8th Annual India Business Forum London Conference

By newspaperport on December 5, 2010 • ( Leave a comment )

Topic: Climbing The Pyramid: The Quest For Inclusive Growth In India
Organizing Committee: The India Business Forum (IBF)
Media Partner: The Future Leadership Institute*
Venue: London Business School
Conference Description: The next phase of India’s growth is critically linked to whether corporates, banks, and other players can tap into rural and under-developed market segments across the country. The conference will explore a range of avenues for the Indian growth story, from FDI and joint venture opportunities to creating economic value through rural and social enterprise. The keynote speakers and panellists will present ideas and case studies relating to the opportunities and hurdles faced by the overarching quest for inclusive growth in the world’s largest democracy. Throughout the day, we hope to include the audience in a lively debate on how to capitalize on the Indian growth story and the investment opportunities it represents and how we should unlock value at the bottom of the pyramid.

(*Between 2007 and 2011 the Institute carried temporarily the name ‘The Wall Street Journal Future Leadership Institute’)
12 May 2010 | FLI Joint Seminar | London Business School

Born out of necessity, India’s economic liberalization program has now achieved critical mass and is able to generate a momentum on its own. Over the last two decades India has seen a transformation in most aspects of its economy and society. India today has healthy GDP and industrial output growth rates and large foreign exchange reserves and is an important player in the global trade of goods and services. A significant number of people have been lifted out of poverty and human development parameters such as illiteracy rates have improved. Technological developments are readily available to the society who have more reason to feel empowered. Along with this growth and development has come increased power in international affairs and vastly improved perception of the country and its capabilities. It would have been difficult to predict India’s current status just before the start of the liberalization program in 1991. While countries such as China and South Korea had liberalized trade and investment long before India did, even their development status back then would not have provided definitive indicators of success of the reforms program. After all, India’s society and governance systems are unique and vastly different from most emerging countries. Implementing a steady and consensual system of reforms in a country with so many different languages, regional centres of power and frequently changing national government was bound to be a complicated task. While there is a general consensus about the benefits of the reforms and more certainty today about the country’s development, there are still critical differences among policy makers and within business on several important issues that will have an important bearing on shape of future growth. There is also widespread acknowledgement that India’s growth will take a different path than those taken by most export or commodity driven emerging economies, with domestic consumption being a key driver of growth. Against this backdrop London Business School’s “India Business Forum” will this year dwell on subjects and issues that will influence Indiaâ€™s future. The conference this year is being held at what is turning out to be a critical period for the current national government. There are high expectations on all fronts for the stable central government to implement important reforms. We bring together leading industrialists, policy makers and thinkers who will go into topics such as financial regulation, infrastructure, retail and consumer issues, and the globalization of the Indian industry. The full day conference will gather critical thoughts on these issues at a gathering of friends and well-wishers of India.

Confirmed Speakers Include:
•Kamal Nath, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India
•Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, Government of India
•Magued Eldaief, Managing Director UK and Executive Director, General Electric Energy
•S.P. Hinduja, Chairman, Hinduja Group
•Anil Agarwal, Founder, Vedanta Resources
•Kishore Biyani, CEO & Founder, Future Group
•Professor Malcolm Harper, Chairman, M-CRIL (Micro-Credit Ratings International Ltd.)
•Chet Kuchinad, Head of Human Resources, Asda
•Satyen Patel, Former Vice Chairman, Cambridge Solutions and Former CEO, Nike Asia
•Dr. K.G. Karmakar, Managing Director, NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development)

About the Indian Business Forum (IBF): The India Business Forum (IBF) was founded in the year 2002 under the guidance and direction of Late Prof. Sumantra Ghoshal. IBF aims to further the role of India in the global business milieu. With London Business School as the platform, IBF is a confluence of Global Business Leaders, Leading Academicians, Financiers, Entrepreneurs and Students to discuss and debate pertinent issues relating to doing business in and with India.

Vision : IBF aims to become the premier forum in Europe that is India-focused and play an influential role in furthering the role of India in Global business.

Objectives : IBF, a student led initiative, has been conceived with primary purpose of presenting information and trends about exciting business and investment opportunities in India to investors around the world. IBF also endeavors to engage the extremely international and successful student body and alumni community of London Business School in supporting globalisation initiatives of companies.

Activities : The core activity of the IBF is to host an annual summit where the most dynamic thought leaders from India and Europe engage in diverse audience mix with insights on current business trends related to India. The IBF also hosts throughout the year, smaller satellite events on specific themes.