With many countries turning protectionist, the focus of trade negotiations has shifted from multi-lateral to regional and bilateral deals. This spells a very different future for the global trade regime governing both goods and services. On its part, India seeks to become more assertive on issues of importance to it: more liberal visa regimes for its workers, easier IP norms for drugs and technology products, financial support for pursuing multi-lateral goals with respect to climate change, etc. At the same time, nations are linking economic and geopolitical considerations in ways that they never did before. The two are no longer compartmentalised.
At a recent the India CEO, CFO and CHRO Forums session, Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin, shared his insights on the evolving multilateral trade landscape, the risks and opportunities arising from a confluence of economic and geopolitical factors, and the implications for India. This podcast summarises the discussion. 

The recently-announced merger of Air India and Vistara Airlines will create India’s largest international airline. While the business logic of merging the two is understandable, the integration will not be easy. Operationally and culturally, the two airlines could not be further apart. The only thing they have in common is that both are loss-making businesses. The Tatas clearly have their work cut out for them, as this podcast argues. 

Despite global headwinds and inflation, the Indian markets have seen renewed energy in the past few months and are trading at a significant premium compared to their Asian peers, notwithstanding the recent correction. This in turn is creating a positive ‘wealth effect’ – a notion of rising asset values – that has a direct bearing on spending, investment, and the overall economy.

At IMA's  recent CEO Forum session in Mumbai, we had Neelkanth Mishra, Managing Director, Co-head of Asia Pacific Strategy and India Strategist for Credit Suisse talk about views on the capital markets and the economy. This episode summarises the discussion

With widespread remote working, rampant churn in talent pools and increasingly-transactional employee-employer relationships, companies risk losing elements of their culture, and with it, their competitive advantage. What does it take to build and sustain a winning culture in the current environment and what is the role of the leadership, including CHROs?
At a recent India CHRO Forum session in Mumbai, Ashu Khanna, Founder and CEO of Arka Leadership, shared the nuances of building and sustaining a winning culture. This podcast  summarises some key takeaways from the session 

A key challenge facing CFOs today is doing justice to the multiple expectations placed upon them. They are burdened not only with their traditional responsibilities around accounting, reporting and risk management but are also called upon to support initiatives around organisational transformation, technology adoption, cyber security and ESG. Each of these has multiplied in magnitude and complexity in the post-Covid environment.

For some years now, China has been making efforts to promote the yuan as a global currency that can substitute for the US dollar. Where it was once willing to play the patient waiting game it may now no longer wish to do so. In the wake of American sanctions on Russia, which have all but cut off that country's access to the global financial system, China now seeks a more urgent solution to ensure its own financial independence in the event of an unfavourable stand-off with the US.

Calcutta was once a thriving hub of industrial activity and a national epitome of economic advancement. It boasted of some of the finest business organisations in the country, hosted a multi-cultural and global citizenry and was everything a prosperous cosmopolitan city should be.

A fierce second wave of Covid-19 has tested the resilience of organisations as well as their Finance teams. CFOs have had to fire-fight on multiple fronts, including at home, while ensuring long-term business continuity. During the first wave, CFOs focused mainly on managing ‘infrastructural’ issues but in the second, the sheer scale of infections and fatalities has taken a toll on the mental health of employees and leaders alike. At recent India CFO Forum webinars, our members discussed the business impact of the second wave and the strategic changes they have undertaken – at both a personal and a professional level. The podcast provides the key takeaways.

India has seen an unexpectedly fierce second wave of Covid-19 infections – one that has touched almost every family, business and individual. Corporate leaders have had to work double-time not only to ensure business continuity and employee safety, but also to attend to their own personal challenges and emergencies. At recent sessions of the India CEO Forum, our members shared insights on how their businesses are faring and the lessons they have learned from the last 12-15 months of managing a near-continuous crisis. The podcast highlights some of the key takeaways.

Perspectives from members of IMA’s India CHRO Forum.