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With the NDA’s resounding victory, India is assured of a stable majority government for the next 5 years. However, economic growth is slowing and global trade tensions are on the rise. IMA’s 2019 CEO Strategy Roundtable aims to decipher what all of this means for business, and particularly for Chief Executives, who must navigate through these times.
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Agenda
3:00pm–3:30pm
- Registration and Tea
3:30pm–5:00pm
- The Economy: India in the Context of
a Changing World
A few important trends are shaping the global economy – some of these stem from economic changes, others from geopolitical considerations and some lie in the realm of business and management. These are all the more critical in the context of full-on global trade wars, an approaching slowdown in the advanced economies, and continuing stress within the Chinese economy.
We will begin the 2019 CEO Strategy Roundtable with an assessment of global mega trends as Adit Jain explains the shifts taking place and their implications for business. He will also comment on India’s medium-term economic prospects in the context of a renewed mandate for the Modi Government. Adit is IMA’s Editorial Director and has authored over a thousand pieces on business and policy issues over the years.
5:00pm–5:30pm
- Discussion Break
5:30pm–7:00pm
- The New India: Policy Imperatives
For the Indian economy to reach the USD 5 trillion mark by 2024 a number of challenges will have to be overcome. India would need a real GDP growth of over 8% a year against its most recent performance of under 6%. How feasible is the target and what will it take to get there? What challenges will come in the way and to what extent does the Budget provide the needed impetus? In a broader context, how is India’s political economy likely to behave in the coming years?
Anil Padmanabhan has been a business journalist for over 30 years. He is currently Managing Editor of Mint, the business daily from the Hindustan Times group. He will provide an assessment of the recently-announced Finance Budget as well as a review of medium-term policy and economic prospects
7:00pm-7:30pm
- Cocktails and Snacks
7:30pm–9:00pm
- Mastering the Art of Precision
9:00pm
- Dinner
9:00am–10:30am
- India's New Security Strategy
C Uday Bhaskar, a retired Commodore who served in the Indian Navy, is one of India’s leading experts and critics on security and strategic affairs. He is currently the Director of the Society for Policy Studies (SPS), an independent think-tank based in New Delhi. He had served in the Indian Navy till 2007 for 37 years. Commodore Bhaskar will share his expert insights on India’s new security architecture, the challenges and prospects.
10:30am–11:00am
- Discussion Break
11:00am–12:30pm
- The Miracle Man
IAS officer Armstrong Pame has made news for all the right reasons quite a few times. In 2012, he built a 100 km road connecting Manipur, Nagaland and Assam without any financial aid from the government. Since then he has kept busy with his many initiatives, a recent one starting when he decided to invite school students to his house every Friday for dinner. The ‘Miracle Man’ as he is fondly referred to, wanted to listen to their dreams and visions and have them express their desire about how they wished to see their district in the days to come.
His marvellous initiatives and his work in the civil services earned him the honour of ‘India’s Most Eminent IAS Officer’. In 2018, he even made it to the list of the 100 most influential future leaders. Listen to the man himself as he talks about his experiences and achievements, and importantly his drive to achieve despite myriad challenges.
12:30pm–1:30pm
- Luncheon
1:30pm–2:45pm
- Viral Marketing
By 2020, India’s 400-million strong internet user base is set to grow to 730 million and the smartphone user base to 702 million. 75% of these new users are expected to consume data in local languages. Moreover, they will consume more audio and video content than text. Consequently, the go-to-market strategy for businesses looking to gain new users will have to be different. Overwhelming ‘content density’ means consumers are seeing chaotic news feeds; there is excessive competition between brands; and consumers’ attention spans are decreasing. ‘Viral’ has become the buzz word and cracking the viral code the holy grail of content marketing.
Aashish Chopra, an award-winning viral video marketer, will share the method in the madness behind viral videos, offering learnings from the trenches of content marketing.
2:45pm–3:00pm
- Coffee break
3:00pm–4:30pm
- India’s Women: The Secret to
Economic Boom
India, the world’s fastest-growing major economy, could do a lot better if it could fully leverage the power and potential of its women leaders. By some estimates, the country could boost its GDP by over 25% simply by giving equal opportunities to women. With only 25% of India’s labour force being female, their contribution to GDP is currently just 18%, one of the lowest ratios in the world. Evidently, countries with more women in the workforce are economically more prosperous and progressive.
