SDA Bocconi Asia Center’s Executive Connect – Orchestrating Winning Performances series delivered two powerful days of immersive learning on June 27th and July 11th, 2025. Curated to showcase real stories of transformation, resilience, and innovation, the event brought together some of India’s most dynamic leaders across diverse sectors — fintech, policing, CSR, HR, marketing, and health systems — to share what it truly means to win in complex ecosystems.
The sessions went beyond surface-level inspiration, delving deeply into success through the lens of robust business frameworks, decision-making models, and people-centric leadership narratives. Each day was designed with a strong pedagogical structure: a keynote presentation by the guest speaker, followed by an interactive Q&A with the faculty, and concluded with reflections and open dialogue with students.
The June 27th event, moderated by Prof. Shibani Belwalkar, Professor of Human Resource Management and Program Director of the International Executive Master in Business program, and Executive Coach and Mentor, Prof. Amitava Bose, spotlighted transformation through three distinct perspectives: financial inclusion, community policing, and startup innovation. Ketan Patel, CEO of Mswipe, offered a candid account of the challenges and triumphs of building one of India’s leading fintech enterprises. He drew on his entrepreneurial journey to emphasize how innovation, execution, and resilience are critical when challenging established industry giants.
Former Director General of Police – Assam, Fulbright Scholar, and Sahitya Akademi awardee – IPS Kuladhar Saikia, shared the extraordinary journey of Project Prahari — a pioneering police-public partnership launched to combat deep-rooted social issues such as witch-hunting in Assam. His reflections revealed the power of empathy in governance and the role of inclusive leadership in rebuilding fractured communities. Elizabeth Venkataraman, Executive Director at Shriram Finance and recognized as the BFSI Woman Marketer of the Year, presented a compelling narrative on how Shriram Finance scaled its retail business across rural India. Her address highlighted how trust, brand storytelling, and community engagement became central to building long-term success.
The second event, held on July 11th and moderated by Prof. Shibani Belwalkar and Prof. Ramakrishna Velamuri, Visiting Professor of the Rotman-Bocconi GEMBA program, shifted focus to people, purpose, and performance. Amar Sinhji, Executive Director of Human Resources at Khaitan & Co., reflected on the intricacies of managing elite legal talent in high-performance environments. Drawing from his rich experience in the Tata Group and Khaitan, he underscored the importance of aligning human resource practices with business culture and long-term organizational goals.
Vishal Phanse, former CEO of Piramal Swasthya, then expanded the discussion to the realm of corporate social responsibility. He spoke about CSR not as an act of charity but as a mechanism for systemic change. Through examples from his work in healthcare and community partnerships, Phanse illustrated how large-scale programs can meaningfully impact millions of lives while strengthening the social fabric. Closing the day, Shanil Verma, HR Head at Multiples, explored the challenges of managing talent in high-pressure business environments. He highlighted the balance between agility, emotional intelligence, and strategic foresight required to cultivate resilience and ensure long-term organizational success.
What emerged across both days was a powerful set of insights into the nature of leadership. Success was portrayed not only as a function of strategy and performance but also as a deeply human endeavor. Trust, empathy, and inclusivity surfaced repeatedly as essential elements, whether in scaling fintech solutions, driving grassroots social change, or nurturing high-performing teams.
Through this initiative, Orchestrating Winning Performances has reaffirmed its place as a signature Executive Connect event at SDA Bocconi Asia Center. By blending academic rigor with real-world wisdom, and by facilitating dialogue between students and some of India’s most impactful leaders, the series continues to offer a rich mosaic of the country’s evolving leadership landscape.