Alex Kopitsas
Alex has led both strategic HR and business functions during his 22-year career with Johnson & Johnson. His management and leadership have contributed to the successful turnaround and growth of business units in the Middle East and Africa, Europe, China, and the United States.
Prior to joining CEO Works, Alex, as VP of J&J’s Global Talent Acquisition & Mobility based in New Jersey, strategically filled 35,000 roles in a single year. He implemented a fit-for-purpose acquisition model, enabled by technology, that improved the efficiency and effectiveness of the 500 recruiters and countless HR managers involved around the world in this strategic talent initiative.
Previously, as VP of HR for China, Alex had been responsible for HR operations and strategy for the company’s biggest workforce population outside the United States. Based in Shanghai, Alex partnered with three business sector presidents to drive transformation by strengthening the talent pipeline, reducing attrition, and improving the brand reputation. Passionate about developing people, Alex developed a “Leader of the Future” Program using advanced analytics and data science and built a high-performing HR team with key capabilities in analytics and change management.
Earlier, he had steered a global restructuring from the New Jersey office as Head of HR for Global Sales while simultaneously developing and leading the implementation of J&J’s emerging markets talent strategy in 14 countries.
Alex was stationed in the Middle East for a decade. In Dubai, as Regional Senior HR Director, he led a 30-person HR team and improved the diversity of the company’s board by including more female and local talents in critical positions. As Regional Sales Director, he drove growth by significantly increasing market share, opening new legal entities in Saudi Arabia and Morocco, and leading negotiations with key customers.
Alex’s career began in management: first overseeing J&J’s key accounts and brands in Greece, followed by local and regional customers in Dubai, then marketing of the Aveeno® brand from New Jersey. This business operator holds a Master's with a major in Finance (Strathclyde University, Scotland), a Master's in HR Management (Keele University, England), and a Bachelor's in Political Science and International Relations (Panteion University, Greece).