Radhika Gupta’s story is not only fascinating but also inspiring. She left a lucrative career on Wall Street at 25, turned entrepreneur and founded an alternative asset management fund and sold it, and then became CEO of one of India’s fastest growing mutual fund houses. Engage with the woman herself as she shares her journey of breaking stereotypes and making a place for herself, blazing a trail for others to follow
5:00pm–7:00pm
- Cedar, Oak, Pine: In love with nature
7:45pm–9:00pm
- Inspiring Change
One of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pet initiatives – the Clean India Mission or Swachh Bharat Abhiyan – has been making headlines for some time now. We have seen celebrities like Amitabh Bachchan pick up brooms and sweep sections of streets after being asked to serve as a sort of brand ambassador for the mission. But this time, it is not celebrities who are in the news. A young woman from Nagaland decided to take up the task of cleaning the Prabhu Ghat, one of the filthiest ghats in Varanasi, the PM’s constituency. She started her mission in 2013 after quitting her fulltime job, and ended up cleaning the Prabhu Ghat in 2015. Engage with Temsutula in a discussion over drinks and snacks as she shares her spirited efforts that earned her the praise of the Prime Minister himself.
9:00pm
- Dinner
9:00am–10:15am
- Change, Personal Excellence and
Success
It takes a strong work ethic and an even stronger sense of tenacity to reach the ‘top’. But does reaching the highest ranking position mean there is no more room to grow? Successful CEOs are involved in all aspects of the business while focusing at the same time on becoming better managers, strategists, problem solvers and better at many other roles. How should CEOs balance business objectives and personal goals? What attributes do they need to inculcate to be able to manage dilemmas and make effective decisions? How to be fulfilled and, importantly, happy?
R Gopalakrishnan (Gopal to his friends) is one of India's best known and most experienced business leaders. He has been a professional manager from 1967 – 31 years in Unilever and 17 years in the Tata Group. In the last decade, Gopal has become a prolific writer, churning out numerous insightful books on management and history. In his third innings, as the CEO of Mindworks, he mentors leaders, writes thought pieces and is actively engaged in both instructional and inspirational speaking. Engage with Gopal as he shares experiences and lessons drawn from a long and illustrious career.
- Change of hats
10:15am–11:30am
- Of the people, by the people,
for the people
Does India’s Parliament truly function and govern the way it is supposed to? How many members of the public even bother to hold their elected representatives answerable to their obligations and promises? Amidst all the focus on media bytes and vote bank politics, the fundamental question about the role of Parliamentarians and their collective functioning in Sansad Bhawan is often missed.
PRS Legislative Research, an independent think tank set up in 2005, tracks the functioning of India’s Parliament and its processes. To citizens, it provides a resource base to understand the policy making process and know what their elected representatives are doing. To parliamentarians, it provides the data and analysis they need to contribute meaningfully to policy debates. PRS Co-founder MR Madhavan has, in many ways, the deepest and keenest insight into the country’s highest decision making body. Join him in what promises to be an engaging discussion about the policy making process in India – its strengths and weaknesses and the way forward.
11:30am
- Brunch and close
9:00am–10:30am
- Excellence in Efficiency: The Dabbawala Story
(This will be hosted as a joint session with spouses)
Dressed in white outfits and traditional Gandhi caps, an army of 5,000 dabbawalas fulfil the hunger of almost 200,000 Mumbaikars with home-cooked food, daily, on time with an accuracy rate of 99.99% with 100% customer satisfaction. Amazingly, the dabbawalas – with semiliterate workers – have achieved this level of performance at very low cost, in an eco-friendly way and without the use of any IT system or even cell phones. Six Sigma, ISO and many other certifications awarded to this organisation by external organisations only confirm its excellent supply chain and logistics management capabilities.
Dr Pawan Agrawal, who earned his doctorate studying how the dabbawalas operate, will share the lessons that make the 118-year old organisation successful and elaborate on the ideals of passion, teamwork, dedication and hard work.
10:30am–11:00am
- TBD
11:00am–12:30pm
- India's Biggest Cover-up
(This will be hosted as a joint session with spouses)
As the Second World War came to an end in Southeast Asia in August 1945, Subhas Chandra Bose boarded a plane to shift the base of India's liberation struggle to a new territory controlled by the Soviet Union. Officially, the story goes that he died on August 18, 1945 as the plane crashed in the small island of Formosa (now Taiwan), but multiple investigations later there is no certainty about his fate.
