Devika Bhagwandas is the Regional Global Mobility and Immigration Manager for H&M Fashion USA, Inc., based in New York City. She is responsible for all international mobility moves for the Americas region, including the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Colombia and Ecuador. Devika possesses over 20 years of experience in law firms and global organizations within the Financial Services, Technology, Beauty and Fashion Industries.

She has held professional roles with various law firms and top organizations including the Estee Lauder Companies, Verizon Media, The Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation, and Cognizant Technology Solutions. In 2024, Devika was recognized as one of the Top 250 Women Leaders in Global Mobility.

She is a Top 100 Global Mobility Community Champion, a Global Mobility Journeys Ambassador and a Benivo Changemaker. Devika is an active member of WERC, serves as a Corporate Advisory Member for Women of Global Mobility, and a Member of several local Global Mobility Forums and Chapters. Devika is currently a Co-Chair of the APIC (Asian Pacific Islander) CRG (Colleague Resource Group) at H&M. She comes from a diverse multi-cultural background and possesses strong multicultural experiences, which makes her an empathetic global mobility leader and mentor.

Here are some of the testimonials submitted for Devika to support her nomination:

Devika is always available and willing to support needed. Very service minded and emphatic with the colleagues.

Devika exemplifies excellence in global mobility through her professionalism, reliability, and genuine commitment to supporting employees through every step of their state-to-state relocations. Through decisive leadership, cross‑functional collaboration, and a relentless focus on execution, Devika has elevated Global Mobility into a trusted, scalable, and high‑impact function across the Americas, setting a benchmark for the profession.

Devika is a consummate Global Mobility professional. During my time as Head of HR at COS, we had a quarter of the organization transition from other Regions across the brand and Devika was a key partner in supporting colleagues acclimate to the Region. She supported the various complexities and provided post move support to these colleagues.

Devika exemplifies authentic leadership through her integrity, approachability, and steadfast support of others. She is deeply committed to empowering her colleagues and leads in a way that inspires trust, confidence, and collaboration.

I am pleased to nominate Devika Bhagwandas for Global Mobility Professional of the Year. As a real estate broker specializing in relocation and expatriate moves, I have had the opportunity to work closely with global mobility teams, and Devika stands out as an exceptional leader.

Devika consistently delivers excellent service to expats by keeping them well informed and supported throughout their stay. She proactively follows up to ensure their well-being and quickly addresses any unresolved issues. Trustworthy, professional, and solution-oriented, she demonstrates strong loyalty to the company and a commitment to resolving challenges effectively.

Devika's brilliance, agility, patience, and kindness is difficult to surmise in one sentence - but those four adjectives are a start. I've never worked with someone who supports a function as complexed and nuanced as Global Mobility with the grace and accessibility of Devika. I simply would not be able to perform the full scope of my role without her partnership. No matter the inquiry, Devika is available with kindness and context - always able to provide a recommendation or answer with full context so that the people she's supporting can develop a better understanding of the intricacy behind many of the processes we oversee within the H&M group. Okay, that is more than one sentence - but if tasked to sum it up: "She's the best!"

Devika is a respected and well known HR Global Mobility partner throughout the HR/Immigration space. She possesses, not only the expertise and skill to deal with very complex cases, but the positive attitude to build bridges throughout challenging times. Since Devika never cease in staying on trend, she's always the go-to partner everyone seeks when wanting the latest and best knowledge how our space is developing. She is the model for what we need in all of our Global Mobility partnerships.

Tom Richardson is a respected leader whose impact is defined by intelligent Global Mobility system design, trusted partner relationships, and support for global mobility talent pathways. He creates practical technology solutions that are secure, compliant, and provide measurable business impact.

His work is consistently endorsed by Senior HR, Technology, and Industry Leaders across the Global Mobility space. Evidence of Leadership, Innovation, and Service Delivery Tom’s leadership at Equus Software centers on technology strategy and successful service delivery, designing scalable mobility solutions that eliminate operational friction while strengthening governance and compliance. For example, Tom spearheaded a global mobility transformation for Tokyo Electron (TEL), which is already looking to generate over $3 million in annual program value. By automating case tracking, tax, and payroll compliance, TEL’s payroll processes have transformed from an 8–9-day manual effort to completion in just one day. This innovation saves hundreds of business days and GM resource hours annually, allowing TEL’s mobility team to transition from transactional processing to strategic advisory. The Global Mobility team has demonstrated that the system manages tax compliance risks in the order of millions and shortens assignment initiation timelines by over 75%. A consistent comment from industry partners is the value of Tom’s consultative approach. His support through large-scale organizational change and technology enablement requires participation from service delivery teams across the Global Mobility Ecosystem and demonstrates the value of thoughtfully designed systems executed by strong delivery teams.

