Marilou Lagman Gilfillan spotlights human-centered HR leadership

Influential Women profiles Marilou Lagman Gilfillan, SPHR, a Los Angeles-based People & Culture executive with two decades of experience across technology, gaming, entertainment, financial services and luxury retail. The profile highlights her focus on AI-enabled workforce strategy, mentorship and leadership that keeps the human side of business at the center of change.

Why it matters: - Marilou Lagman Gilfillan’s career reflects how People & Culture leaders are being asked to connect business performance, workforce design and employee experience at the same time. - Her perspective is especially relevant as companies rethink talent strategy, leadership development and AI adoption. - The profile positions human-centered leadership as a practical business issue, not just a values statement.

What happened: - Influential Women published a profile of Marilou Lagman Gilfillan, SPHR, on July 14, 2026. - Gilfillan is Senior Director of People & Culture at Kobalt Music Publishing in Los Angeles. - The profile says she has two decades of experience leading talent strategy, organizational development and workforce transformation across global organizations. - Her background spans technology, gaming, entertainment, financial services and luxury retail.

The details: - Gilfillan leads people strategy for complex creative teams at Kobalt Music Publishing. - Her work sits at the intersection of business performance, organizational design and culture. - She uses workforce analytics, strategic leadership and AI-enabled insights to improve leadership effectiveness and scalability. - Her career includes leadership roles at U.S. Bank and Activision Blizzard. - In those roles, she guided large workforce initiatives and advised executives through organizational change. - The profile says she has helped companies manage rapid growth, regulatory complexity and major transformation. - She has also supported initiatives that improved culture, engagement and long-term business results. - Gilfillan’s first exposure to the “people side” of business came during her early work at Disneyland Resort. - She migrated from the Metro Manila area of the Philippines to the United States before building her HR career. - She entered human resources without a formal HR background and grew into leadership roles over time. - Her career includes mentorship and advocacy for emerging professionals. - She serves on an advisory board for a strategic AI program. - Her leadership philosophy centers on tenacity, courage, integrity and humility. - The profile says she helped develop one of the first online career sites when paper applications were still standard. - She also helped simplify vacation and sick leave structures into paid time off systems. - She introduced 401(k) profit-sharing benefits. - She played a role in the recruitment of a CEO in collaboration with a board of directors. - Gilfillan advises young women to treat uncertainty and imposter syndrome as part of growth. - She recommends saying “yes” first and then figuring out the path forward.

Between the lines: - The profile frames AI as both an opportunity and a stress test for HR leaders. - Gilfillan argues that AI adoption only works when companies connect technology decisions to people strategy and governance. - Her comments suggest HR leaders want influence over how AI reshapes jobs, operating models and employee development. - The emphasis on mentorship and paying support forward also signals a leadership model built on access and advancement, not just execution.

What's next: - Gilfillan expects leaders to keep wrestling with what it means to become “AI first” in a way that still supports employees. - She says organizations need stronger collaboration between technology teams and People teams as AI rollouts expand. - The profile points to continued focus on workforce development, leadership coaching and cultural transformation as businesses evolve.

The bottom line: - Gilfillan’s profile presents modern HR leadership as a blend of analytics, change management and human judgment. The message is clear: companies can scale faster when they do not lose sight of people.