Guest Lecture 2021

Webinar on Leadership in the New Normal

Mrs Shilpa Nag, IAS, Director, Abdul Nazeer Sab State Institute for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (ANSSIRD & PR), Mysore delivered a talk on “Leadership in the New Normal” on October 21, 2020 to the PGDM 2020-2022 Batch. The session had insights on the challenges and opportunities created from the COVID-19 pandemic and emphasized on the need for benevolent leadership in all walks of life to manage the health and business sectors in the new normal. The interactive session with students threw light on the adaptation and transformation in business, changing nature of employee engagement and regulation, and changing dynamics in consumerism.

Webinar on Spend Management in SCP

Mr. Badrinath Waiker, Solution Manager, SAP Ariba, delivered webinar on the topic “Spend management in the context of global supply chain and procurement” to the PGDM 2019-2021 Batch on October 17, 2020. The session revolved around understanding spend management in the context of COVID-19, understanding the importance of Supply chain management, and how technology has transformed the supply chain management process. The session was made more illustrative by Mr. Waiker's real-life corporate examples. Mr. Waiker is an alumnus of SDMIMD.

Webinar on Adapting to New Normal

Ms. Preethy Unnikrishnan, Head, Human Resources – Strategic Growth Business, Tata Consultancy Services, delivered talk on “Adapting to new normal” to PGDM & PGCM Students of 2020 Batch on October 10, 2020. She elaborated the challenges TCS faced in onboarding 40,000 employees virtually and how TCS successfully overcame the challenge by using technology and human-centric approach. The speaker discussed about the challenges in transitioning 3 lakh+ workforce to work from home and ensuring the employees stay safe and motivated. The way TCS went about adapting “Secure Borderless Workspace” by ensuring employee safety and data security is a lesson on how to convert the crisis into opportunity.

Guest Lecture by Dr. Neetika Batra

On September 9 & 10, 2020, to discuss on Security Analysis, Investment Banking, and Mergers & Acquisition with the Finance Elective students of PGDM 2019-2021 the SDMIMD invited the domain expert from the corporate Dr. Neetika Batra. The speaker gave valuable inputs investment platforms and current trends in the security market mechanisms. On September 10, focused on M&A, the speaker gave input about the split off & spin off common shares, employee stock option plan and its significance.

Invited talk on Workplace Learning and Development

Mr. Sreejith Pilassery, Country General Manager, India & South Asia, Horizontal Talent; and Ms. Satabdi Deb, Corporate Trainer, are the invited speakers for the Webinar on the topic ‘Workplace Learning and Development’ on August 26, 2020.

Mr. Sreejith introduced the ‘Horizontal Talent’ and ‘Horizontal Digital’ to the audience. The speaker threw light on how to become an infinite player with clear purpose and commitment who works on self-development, accept changes, and grow to become successful. With relevant examples of companies like Walmart, Apple, Tata, and the reasons for their triumph in today’s world. Further, the speaker described the ‘Golden Circle’ of Simon Sinek by explaining what, how, and why a person becomes successful. Another speaker for the day Ms. Shatabdi shared her understandings about success and discussed the high learning curve and great confidence. Ms Shatabdi spoke on the importance to seek knowledge and being a strong-minded person.

This session anchored by the course instructor of Workplace Learning and Development (WLD) Course Prof. L. Gandhi, Faculty – OB/HR, SDMIMD. Students from the HR Specialization attend the virtual invited talk and participated in the Q&A session.

Invited talk on Talent Management

Mr. Selvakumar Varadharajan, Chief Executive, Laymen Agro Ventures Private Limited, was invited to deliver the talk on “Talent Management Practices for Entrepreneurs/Managers” on August 25, 2020. Mr. Selvakumar introduce Vilfresh - a company driven by its vision where it enriches the farmers, empowers the rural youth, and excites the urban consumers. The talk focused on the role of Microprenuers, Villagepreneur, and Womenprenuers at VilFresh. Further, the speaker shared the unique hiring practices and the team structure at VilFresh. This session anchored by the course instructor of Talent Management (TM) Course Prof. L. Gandhi, Faculty – OB/HR, SDMIMD. Students from the HR Specialization attend the virtual invited talk and participated in the Q&A session.

Invited talk by Prof. Morris Altman

‘Being a professional, it requires ethical behaviour that drives interactions with other employees, customers, and leadership. Ethics extends beyond issues of right or wrong; it maintains the integrity of a workplace’ thus opined the Executive Dean of University of Dundee School of Business, Prof. Morris Altman. In the webinar scheduled on August 14, 2020, for the PGDM 2020-2022 Batch, organized as a part of the Orientation Program, Prof. Morris Altman opined that since economic activities are among the engines of economic growth, it may be concluded that business ethics may impact on the growth performances of economies.

Invited talk by IIMB Mentor

Mr Sukumar Rangachari, Mentor at IIMB; was invited to deliver webinar to the PGDM 2020-2022 Batch on August 14, 2020. Mr Sukumar discussed in the session with the agenda - How MBA will help the entrepreneurs?: How MBA broadens the horizon? And, how to have a clear vision of what you want to do, how to approach and have our value system. The Q&A session was very interactive and focused on the roadmap for the 2- Years Management Education journey at SDMIMD.