Business Excellence Summit At XIMB Discusses AI, Disruption And Leadership

BHUBANESWAR: Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar (XIMB), has celebrated 38 years of academic excellence, set the stage for the second day of the seventh edition of its flagship Business Excellence Summit (BES).

The two-day event, themed “Leading at the Edge: From Uncertainty to Impact,” brought together distinguished leaders, faculty, and students to exchange insights on navigating change and creating meaningful impact in the evolving business landscape.

Delivering the keynote address, Kamadeba Mohanty, COO of Reliance Grocery Retail & Jiomart, Reliance Retail, shared insights on banking, retail, and corporate strategy.

He highlighted clarity of purpose, agility, and bold decision-making as keys to success, urging students to stay conceptually sound, embrace diversity, and leverage AI-driven opportunities. “If you’re not failing in life, you’re not truly successful,” he said.

The session featured discussions on leadership, technology, and AI with a student Q&A.

The second session featured Sapna Mohata, vice-president – Lending & Project Finance, NaBFID, who urged the students to trust their path, nurture passion, and step out of their comfort zones.

She emphasised that while AI can manage routine tasks, critical thinking remains a human responsibility, highlighting the value of mental strength and staying grounded.

Amit Pahuja, Director of Internal Audit, American Express GBT, spoke on leadership amid uncertainty, stressing situational adaptability, embracing ambiguity, and choosing integrity over popularity.

Aroop Mohapatra, vice-president, IndusInd Bank, reflected on the evolution of Indian banking system, from ATMs to mobile banking.

Bhaskar Roy, Head of AI (Customer Experience), Group Digital & Innovation, Tata Sons, who focused on disruption, adoption, ethics, and innovation, urged students to keep ethics central as technology reshapes industries. A panel discussion moderated by Prof. Shridhar Kumar Dash, followed by an interactive Q&A and a vote of thanks from the BES team, marked the close of an insightful session.

The third session featured Bhaskar Roy, Global Delivery Leader – Data Science & AI at Genpact, who called AI the “new normal”, driving innovation and cost savings. AI won’t replace humans, but humans using AI will replace those who don’t.”

Satya Swarup Das, Director of Product Management – Financial Services at Unisys, defined innovation as execution and outlined the journey from vision to strategy to action. Using UPI as an example, he stressed balancing trust, speed, and quality while navigating AI’s uncertainties.

Debasis Mohapatra, independent consultant, emphasised that leadership is about execution, not just ideas. His key message was: start small, scale with controlled acceleration, stay resilient, and lead from the front.

A panel discussion moderated by Fr. Nithin Monteiro, SJ, followed by an interactive Q&A and a vote of thanks from the BES team, marked the close of an insightful session.

The summit concluded with engaging discussions on disruption, responsible AI, and the evolving role of leadership in uncertain times.

Students participated in Q&A sessions, reflecting on the need for adaptability, ethics, and continuous learning.

Closing remarks were delivered by Fr. Nithin Monteiro, SJ, followed by a vote of thanks from the BES team.