Knowledge Sharing, Mentorship, and Role Model Validation: Tom’s leadership extends into developing talent pathways for future Global Mobility generations. As Program Sponsor for Equus, he has supported structured programs like Upward Mobility from Elevate+ that combine technical training, mentorship, and real‑world exposure. This has resulted in three Internships, many mentor relationships, and the successful transition into full‑time industry roles for new talent – one of which was spotlighted recently by WERC.

As an Advisory Board Member with the UT Dallas Center for Global Business, Tom has supported many projects with student groups, including being a regular speaker with their Global Mobility Club. This has enabled many students to learn about Global Mobility and connect with real-world HR projects from leading organizations to apply what they learn, build job-ready skills, and gain industry exposure. Tom is also a supporter of Global Mobility organizations at local and national levels, currently serving as the Programs Board Member within the North Texas Relocation Professionals (NTRP) community.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/tprichardson/

Andrew Schwinden is a seasoned HR technology and Global Mobility leader whose career spans more than 16 years at the intersection of enterprise software, change management, and people operations.

Currently serving as Vice President of Consulting at Topia, Andrew has dedicated the better part of a decade to transforming how organizations manage and support their globally mobile workforces. Andrew's journey in Global Mobility began at Polaris Global Mobility, where over the course of a decade he built deep expertise in implementation services, owning end-to-end deployments for US and APAC-based customers and serving as a direct liaison to executive leadership. That foundation gave him a practitioner's understanding of the real operational challenges mobility teams face — and the technology gaps that too often slow them down.

Since joining Topia in 2018, Andrew has held progressively senior roles that reflect both his technical depth and his ability to lead at scale. As Manager of Implementation Services, he coached and mentored a team of 13 consultants through complex global deployments.

As Director of Global Client Services, he built and led a globally distributed implementation consulting team focused on business process improvement and operational standardization for some of the world's most complex mobility programs.

In his role as Director of Services Enablement and Learning, he turned his attention to the people behind the platform — developing the professional services team and external implementation partners through training, solution architecture, and continuous learning programs.

In his current role as Vice President of Implementation, Andrew brings that full arc of experience to bear — helping organizations activate Topia's next-generation Horizon platform faster and more effectively than ever before. His work directly enables mobility teams to move from months-long implementations to days, giving practitioners back the time they need to focus on strategy rather than administration.

What distinguishes Andrew is not just his technical expertise, but his genuine commitment to the humans on both sides of every implementation — the teams he develops internally and the mobility professionals he serves externally. He is a builder: of teams, of processes, and of the kind of trusted relationships that make complex global programs actually work.

Andrew holds a degree from the University of Washington'

Christina Urrutia is redefining what leadership looks like in global mobility. As Executive Director of Women of Global Mobility (WoGM), she has not only built a community—she has sparked a movement that is reshaping how women experience, influence, and lead within the industry.

With nearly 20 years in global mobility, Christina recognized a critical gap: while the industry thrives on connection, there were few intentional spaces designed for women to build meaningful, career-elevating relationships. She didn’t wait for that space to exist—she created it. Under her leadership, WoGM has grown into a dynamic, international community of over 4,000 members across the United States, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and Canada, with more than 15 events scheduled this year alone to foster connection, learning, and growth.

What sets Christina apart is her ability to turn insight into action. She has elevated industry dialogue by creating accessible, relevant, and thought-provoking content that addresses both the technical and human sides of mobility. From leading conversations on evolving workforce trends to amplifying the real experiences of women in the field, she ensures that knowledge is not just shared—but truly understood and applied. Christina’s work goes beyond traditional networking. She has introduced new models of engagement that prioritize depth over volume—spaces where women can have real conversations, build trust, and grow together.

These aren’t just events; they are experiences that foster confidence, clarity, and connection in an industry that often demands all three. Her influence is felt not only within WoGM, but across the broader global mobility landscape. She consistently advocates for a more people-centered approach to mobility—one that balances business objectives with the lived experiences of employees and the professionals who support them. Her voice brings both credibility and relatability, making complex topics approachable and actionable.

Christina leads with both vision and vulnerability, a combination that has allowed her to connect deeply with others while driving meaningful change. She is not only building a stronger community—she is helping to shape a more inclusive, informed, and connected future for global mobility. In an industry that is evolving rapidly, Christina Urrutia stands out as a leader who is not just keeping pace—she is setting it. Her work through Women of Global Mobility is elevating individuals, strengthening the industry, and creating lasting impact that extends far beyond her role.

What Members Are Saying:

“WoGM created a space I didn’t know I needed—real conversations, real support.”“This community is changing how women show up and lead in mobility.”

www.womenofglobalmobility.org

https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinaurrutia/