Where Human Potential & Intelligent Systems Create Smarter Workplaces
SHRM Tech is the leading platform bringing together HR, business, and technology leaders who are shaping how organisations apply, govern, and scale HR technology to support leadership decisions and workforce outcomes. Now in its 12th edition, the SHRM Tech26, is anchored around the theme Connected Intelligence – where human insight and technology converge to build future-ready workplaces.
From breakthrough AI applications to rapidly evolving workforce dynamics, SHRM Tech26 serves as a platform for exploring the technologies, strategies, and ideas redefining how organizations work, lead, and grow. It examines how intelligent systems work alongside people, responding to context, learning from experience, and supporting human judgment in real organisational settings.
Shape the Future of Work by Exploring the Latest Innovations and Strategies in HR Technology
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Get hands-on with the latest HR strategies through sessions built to strengthen your skills and solve real-world challenges. Design your own learning path, sharpen key competencies, and earn up to 14 SHRM PDCs toward your recertification.
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Forge meaningful, lasting connections with like-minded professionals who resonate with your vision and celebrate your wins, relationships that go well beyond the event.
Discover Game-Changing HR Solutions
Engage with exhibitors offering forward-thinking HR tools and technologies tailored to simplify your work and support your strategic goals.
What Awaits You at #SHRMTECH26
Network with 2,500+ HR & Business Leaders & Top Decision Makers
Explore 100+ Innovative HR Tech Solutions at the Expo
Gain Insights from 150+ Visionary Speakers Sharing Groundbreaking Perspectives
If It's a Work Thing
Engage in Dynamic Formats
Keynote Sessions, Power Panels, Fireside Chats, Roundtables Discussions, Lightning Talks Series, Report Launches, Masterclasses, Workshops & more!
#SHRMTECH26
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#SHRMTECH26 Speakers
Achal Khanna
Chief Executive Officer
SHRM APAC & MENA
Shiv
Operating Partner, Advent Private Equity & Chair of SHRM India Conferences & Council
Vinay Tonse
Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer
Yes Bank
Rajesh Jejurikar
Chief Executive Officer, Auto & Farm Sector
Mahindra & Mahindra
Richard Rekhy
Vice Chair, Grant Thornton Bharat & Former CEO, KPMG in India
Arun Jain
CMD, Intellect Design Arena & Founder, Polaris Group
Cassio Simões
Managing Director
Tetra Pak
Tushar Vyas
Chief Strategy Officer, WPP India, Board Director, Growth & Digital Transformation Leader
Krishnakumar Natarajan
Co-founder & Managing Partner, Mela Ventures
& Co-Founder & Former CEO, Mindtree
Achal Khanna
Chief Executive Officer
SHRM APAC & MENA
Shiv
Operating Partner, Advent Private Equity & Chair of SHRM India Conferences & Council
Vinay Tonse
Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer
Yes Bank
Rajesh Jejurikar
Chief Executive Officer, Auto & Farm Sector
Mahindra & Mahindra
Richard Rekhy
Vice Chair, Grant Thornton Bharat & Former CEO, KPMG in India
Arun Jain
CMD, Intellect Design Arena & Founder, Polaris Group
Cassio Simões
Managing Director
Tetra Pak
Tushar Vyas
Chief Strategy Officer, WPP India, Board Director, Growth & Digital Transformation Leader
Krishnakumar Natarajan
Co-founder & Managing Partner, Mela Ventures
& Co-Founder & Former CEO, Mindtree
Pranjal Sharma
Moderator
Board Advisor & Author, India Innovates
Dr. C. Jayakumar
Executive VP & Head – Corporate Human Resources (CHRO)
Larsen & Toubro
James Atkinson
Vice President, Thought Leadership
SHRM
Raj Nayak
Founder & Managing Director
House of Cheer Networks
Pavitra Singh
Chief Human Resources Officer & Vice President
PepsiCo India & South Asia
Dr. Tooba Modassir
Chief Human Resources Officer, Citi India & Cluster HR Head - Indian Subcontinent, including Sri Lanka & Bangladesh
Saurabh Govil
President & Chief Human Resources Officer
Wipro
Shraddhanjali Rao
Head of Human Resources
Google India
Nagma Malim
Senior VP - HR & Business HR Head, Asia Region
Birla Carbon, Aditya Birla Group
Dr. Swatee Sarangi
Group HR Head - India, North America & Emerging Markets
Dr. Reddy's Laboratories
Manish Gupta
Group Chief Information Officer
Aditya Birla Group
Sushil Baveja
Chief Human Resources Officer
Jindal Stainless
Rohit Thakur
Group Chief Human Resources Officer
Mahindra & Mahindra
Ayush Gupta
Director, Human Resources
GAIL
Smiti Bhatt Deorah
Co-founder & COO
AdvantageClub.ai
Pushp Kumar Nayar
Executive Director (HRD)
BPCL
Aarti Srivastava
Chief Human Resources Officer
Capgemini, India
Paresh Ranpara
Human Resources Director
GRID-INDIA
Dr. Yatindra Dwivedi
Director Human ResourcesPower Grid Corporation of India
Ankit Vengurlekar
Founder
Antar Wellness
Ajay Trehan
Founder & Chief Executive Officer
AuthBridge
Rachana Singh Bhal
Executive Director - Strategic HR & Talent Management
NTPC
Bhaskar Ramesh
Business Head
JioHotstar, Entertainment
Krishna Kumar Thakur
Director - Personnel
NMDC
Sourabh Deorah
Co-founder & CEO
AdvantageClub.ai
Arti Dua
Partner & National Talent Leader
EY
Zubin Zack
Managing Director – Middle East, Africa & South Asia
O.C. Tanner
Sandeep Batra
Chief Human Resources Officer
JSW Steel and Corporate
Sunil Jose
President
Workday India
Apurva Sule
Head- Growth
Lupin Digital Health
Nick Burns
Senior Advisor
Edenred
Tapan Acharya
Chief Revenue Officer
Keka
Minaxi Indra
Managing Director
Edenred India
Chetana Patnaik
Chief Human Resources Officer
LTM
Biplob Banerjee
Chief Human Resources Officer
Emami Limited
Gautam Sinha
Chief Human Resources Officer
Birla Opus Paints - Grasim Industries
Arpit Bansal
Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Cohesyve
Dr. Ashita Aggarwal
Professor of Marketing & Chairperson - PGDM / PGDMBM SP Jain Institute of Management & Research
Sumit Neogi
Regional Human Resources Director & CHRO MEISA Region
FedEX
Puneet Rajput
Chief Human Resources Officer
Piramal Pharma
Rohan Sylvester
Talent Strategy Advisor
Indeed
Sharad Verma
Vice President & Chief Human Resources Officer
Iris Software
R. Swaminathan
Founder
CompIQ AI Ventures
Charles Godwin
HR Leader
Zoho
Subhashish Banerji
Chief - Human Resources & Administration
ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company
Madhavi Lall
Managing Director - Head Human Resources, India
Deutsche Bank
Kavita Kurup
Senior Vice President & Chief People Officer
Cyient
Suvajit Karmakar
Country Managing Director India & Asia Sub-Regional Director
Ayvens
Poonam Burman
Chief Human Resources Officer
Godrej Industries (Chemicals)
Anish Sarkar
Managing Director Pluxee India & Director - India/ Philippines/ Indonesia Cluster
Anil Salvi
MD & Group Head - Human Resources
JM Financial
Sakshee Sud
Director – Human Resources
Tata Starbucks
Viekas K Khokha
Chief Human Resources Officer
Sharda Motor
Rajiv Naithani
Chief People Officer
Persistent Systems
Amit Sharma
Group Chief Human Resources Officer
Gokaldas Exports
Preeti Kannan
President & Chief Human Resources Officer
IIFL (India Infoline Group)
Alexander Rinku
HR Director
Oracle, India
Gurucharan Singh Gandhi
Chief Human Resources officer
Vodafone Idea
Gopal Chhetri
Senior Vice President, BU Leader & Global GCC Head
CGI
Sanchayan Paul
Chief Human Resources Officer
Network18 Media & Investments
Rajat Grover
Chief Human Resources Officer
SBI Mutual Fund
Neelmani Singh
Group Head – Learning & Head - Aditya Birla Global Centre for Leadership Learning ‘Gyanodaya’
Aditya Birla Group
Manisha Kadagathur
Chief Human Resources Officer
IKS Health
Rohit Sharma
Chief Human Resources Officer
USV
Beenaa More
Former Executive Leader & CHRO & Founding Member
Bank of India Investment Managers
Kiran Bhagnure Khapre
Chief Human Resources Officer
KOEL
Bhagwati Shetty
Chief Human Resources Officer
Comviva
Amol Gupta
Senior Director & Head – People Team India
BNY
Reena Wahi
Partner and Head – People, Performance & Culture
KPMG in India
Saleel Panse
AVP – Global Talent Acquisition CoE
Sun Pharma
Dr. Riddhiman Mukhopadhyay
Assistant Director, Marketing and Industry Representation Cell Pune Institute of Business Management (PIBM)
Manas Bisht
VP - Sales & Partnerships
Xoxoday
Rachana Dubey
Regional Head – Human (ISC & SEA)
Doehler India
Harjeet Khanduja
Senior Vice President Human Resources
Reliance Jio
Yoganandh Udayakumar
AVP – Product Management & Technology
Alldigi Tech
Arati Parashar
Business Head & Vice President
Zaggle
Atul Mathur
EVP HR & Head L&D
Aditya Birla Capital
Geethaa George
Senior Executive Vice President HR
HDFC Bank
Archana Chadha
Market Head of People, India
HSBC
Mrigank Tripathi
President - Growth
PeopleStrong
Parneet Soni
Executive VP - HR
Piramal Finance Limited
Rajnish Kumar
Vice President – Human Resources Department
Newgen Software Technologies
Atma Godara
Vice President, Head - People & Culture
Acme Group
Asma A. Shaikh
Co-Founder and Managing Director
Enthral.ai
Varun Gautam
Head-Talent Supply Chain (TM, TA & L& D)
Persistent Systems
Vaibhav Goel
Head of HR (Oil & Gas - E&P) & Senior VP
Reliance Industries
Kaushik Das
Senior Director & Head- Talent & Culture
TIAA
Swapnil Kulkarni
Director HR
Danaher Corporation
Vikas Siddeshwar
Partner, AI and Technology Leader
McKinsey & Co.
Shikha Bhatnagar
HR Director
Noventiq
Nazneen Husain
HR Director – Cummins Emission Solutions & Components Business, India
Cummins India
Nishith Upadhyaya
Executive Director, Knowledge & Advisory Services
SHRM East
Shaakun Khanna
Senior Advisor
SHRM East
Saubhik Baral
Head of Transformation Delivery
TCS Chroma
Rubi Khan
Head- Learning, Talent & OD
Luminous Power Technologies (Schneider Group)
Akshay Sethi
Head of Marketing & Strategy
Edenred India
Priyadarshani Ogale
Human Resources – Strategic Initiatives
Tata Consultancy Services
Dr. Urmi Chatterjee
Head of HR, Asia Pacific Japan & India
Siemens Healthineers
Madhurya Hariharan
Director, Human Resources
Lennox India Technology Centre
Vasumathi Parthasarathy
Global Head – Performance Management & Employee Recognition
TCS
Sabeena Ladak
Head HR Corporate & TA
Cipla
Sameer Shaikh
Sr. Director, FSS & Technology
XPO
Dr. Kunal Kumawat
Head HR - Compressor Technique Customer Center
Atlas Copco, India
Denu Thomas
Group Head (Human Resources & Industrial Resources)
Ruby Hall Clinic
Ankur Goel
HR Director
Anarock
Madhu Baloria
Head-People Growth & Engagement
System Plus Solutions
Beyond Conference
Boman Irani
Indian Actor, Director & Screenplay Mentor
Anirban Dasgupta
Stand-up Comedian and Writer
SHRM India Advisory Council
Shiv
Operating Partner, Advent Private Equity & Chair of SHRM India Conferences & Council
Richard Rekhy
Vice Chair, Grant Thornton Bharat & Former CEO, KPMG in India
Pavitra Singh
Chief Human Resources Officer & Vice President
PepsiCo India & South Asia
Pranjal Sharma
Moderator
Board Advisor & Author, India Innovates
Presenters
Nitya Vijaykumar
Director, Knowledge & Advisory
SHRM East
Nisha Kurup
Head Knowledge & Content
SHRM East
Apurv Amanesh
Director, Business Development- APAC
SHRM East
Ashissh Kaul
Director, PSE
SHRM East
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#SHRMTECH26 Agenda
09:00 – 09:05
Conference Opening
09:05 – 09:15
Opening Address
Achal Khanna
Chief Executive Officer, SHRM APAC & MENA
09:20 – 09:50
Opening Keynote - From Connection to Cognition
Vinay Tonse
Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Yes Bank
09:55 – 10:25
Human Experience Track | The 2026 Blueprint for an Engaged Workforce
Session Partner
The discussion will focus on the core pillars of modern employee engagement:
- Recognition as a driver of engagement
- Employee well-being and holistic support
- Tax optimization strategies to enhance employee value
Moderator
Smiti Bhatt Deorah
Co-founder & COO, AdvantageClub.ai
Dr. C. Jayakumar
Executive Vice President & Head - Corporate Human Resources (CHRO), Larsen & Toubro
10:30 – 10:50
Impact Address | Reimagining Work: Leading AI-Driven Workforce Transformation
Krishnakumar Natarajan
Co-founder & Managing Partner, Mela Ventures & Co-Founder & Former CEO, Mindtree
10:50 – 11:25
Human Experience Track | The Global HR Playbook that Actually Drives ROI
Session Partner
Global HR Insights that can be Indian HR Super-powers:
- Global insights from HR leaders from 45 countries, across 6000 companies
- A global framework for Indian HR leaders to define ROI of HR Tech initiatives
- How Indian HR leaders can leap-frog global counterparts
- Global practices that Indian HR leaders can use to supercharge their teams
Moderator
Pranjal Sharma
Board Advisor & Author, India Innovates
Nick Burns
Senior Advisor, Edenred
Minaxi Indra
Managing Director, Edenred, India
11:25 – 11:50
Networking Break in Expo Zone
+ SHRM Consulting Facilitators BF Meeting 8.30AM onwards
+ SHRM Consulting Facilitators BF Meeting 8.30AM onwards
11:50 – 13:30
Breakout Sessions
13:30 – 14:45
Networking Lunch in Expo Zone
14:45 – 15:15
Technology & Innovation Track | HRMS as a Productivity Engine: Driving Workforce Performance Through Cloud & AI
Session Partner
Modern HR technology is evolving beyond payroll and compliance to become a key driver of workforce productivity, employee experience, and operational agility.
In this fireside conversation, HR leaders from healthcare, real estate, and technology services will share how they are leveraging modern HR platforms to solve workforce challenges and drive business impact at scale.