Anuj Dhar, a former investigative journalist, has devoted nearly two decades to uncover the mystery behind Bose's disappearance and has documented how India's political establishment kept swinging between its belief in Bose's death and apprehension that he might return: all in strict secrecy. The story spanning seven decades is perhaps even more engaging than that of a James Bond or a Jason Bourne. Dhar will delve into this rollercoaster of a political thriller to share his findings. Apart from his 2012 bestseller India's Biggest Cover-up, Dhar has authored several other books on topics such as the CIA's activities in South Asia and the mystery of Lal Bahadur Shastri's death in far away Tashkent.
12:30pm
- Luncheon and Close
Children are welcome to join the Partners Programme in the daytime activities (except formal conclave sessions). As indicated at the time of registration, dinner functions are however ‘adults only’ and we would request you to ensure that alternate arrangements have been made– please contact the hotel for baby-sitting facilities if required. The programme mentioned above is intended to provide a holistic set of activities that are both entertaining and interactive. This is however completely optional – partner participants are welcome to plan independent of this programme if desired. Please inform the IMA team of the same if so. All speakers, sessions and timings are tentative and subject to ongoing confirmation. Dress Code : Informal/smart casual, also for the evenings.
SPEAKERS
DAYS
SESSIONS
PARTICIPANTS
Speakers
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Adit Jain
Chairman and Editorial Director,IMA India, Economic analyst, conservationist, wildlife photographer
![](images/Anil_Padmanabhan.png)
Anil Padmanabhan
Managing Editor, Mint
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Abhinav Bindra
Olympic gold medallist, ace shooter and businessman
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Commodore Uday Bhaskar
Director of the Society for Policy Studies
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Armstrong Pame
Director, Youth Affairs & Sports, Government of Manipur.
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Aashish Chopra
Vice President, Content Marketing, IXIGO
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Radhika Gupta
CEO, Edelweiss Asset Management
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Temsutula Imsong
Founder, Sakaar Sewa Samiti
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R Gopalakrishnan
CEO Mindworks, Executive director, Tata Sons
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MR Madhavan
Co-Founder, PRS
Partners' Programme
4:00pm-4:30pm
- Registration and Tea
4:30pm-6:00pm
- Following Passion
7:00pm-7:30pm
- Cocktails and Snacks
7:30pm-9:00pm
- Mastering the Art of Precision
9:00pm
- Dinner
10:30am-12:00pm
- Walk the Talk in Woodstock
Note: The bus to Woodstock will leave the hotel at 10:00 am. Please report at the main lobby by 9:45 am. On our way back to the hotel from Woodstock we will stop at market in Landour.
2:00pm-3:00pm
- Luncheon
3:30pm-5:00pm
- Finding Wholeness: Leading a Well Balanced Life
5:00pm-7:00pm
- Cedar, Oak, Pine: In love with nature
One of the finer pleasures of life is to ‘feel’ the mountains and to experience their majesty and their permanence. Take a nature walk among towering Deodars and through quaint settlements with the Himalayas on one side and the beautiful Doon valley on the other.
7:45pm-9:00pm
- Inspiring Change
One of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pet initiatives – the Clean India Mission or Swachh Bharat Abhiyan – has been making headlines for some time now. We have seen celebrities like Amitabh Bachchan pick up brooms and sweep sections of streets after being asked to serve as a sort of brand ambassador for the mission. But this time, it is not celebrities who are in the news. A young woman from Nagaland decided to take up the task of cleaning the Prabhu Ghat, one of the filthiest ghats in Varanasi, the PM’s constituency. She started her mission in 2013 after quitting her fulltime job, and ended up cleaning the Prabhu Ghat in 2015. Engage with Temsutula in a discussion over drinks and snacks as she shares her spirited efforts that earned the personal praise of PM Modi.
9:00pm
- Cocktails and Dinner
10:30am-11:30am
- Discover the Chef in You
12:00pm
- Brunch and close
9:00am–10:30am
- Excellence in Efficiency: The Dabbawala Story
(This will be hosted as a joint session with delegates)
Dressed in white outfits and traditional Gandhi caps, an army of 5,000 dabbawalas fulfil the hunger of almost 200,000 Mumbaikars with home-cooked food, daily, on time with an accuracy rate of 99.99% with 100% customer satisfaction. Amazingly, the dabbawalas – with semiliterate workers – have achieved this level of performance at very low cost, in an eco-friendly way and without the use of any IT system or even cell phones. Six Sigma, ISO and many other certifications awarded to this organisation by external organisations only confirm its excellent supply chain and logistics management capabilities.
Dr Pawan Agarwal, who earned his doctorate studying how the dabbawalas operate, will share the lessons that make the 118-year old organisation successful and elaborate on the ideals of passion, teamwork, dedication and hard work.
0:00am–0:00am
- TBd
11:00am–12:30pm
- India's Biggest Cover-up
(This will be hosted as a joint session with delegates)
As the Second World War came to an end in Southeast Asia in August 1945, Subhas Chandra Bose boarded a plane to shift the base of India's liberation struggle to a new territory controlled by the Soviet Union. Officially, the story goes that he died on August 18, 1945 as the plane crashed in the small island of Formosa (now Taiwan), but multiple investigations later there is no certainty about his fate.
Anuj Dhar, a former investigative journalist, has devoted nearly two decades to uncover the mystery behind Bose's disappearance and has documented how India's political establishment kept swinging between its belief in Bose's death and apprehension that he might return: all in strict secrecy. The story spanning seven decades is perhaps even more engaging than that of a James Bond or a Jason Bourne. Dhar will delve into this rollercoaster of a political thriller to share his findings. Apart from his 2012 bestseller India's Biggest Cover-up, Dhar has authored several other books on topics such as the CIA's activities in South Asia and the mystery of Lal Bahadur Shastri's death in far away Tashkent.
12:30pm
- Luncheon and Close
Children are welcome to join the Partners Programme in the daytime activities (except formal conclave sessions). As indicated at the time of registration, dinner functions are however ‘adults only’ and we would request you to ensure that alternate arrangements have been made– please contact the hotel for baby-sitting facilities if required. The programme mentioned above is intended to provide a holistic set of activities that are both entertaining and interactive. This is however completely optional – partner participants are welcome to plan independent of this programme if desired. Please inform the IMA team of the same if so. All speakers, sessions and timings are tentative and subject to ongoing confirmation. Dress Code : Informal/smart casual, also for the evenings.
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IMA Conferences
IMA’s Roundtables are an unrivalled hub of high-quality insight and invaluable networking. Our speakers, a mix of visionaries and industry stalwarts, ensure that these platforms are among India’s leading meeting grounds for industry Every summer for the last five – and every winter for the last twenty two years - we have taken a close group of a 100 of our members to an offsite location to brainstorm the near to medium term outlook for our operating environment.
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Agenda
The Roundtable will think through prospects for India, the economy, and for its businesses. It will consider the global environment and the most crucial issue of big economic shifts as the world’s financial and fiscal environment changes, and as geo-politics remains in flux. India is in the year before the country’s next general elections already and the Forum will think through how India’s political environment, on the basis of which policy direction will be set, might pan out in our states, and at the Centre. At a secular, no less important level, digitalisation is changing organisational structures; and talent pool expectations. It will ask of new – and renewed - promises from leaders as shifts in how organisations will be formed and built transform the nature of leadership. Everything changes. Nothing changes. That is the operating paradigm and knowing what to sustain, and what to change, is the key.
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About the Host City
Mussoorie He was so enamoured by the beauty that he decided to build a hunting lodge (shooting box) on the Camel's Back Road with FJ Shore, Jt. Magistrate of Doon in 1823. He raised the first Gurkha Regiment and planted the first potatoes in the valley. His tenure in Mussoorie ended in 1844 and he further served in Dimapur and Darjeeling and retired as a General and went back to Ireland.[citation needed] There are no memorials to commemorate Young in Mussoorie. However, there is a Young Road in Dehradoon on which ONGC's Tel Bhawan stands
In 1832 Mussoorie was the intended terminus of the Great Trigonometric Survey of India that began at the southern tip of India. Although unsuccessful, the Surveyor General of India at the time, George Everest wanted to have the new office of the Survey of India based in Mussoorie. A compromise was to have it in Dehradun, where it still is.[citation needed]