, talent management, and employee engagement. The company has expanded its focus on AI-led HR systems.
Tayfun Topkoc brings experience from technology and enterprise software firms. His past roles include leadership positions at SAP, Hewlett-Packard, SAS, and Akinon. His work has involved digital transformation programs across the UAE, the Middle East, and international regions.
He was recognised as the Middle East’s Most Successful Chief Digital Officer in 2018. He also featured in Fast Company’s Digital 100 list in 2020 and 2021. Alongside corporate roles, he has served as an executive educator and board member.
Impact on PeopleStrong’s global strategy
The appointment strengthens PeopleStrong’s regional leadership bench. It adds experience in regulatory environments and enterprise-scale deployments. It also supports the company’s push into AI-enabled people operations.
PeopleStrong said workforce transformation has become a national priority across the Middle East. Enterprises in the region are increasing adoption of digital HR platforms. The company aims to align its technology with these requirements.
Topkoc said PeopleStrong’s focus on future-ready talent systems influenced his decision. He stated that the company’s platform supports sustainable workforce growth across markets.
Supporting data and company profile
PeopleStrong serves more than 500 enterprises globally. Its platforms support over 2 million users. The company processes more than 1.75 million payroll transactions each month.
Its HR mobile application holds a 4.8 out of 5 rating across iOS and Android. PeopleStrong has featured consistently in Gartner’s Voice of the Customer reports. It was named Customers’ Choice for Cloud HCM Suites for enterprises with over 1,000 employees from 2022 to 2025.
The company continues to invest in its MAAX agentic AI architecture. Recent launches include an AI Co-Recruiter and an Employee Relations Agent.
