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Smarter solutions and innovative insights for a more connected workforce.
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The Tech-Powered Workforce Revolution
SHRMTech2.0
AI-powered HR, automation, and innovation are redefining the future of work. HR is no longer just about people—it’s about people and technology working together. We are thrilled to introduce SHRMTech2.0, a more expansive and improved version of SHRM Tech. At SHRMTech2.0, dive into how AI, automation, and data-driven insights reshape our hiring approaches, employee engagement, and leadership. Our mission is to equip HR professionals, business leaders, and tech enthusiasts with the tools, strategies, and fresh perspectives needed to navigate the complex workplace dynamics.
Are you ready to lead the charge? Experience the 11th edition of SHRM India Tech25 in Mumbai! This premier conference brings together HR leaders, tech pioneers, and visionaries to explore and shape the future of work, blending technology with human potential.
/ Why Attend SHRMTech2.0 /
Lead the transformation. Join us at SHRMTech2.0 & navigate the exciting possibilities of tomorrow's workplace.
Discover Cutting-Edge Technology:
Learn how AI is changing HR practices. From AI-powered HR solutions to blockchain, explore tech innovations that redefine work operations, enhance employee experience, and drive data-driven decision-making.
Network with Purpose:
SHRMTech2.0 - a bold evolution of the iconic SHRM Tech. Connect and engage with over 500 CXOs, 2500+ HR and Tech leaders, and a stellar lineup of 120+ speakers. Share ideas, gain insights, and collaborate with the brightest minds in the industry.
Learn and Evolve:
Participate in 40+ knowledge sessions, including keynote addresses, insightful talks, fireside chats, and engaging masterclasses.
/ Services /
What Awaits You At SHRMTech2.0
Step into the Metaverse of Work:
Experience the future of virtual collaboration and engagement. Imagine the possibilities of immersive environments for brainstorming, networking, connecting, and flourishing.
Master Future Skills:
Stay ahead by understanding the essential skills needed for the future workforce. Gain insights into upskilling and reskilling strategies that keep you relevant in a rapidly evolving landscape.
Create Human-Centric Workplaces:
Discover strategies to build an inclusive workplace where people operate with empathy. Learn how to balance technology with the human element to enhance employee well-being and productivity.
If It's a work thing
Ace Workplace Innovation:
Lead digital transformation with HR visionaries and technology innovators
Interactive Session Formats
Including Keynote Addresses
Thought-Provoking Discussions
Demos, Fireside Chats
Lightning Talk Sessions
Power Talk Series
Roundtable Discussions
Masterclasses, and More…
SHRMTech2.0
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Speakers
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CXOs
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HR & Tech Leaders
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Knowledge Sessions
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PDCs (Max.)
/ Our Price /
Choose the plan that fits your needs
*Registration fee includes event attendance and food and beverages as per details mentioned in the conference agenda.
*Membership will be activated within 2-3 weeks of receipt of payment
* 18% GST applicable. | USD Pricing Available
/ Why Partner with Us? /
SHRMTech2.0 is ready to make a bigger impact. Ride the wave of success with us!
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Block your calendar! Be a part of the biggest HR Tech Conference
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Get noticed! Showcase your thought leadership and expertise with HR influencers and key decision-makers
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Leverage opportunities! Make the most of specialized session formats
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Increase brand recall! Explore new realms of branding & promotional opportunities
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Maximize branding! Interact with the community of highly engaged and 3000+ relevant audience
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Expand brand presence! Get direct brand reach to SHRM APAC & India Network of 300,000+ HR Professionals through emailers & 120mn+ Social Community
/ Speakers /
Meet the Minds Shaping
the Future of Work
Puneet Chandok
President
Microsoft India & South Asia
Puneet Chandok
PresidentMicrosoft India & South Asia
Puneet Chandok is President, Microsoft India & South Asia and is responsible for Microsoft’s overall presence and business in the area. He leads the company’s digital transformation in the era of AI and intelligent cloud.
At Microsoft, Puneet drives the company’s mission of ‘empowering every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more’, aligned with India and South Asia’s inclusive growth agenda. He leads a team that is committed to accelerating India & South Asia’s growth with AI and cloud at its core; and helps businesses reimagine how they bring intelligent data and technology to create value for their customers in a digital-first world.
Puneet has built and scaled several high growth technology businesses, in leadership positions at AWS, McKinsey and IBM. Puneet is passionate about ‘Performance with Purpose’, using technology to deliver impact at scale, and leading with empathy and from the heart.
Puneet has received an honorary Doctor of Philosophy (Honoris Causa) from Bennett University, acknowledging his achievements. He chairs the CII AI Council, is a part of the Executive Council at NASSCOM, and on Advisory Councils of Penguin Random House and NAMTECH.
D. Shivakumar
Management Thinker & Chairman
MTPL - an Advent PE Company &
Chair of SHRM India Conferences & Council
D. Shivakumar
Management Thinker & ChairmanMTPL - an Advent PE Company &
Chair of SHRM India Conferences & Council
Shivakumar, or Shiv as he is popularly known, is a Bangalore born leader and a management thinker.
He is currently Operating Partner at Advent International Private Equity. Previously, Shiv has been Group Executive President, Corporate Strategy at Aditya Birla Group, and Chairperson & Chief Executive Officer at PepsiCo Holdings Private Limited, India. Prior to that he was CEO for emerging markets at Nokia.
Shiv started his career as a management trainee in the Consumer Products Division at Hindustan Ciba Geigy before shifting to Hindustan Unilever Limited where he spent 19 years in sales, marketing and general management positions. He moved to Philips, India as Chief Executive Officer of the consumer electronics division in 2003.
Shiv joined Nokia in 2006 as the Managing Director, India. Under his management, Nokia built its entire services portfolio, including Nokia Life Tools. He was also instrumental in pushing low-cost mobile devices across rural India; making Nokia a dominant brand in India. He is credited for driving Nokia’s brand from No. 71 to No. 1 in the country. He was instrumental in making Nokia one of the top most trusted brands. Shiv moved as Sr. Vice President, Emerging Markets (India, Middle East, Africa) in 2011. This market accounts for 40% of Nokia’s global business and comprises of around 90 countries. His contribution during this time have become case studies at Harvard University, ISB and other Ivy League Institutes.
In 2013, Shivakumar was appointed as the Chairperson & CEO of PepsiCo Holdings Private Limited, India where he managed brand portfolios across beverages, snacks and nutrition. He has been the driving force in bringing PepsiCo’s nutrition portfolio to the forefront with new launches under the Quaker and Tropicana brands. He is known for being the key driver for portfolio transformation and deepen consumer engagement with flagship brands. Apart from overseeing India operations, he also managed PepsiCo’s franchise business across Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
Thereafter 2018, Shivakumar joined Aditya Birla Group as the Group Executive President, Corporate Strategy. Aditya Birla Group is one of the largest Indian conglomerates with businesses spread across telecommunications, cement, chemicals, mining, textiles, financial services, retail and e-commerce, among others, in 36 countries.
