New Delhi, October 04, 2023 : Great Lakes Institute of Management, Gurgaon, one of the premier business schools in the country, recently hosted Sapience 2023, its two-day annual management conclave. The theme for this year’s conclave was ‘Techvolution: A Redefining Moment for Business’.
The event provided valuable insights into the evolving landscape of Finance, Marketing, HR & OB, AI & Analytics, and Entrepreneurship. The discussions highlighted the importance of staying agile and creative in an increasingly tech-driven business environment.
The opening keynote address at the event was delivered by Vimal Choudhary, Head and Board Member – McKinsey Knowledge Center. Articulating the importance of leadership and the distinctiveness of leadership compared to technology, Choudhary said, “While automation or technology can be applied extensively, leadership remains a fundamentally human function as it entails strategic decision-making, team motivation, navigating complex, unchartered territory, besides also demanding qualities such as confidence, adaptability, and resilience when facing challenges, that cannot be replicated by machines.”
In a panel discussion on Finance, moderated by Dr. Kirti Sharma, Associate Professor of Accounting and Finance, the panelists emphasized the fact that in the world of business, technology’s constant evolution serves as a catalyst for growth. They also spoke about how Techvolution sparks innovation, drives change, and powers organizations as they accelerate their expansion. Shobhna Rajagopal – Group Finance Manager, Microsoft says, “To create a sustainable balance, we must be mindful of this impact and proactively adopt eco-friendly practices, ensuring technology serves as a force for positive change rather than further harm.” Adding to the discussion, Ashish Maheshwari – Chief Financial Officer, Apollo Health & Lifestyle, said, “Technology acts as a catalyst, simplifying both personal and professional life through precise solutions and time-efficient approaches. With AI and technology, one’s capabilities are amplified, leading to streamlined processes and enhanced efficiency.” Furthermore, Kautav Neogi – National Finance Controller & Chief Risk Officer, Indus Towers, and Sonal Mehta Sabharwal – Global FP&A Lead, AMI, shared their views on why technology isn’t a choice in today’s dynamic business landscape, it’s the lifeblood that keeps organizations thriving and how it has revolutionized global connectivity.
For the Marketing track, the discussion started with Dr. Jones Matthew, Professor of Marketing, highlighting the current era as a time of immense change, characterized by a strong focus on technology. He emphasized the importance of the one-on-one relationship between marketing and technology, emphasizing trackability and spending money wisely. Panelists came together to talk about the challenges and opportunities businesses face in the digital age. Nipun Kaicker – Head TV Business, Ecomm & D2C Business, LG Electronics, Gurleen Saraon – Director of Growth, Identity & Digital Media Solutions, Epsilon, Neeraj Sharma – Senior Vice President, Strategy, Digital L&K Saatchi & Saatchi and Sandeep Balani – Vice President, JioAds, spoke about how technology has been employed to make marketing and advertising processes more efficient.
The HR and OB panel was moderated by Dr. Sanghamitra Bhattacharyya, Professor of Organizational Behavior. The discussion emphasized various subjects including talent technology, the intersection of people and processes, the incorporation of agile methodology in Human Resources and Organizational Behavior practices, and the role of Artificial Intelligence in advancing this domain. Addressing the audience on trends in HR & OB domain, Ramakrishna V – CHRO, Home First Finance Company, Jayati Dwivedy – Global Leader in Talent Acquisition, Philips, Sudhir Sharma – Head Talent Acquisition, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Nandini Matiyani – VP, People & Culture, RateGain and Terence Raphael – Head HR, JM Financial, discussed how technology plays a pivotal role in modern HR processes, from talent acquisition and recruitment to employee development and engagement.
The Entrepreneurship panel was moderated by Prof. S K Palhan, Professor of Operations Management, and Prof. Harish Kumar, Associate Professor of Marketing. The panel discussed how creativity, design, and customer experience are pivotal in building brand loyalty and why timing and adaptability are crucial in entrepreneurship. The panelists enlightened the students about their entrepreneurship journey and explained why it is important, as an entrepreneur, to identify problems and solve them using a scientific approach. Panelists in the Entrepreneurship session included Manoj Dawane – Founder and CEO, VTION, Rahul Bhattacharya – Co-Founder and Managing Director of MICROGRAVITY, Sanjay Varnwal – Co-Founder and CEO, SPYNE and Santosh Nair, Founder & Director, Analytical Edge.
In the panel discussion on Operations, Dr. Surya Prakash, Associate Professor of Operations, shared his views on technology changing the sphere of all domains and how operations can be affected by it. The panel discussion began around the theme of how technologies are impacting the business of the panelists. The opening remarks were initiated by Tavinder Jit Singh – President & Chief Business Officer, Microlabs, followed by Shweta Goela – General Manager (Strategy), Safexpress, Lalit Upadhayay – Global Purchasing Lead, Federal-Mogul Goetze and Deepak Bajaj – Sales Director, AMDOCS.
In the final panel discussion on Analytics, Dr. Jayatu Sen Chaudhary, Professor of Finance Analytics, highlighted the changing dynamics of technology and its influence in sectors like banking, advertising, healthcare, and content creation. He also emphasized the importance of the relationship between risk management and technology, emphasizing trackability, fraud detection, and the constant evolution of the BFSI sector. Panelists in these sessions also expressed their views on the role of AI driving analytics in different areas. These include Parasana Sagar Maddu – President of Data Science, ZEE, Ramkumar Sundaram – Director, Strategic Planning and Analytics Adobe, Ashish Singh – President of Platform and Tech Transformation and Priyadarshi Dutta – Chief Risk Officer, Stashfin.
To express gratitude to the panelists, moderators, and audience, on behalf of Great Lakes Institute of Management, Gurgaon, Dr. VP Singh – Professor of Managerial Economics, presented the ‘Vote of Thanks’ and concluded Sapience 2023.
Corporate Comm India (CCI Newswire)
