Leadership Series 2023
Venue: SIIB Auditorium
Date and Time: 13th October 2023 | 10:00am- 4:00 pm
Audience: MBA – IB, AB, E&E | Batch – 2022-24 & 2023-25
Number of Participants: 400+
Chief Guest’s Name and Designation: Mr. Muralikrishan, President, Xiaomi
Panellist’s Name and Designation: Mr. Akash Sureka (Managing Director, J.P. Morgan & Chase), Ms. Kavita Kaushik (Head Quality, Cummins), Mr. Manish Rathour (Vice President Marketing, Accops), Mr. Eugene Panfilov (Managing Director, Borzo), Mr. Priyanshu Gaurav (Managing Partner, Nuvama Partner Limited), and Mr. Rajeev Tupsakri (Founder and CEO, RAMA Consulting)On October 13, 2023, the Symbiosis Institute of International Business (SIIB) hosted its Annual Flagship Event, the Leadership Series. The event’s central theme, “Intergenerational Work Paradigms: Embracing Challenges and Exploring Opportunities,” set the stage for in-depth discussions on global trade, business dynamics, and geo-economic concerns. The event began with an engaging video to introduce the theme, followed by the ceremonial lamp lighting by the esteemed chief guest, Mr. Muralikrishnan, President of Xiaomi India. Dr. Asmita Chitnis, Director of SIIB, warmly welcomed the Chief Guest and highlighted the relevance of the selected theme for the Leadership Series.
Mr. Muralikrishnan B shared his extensive expertise in the consumer internet and e-commerce industry, shedding light on the rapidly changing global landscape. He discussed the omnipresence of technology in modern organizations and the evolving global order with Asian Economies challenging traditional Western dominance. He emphasized the world’s significant changes, where security and protection are prioritized over growth, leading to a reversal of globalization. In the context of the workplace, Mr. Muralikrishnan emphasized the coexistence of four generations in the contemporary workforce, each with unique perspectives. He addressed biases and generational echo chambers, proposing solutions for bridging the generational gap, including fostering an inclusive workplace, creating a strong foundation, and promoting respectful communication, assertiveness, constructive disagreement, and influential collaboration.
Following the inspiring opening remarks of the Chief Guest, Dr. Prakash Rao, Deputy Director and Head of the Energy and Environment Programme, initiated the event with his vote of thanks, expressing his gratitude to Mr. Muralikrishnan as well as to all the dedicated panellists who had generously spared their valuable time from their busy agendas. The event then smoothly transitioned into the first-panel discussion titled “Resilient Leadership for a Better Tomorrow”, Moderated by Mr. Rishi Kapal, a seasoned Faculty of Marketing at SIIB. The discussion was ushered in with a compelling video presentation, followed by a comprehensive introduction of the esteemed panellists, Mr. Akash Sureka, Managing Director of J.P. Morgan & Chase, Ms. Kavita Kaushik, the Head of Quality at Cummins; and Mr. Manish Rathour, the Vice President of Marketing at Accops. They collectively delved into an exploration of resilient leadership’s evolution across generations, as well as the intricacies and challenges of effective communication in the digital age. The discussion focused on differing leadership styles and communication methods across generations, emphasizing the importance of adapting communication to suit various generations and promoting proactive, people-centric leadership. The panellists also discussed the challenges of integrating digital tools and bridging generational communication gaps. The first Panel Discussion ended with a heartfelt vote of thanks presented by Dr. Chetan Prabhu, Faculty of Supply Chain & Operations at SIIB to the panellists and the moderator.
The event carry forwarded by second panel discussion revolved around the theme “Innovation, Inclusion, and Diversity.” It began with a video presentation and an introduction of panellists, Mr. Eugene Panfilov, Managing Director, Borzo, Mr. Priyanshu Gaurav, Managing Partner, Nuvama Partner Limited, and Mr. Rajeev Tupsakri, Founder and CEO, RAMA Consulting by the moderator of the session Dr. Chetan Prabhu. The panelists highlighted the importance of engaging diverse voices and embracing change, discussed risk and reward in hiring, and stressed the significance of an open failure culture and aligning individual goals with organizational perspectives. Further to the discussion, the Panellist’s emphasized the critical role of innovation, inclusion, and diversity in fostering a dynamic organizational culture that embraces change, encourages diverse perspectives, and aligns individual growth with the broader mission.
The Leadership Event concluded with a heartfelt vote of gratitude presented by Dr. Vandana Mehta, Faculty of Marketing at SIIB, to each of the Panellist and Session Moderators for their valuable time and inputs, along with the faculties, staff, and students, presented in the audience for the successful culmination of the Leadership Series, 2023.
Key takeaways:
The panel discussion was both engaging and informative highlighting the significance of adapting communication and leadership styles to suit different generations in the workforce and how we must adapt to the changing world.
– Ashish Parashar (MBA – IB 2023-25)
Resilient leadership across generations and the challenges of communication in the digital age were key takeaways from the panel discussions, highlighting the significance of proactive, people-centric leadership and adapting communication to suit various generations.
– Parv Pandya (MBA – AB 2022-24)
The panel discussions made us value innovation, inclusion, and diversity as pivotal drivers of organizational culture, aligning individual growth with the overarching mission of a company.
– Sanya Pareek (MBA – E&E 2023-25)