Achal Khanna
Chief Executive Officer
SHRM India, APAC & MENA
Achal Khanna
Chief Executive OfficerSHRM India, APAC & MENA
Achal Khanna is the CEO for SHRM India, APAC & MENA. SHRM India is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), which is the world’s largest association devoted to human resource management with more than 3,00,000 HR and business executive members in 165 countries.
Achal is responsible for leading the India operations of SHRM, as well as Asia Pacific operations including Middle-East. She serves on the global SHRM Leadership Team and is responsible for building the brand, expanding its business and developing professional relationships with government agencies, and other HR and business associations in the region.
Achal has over 30 years of work experience. Prior to joining SHRM, she was Managing Director for Kelly India operations; Vice President for GE; and Country Manager for Polaroid India. She has also worked with Dupont, ITC and Cosmo Group in various capacities.
She is a recipient of the “Best Women Executive in India” award.
Achal holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics; a Master’s Degree in English Literature and she is an MBA from Delhi.
A. Balasubramanian
Managing Director & CEO
Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC Limited
A. Balasubramanian
Managing Director & CEOAditya Birla Sun Life AMC Limited
Mr. A. Balasubramanian is the Managing Director & CEO of Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC Limited. A stalwart of the mutual fund industry, he brings with him over three decades of
rich experience. He has been associated with the organisation since 1994. Prior to assuming the role of CEO in 2009, Mr. Balasubramanian served as the Chief Investment Officer from 2006 to 2009.
As Managing Director & CEO, Mr. Balasubramanian oversees Assets over Rs. 4 lakh crore including Alternate Business at Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC. Before joining ABSLAMC in the year 1994, he worked with GIC Mutual Fund, Can Bank Financial Services and Pandit & Co. between 1989 and 1994.Mr. Balasubramanian was awarded CEO of the Year title by Asia Asset Management in 2018 and 2020. He has been awarded the Chairman’s Individual Award by the Aditya Birla Group for being an Outstanding Leader in 2015 and for being a Leader of Leaders in 2018.
Mr. Balasubramanian is closely associated with key industry bodies. He has been on the board of AMFI (Association of Mutual Funds in India) since 2009 and was the Vice Chairman of AMFI in 2015-2016. He has served as the Chairman of AMFI for two terms, from 2016-2018, and was reappointed for the period of 2021 – 2023. Mr. Balasubramanian is the Chairman of the AMFI Equity CIOs’ Committee. He is also an esteemed member of the Fund Management Advisory Committee of the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA). He has been the Governor on Board of Governors at the National Institute of Securities Markets (NISM), an institute affiliated with SEBI, from 2018 to 2024. He was also a member of the Advisory Committee of the SEBI Investor Protection and Education Fund (IPEF) for a period of five years 2019 –2024. He has been appointed on 14th October 2024, as an Additional Director on the
Board of Bombay Chamber of Commerce & Industry for the year 2024-25.
He has completed advanced management programs from the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore and Harvard Business School. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in science (mathematics) and a master’s degree in business administration from the GlobalNxt University.
Mr. Balasubramanian is involved with philanthropic work through various charitable organisations. He is one of the active members at the Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Centre for Child Heart Care. He is also associated with the Sathya Sai University, Gulbarga that imparts knowledge on Human Excellence to students during their higher education. He also promotes Indian arts and village traditional culture
Sanjay Behl
Jt. President & COO
Adani Cement
Sanjay Behl
Jt. President & COOAdani Cement
Over 30-years of work experience in diverse functional and business leadership roles, ranging across consumer goods to service industry, in B2C and B2B segments, in India and Global markets.
Started with Hindustan Unilever in 1993. After the first 10-years at HUL, the next 10-years were in Telecom at Nokia and Reliance, and thereafter 7 years in Fashion Retail company Raymond. In early 2020, co-founded a Real time data science company, Nextqore, HQ in US, with regional offices in Mumbai, Amsterdam, and Sydney. In 2024, he co-founded his 2nd start-up SmartWheels Inc., a silicon valley based tech start-up in the space of digitizing automobile tires.
Prior to taking over the Adani Cement mandate to lead Sales, Marketing, Brand and Logistics operations in January 2025, he was the CEO & Executive Director of Greaves Electric Mobility (GEM), with a mandate to build an EV company in 2&3-wheeler automotive space, near groundzero up through OEM acquisitions and PE funding. With $150 M funding from strategic investor from Saudi Arabia and 3 distinct acquisitions, he built a hyperscale profitable venture within a year of this mandate.
In addition to his executive and board roles, he is very active on multiple other Industry platforms - advising and mentoring many entrepreneurs in the Fashion, Lifestyle & Technology space. Over the last few years, Sanjay has added new skills in the areas of Data Science, GenAI, Renewable Energy and Performance Marketing.
A proven track record of delivering disruptively profitable & sustainable high growth across industries. Built many businesses and brands, multiple times over from Ground Zero. Also, managed and transformed many large, established, and complex businesses. Has a strong expertise in leading teams of diverse skill sets, experience, scale, structures, locations, cultures, and nationalities.
Amongst the many industry accolades, a few notable ones are Business World ‘Most Valuable CEOs in India 2019’, Distinguished Alumni Award in 2018 by IIT BHU Alumni Association, ‘Outstanding Marketing Professional 2016’ award by International Advertising Association, Unilever Global Chairman award for Highest measurable growth in revenue and profits in 2001.
Married to a practicing Ophthalmologist, has 2 sons and settled in Mumbai. Stays actively connected with future shaping technologies and believes in continuous learning and reskilling himself
Andy Biladeau
Chief Transformation Officer
SHRM
Andy Biladeau
Chief Transformation OfficerSHRM
Andy brings 10+ years of experience as a Human Resources leader, practitioner, and consultant. He began his career at PwC, where he led global HR transformation engagements for Fortune 500 clients, founded PwC’s Learning Solutions consulting practice, and served as the Product Owner for PwC’s Change Navigator platform.
As Director of Talent Development at Target Corporation, Andy led a team responsible for Training, Leadership Development, and Change Management for over 100,000 store team members. During his time at Target, he also led the organizational readiness efforts for Target’s enterprise Operating Model Transformation, impacting more than 2,000 retail stores and more than 250,000 employees.
As a founding team member at the Josh Bersin Company, Andy led the HR Advisory Services practice and delivered consulting engagements across all areas of HR, serving many clients in the Fortune 100. Additionally, he served as the Chief Learning Officer for the Josh Bersin Academy.
Andy holds a BA in English Literature from the University of Virginia and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Florida State University.
Bhaskar Ramesh
Director - Omnichannel Businesses
Google
Bhaskar Ramesh
Director - Omnichannel Businesses
Bhaskar serves as Director for Omnichannel Businesses at Google India and is a core member of India leadership team. In this role he is building Google's partnerships across Technology, Retail, Finance, CPG & Automotive businesses accelerating technology transformation across these sectors. He is leading the charge Digitization agenda for India with vision to make Google, a gateway for Omni businesses.
Also, he is the co-chair of women@google India - A thriving community that helps women googlers across PA's succed in having thriving careers.
Previously, Bhaskar built YouTube India business heading their monetization and product strategy that turbocharged YouTube into a $XB business having grown multifold. Prior to this role he served as an Executive Summits Evangelist at Google Partnerplex at their MountainView HQ and started his career building the CPG industry vertical in India from scratch.
Before his decade long innings at Google, Bhaskar started his career working with large consumer goods companies like P&G, Godrej and Marico in various Brand Management roles across foods and personal care. He then moved to Media & Entertainment industry having led a variety of roles at Reliance Broadcast Network as VP - Operations - spanning marketing, sales, content planning & programming.
The magical intersection of Consumers, Technology, Commerce & Brands excites him the most.
He is an avid public speaker sharing his perspectives on Technology, Omnichannel, Video across marquee industry forums like FICCI, CII, IAMAI, UNDP etc.
Lulu Raghavan
President APAC
Landor
Lulu Raghavan
President APACLandor
Lulu Raghavan is the President for APAC. She works closely with the market leaders and their leadership teams across APAC to nurture a culture of high performance and extraordinary creativity to drive business growth.
Lulu has spent over 24 years at the company across Landor offices in San Francisco, New York, London and Mumbai in various roles. She set-up Landor in India in 2008 and has grown it to be India’s largest and most reputed brand and design consultancy. She has led large brand transformation programmes for key clients including Tata Group, Mahindra Group, Aditya Birla Group, Godrej, Axis Bank, Indian Oil, Jubilant Bhartia Group, National Stock Exchange to name a few.
She is a well-known industry commentator who frequently speaks and writes on brand and design at various forums. Notable awards and achievements include Campaign India Mentor of the Year 2023, Campaign India Woman Shaping Change 2023, IMPACT Top 50 Women in Media, Marketing and Advertising (2024, 2023, 2019, 2015), Cannes Lions Design Jury 2018. She has co-authored 5 business school case studies on branding which are in wide circulation globally. She conceptualized and anchored “Beyond Logo”, a TV show for Bloomberg that evangelized the transformative power of brand on business.
Lulu is a strong advocate woman in leadership and actively mentors younger women in her free time. She is proud to have helped establish WPP Stella in India which is a mentoring programme for high potential women. She teaches frequently at various business schools on branding. She is also the author of “Go Further, Faster: Shaping a Life that Matters.” Lulu serves as a Trustee for Dignity Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to the wellbeing of senior citizens in India.
She holds a BA in Economics and Applied Math from Davidson College in the US and an MBA in International Business and Marketing from SP Jain Institute of Management and Research in India. She understands and speaks five languages including English, Hindi, Tamil, French and Spanish.
Akhilesh Tuteja
Partner & National Leader, Client & Markets; Technology, Media & Telecommunication, and Global Head - Cyber Security
KPMG India
Akhilesh Tuteja
Partner & National Leader, Client & Markets; Technology, Media & Telecommunication, and Global Head - Cyber SecurityKPMG India
Akhilesh is Partner & National Leader, Clients and Markets and Technology, Media & Telecommunications (TMT), KPMG in India and Global Head - Cyber Security for KPMG in India.
Akhilesh is passionate about developments in the area of information technology and how these can help businesses drive smart processes and effective outcomes. He has advised over 200 clients on matters relating to cyber security, IT strategy, selection of technologies and helped them realise the business benefits of technology. He possesses good knowledge of behaviour psychology and is enthusiastic about addressing the issues of IT risks in a holistic manner, especially through application of user behaviour analytics.
Akhilesh has played an instrumental role in the industry, and is widely recognised for his strong blend of business and technical skills. Due to his positioning as an independent expert, he has been a member of jury for a number of awards over the last few years. Akhilesh is a frequent contributor to business and technology publications. He is a notable speaker on cyber security and its implication on enterprise businesses.
Akhilesh has also played an active part in developing security and privacy frameworks for the banking industry in India.
Puneet Chandok
President
Microsoft India & South Asia
Puneet Chandok
PresidentMicrosoft India & South Asia
Puneet Chandok is President, Microsoft India & South Asia and is responsible for Microsoft’s overall presence and business in the area. He leads the company’s digital transformation in the era of AI and intelligent cloud.
At Microsoft, Puneet drives the company’s mission of ‘empowering every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more’, aligned with India and South Asia’s inclusive growth agenda. He leads a team that is committed to accelerating India & South Asia’s growth with AI and cloud at its core; and helps businesses reimagine how they bring intelligent data and technology to create value for their customers in a digital-first world.
Puneet has built and scaled several high growth technology businesses, in leadership positions at AWS, McKinsey and IBM. Puneet is passionate about ‘Performance with Purpose’, using technology to deliver impact at scale, and leading with empathy and from the heart.
Puneet has received an honorary Doctor of Philosophy (Honoris Causa) from Bennett University, acknowledging his achievements. He chairs the CII AI Council, is a part of the Executive Council at NASSCOM, and on Advisory Councils of Penguin Random House and NAMTECH.
D. Shivakumar
Management Thinker & Chairman
MTPL - an Advent PE Company &
Chair of SHRM India Conferences & Council
D. Shivakumar
Management Thinker & ChairmanMTPL - an Advent PE Company &
Chair of SHRM India Conferences & Council
Shivakumar, or Shiv as he is popularly known, is a Bangalore born leader and a management thinker.
He is currently Operating Partner at Advent International Private Equity. Previously, Shiv has been Group Executive President, Corporate Strategy at Aditya Birla Group, and Chairperson & Chief Executive Officer at PepsiCo Holdings Private Limited, India. Prior to that he was CEO for emerging markets at Nokia.
Shiv started his career as a management trainee in the Consumer Products Division at Hindustan Ciba Geigy before shifting to Hindustan Unilever Limited where he spent 19 years in sales, marketing and general management positions. He moved to Philips, India as Chief Executive Officer of the consumer electronics division in 2003.
Shiv joined Nokia in 2006 as the Managing Director, India. Under his management, Nokia built its entire services portfolio, including Nokia Life Tools. He was also instrumental in pushing low-cost mobile devices across rural India; making Nokia a dominant brand in India. He is credited for driving Nokia’s brand from No. 71 to No. 1 in the country. He was instrumental in making Nokia one of the top most trusted brands. Shiv moved as Sr. Vice President, Emerging Markets (India, Middle East, Africa) in 2011. This market accounts for 40% of Nokia’s global business and comprises of around 90 countries. His contribution during this time have become case studies at Harvard University, ISB and other Ivy League Institutes.
In 2013, Shivakumar was appointed as the Chairperson & CEO of PepsiCo Holdings Private Limited, India where he managed brand portfolios across beverages, snacks and nutrition. He has been the driving force in bringing PepsiCo’s nutrition portfolio to the forefront with new launches under the Quaker and Tropicana brands. He is known for being the key driver for portfolio transformation and deepen consumer engagement with flagship brands. Apart from overseeing India operations, he also managed PepsiCo’s franchise business across Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
Thereafter 2018, Shivakumar joined Aditya Birla Group as the Group Executive President, Corporate Strategy. Aditya Birla Group is one of the largest Indian conglomerates with businesses spread across telecommunications, cement, chemicals, mining, textiles, financial services, retail and e-commerce, among others, in 36 countries.
Achal Khanna
Chief Executive Officer
SHRM India, APAC & MENA
Achal Khanna
Chief Executive OfficerSHRM India, APAC & MENA
Achal Khanna is the CEO for SHRM India, APAC & MENA. SHRM India is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), which is the world’s largest association devoted to human resource management with more than 3,00,000 HR and business executive members in 165 countries.
Achal is responsible for leading the India operations of SHRM, as well as Asia Pacific operations including Middle-East. She serves on the global SHRM Leadership Team and is responsible for building the brand, expanding its business and developing professional relationships with government agencies, and other HR and business associations in the region.
Achal has over 30 years of work experience. Prior to joining SHRM, she was Managing Director for Kelly India operations; Vice President for GE; and Country Manager for Polaroid India. She has also worked with Dupont, ITC and Cosmo Group in various capacities.
She is a recipient of the “Best Women Executive in India” award.
Achal holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics; a Master’s Degree in English Literature and she is an MBA from Delhi.
A. Balasubramanian
Managing Director & CEO
Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC Limited
A. Balasubramanian
Managing Director & CEOAditya Birla Sun Life AMC Limited
Mr. A. Balasubramanian is the Managing Director & CEO of Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC Limited. A stalwart of the mutual fund industry, he brings with him over three decades of
rich experience. He has been associated with the organisation since 1994. Prior to assuming the role of CEO in 2009, Mr. Balasubramanian served as the Chief Investment Officer from 2006 to 2009.
As Managing Director & CEO, Mr. Balasubramanian oversees Assets over Rs. 4 lakh crore including Alternate Business at Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC. Before joining ABSLAMC in the year 1994, he worked with GIC Mutual Fund, Can Bank Financial Services and Pandit & Co. between 1989 and 1994.Mr. Balasubramanian was awarded CEO of the Year title by Asia Asset Management in 2018 and 2020. He has been awarded the Chairman’s Individual Award by the Aditya Birla Group for being an Outstanding Leader in 2015 and for being a Leader of Leaders in 2018.
Mr. Balasubramanian is closely associated with key industry bodies. He has been on the board of AMFI (Association of Mutual Funds in India) since 2009 and was the Vice Chairman of AMFI in 2015-2016. He has served as the Chairman of AMFI for two terms, from 2016-2018, and was reappointed for the period of 2021 – 2023. Mr. Balasubramanian is the Chairman of the AMFI Equity CIOs’ Committee. He is also an esteemed member of the Fund Management Advisory Committee of the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA). He has been the Governor on Board of Governors at the National Institute of Securities Markets (NISM), an institute affiliated with SEBI, from 2018 to 2024. He was also a member of the Advisory Committee of the SEBI Investor Protection and Education Fund (IPEF) for a period of five years 2019 –2024. He has been appointed on 14th October 2024, as an Additional Director on the
Board of Bombay Chamber of Commerce & Industry for the year 2024-25.
He has completed advanced management programs from the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore and Harvard Business School. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in science (mathematics) and a master’s degree in business administration from the GlobalNxt University.
Mr. Balasubramanian is involved with philanthropic work through various charitable organisations. He is one of the active members at the Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Centre for Child Heart Care. He is also associated with the Sathya Sai University, Gulbarga that imparts knowledge on Human Excellence to students during their higher education. He also promotes Indian arts and village traditional culture
Sanjay Behl
Jt. President & COO
Adani Cement
Sanjay Behl
Jt. President & COOAdani Cement
Over 30-years of work experience in diverse functional and business leadership roles, ranging across consumer goods to service industry, in B2C and B2B segments, in India and Global markets.
Started with Hindustan Unilever in 1993. After the first 10-years at HUL, the next 10-years were in Telecom at Nokia and Reliance, and thereafter 7 years in Fashion Retail company Raymond. In early 2020, co-founded a Real time data science company, Nextqore, HQ in US, with regional offices in Mumbai, Amsterdam, and Sydney. In 2024, he co-founded his 2nd start-up SmartWheels Inc., a silicon valley based tech start-up in the space of digitizing automobile tires.
Prior to taking over the Adani Cement mandate to lead Sales, Marketing, Brand and Logistics operations in January 2025, he was the CEO & Executive Director of Greaves Electric Mobility (GEM), with a mandate to build an EV company in 2&3-wheeler automotive space, near groundzero up through OEM acquisitions and PE funding. With $150 M funding from strategic investor from Saudi Arabia and 3 distinct acquisitions, he built a hyperscale profitable venture within a year of this mandate.
In addition to his executive and board roles, he is very active on multiple other Industry platforms - advising and mentoring many entrepreneurs in the Fashion, Lifestyle & Technology space. Over the last few years, Sanjay has added new skills in the areas of Data Science, GenAI, Renewable Energy and Performance Marketing.
A proven track record of delivering disruptively profitable & sustainable high growth across industries. Built many businesses and brands, multiple times over from Ground Zero. Also, managed and transformed many large, established, and complex businesses. Has a strong expertise in leading teams of diverse skill sets, experience, scale, structures, locations, cultures, and nationalities.
Amongst the many industry accolades, a few notable ones are Business World ‘Most Valuable CEOs in India 2019’, Distinguished Alumni Award in 2018 by IIT BHU Alumni Association, ‘Outstanding Marketing Professional 2016’ award by International Advertising Association, Unilever Global Chairman award for Highest measurable growth in revenue and profits in 2001.
Married to a practicing Ophthalmologist, has 2 sons and settled in Mumbai. Stays actively connected with future shaping technologies and believes in continuous learning and reskilling himself
Andy Biladeau
Chief Transformation Officer
SHRM
Andy Biladeau
Chief Transformation OfficerSHRM
Andy brings 10+ years of experience as a Human Resources leader, practitioner, and consultant. He began his career at PwC, where he led global HR transformation engagements for Fortune 500 clients, founded PwC’s Learning Solutions consulting practice, and served as the Product Owner for PwC’s Change Navigator platform.
As Director of Talent Development at Target Corporation, Andy led a team responsible for Training, Leadership Development, and Change Management for over 100,000 store team members. During his time at Target, he also led the organizational readiness efforts for Target’s enterprise Operating Model Transformation, impacting more than 2,000 retail stores and more than 250,000 employees.
As a founding team member at the Josh Bersin Company, Andy led the HR Advisory Services practice and delivered consulting engagements across all areas of HR, serving many clients in the Fortune 100. Additionally, he served as the Chief Learning Officer for the Josh Bersin Academy.
Andy holds a BA in English Literature from the University of Virginia and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Florida State University.
Bhaskar Ramesh
Director - Omnichannel Businesses
Google
Bhaskar Ramesh
Director - Omnichannel Businesses
Bhaskar serves as Director for Omnichannel Businesses at Google India and is a core member of India leadership team. In this role he is building Google's partnerships across Technology, Retail, Finance, CPG & Automotive businesses accelerating technology transformation across these sectors. He is leading the charge Digitization agenda for India with vision to make Google, a gateway for Omni businesses.
Also, he is the co-chair of women@google India - A thriving community that helps women googlers across PA's succed in having thriving careers.
Previously, Bhaskar built YouTube India business heading their monetization and product strategy that turbocharged YouTube into a $XB business having grown multifold. Prior to this role he served as an Executive Summits Evangelist at Google Partnerplex at their MountainView HQ and started his career building the CPG industry vertical in India from scratch.
Before his decade long innings at Google, Bhaskar started his career working with large consumer goods companies like P&G, Godrej and Marico in various Brand Management roles across foods and personal care. He then moved to Media & Entertainment industry having led a variety of roles at Reliance Broadcast Network as VP - Operations - spanning marketing, sales, content planning & programming.
The magical intersection of Consumers, Technology, Commerce & Brands excites him the most.
He is an avid public speaker sharing his perspectives on Technology, Omnichannel, Video across marquee industry forums like FICCI, CII, IAMAI, UNDP etc.
Lulu Raghavan
President APAC
Landor
Lulu Raghavan
President APACLandor
Lulu Raghavan is the President for APAC. She works closely with the market leaders and their leadership teams across APAC to nurture a culture of high performance and extraordinary creativity to drive business growth.
Lulu has spent over 24 years at the company across Landor offices in San Francisco, New York, London and Mumbai in various roles. She set-up Landor in India in 2008 and has grown it to be India’s largest and most reputed brand and design consultancy. She has led large brand transformation programmes for key clients including Tata Group, Mahindra Group, Aditya Birla Group, Godrej, Axis Bank, Indian Oil, Jubilant Bhartia Group, National Stock Exchange to name a few.
She is a well-known industry commentator who frequently speaks and writes on brand and design at various forums. Notable awards and achievements include Campaign India Mentor of the Year 2023, Campaign India Woman Shaping Change 2023, IMPACT Top 50 Women in Media, Marketing and Advertising (2024, 2023, 2019, 2015), Cannes Lions Design Jury 2018. She has co-authored 5 business school case studies on branding which are in wide circulation globally. She conceptualized and anchored “Beyond Logo”, a TV show for Bloomberg that evangelized the transformative power of brand on business.
Lulu is a strong advocate woman in leadership and actively mentors younger women in her free time. She is proud to have helped establish WPP Stella in India which is a mentoring programme for high potential women. She teaches frequently at various business schools on branding. She is also the author of “Go Further, Faster: Shaping a Life that Matters.” Lulu serves as a Trustee for Dignity Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to the wellbeing of senior citizens in India.
She holds a BA in Economics and Applied Math from Davidson College in the US and an MBA in International Business and Marketing from SP Jain Institute of Management and Research in India. She understands and speaks five languages including English, Hindi, Tamil, French and Spanish.
Akhilesh Tuteja
Partner & National Leader, Client & Markets; Technology, Media & Telecommunication, and Global Head - Cyber Security
KPMG India
Akhilesh Tuteja
Partner & National Leader, Client & Markets; Technology, Media & Telecommunication, and Global Head - Cyber SecurityKPMG India
Akhilesh is Partner & National Leader, Clients and Markets and Technology, Media & Telecommunications (TMT), KPMG in India and Global Head - Cyber Security for KPMG in India.
Akhilesh is passionate about developments in the area of information technology and how these can help businesses drive smart processes and effective outcomes. He has advised over 200 clients on matters relating to cyber security, IT strategy, selection of technologies and helped them realise the business benefits of technology. He possesses good knowledge of behaviour psychology and is enthusiastic about addressing the issues of IT risks in a holistic manner, especially through application of user behaviour analytics.
Akhilesh has played an instrumental role in the industry, and is widely recognised for his strong blend of business and technical skills. Due to his positioning as an independent expert, he has been a member of jury for a number of awards over the last few years. Akhilesh is a frequent contributor to business and technology publications. He is a notable speaker on cyber security and its implication on enterprise businesses.
Akhilesh has also played an active part in developing security and privacy frameworks for the banking industry in India.
Anuradha Aggarwal
Director, User Growth & CMO
Amazon Pay
Anuradha Aggarwal
Director, User Growth & CMOAmazon Pay
Anuradha Aggarwal is the Director of User Growth and Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) at Amazon Pay. She has over two decades of experience in the industry.
Anuradha started her career at Hindustan Lever as an area sales manager and has since held several key positions. Before joining Amazon, she held various leadership roles at companies like Mondelez International, Marico, and Star TV network2.
At Amazon Pay, she focuses on driving user growth and enhancing the customer experience. She has been instrumental in launching campaigns like "Pay Karne Ka Smarter Way," which emphasizes the convenience and security of digital payments.
Ankit Jambh
Chief Learning Officer
Grant Thornton Bharat LLP
Ankit Jambh
Chief Learning OfficerGrant Thornton Bharat LLP
As the Chief Learning Officer at Grant Thornton, one of the largest professional services networks in the world, Ankit leads the learning and development strategy and initiatives for over 11000 employees across India. With 17 years of experience in the HR field, he has a proven track record of delivering business impact through innovative and agile solutions that leverage social sciences, analytics, and branding.
Ankit is passionate about developing future skills, leadership journeys, inclusive cultures, and mental health in the workplace. He is also a certified coach, a clinical hypnotherapist, a TEDx speaker, and an author of 10 books on various topics related to personal and professional growth. He is the founder of AAO KHILAYEIN, a social initiative that provides food, relief, and education to the underprivileged. He believes in creating a positive difference in the lives of others through his work and his contributions to the society.
Partha Neog
CEO & Co-Founder
Vantage Circle
Partha Neog
CEO & Co-FounderVantage Circle
Partha is the CEO and Co-founder of Vantage Circle. He has over two decades of expertise in product and executive management. Partha has a proven track record of scaling great businesses and was instrumental in developing and launching 99acres.com.
He gained remarkable expertise in various industrial verticals when he worked for Aricent, Hughes Software Systems, and Bharat Electronics. He has gained deep insights in unlocking employee productivity using employee recognition and engagement through his experience with several companies and HR departments. His strategic skills in a learning and entrepreneurial environment, where complexity can require a dive into the content and creativity, problem-solving skills and intelligence are maximally utilized.
Partha is a strong believer in being able to have an impact together with a team. He leads the company with innovative flair, a reason why Vantage Circle enjoys a sustained competitive position in the market. Under Partha's leadership, Vantage Circle has become a globally recognized HR Tech company, establishing itself as one of the leading Employee Rewards and Recognition SaaS-software in India, UAE and North America.
Sourabh Deorah
Co-Founder & CEO
AdvantageClub.ai
Sourabh Deorah
Co-Founder & CEOAdvantageClub.ai
Sourabh Deorah is the Co-founder and CEO of AdvantageClub.ai, an AI powered employee engagement and rewards platform with offerings like rewards and recognition, flexible benefits, wellness, surveys, moments that matter, and communities on a single platform. In his current capacity, he is responsible for the strategic direction, product development, and overall business success.
A University of California (UCLA) computer science Master’s degree holder with an engineering background, Sourabh majored in machine learning and data mining. He started his professional journey with Amazon and Microsoft in the US before setting off with his first entrepreneurial venture, AdvantageClub.ai, in 2016 with his partner Smiti Bhatt, also a UCLA alumna.
AdvantageClub.ai is redefining employee engagement with Sourabh’s unique experience in generating 1.0 scalable product ideas and running large teams. It has evolved into a trusted platform through which businesses can engage with their clients/employees more meaningfully, and marketers can quickly reach out to the customer group of their choice. His strong belief in innovation and implementation has garnered AdvantageClub.ai a strong reputation in the industry.
When not in his boardroom avatar, Sourabh is a keen traveler, adventure seeker, and start-up enthusiast.
Manjul Tilak
Chief Human Resources Officer
Piramal Enterprises Limited
Manjul Tilak
Chief Human Resources OfficerPiramal Enterprises Limited
Manjul heads the HR function for the Financial Services and Realty businesses for the Piramal Group, where he is responsible for shaping and driving the people agenda and address HR priorities at enterprise level.
Manjul has over twenty-seven years of HR experience with the last seventeen in Financial Services in the Kotak Mahindra Group. His last stint in Kotak Bank was as Senior Executive Vice President, where he headed HR for their Consumer Banking business, spanning both retail liabilities and consumer assets.
He started his stint with the Kotak Group in their life insurance business, post which he moved to the Bank to handle HR for their Wholesale Bank, Global Transaction Services, Treasury and Risk functions. He was a key member of the team which handled the merger between Kotak Bank and ING Vysya Bank.
Prior to the Kotak Group, Manjul has also worked for The India Today Group and Triveni Engineering & Industries Limited. He has rich experience in building scale in businesses, and in cutting edge practices in the areas of talent acquisition, leadership development, succession planning, managing high potentials, employee engagement, learning and organizational development.
Manjul is an Engineer from NIT, Jalandhar and did his Masters in Personnel Management & Industrial Relations from University Business School, Panjab University, Chandigarh.
Deepali Naair
Group Chief Marketing Officer
C K Birla Group
Deepali Naair
Group Chief Marketing OfficerC K Birla Group
Deepali is the Group CMO for CK Birla Group since March 2023.
Just before this she was the Director Digital Sales, Bengaluru Digital Sales Centre for IBM. She is also the Digital Sales Centre Growth Leader for JAPAC at IBM.
In the past she has served as CMO for IBM in India & South Asia. She is also a podcast host to a successful series called "Being CEO with Deepali Naair". (link:https://www.aawaz.com/en/listen/being-ceo-with-deepali-naair/ )
Before IBM, she led Marketing and Digital at IIFL Wealth group of Companies. She was also a non-executive member of the Board at IIFL Wealth Finance.
In financial services, she has held leadership positions with L&T Insurance & HSBC. She has also worked with Tata Motors, BPL Mobile, Draft FCB-Ulka; was the Marketing Manager for Saffola and Mediker at Marico. She headed Products and Marketing at HSBC Global Asset Management and at L&T insurance she was Head – Marketing, Digital Sales and Customer Service.
She led Marketing, Digital, Analytics, Inventory Sales at Mahindra Holidays as Chief Marketing Officer. Both Digital & Inventory Sales saw tremendous growth under her leadership.
She gets invited to speak at technology & digital forums across the country and abroad. She has been a jury member numerous times for AdClub’s EMVIES, EFFIES, ABBYs; IAMAI Digital awards & ECHO awards.
Based in Mumbai, Deepali enjoys teaching and has mentored MBA students at top management institutes. In the past she has been on the marketing advisory council of SPJIMR, BITSoM, IIM Udaipur and Nirma University. She also mentors women led start-ups. She is a sought-after speaker on subjects of Leadership, Marketing, Culture Transformation and Digital Transformation.
She can be reached on Twitter @deepalinaair
Shri K. S. Shetty
Director-Human Resources
Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL)
Shri K. S. Shetty
Director-Human ResourcesHindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL)
Shri K. S. Shetty is Director-Human Resources at Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) Prior to joining HPCL as Director-Human Resources, Shri K. S. Shetty was Executive Director-Human Resources with additional charge of Executive Director-Employee Relations in HPCL.
Shri K. S. Shetty has over 25 years of experience in HR in various capacities at HPCL. In his current role at HPCL, he is responsible for the entire gamut of HR/ER functions ranging from Talent Acquisition, Capability Building, Career and Succession Planning, Performance and Rewards Management, Discipline Management etc. He also has in-depth knowledge of various Statutory/ Regulatory requirements under various Labour Laws.
Shri K. S. Shetty is a Gold Medallist in Human Resource Management from Andhra University and a distinguished alumnus of the Swedish Institute, Stockholm from where he completed his Diploma in Sustainable Development in 2012. He has also completed his Advanced Management Program from MDI, Gurgaon / ESCP Europe Business School, Paris (2016).He is an SHRM, USA - Senior Certified Professional and is currently on the AIMA Core Committee on HR and also on the National Council of the Indian Society for Training and Development (ISTD). He is also on the Board of HPCL’s Wholly Owned Subsidiary Company (HPLNG), effective October 10, 2022.
Smiti Bhatt Deorah
Co-Founder & COO
AdvantageClub.ai
Smiti Bhatt Deorah
Co-Founder & COOAdvantageClub.ai
Smiti Bhatt Deorah is the Co-founder and COO of AdvantageClub.ai, an AI-powered employee engagement and rewards platform with offerings like rewards and recognition, flexible benefits, wellness, surveys, moments that matter, and communities on a single platform. In her current role, she oversees various functions, including business development, marketing, customer relations, and content operations.
An alumna of the University of California (UCLA) with a Master's degree in Computer Science, Smiti has strong experience in B2B networking and relationships. Prior to co-founding AdvantageClub.ai with Sourabh Deorah, she was a Software Engineer with one of the Big 5-Microsoft-in the US, where she was instrumental in the brand’s expansion across the globe.
Smiti envisions AdvantageClub.ai to disrupt the traditional employee experience and engagement industry. She firmly believes that corporations need to engage with their employees beyond the provident fund & corporate discount schemes extensively. With her guiding principle of “If it is not useful to the end-user, it's probably not worth doing,” Smiti has redefined AdvantageClub.ai from an HR Tech Start-Up to a multi-million-dollar venture.
Besides her entrepreneurial role, Smiti enjoys reading and discussing HR and tech, sales, business, and Indian start-up scenes. She also has a self-confessed love for Harry Potter trivia.
Pallav Popli
Chief Revenue Officer &
Employee Engagement Evangelist
Vantage Circle
Pallav Popli
Chief Revenue Officer &Employee Engagement Evangelist
Vantage Circle
Pallav is a distinguished leader with nearly two decades of expertise in industries like HCM, SaaS/PaaS, HR outsourcing, and recognition and rewards. His deep knowledge in HR technology, Rewards and Recognition programs makes him a sought-after speaker in the HR space. With a strong foundation in consulting, recognition strategy, and HR solutions, Pallav is known for simplifying complex products and translating them into actionable insights for entrepreneurs, HR leaders and professionals.
His ability to demystify HR technologies, particularly in the recognition and rewards domain, empowers organizations to optimize their HR strategy and boost workforce engagement. Pallav’s extensive experience, combined with his impactful skills, makes him a valuable voice at industry events. He highlights how cutting-edge technologies, and strategic frameworks can streamline HR processes and elevate employee recognition initiatives. Don’t miss the chance to hear from this industry visionary, register now for #SHRMIAC24 and gain valuable insights into HR technology and engagement!
Bhavya Misra
Chief Human Resources Officer
Godrej Capital
Bhavya Misra
Chief Human Resources OfficerGodrej Capital
Bhavya Misra, Chief Human Resources Officer at Godrej Capital, brings nearly two decades of rich experience in HR across Technology, FMCG, and Retail sectors. Her distinguished career includes leadership roles at PepsiCo, Bharti Walmart, and Lenovo, where she excelled in Talent Management, Talent Acquisition, Organizational Transformation, and Business Partnering.
At Godrej Capital, Bhavya resonates deeply with the company's causes related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), with a particular focus on the LGBTQIA+ and PWD communities. She is also leading the company’s vision to create a workplace of gender inclusion, striving for equal representation of men and women.
Bhavya's approach to HR is deeply rooted in empathy and pragmatism, ensuring that every employee feels valued and heard. Her philosophy revolves around the idea of keeping employees at the centre of all decisions, ensuring a safe and healthy environment for them. She believes that aligning business objectives with hiring is crucial. Her strategic alignment of business goals with talent acquisition has been central to her HR practices.
An alumna of MDI, Gurgaon, and St. Stephen’s College, Delhi, Bhavya brings a wealth of knowledge and a proven track record of driving HR excellence. Her dedication to building a diverse and dynamic workforce continues to propel Godrej Capital towards greater success.
Ritu Bhatia
Global Hiring Leader
Senior Vice President, Genpact
Ritu Bhatia
Global Hiring LeaderSenior Vice President, Genpact
Ritu Bhatia is an experienced Human Resource professional with demonstrated history of working successfully in the Information Technology and Services Industry (ITES) for over 2 decades.
She has an extensive breadth and depth in executive search, recruitment, policies, strategic HR partnership, implementing enterprise level HR transformation projects. Ritu has a proven record of working in a global environment and building strong teams with core focus on providing strategic partnership to stakeholders.
She is known for her responsiveness, solution orientation, and solving complex problems. Ritu has been recognised as one of the Forbes 2024 Top 30 Talent leader.
Sakshee Sud
Director-Human Resources
Beiersdorf India
Sakshee Sud
Director-Human ResourcesBeiersdorf India
Sakshee Sud is a HR professional with rich experience of ~15 years across multiple sectors including BFSI, Pharma, IT, Telecom and most recently FMCG. She has worked in different domains in HR and currently serves as Director and Head of Human Resources at Beiersdorf (Home of Nivea, Eucerin, Hansaplast, La Prairie, Chantecaille).
She is adept at leading change and developing high performing teams that enable business results and has led cross cultural teams in APAC to execute people strategy. Her aim is to elevate employee experience and build an inclusive and high-performing future ready workforce.
She’s been recognized as Top HR100under40 leader and Top 24 DEI Leader.
An electronics engineer from NIT Surat she shifted gears and decided to get into management and completed her MBA in HR from SIBM, Pune.
On the personal front - She is an avid traveler who loves spending time with her son and her cat. She is also passionate about helping stray animals and dedicates her free time towards this cause.
Raj Tanwar
Chief Human Resources Officer & Special Projects
AIonOS
Raj Tanwar
Chief Human Resources Officer & Special ProjectsAIonOS
Raj is an official Forbes HR Council member and a well-known as well as recognised HR professional in the Industry. In his two decades of global, cross-cultural HR experience, he has worked in various industries, including IT/ITES, Oil & gas, Pharmaceuticals, Engineering and Manufacturing. He has lived and practised HR in the Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa, Russia, and Europe.
He is currently the Chief Human Resources Officer at AIonOS – A joint venture between InterGlobe Enterprises and Assago Group, spearhead by Industry veteran leader Mr. CP Gurnani. Prior to this, he served as Chief Strategy Officer & Head HR at AdvantageClub.ai, a Global HR Technology (SaaS) platform serving 5 million employees in the domain of HRTech.
In his previous role, Raj has led Concentrix's global digital talent strategy across 40 nations. Additionally, he spearheaded the line HR department for 70,000 employees across 13 locations in India and the ASEAN region. He also started the automation and modernization of Concentrix's HR operation.
Leading newspapers, business journals, TV stations, and international conferences feature his opinions and perspectives. He has also received eight prestigious industry honours for his various contributions:
* ET Global India Leader (2022)
* Topmost HR Leaders (North India) - World HRD Congress (2022)
* Great People Manager Award - Great Manager Institute and Forbes India (2020)
* TA Pai Young HR Leader Award - People Business and Economic Times (2020)
* Great Manager Award - People Business and Economic Times (2019)
* Times Ascent Asia Pacific HRM Awards - HR Tech Projects of the Year (2019)
* ACEF Asian Awards for excellence in HR - HR Leader of the Year (2018)
* 100 Most Influential Tech HR Leaders - Individual Award (2018)
His formal qualifications include PGDM from Symbiosis and further study in Digital Transformation from Columbia Business School, Managerial & Leadership Effectiveness from IIMA, and Design Thinking & Innovation from Emeritus, Singapore. He is also a certified M&A Specialist from Aon Hewitt.
SHRM India Advisory Council
D. Shivakumar
Management Thinker & Chairman
MTPL - an Advent PE Company &
Chair of SHRM India Conferences & Council
D. Shivakumar
Management Thinker & ChairmanMTPL - an Advent PE Company &
Chair of SHRM India Conferences & Council
Shivakumar, or Shiv as he is popularly known, is a Bangalore born leader and a management thinker.
He is currently Operating Partner at Advent International Private Equity. Previously, Shiv has been Group Executive President, Corporate Strategy at Aditya Birla Group, and Chairperson & Chief Executive Officer at PepsiCo Holdings Private Limited, India. Prior to that he was CEO for emerging markets at Nokia.
Shiv started his career as a management trainee in the Consumer Products Division at Hindustan Ciba Geigy before shifting to Hindustan Unilever Limited where he spent 19 years in sales, marketing and general management positions. He moved to Philips, India as Chief Executive Officer of the consumer electronics division in 2003.
Shiv joined Nokia in 2006 as the Managing Director, India. Under his management, Nokia built its entire services portfolio, including Nokia Life Tools. He was also instrumental in pushing low-cost mobile devices across rural India; making Nokia a dominant brand in India. He is credited for driving Nokia’s brand from No. 71 to No. 1 in the country. He was instrumental in making Nokia one of the top most trusted brands. Shiv moved as Sr. Vice President, Emerging Markets (India, Middle East, Africa) in 2011. This market accounts for 40% of Nokia’s global business and comprises of around 90 countries. His contribution during this time have become case studies at Harvard University, ISB and other Ivy League Institutes.
In 2013, Shivakumar was appointed as the Chairperson & CEO of PepsiCo Holdings Private Limited, India where he managed brand portfolios across beverages, snacks and nutrition. He has been the driving force in bringing PepsiCo’s nutrition portfolio to the forefront with new launches under the Quaker and Tropicana brands. He is known for being the key driver for portfolio transformation and deepen consumer engagement with flagship brands. Apart from overseeing India operations, he also managed PepsiCo’s franchise business across Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
Thereafter 2018, Shivakumar joined Aditya Birla Group as the Group Executive President, Corporate Strategy. Aditya Birla Group is one of the largest Indian conglomerates with businesses spread across telecommunications, cement, chemicals, mining, textiles, financial services, retail and e-commerce, among others, in 36 countries.
Richard Rekhy
Vice Chair, Grand Thornton Bharat
Former CEO, KPMG India
Richard Rekhy
Vice Chair, Grand Thornton BharatFormer CEO, KPMG India
Richard Rekhy is the former Chief Executive Officer of KPMG in India. He is currently Vice Chair at Grand Thornton Bharat and a Board Member of KPMG Dubai.
With more than 30 years of experience in consulting and professional services, Richard has worked in Arthur Andersen, Ernst & Young and RSM &Co, where he has spearheaded the firm in various capacities. He is admired for his clinical approach toward corporate governance, enterprise risk management, internal controls and business processes, across multiple domains.
He is a qualified chartered accountant in India. Besides serving on KPMG Dubai Board where he is helping the Dubai Firm in their transformation journey. Richard is a mentor and Angel Investor. He also mentors the Start-ups and young professional in Consulting.
Richard is also associated with a non-profit organization focused on education for the underprivileged and senior care. He has been contributing significantly in inspiring and mentoring the youths who need assistance and guidance.
He is a member of All India Management Association (AIMA) Board of Governors of the Management and Entrepreneurship and Professional Skills Council (MEPSC). He is a member of Board of Governors – Asian School of Business Management (ASBM) and IIM Sambalpur. Further, he is also a member of Advisory Committee Board of Smile Train India’s (STI), CFO Collective Advisory Council and one of the founder members of Will Forum in India. He is also an Advisor to SpeakIn (Asia’s largest speaker bureau empanelling expert speakers for events in the region).
Richard is affiliated with leading business enterprises, domestic and worldwide, and is also an active member of diverse industry associations and trade bodies. An eloquent and powerful orator, Richard has travelled extensively around the globe and is a respected voice on a range of social and economic issues.
Pavitra Singh
Chief Human Resources Officer
PepsiCo India & South Asia
Pavitra Singh
Chief Human Resources OfficerPepsiCo India & South Asia
Pavitra Singh currently heads HR for PepsiCo India & South Asia. She has been with PepsiCo since 2006.
With 20+ years of overall work experience leading large teams across geographies, she has held leadership positions across a variety of roles in India and other markets. From Center of excellence roles like Talent Management, L&D, Culture, D&I, Talent Acquisition to operating HR Business partnering roles. Prior to joining PepsiCo, she has worked with American Express and Fair Isaac. Pavitra is passionate about building institutional capability and nurturing young talent. A DEI evangelist, she strongly believes in creating a culture of inclusion for all diversity to thrive in spirit and action.
A known leader in the HR domain, she has been recognized externally by multiple forums and thought leadership platforms. To name a few she was recognized in ET’s Women Ahead list as one of Corporate India's fastest rising women leaders, featured in ETHR world 50 thought leaders of 2022, Business World’s Most Influential Women 2022 list and called out in many external forums as DE&I champion.
Pavitra is an explorer at heart. She loves travelling the world and experiencing different cultures. A Gen Z mom, she loves spending time with her daughter and learning from her new age methods.
Pranjal Sharma
Economic Analyst, Advisor & Author
The Next New
Pranjal Sharma
Economic Analyst, Advisor & AuthorThe Next New
Pranjal Sharma is an economic analyst, advisor and author based in New Delhi who focuses on technology, globalisation and emerging markets. He is an advisor to boards, industry associations and international institutions. His third book, ‘The Next New: Navigating The Fifth Industrial Revolution’ is about how sustainability, social impact and technology breakthroughs are collectively disrupting global business models. It was published by HarperCollins in June 2023. He read economics at University of Delhi and specialised in business media at University of Westminster, London. A former head of Bloomberg TV in India, he is a speaker at various fora in Europe, Asia and Africa.
Raj Nayak
Founder & Managing Director
House of Cheer Networks
Raj Nayak
Founder & Managing DirectorHouse of Cheer Networks
A well-known name in the Indian Media & entertainment Industry, Raj Nayak is a visionary leader, media maverick, growth spinner, trendsetter and motivational powerhouse.
In his illustrious career spanning three decades, he led some of the largest media conglomerates in the country. Raj started his career with Tata Economic Consultancy and worked at various news publications before joining STAR TV as a founding member in 1992. Starting as an Area Sales Manager, he spent 10 years at STAR TV and grew into the role of Executive Vice President; and was also a part of the Managing Committee. He then moved on to launch NDTV Media Pvt Ltd as its Chief Executive, helping redefine how news was consumed in the country. Before setting up House of Cheer Networks Pvt Ltd, he was the Chief Operating Officer of Viacom 18 Media Pvt Ltd, where he steered the company to great heights.
His unique prowess to pioneer new concepts and mentor people, make him one of the most respected professionals in the industry. An advocate of happiness, Raj derives his energy from people across all walks of life and believes in the strength of diversity.
Raj has won many awards and accolades. He was awarded the Media Person of the Year 2016 at the IAA Leadership Awards, by the International Advertising Association India Chapter and in the same year, was also awarded the first “Influencer of the Year Award” by Exchange for Media. In 2018, he received the ‘Global Champion Award’ at The International Advertising Association at Bucharest. In addition, he has received the Society Achiever of the Year award for his contribution to Media & Branding, the Humanitarian Award by Amity International for his contribution towards social issues and the Giant International Award for his contribution to the Entertainment Industry. In 2019, he was inducted into the IAA HALL OF FAME by International Advertising Association – IC.
Raj has been an active participant in many industry bodies. He was the President of the Advertising Club and the International Advertising Association India. He has served on the board of Media Research Users Council (MRUC) and The Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF).
The Economic Times named him the second most engaging CEO on social media. Apart from driving such an enormous business, this chief is passionate about food, travel & reading. As someone who believes in spreading cheer and winning hearts, his twitter handle @rajcheerfull reflects his overall personality.
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