Mr. Siddhartha Gupta, President - Mercer, an esteemed alumnus of XIM, Bhubaneswar delivered an empowering address on Redefining Possibilities. He spoke on the challenges of corporate capitalism and India's lower consumption rates, urging the audience to think beyond the status quo. Drawing from his personal journey, he emphasized the transformative power of innovation in the face of disruptions like COVID, AI, and sustainability. He highlighted resilience as the key to thriving in an ever-changing world. He also said ,“People generally don’t step up to take charge, whenever you find yourself shying away or stepping down from adversities, do the contrary and seize every opportunity”
After the insightful talk was the much-awaited question and answer session where the bright minds of XIM Bhubaneswar asked questions relevant to the strategies for Redefining Possibilities.
Following the insightful session by Mr. Siddhartha Gupta, the talk concluded with an ending note by Prof. D.V Ramana , Professor of Finance and Accounting, XIM, Bhubaneswar, followed by a vote of thanks by Swayam Deep Dash, General Secretary, Student Executive Council.
The stage was set for an enlightening second session themed “Changing World of Business And How To Adapt To It”
Mr. Subhankar Pattanayak, Director and Head of Bid Management, ANZ and India, SAP covered themes about technology and the similarities and differences between technological changes over the years. He stressed on the leadership qualities that one needs to be having in this ever-changing, AI driven world and urged the students to always keep learning, and never let go of their curiosity.This was reiterated when he said, “Illiterate is not a person who cannot read and write, illiterate is a person who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn.”
Mr. Rajen Mishra, Director, Tech Modernisation, Grant Thornton INDUS, esteemed alumnus of XIM, Bhubaneswar shared valuable insights on the life of a management student, emphasizing the essential skills required to thrive in the corporate world. Mr. Misra encouraged students to explore topics they are passionate about and to dive deep into them, aiming to become well-rounded individuals capable of speaking knowledgeably on a variety of subjects.“Technology is not about building tech; but it is about understanding what I'm doing and why I'm doing”
Mr, Amit Talgeri, CRO, Axis Bank, highlighted the need to ‘redefine possibilities’ in banking, aligning with the summit’s theme for 2024. He talked about the current banking landscape and how it has changed dramatically since the avenue of digital banking. Mr. Talgeri also talked about the five skills that every student must have irrespective of their domain- Data, Analytics, Technology, VUCA and Corporate Etiquette. He articulated, “The way of doing business is shifting towards sustainability, resilience, and long-term objectives.”
Bhaskar Basu, Professor of Information Systems was the moderator of a Group Discussion which was conducted with the speakers. He started with a general discussion about where the speakers thought their respective industries were heading towards
They also discussed the current role of organizations when it comes to responsible AI and the future of work going ahead.
This was followed by a Q & A session with the students, where many interesting topics like increasing investments in equity affecting bank deposits, microfinance and the aftereffects on COVID-19 on the economy, regulations in relation to fintech companies, justifying the feasibility of AI in organizations etc. were discussed.
The insightful session concluded with an ending note by Prof. Bhaskar Basu, followed by a vote of thanks from the members of the Business Excellence Summit team.
The third session of the evening unraveled new aspects of the tone of Redefining Possibilities set by the Summit early today.
Mr. Rishi Kumar Verma, Chief Marketing Officer, Larsen and Toubro Metro Rail Hyderabad Limited is an esteemed alumnus of XIM, Bhubaneswar. He is a Seasoned Marketing Professional specializing in Consumer Behavior and Brand Management. Having been associated to Airtel during it’s major dynamic transitions, he recalls the growth of telecom industry and how the customers transitioned from a premium paid outgoing call to a Novel Handset. Mr. Verma mentions “The challenge is how you motivate customers to stay and keep choosing you, since they are our ultimate brand ambassadors.”
Ms. Sayantani Dutta, Chief Human Resources Officer, Bajaj Housing Finance Limited, conveyed profound gratitude for her journey, urging students to dream bigger and embrace ambition without limits. Reflecting on her own experiences, Ms. Dutta advised, “Enjoy your days here, do your best, because the world outside is waiting for you to take off. A lot of things you’ll not realize until you step out of this place and bloom in real world.” She stressed on the importance of a Unified Brand Vision in GE that could speak to the investors and consumers leading to the idea of “Imagination at Work.”
Ms. Ena Khurana, Chief People Officer, KiE Square Analytics, referred to her alma mater XIM, Bhubaneswar as “the Temple of Learning.” Ms. Khurana addressed the uncertainty and fear faced by the students during the learning process with a quote she follows personally - “The optimist fell 12 stories and at each window bar, he shouted to the people who were horrified below, well I am alright so far."
According to her, one of the major essentials for today’s corporate world, is to have a Pocket Skill. The key is to keep practicing it until one is so good at it that nobody wants to let them go.
Her take on creating a strong brand is always remembering the organization is a unified message and addressing customer dissatisfaction as one brand.
Ms Manmeet Sandhu, Chief People Officer, PhonePe, also an esteemed alumnus of XIM, Bhubaneswar discusses the major highlights of her professional journey leading to PhonePe. She highlighted the importance of believing in the process mentioning “You are wherever you’re meant to be. Learning of the worst experience and joy from the best ones make you the person you are.”
The speakers opened the forum for an enriching panel discussion moderated by Prof. Soumya Sarkar, Professor of Marketing, around the theme “Creating a brand from company perspective and consumer perspective by marketing and people handling.”
Ms.Sandhu set a tone for the discussion by mentioning, ”You’ll always have an empty chair that will represent the customer “ highlighting the importance of customer satisfaction for brand building.
This was followed by an engaging Q&A session which delved into intriguing topics such as the dynamics between dream companies and personal aspirations, the impact of introverted and extroverted personalities on career paths, and the gap between individual goals and organizational offerings. The discussion also covered the evolving needs of both employees and employers in a rapidly changing business landscape. The insightful session concluded with a thoughtful reflection by Prof. Soumya Sarkar, followed by a heartfelt vote of thanks from the Business Excellence Summit team.
Chat
Comments