- September 22, 2023
Charting new horizons: Highlights from IMA India’s 2023 CFO Strategy Roundtable in Mussoorie
Adit Jain, Chairman & Editorial Director, IMA India and Anuradha Das Mathur, Managing Director, CFO India, at IMA India’s 2023 CFO Strategy Roundtable in Mussoorie
IMA India’s 2023 CFO Strategy Roundtable convened in Mussoorie to discuss business challenges and the evolving finance landscape.
IMA India’s 2023 CFO Strategy Roundtable convened in the scenic hills of Mussoorie over September 15th-17th. More than 60 CFOs gathered together for this 2.5-day event, engaging in discussions about business issues as well as the future of the Finance function. The conference kicked off with IMA’s Chairman and Editorial Director Adit Jain’s presentation on a changing global and domestic environment. Adit examined some of the most significant shifts underway in the global economy, geopolitics and – closer home – in terms of technology, infrastructure, economic policy and politics.
Unconference in progress
Next came an innovative ‘unconference’ session, during which the delegates energetically deliberated on the key challenges confronting CFOs today. These discussions covered a wide range of topics, including issues specific to their roles and broader macroeconomic concerns, offering insights from various sectors.
Ajay Bisaria on India’s role in the evolving landscape
Manoj Goel speaking on the present condition of financial markets
Barkha Dutt talked about the upcoming general elections
At the start of Day 2, Ambassador Ajay Bisaria highlighted India’s crucial role in the evolving global landscape, emphasising the country’s favourable geographical and economic position, which make it a valuable partner in the Indo-Pacific. Following this, HSBC’s Head for Global Market Corporate Sales, Manoj Goel, offered an analysis of the present condition of financial markets. He argued that, amidst a somewhat bleak global backdrop, India stands to emerge as a standout performer. He also predicted that the European Union would lower interest rates, anticipated a stable landing for the US economy and highlighted the importance of closely monitoring the Chinese economy. Next, award-winning broadcast journalist, columnist and author Barkha Dutt led an engaging discussion about the upcoming general elections, expressing her view that PM Narendra Modi is likely to win another term in office. She sees the INDIA alliance as an opportunity for both Rahul Gandhi personally and the Congress Party more generally, to seize space within the opposition. Ms Dutt also offered an interesting perspective on the deepening corporate influence on the media, in India and globally, and made a strong case for supporting independent journalism.
Prof. Arvind Sahay talked about the science behind consumers’ brand choices
Group discussion in progress
Professor Arvind Sahay, who teaches at IIM – Ahmedabad, elaborated on his research on neuromarketing and discussed the science behind consumers’ brand choices. With captivating and pertinent examples, his session provided valuable insights that can enhance the understanding between CFOs and their marketing departments. The day concluded with a structured group discussion, wherein CFOs were divided into six teams to delve into various themes. Despite a long day, participants energetically presented their findings and shared tips with fellow CFOs on topics such as talent management, technology adoption, ESG and compliance.
The final day of the Roundtable saw participants wake up bright and early for a guided walk through the hills of Mussoorie. The conference drew to a close after an inspiring session with Colonel (Retired) Sonam Wangchuk, who spoke about his career, a hair-raising operation he led during the Kargil War, and the leadership lessons that businesses can draw from his experiences.
Shivani Srivastava
Shivani is a Senior Editor at CFO Collective. Her passion lies in engaging with senior finance leaders to delve into topics such as AI, technology, corporate finance, and sustainability, extracting invaluable insights that she transforms into enriching material for the CFO community.