XIM Bhubaneswar: 15 September 2024 :: Celebrating 37 years of rich legacy, Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar is organizing the 6th edition of the annual Business Excellence Summit from 14th September to 15th September 2024. The theme for this year’s summit was “Redefining Possibilities.” The event was presided over by Vice- chancellor Fr. Antony R. Uvari, S.J., Deputy Registrar and Chief Financial Officer Fr. V. Arockia Das, S.J., Associate Dean – Career Advisory Services Prof. Francis Thomas Castelino, Prof. D.V Ramana and the honorable keynote speaker, Siddhartha Gupta.
The welcome address was delivered by Vice Chancellor Fr. Antony R. Uvari, S. J., who declared the Business Excellence Summit 2024, open. Swayam Deep Dash, General Secretary, Student Executive Council, then took the opportunity to introduce the theme of Business Excellence Summit. Then Kavita Hegde, a student of XIM Bhubaneswar, introduced the keynote speaker. Following that, Prof. D.V Ramana gave a thought- provoking speech.
Siddhartha Gupta, President – Mercer, and an esteemed alumnus of XIM, Bhubaneswar delivered an empowering address. He spoke on the challenges of corporate capitalism and India’s lower consumption rates. Drawing from his journey, he emphasized the transformative power of innovation in the face of disruptions like COVID, AI, and sustainability. Encouraging the students, 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”
Following this, the stage was set for an enlightening second session themed: “Changing World of Business and How to adapt to It”. Subhankar Pattanayak, Director and Head of Bid Management, ANZ and India, SAP, addressed themes of technology and the changes in technology over the years. He stressed the leadership qualities one must have in the ever- changing, AI-driven world. He concluded with an inspiring quote, urging the students always to keep learning, “Illiterate is not a person who cannot read and write, illiterate is a person who cannot learn, unlearn and re- learn.”
Rajen Mishra, Director of Tech Modernisation at Grant Thornton INDUS, and a distinguished alumnus of XIM, Bhubaneswar, shared invaluable insights about the essential skills students need to thrive in the corporate world. He urged students to become well -rounded individuals, capable of engaging in meaningful discussions across various domains. Speaking on the role of technology, he said, “Technology is not about building tech, but it is about understanding what I’m doing and why I’m doing”
Amit Talgeri, CRO, Axis Bank, threw light upon the need to ‘redefine possibilities’ in banking. He talked about the current banking landscape and how it has changed dramatically since the avenue of digital banking. Talgeri also highlighted the skills that every student must have irrespective of their domain- Data interpretation, analytics, skills in up -and- coming technology, managing a ‘VUCA’ environment, and corporate etiquette. Talking about the corporate world, he also said, “The way of doing business is shifting towards sustainability, resilience, and long-term objectives.”
Following this, Bhaskar Basu, Professor of Information Systems at XIM Bhubaneswar, moderated a panel discussion with the esteemed speakers. The dialogue commenced with a general discussion on the emerging trends in the respective industries of the speakers. The role of organizations concerning the responsible use of AI was also discussed extensively. This was followed by an intriguing Q&A session with the students. Many interesting questions were raised on topics ranging from the nation’s economy to justifying the feasibility of AI in organizations and so on before the session was concluded.
The third session of the day unraveled newer aspects of the theme, ‘Redefining Possibilities’.
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 with Airtel during its major dynamic transitions, he recalled the growth of the telecom industry and how the customers transitioned from a premium paid outgoing call to a Novel Handset. He said, “The challenge is motivating customers to stay and keep choosing you since they are our ultimate brand ambassadors.”
Sayantani Dutta, Chief Human Resources Officer, Bajaj Housing Finance Limited, urged students to dream bigger and embrace ambition without limits. Reflecting on her own experiences, Ms. Dutta said, “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 the real world.” She further emphasized her message of cultivating grand dreams and pursuing them with unwavering dedication, for the possibilities are as vast as our aspirations.
Ena Khurana, Chief People Officer, KiE Square Analytics, referred to her alma mater XIM, Bhubaneswar as “the Temple of Learning.” According to her, one of the major essentials for today’s corporate world is to have a Pocket Skill that one keeps practicing until one excels at it. Khurana also addressed the uncertainty and fear faced by the students during the learning process with a quote she followed personally - “The optimist fell 12 stories and at each window bar, he shouted to the people who were horrified below- ‘Well, I’m alright so far."Manmeet Sandhu, Chief People Officer, PhonePe, also an esteemed alumnus of XIM, Bhubaneswar discussed the major highlights of her professional journey leading to PhonePe. Her contribution towards financial inclusion, value building, and culture enhancement was reeled into the organizational work anthem-“Karte Ja, Karte Ja.” Sandhu highlighted the importance of believing in the process by saying, “You are wherever you’re meant to be. Learning of the worst experiences and joy from the best ones make you the person you are.”
The forum was then opened for an enriching panel discussion moderated by Prof. Soumya
Sarkar, Professor of Marketing. Its theme was: “Creating a brand from a company perspective and consumer perspective by marketing and people handling.”
Sandhu highlighted the importance of customer satisfaction for the brand by saying, “You’ll always have an empty chair that will represent the customer”.
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, the gap between individual goals and organizational offerings, and more. The insightful session was concluded with a thoughtful reflection by Prof. Soumya Sarkar, followed by a heartfelt vote of thanks from the Business Excellence Summit team.
Thus, the first day of the Business Excellence Summit concluded on a high note, with industry leaders sharing valuable insights and inspiring students to apply these lessons in shaping their career paths.