Moderator
Tapan Acharya
Chief Revenue Officer, Keka
Ankur Goel
HR Director, Anarock
Madhu Baloria
Head-People Growth & Engagement, System Plus Solutions
Denu Thomas
Group Head (Human Resources & Industrial Resources), Ruby Hall Clinic
15:20 – 15:40
Impact Address | The New Competitive Edge Isn't Talent or Tech - It's Intelligence at Scale
Manish Gupta
Group CIO, Aditya Birla Group
15:45 – 15:55
SHRM Trailblazers | Felicitation of Indian Industry Stalwarts
Achal Khanna
Chief Executive Officer, SHRM APAC & MENA
15:55 – 16:25
Leadership & Strategy Track | Connected Intelligence in Action: Agentic AI Redefining Enterprise Performance
Session Partner
Key Shifts:
- From isolated HR systems to connected intelligence layers across the enterprise
- From automation (task execution) to agency (decision initiation + orchestration)
- From HR efficiency to enterprise performance and adaptability
Moderator
Richard Rekhy
Vice Chair, Grant Thornton Bharat & Former CEO, KPMG in India
Sunil Jose
President, Workday India
Kavita Kurup
Senior Vice President & Chief People Officer, Cyient
Harjeet Khanduja
Senior Vice President Human Resources, Reliance Jio
16:30 – 16:50
Impact Address | Reimagining Talent in the New World Order of AI
Arun Jain
CMD, Intellect Design Arena & Founder, Polaris Group
16:50 – 17:30
Future-Tech Track | Workforce 2030: Skills, Systems, and Shifts
Moderator
James Atkinson
Vice President, Thought Leadership, SHRM
Pavitra Singh
CHRO & VP, PepsiCo India & South Asia
Shraddhanjali Rao
Head of Human Resources
Google, India
17:50 onwards
Day 1 Closing Remarks Followed by Laughter Break and Networking in the Expo Zone
Anirban Das
Stand-up Comedian & Writer
11:50 – 12:20
Vision 2030: The Next Frontier of Talent and Transformation
Jasmine 2
As organizations prepare for the next decade, talent and transformation agendas are becoming deeply interconnected. This session explores how leaders can rethink talent strategies, build critical capabilities, and drive transformation to create agile, future-ready organizations by 2030.
Key Discussion Points
- Redefining Talent Strategy: Moving from roles to skills and capabilities
- Transformation at Scale: Aligning people, processes, and technology
- Future-Ready Workforce: Building agility, adaptability, and continuous learning
- Leadership for 2030: Enabling leaders to drive change and sustained performance
Moderator
Charles Godwin
HR Leader, Zoho
Sushil Baveja
Chief Human Resources Officer, Jindal Stainless
Arti Dua
Partner & National Talent Leader, EY
Gautam Sinha
Chief Human Resources Officer, Birla Opus Paints - Grasim Industries
11:50 – 12:20
The eX-Factor: Where Employee Experience Wins
Concurrent 2
Session Partner
Employee Experience has moved beyond systems and surveys to become a decisive driver of trust, engagement, and performance. As workplaces adopt AI and real time insights, the real challenge is not intelligence - but action. This session explores how organizations can shift from measuring sentiment to continuously sensing, predicting, and improving everyday employee experiences.
Key Discussion Points
- The evolution of EX from process efficiency to experience outcomes
- The “AI Ire” paradox: smart insights, unresolved frustrations
- Why micro moments matter more than policies and dashboards
- Rethinking eNPS from a score to a continuous signal
- Role of Agentic AI in real time listening and predictive action
- Embedding experience ownership into leadership and culture
Saubhik Baral
Head of Transformation Delivery, TCS Chroma™
Priyadarshani Ogale
Human Resources – Strategic Initiatives, Tata Consultancy Services
11:50 – 12:20
From Benefits to Behaviour: Designing Intelligent Ecosystems
Concurrent 3
Session Partner
Employee benefits are no longer just about allowances- they play a role in shaping everyday choices. With access to real-time data from meals, fuel, and other daily spends, organisations now have a better understanding of how employees live and work.
This discussion will explore how companies can combine human understanding with these insights to design benefits that are more relevant, flexible, and impactful. It will focus on how everyday decisions- what employees eat, how they commute, and how they spend- can influence wellbeing, productivity, and engagement. At the same time, it will address the importance of using data responsibly, with the right balance of technology and human judgment.
Key Discussion Points
- Using everyday spend data (meals, fuel, telecom etc.) to understand employee needs better
- Moving from fixed benefits to more flexible and adaptive offerings
- How technology can guide daily choices without adding complexity
- Linking employee behaviour to outcomes like wellbeing, engagement, and productivity
- Ensuring trust through responsible and transparent use of data
Moderator
Anish Sarkar
Managing Director - Pluxee India and Director - India, Philippines & Indonesia Cluster
Madhavi Lall
Managing Director, Head-HR, India, Deutsche Bank
Reena Wahi
Partner and Head - People, Performance & Culture, KPMG in India
Sakshee Sud
Director - Human Resources, Tata Starbucks
11:50 – 12:20
Culture by Design: What Separates High Performance Cultures from High Burnout Ones
Concurrent 4
Session Partner
High-performing cultures drive speed and results but without intentional design, they can lead to burnout and disengagement. This session explores how organizations can balance performance with wellbeing by building cultures that sustain both results and resilience.
Key Discussion Points
- Performance vs. Pressure: Where high performance crosses into burnout and how to spot early signals
- Culture by Design, Not Default: The role of leadership, systems, and rituals in shaping sustainable cultures
- Metrics that Matter: Moving beyond output to include energy, wellbeing, and long-term productivity indicators
- Manager as Culture Carrier: How leadership behaviors influence team experience and performance outcomes
Moderator
Zubin Zack
Managing Director - Middle East, Africa & South Asia, O.C. Tanner
Gurucharan Singh Gandhi
Chief Human Resources officer,
Vodafone Idea
Subhashish Banerji
Chief - Human Resources & Administration, ICICI Prudential Life Insurance
Harjeet Khanduja
Senior Vice President Human Resources, Reliance Jio
Preeti Kannan
President & Chief Human Resources Officer, IIFL (India Infoline Group)
12:25 – 12:55
The Core R&R Playbook: Budgeting Smart, Recognizing Right & Measuring Outcomes
Jasmine 2
Session Partner
Recognition & Rewards (R&R) is evolving from a discretionary spend to a strategic lever for performance, culture, and retention. This session explores how organizations can design a smarter R&R playbook - optimizing budgets, driving meaningful recognition, and linking efforts to measurable business outcomes.
Key Discussion Points
- Budgeting with Intent: Allocating R&R spends for maximum impact, not just coverage
- Recognition That Works: Moving beyond one-size-fits-all to timely, meaningful recognition
- Linking to Outcomes: Measuring impact on performance, retention, and engagement
- From Spend to Strategy: Aligning R&R with business goals and leadership accountability
Moderator
Sourabh Deorah
Co-founder & CEO, AdvantageClub.ai
Rajiv Naithani
Chief People Officer, Persistent Systems
Vasumathi Parthasarathy
Global Head – Performance Management & Employee Recognition, TCS
Geethaa George
Senior Executive Vice President HR, HDFC Bank
12:25 – 12:55
The Overlooked Majority: Designing EX for the Workforce Beyond the Office
Concurrent 2
Session Partner
For years, employee wellbeing has been built around a single assumption: that work happens in the office. As a result, care has followed infrastructure - better chairs, better lighting, wellness rooms, cafeterias, engagement zones. We have learned how to design thoughtful, progressive experiences for employees we can see.
But a fundamental question remains largely unasked - What about the employees we don't see?
Across sales, service, operations, and frontline roles, many employees spend their days on the road - navigating traffic, safety risks, fatigue, and uncertainty. They're often the first point of contact and critical to business continuity, yet their work experience is rarely designed - it's endured.
This panel challenges HR leaders to confront some difficult questions:
- Have our care frameworks unknowingly privileged proximity?
- Do our policies assume visibility equals safety?
- And are we truly inclusive if well-being ends when employees step outside office premises?
Moderator
Amol Gupta
Senior Director & Head - People Team India, BNY
Suvajit Karmakar
Country Managing Director India & Asia Sub-Regional Director, Ayvens
Nazneen Husain
HR Director – Cummins Emission Solutions and Components Business, India
Dr. Kunal Kumawat
Human Resources Manager - Compressor Technique Customer Center, Atlas Copco, India
12:25 – 12:55
The New Wellbeing Stack: Physical, Mental, Financial Health
Concurrent 3
Wellbeing is no longer a standalone initiative—it is a strategic imperative that spans physical, mental, and financial health. This session explores how organizations can move beyond fragmented programs to build an integrated wellbeing stack that supports employees holistically and drives sustained performance, resilience, and engagement.
Key Discussion Points
- From Programs to Systems: Integrating physical, mental, and financial wellbeing into a cohesive strategy
- Financial Wellbeing as a Core Pillar: Addressing financial stress and its impact on performance
- Personalization at Scale: Designing wellbeing interventions tailored to diverse workforce needs
- Linking Wellbeing to Outcomes: Measuring impact on productivity, engagement, and retention
Moderator
Saleel Panse
Global Talent Acquisition CoE Leader,
Sun Pharma
Sharad Verma
President & Chief Human Resources Officer, Iris Software
Viekas K Khokha
Chief Human Resources Officer,
Sharda Motors
Amit Sharma
Group Chief Human Resources Officer, Gokaldas Exports
12:25 – 12:55
From Screening to Signal: The New Science of Quality Talent Acquisition
Concurrent 4
Session Partner
As hiring scales, the challenge is no longer access to candidates—but identifying true quality amid noise. This session explores how organizations can move from resume-driven screening to signal-based decision-making, leveraging data, technology, and smarter evaluation methods to make faster, high-quality talent decisions at scale.
Key Discussion Points
- From Volume to Value: Moving beyond resumes to identify meaningful hiring signals
- Speed with Quality: Balancing faster hiring with better decision-making
- Signal Design: What truly predicts performance, potential, and fit
- Tech & Intelligence: Using AI and data to enhance, not replace, human judgment
Moderator
Sabeena Ladak
Head HR Corporate & TA, Cipla
Archana Chadha
Market Head of People, India, HSBC
Varun Gautam
Head-Talent Supply Chain (TM, TA & L&D), Persistent Systems
Arpit Bansal
CEO, Cohesyve
13:00 – 13:35
AI at the Core: Transforming Automation into Intelligence
Concurrent 2
As AI matures, organizations are moving beyond rule-based automation to intelligent systems that can learn, adapt, and drive decisions. This session examines how AI is being embedded at the core of workflows to enhance efficiency, improve decision-making, and unlock new levels of productivity.
Key Discussion Points
- From Automation to Intelligence: Evolving from task execution to decision-driven systems
- AI in Workflows: Embedding intelligence into day-to-day operations and processes
- Human + AI Collaboration: Redefining roles, judgment, and accountability
- Scaling Impact: Moving from pilots to enterprise-wide transformation
Moderator
Kiran Bhagnure Khapre
Chief Human Resources Officer, KOEL
Sandeep Batra
Chief Human Resources Officer, JSW Steel and Corporate
Rachana Singh Bhal
Executive Director - Strategic HR & Talent Management, NTPC
Dr. Anil Salvi
MD & Group Head - Human Resources, JM Financial
Neelmani Singh
Group Head - Learning & Head Aditya Birla Global Centre for Leadership Learning ‘Gyanodaya’, Aditya Birla Group
13:00 – 13:30
Benefits Beyond Compensation: Building a Truly Employee-Centric Workplace
Concurrent 3
Session Partner
As employee expectations evolve beyond compensation, organizations are rethinking how benefits, wellbeing, and flexibility shape the overall employee experience. This session explores how employee-centric benefits strategies can strengthen engagement, retention, and workplace trust.
Key Discussion Points
- Employee Expectations Have Evolved Beyond Salary
- Personalized Benefits & Rewards Are the Future
- Financial Wellbeing is Emerging as a Core HR Priority
- Technology is Transforming Employee Benefits
- Strong Benefits & Rewards Programs Drive Retention & Employer Brand
Moderator
Arati Parashar
Business Head & Vice President, Zaggle Employee Benefits business
Rachana Dubey
Regional Head - Human (ISC & SEA), Döhler, India
Madhurya Hariharan
Director Human Resources, Lennox India Technology Centre
Manisha Kadagathur
Chief Human Resources Officer, IKS Health
13:00 – 13:35
Talent, Skills, and the Next Decade of Work
Concurrent 4
Understand how organizations are redefining talent and capability to stay competitive in a rapidly evolving world of work. Gain insights into the skills, learning models, and leadership approaches needed to build future-ready workforces.
Key Discussion Points
- From Roles to Skills: Shifting from job-based to capability-driven talent models
- Skills That Matter: Identifying and building critical skills for the future
- Learning That Scales: Rethinking L&D for continuous, on-demand capability building
- Leadership for the Future: Enabling leaders to drive agility, growth, and performance
Moderator
Parneet Soni
Head Human Resources - Retail Finance, Piramal Capital and Housing Finance
Rubi Khan
Head- Learning, Talent & OD, Luminous Power Technologies (Schneider Electric Group)
Paresh Ranpara
Human Resources Director, GRID-INDIA
Ajay Trehan
Founder & Chief Executive Officer, AuthBridge
Atul Mathur
EVP HR & Head L&D, Aditya Birla Capital
10:00 – 10:05
Day 1 Highlights
10:10 – 10:40
Day 2 Opening Keynote | The Next Era of Enterprise Transformation
Rajesh Jejurikar
Executive Director & CEO, Auto & Farm Sector, Mahindra & Mahindra
10:45 – 11:15
Workforce & Skills Track | The Hiring Paradox: Why More AI Isn't Always Better Hiring
Session Partner
The Core Argument
AI is the most significant hiring investment organisations are making right now. And yet talent leaders are reporting the same frustrations: wrong candidates getting through, longer time-to-fill, and drop-offs no dashboard can explain. The problem isn’t the investment. It’s what’s underneath it.
AI is the most significant hiring investment organisations are making right now. And yet talent leaders are reporting the same frustrations: wrong candidates getting through, longer time-to-fill, and drop-offs no dashboard can explain. The problem isn’t the investment. It’s what’s underneath it.
AI amplifies a hiring system. If that system is leaking - through visibility gaps, eroded candidate trust, and friction points nobody is measuring - AI doesn’t fix those leaks. It makes them faster. This session introduces the Compounding Talent Advantage: the idea that meaningful hiring improvement doesn’t come from the next big tool, but from fixing small, invisible losses across the funnel. Drawing on Indeed’s data and real employer patterns, this session uncovers why the organisations winning at hiring in 2026 aren’t the ones with the most AI but the ones that fixed what AI exposed.
- Three things the audience will walk away with:
- A diagnostic framework
Visibility, trust, and friction as the three levers that actually move hiring outcomes - and how to identify which one is your biggest leak. - AI: where it helps vs. where it hides the problem
A clear-eyed view of where AI is genuinely accelerating hiring and where it’s quietly amplifying problems most leaders haven’t measured yet. - A hiring audit for Monday
A hiring audit your team can run immediately to find and fix the highest-leverage gap in your current system - no new tools required.
Rohan Sylvester
Talent Strategy Advisor, Indeed, India
Aarti Srivastava
CHRO, Capgemini
Chetana Patnaik
CHRO, LTM
11:15 – 11:55
Networking Break in Expo Zone
11:20 – 11:25
Report Launch | SHRM India Skill Intelligence Report 2026: From Talent to Skills, India's Future of Work
Achal Khanna
Chief Executive Officer, SHRM APAC & MENA
Nishith Upadhyaya
Executive Director, Knowledge & Advisory Services, SHRM East
Shaakun Khanna
Senior Advisor, SHRM East
11:55 – 13:00
Breakout Sessions
13:00 – 14:15
Networking Lunch in Expo Zone
14:15 – 14:45
Leadership & Strategy Track | AI, Quantum, and the Next Wave of Disruption
Explore emerging technologies reshaping industries and redefining possibilities
Moderator
R. Swaminathan
Founder, CompIQ AI Ventures
Dr. Yatindra Dwivedi
Director Human Resources, Power Grid Corporation of India
14:45 – 15:05
Impact Address | AI in HR: Overcoming Barriers, Unlocking Potential
James Atkinson
Vice President, Thought Leadership, SHRM
15:10 – 15:40
Technology & Innovation Track | Leveraging the Employer Brand to Maximize Connected Intelligence
Moderator
Dr. Ashita Aggarwal
Professor of Marketing & Chairperson - PGDM & PGDMBM, SP Jain Institute of Management & Research
Bhaskar Ramesh
Business Head, JioHotstar Entertainment
Tushar Vyas
Chief Strategy Officer, WPP India
Board Director, Growth & Digital Transformation Leader
15:45 – 16:15
Human Experience Track | Transformation at Scale: Turning Strategy into Enterprise-Wide Adoption
Moderator
Dr. Swatee Sarangi
Group HR Head - India, North America and Emerging Markets, Dr. Reddy's Laboratories
Rohit Thakur
Group Chief Human Resources Officer, Mahindra & Mahindra
Ayush Gupta
Director, Human Resources, GAIL
16:20 – 17:10
SHRMTech26 Big Debate | Connected Intelligence: Will AI Redesign Work or Will Leaders Redefine It?
Moderator
Ankit Vengurlekar
Founder, Antar Wellness
Cassio Simões
Managing Director, Tetra Pak
Sidharth Srinivasan
Chief Executive Officer, Lupin Digital Health
Dr. Tooba Modassir
Chief Human Resources Officer, Citi India & Cluster HR Head - Indian Subcontinent, including Sri Lanka & Bangladesh
Nagma Malim
Senior VP - HR & Business HR Head, Asia Region, Birla Carbon, Aditya Birla Group
Apurva Sule
Head Growth, Lupin Digital Health
17:15 onwards
Beyond Conference | Celebrity Session: You Can't Automate This
Followed by Conference Closing Remarks & Networking in the Expo Zone
Boman Irani
Indian Actor, Director & Screenplay Mentor
Raj Nayak
Founder & Managing Director, House of Cheer Networks
09:15 – 10:00
Masterclass
AI-led Reimagination of the People Function
Concurrent 3
How can companies deploy Agentic AI in HR function to eliminate friction, maximize output, and transform employee experience?
Vikas Siddeshwar
VPartner, AI and Technology Leader, McKinsey & Co.
09:15 – 10:00
Masterclass
Reimagining Capability Development and Coaching
Concurrent 2
Leveraging AI & Conversational Bots for Scalable, Personalized Learning
James Atkinson
Vice President, Thought Leadership, SHRM
Nishith Upadhyaya
Executive Director, Knowledge & Advisory Services, SHRM East
11:55 – 12:25
Masterclass
The HR Growth Engine: A Masterclass on Evolving Your Engagement Strategy
Jasmine 2
Session Partner
- Live diagnostic benchmarking against 1,000+ organizations globally
- Discover why Leaders outperform Low Performers
- Learn how to link engagement strategies with business outcomes
- Understand India's opportunity to leapfrog to Leader status
- Join India's Economic Value Study as a founding participant
Nick Burns
Senior Advisor, Edenred
Minaxi Indra
Managing Director, Edenred, India
Akshay Sethi
Head of Marketing & Strategy, Edenred, India
11:55 – 12:25
Leadership in the Age of Connected Intelligence
Concurrent 2
As intelligence becomes increasingly connected across humans, AI, data, and systems—the role of leadership is being fundamentally redefined. This session explores how leaders can navigate this new landscape by combining human judgment with machine intelligence, driving better decisions, stronger collaboration, and more adaptive organizations.
Key Discussion Points
- Connected Intelligence in Action: Integrating human insight with AI and data-driven systems
- Leadership Shift: Moving from control to orchestration and informed decision-making
- Decision-Making in Complexity: Balancing speed, data, and human judgment
- Leading Distributed Systems: Enabling collaboration across teams, technology, and ecosystems
Moderator
Asma A. Shaikh
Co-Founder and Managing Director, Enthral.ai
Beena More
Former Executive Leader & CHRO & Founding Member, Bank of India Investment Managers
Dr. Urmi Chatterjee
Head of Human Resources, Asia Pacific Japan & India, Siemens Healthineers
Pushp Kumar Nayar
Executive Director (HRD), BPCL
11:55 – 12:25
The Next Growth Playbook: Where Talent Meets Business Strategy
Concurrent 3
As growth becomes more complex and competitive, talent is emerging as a critical driver of business outcomes. This session explores how organizations can align talent strategy with business priorities to enable scalable, sustainable growth, bridging the gap between people decisions and business performance.
Key Discussion Points
- Talent as a Growth Lever: Linking people strategy directly to business outcomes
- Aligning Strategy and Execution: Connecting workforce planning with growth priorities
- Building Growth Capabilities: Identifying and developing skills that drive scale
- Sustaining Growth: Balancing performance, culture, and long-term resilience
Moderator
Vaibhav Goel
Head of HR (Oil & Gas - E&P) & Senior VP, Reliance Industries
Poonam Burman
Chief Human Resources Officer
Godrej Industries (Chemicals)
Bhagwati Shetty
Chief Human Resources Officer
Comviva
Dr. Riddhiman Mukhopadhyay
Assistant Director, Marketing and Industry Representation Cell, Pune Institute of Business Management (PIBM)
Rohit Sharma
Chief Human Resources Officer, USV
11:55 – 12:25
From Process to Intelligence: The Future of HX with AI
Concurrent 4
As AI reshapes the workplace, human experience (HX) is evolving from process-led interactions to intelligent, personalized journeys. This session explores how organizations can design AI-enabled systems that move beyond efficiency to enhance engagement, improve decision-making, and create more meaningful employee experiences across the lifecycle.
Key Discussion Points
- From Process to Experience: Shifting from efficiency to intelligent, employee-centric design
- Personalization at Scale: Using AI to tailor journeys, nudges, and interactions
- Decision Intelligence: Enabling better, faster decisions for employees and managers
- Designing for Trust: Ensuring transparency, ethics, and adoption in AI-driven HX
Moderator
Sameer Shaikh
Senior Director, FSS & Technology, XPO
Rajat Grover
Chief Human Resources Officer, SBI Mutual Fund
Shikha Bhatnagar
Human Resources Director, Noventiq
12:30 – 13:00
How Far Can AI Go? Real Use Cases and the Limits Ahead
Concurrent 2
Session Partner
AI is rapidly moving from pilots to real-world impact across functions - from hiring and customer experience to decision support and automation. This session examines what's truly working today, where AI is scaling, and where its limits still lie, helping leaders separate real opportunity from overreach and prepare for what comes next.
Key Discussion Points
- What's Working Today: High-impact AI use cases across HR, CX, and operations
- From Pilot to Scale: What separates successful deployments from stalled experiments
- Limits & Trade-offs: Where AI falls short – bias, accuracy, context, and trust
- What's Next: How far AI can realistically go and what leaders should prepare for
Moderator
Alexander Rinku
HR Director, Oracle, India
Sanchayan Paul
CHRO, Network18 Media & Investments
Kaushik Das
Senior Director & Head – Talent, Learning & Culture, TIAA Global Capabilities
Yoganandh Udayakumar
AVP - Product Management & Technology, Alldigi Tech
12:30 – 13:00
Inclusive Cultures in a Digital-First World
Concurrent 3
As workplaces become increasingly digital, hybrid, and AI-driven, building inclusion requires more than intent, it demands conscious design. This session explores how organizations can embed inclusion into systems, leadership behaviors, and everyday practices to create belonging, equity, and sustained engagement at scale.
Key Discussion Points
- Inclusion by Design: Embedding equity into systems, policies, and workflows
- Leadership in a Digital Context: Driving inclusive behaviors in hybrid and AI-enabled teams
- Tech as an Enabler: Using platforms and data to reduce bias and improve access
- Everyday Inclusion: Turning intent into consistent, scalable practices
Moderator
Manas Bisht
VP - Sales & Partnerships, Xoxoday
K K Thakur
Director - Personnel, NMDC
Gopal Chhetri
Senior Vice President, BU Leader & Global GCC Head, CGI
Rajnish Kumar
Vice President – Human Resources Department, Newgen Software Technologies
12:30 – 13:05
Designing Trust, Experience, and Outcomes Across the Employee Lifecycle
Concurrent 4
Organizations today need to deliver a seamless, high-impact employee journey - from hiring the right talent to enabling performance and sustaining engagement. This session explores how trust, intelligent systems, and meaningful experiences come together to drive better decisions, stronger culture, and measurable business outcomes across the employee lifecycle.
Key Discussion Points
- Building Trust at Entry: Ensuring credibility and risk mitigation in hiring decisions
- Intelligence in Action: Using data and AI to drive performance, growth, and decision-making
- Designing Experience: Creating meaningful recognition and engagement moments that matter
- Driving Outcomes: Connecting people practices to business impact across the lifecycle
Moderator
Atma Godara
Vice President, Head - People & Culture, ACME Group
Biplob Banerjee
Chief Human Resources Officer, Emami Limited
Sumit Neogi
Managing Director Human Resources - MEISA Region, FedEx
Swapnil Kulkarni
Director Human Resources, Danaher Corporation
Mrigank Tripathi
President - Growth, PeopleStrong
Partners That Have Shaped the Ecosystem
Presenting Partner
Powered-By Partners
Diamond Partners
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Gold Partners
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Associate Partners
Emerging Tech Partners
International Partners
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Government of Ajman
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Conference Venue
Jio World Convention Centre, Mumbai
Address: Jio World Centre, G Block, Bandra Kurla Complex,
Bandra East, Mumbai, Maharashtra – 400098
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Bandra East, Mumbai, Maharashtra – 400098
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