Theme: Building a Sustainable Inclusive Future: A Finance Perspective

Dr. Shikta Singh, Convenor, set the context of the conclave. She introduced the theme, highlighting India’s economic evolution and the role of sustainability in our journey. She emphasized on India’s vast market potential, digital payment growth and financial inclusion with sustainability as a guiding principle.

Dr. Sumita Mishra, Dean, KSOM, extended a warm welcome on behalf of Dr. Achyuta Samanta, Hon’ble Founder of KIIT & KISS. She introduced the corporate leaders, emphasized the conclave’s significance, and stressed on the growing importance of sustainability in the post-pandemic era.

Dr. Tapan Kumar Panda, Pro-Vice Chancellor of KSOM & KSRM, delivered an insightful speech on sustainability, inclusivity, and industry perspectives. He highlighted a CFOs’ crucial role in achieving ESG goals and stressed on the strategic significance of sustainability. Dr. Panda discussed the transformation of health crises into economic challenges and encouraged sharing insights on technology’s role in mitigating shocks while bridging classroom learning with corporate practices.

Dr. Kumar Mohanty, Director – Corporate Relations, KIIT DU gave the Vote of Thanks

The inaugural session was followed by two panel discussions. The first panel discussion was on the topic: Sustainability, Fin-Tech and Financial Inclusion. The esteemed panellists were Mr. Gopal Sharma (Moderator), Chief Financial Officer, NASSCOM; Mr. Dev Tripathy, Director Finance, Philips; Mr. Amit Poddar, Chief Financial Officer, India Power; Mr. Chirag Bhatt, Indirect Taxation Head, Aditya Birla Group and Mr. Ackash Mital, Chief Financial Officer, Fiat India. The panel discussed on the importance of sustainable technology in shaping our future, stressing the need to predict demand, consume wisely, and optimize logistics, while holding ourselves responsible for environmental sustainability. They emphasized on the importance of ESG in sustainability, expressing deep concern about the environment and the adverse effects of overusing resources. The panel highlighted the interdependence of economic expansion, financial inclusion, and sustainability, and the role of modern finance in harnessing technology to integrate these aspects. The panel concurred that government and corporate commitments to sustainability is critical along with the need for cost-effective and environmentally friendly solutions.

The second panel discussion was on the topic – Resilience for Sustainable Inclusive Growth –    Industry Perspectives. The respected panellists were Ms. Sandhya J (Moderator), Chief Financial Officer, Narayana Health; Mr. T. N. Sivasubramanian, Chief Financial Officer, Shibaura Machine India Pvt. Ltd. (Toshiba); Mr. Amit Tripathi, Chief Investment Officer-Fixed Income, Nippon MF and Mr. Kumar Ayashkanta, Group Chief Investment Officer, Wipro Enterprise. The panel highlighted India’s economic growth, infrastructure improvements, and financial inclusion in the manufacturing industry. They discussed on the changing dynamics in the manufacturing sector, focusing on cash conversion and the role of MSME vendors, especially within ‘Make in India’. The panel offered insights on diverse topics including green bonds, economic resilience, and investment potential in India while discussing profitability and financial inclusion.

The second half of the conclave consisted of seven parallel interactive workshops on topics related to: Innovative Emerging Technologies in Indian Financial System, Measuring the Pulse of Fintech Segments, ESG in India: Emphasizing Sustainability and Responsible Investing, Sustainable Finance & Green Economy, Challenges and Way Forward and Emergence of Robo-advisors and its Impact on Financial Markets.

The conclave provided students with an opportunity to interact with business leaders from the industry. The conclave created a platform to connect industry professionals, academia and students.