Raise a toast to the coming weekend. A pleasant evening in Kerala, the company of friends and peers – there could not be a better way to bring in a weekend of learning and deep camaraderie. The IMA India team will detail plans for the weekend as we welcome early arrivals with cocktails and scrumptious food.

Spillovers from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine are hastening the deceleration of global economic activity which is now expected to slow to 3.2% in 2022. There are various downside risks to be watchful of, including intensifying geopolitical tensions, growing inflationary headwinds and rising financial volatility. Within India too, recession fears are weighing in on growth which is estimated to be lower than anticipated. CEOs will need to re-examine business strategies and develop suitable responses.

Adit Jain will provide an assessment of global mega-trends and their implications for business. He will also comment on India’s medium-term economic prospects and offer a perspective on how companies can adapt to maintain growth and protect margins. Adit is IMA’s Editorial Director and has authored over a thousand articles on business and economic issues over the years.

The biggest external risk to India's growth outlook is the escalation of geopolitical tensions, especially as it spreads to the Asian region. The Russia-Ukraine crisis exacerbated global divisions, which were already hardening in the wake of China’s growing assertiveness and a worldwide shift towards political nationalism. As flashpoints involving China with Taiwan and India mature to a point of potential conflict, these fault lines will only deepen. This will create burdensome challenges for businesses as regulations involving international supply chains, trade and investment, taxation, fund flows, IP and the movement of people will all become subject to geopolitical considerations as opposed to economic ones.

Jayadeva Ranade is a security and intelligence expert and a seasoned China analyst with over 30 years of experience in the field. He has been directly involved in the formulation of policy at the highest levels in the Government of India. He is a Member of the National Security Advisory Board (NSAB) and President of the recently established ‘Centre for China Analysis and Strategy’. He will present his views on how global power systems and Asia’s security architecture are shifting in profound ways.

Cyber crimes have dramatically evolved in nature and scope in the last few years. Recent data by the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-IN), the government’s nodal cyber security agency, shows that cyber security attacks increased by 500% since the lockdown in March 2020. The majority of data breaches are on account of human errors. However, there is a silver lining to this. If executives are educated to identify and respond to such threats in advance, the bulk of breach incidents could be avoided. What should companies do to safeguard their systems? What must CFOs be mindful of, at an individual level?

Amit Dubey is a national security expert and a crime investigator on cyber forensics and ethical hacking for various Indian investigation agencies and Police departments. A prolific speaker on TV, radio and YouTube, Amit is frequently invited by arms of the government, including defence forces, to train their cyber professionals. He is the author of several books including, Hidden Files: Tales of Cyber Crime Investigation and Return of the Trojan Horse: Tales of Criminal Investigation, which contain learnings from some of his more thrilling cases. Amit, through real life examples, will provide guidance on how to improve personal security consciousness and avoid common pitfalls, and share case examples of companies that have been victims of cyber crime.

Parag Agarwal has been championing the cause of animal welfare amongst other social justice movements. He is also the Co-founder of TAP India Foundation, which works for underprivileged children; Ahimsa VC, which is India’s first sustainable fund for plant-based foods; and Ahimsa Trust, which works for animal and environment protection by driving more funding to causes related to animal welfare. Parag will share his many firstof-their-kind efforts to promote animal welfare, and how each one of us can play a part.

Gear up for the ‘ultimate sunset experience’ from Leela’s sunset deck that oversees the vast expanse of the Arabian Sea. The deck is a cosy place to sit, relax and sip your bubbly even as the sun bids goodbye.Joint activity with the spouses

The session will trace India’s political history through the eyes of Sai Deepak, an author and advocate at the Supreme Court of India. Sai will take us on an intellectual journey through India’s political history and interpret its connections with present day debates and issues. Joint activity with the spouses

We live in a world where there always seems to be a new crisis around the corner, whether of a medical nature, a geopolitical one or indeed an economic one. Succeeding in this environment demands a very different kind of leadership style – one that moves away from command and control to authenticity; from self-interest to being focused on purpose, making a difference and having an impact. What are the prerogatives of becoming an authentic leader? How to lead with a sense of purpose?

Mark Oliver, an executive leadership coach, graduate of the Sandhurst Royal Military Academy and Royal School of Military Engineering, and author of the highly acclaimed book, ‘Motivational Leadership’, has advised organisations across the world on leadership for over three decades. Engage with Mark as he outlines a model that boosts your leadership intelligence and demystifies the prerequisites of authentic leadership.

The ever-evolving regulatory demands around ESG issues have made compliance a big challenge for many companies, and businesses’ fragmented compliance efforts are proving inadequate. Leading companies, however, follow a holistic approach by managing and reporting on a full menu of ESG metrics to meet their regulatory obligations with confidence. The session will delve into the challenges around ESG reporting requirements as well as SEBI’s new BRSR framework and offer guidance on how companies can effectively navigate this complicated environment. Sarika Gosain is a Partner at Mazars in India, heading the ESG and Sustainability Practice of the firm. She will provide an expert’s perspective on the key challenges and issues CFOs need to be watchful of, and the approaches they can adopt to overcome these.

No trip to Kerala can be complete without the experience of the traditional ‘Sadya’– a wonderful, multi-course meal served to guests as a community and in traditional Malayali style. Join delegates for this wonderful sit-down luncheon.

While Covid was a big disruption in the life of a CFO, the fact is, ongoing changes in the regulatory, economic and technology environment are leading to fresh disruptions and discontinuities nearly on a day-to-day basis. To keep pace with expectations, CFOs are having to reorient themselves at a pace that is almost impossible to match. Perhaps the only sustainable solution is to prioritise challenges correctly and focus energies on those that most deserve the CFO’s personal attention.

The session will host two senior Finance leaders who will talk through their approaches to identifying and addressing the CFO’s top individual priorities. Ajay Seth is the CFO at Maruti Suzuki and has over three decades of experience in the automotive sector. Prior to Maruti, Mr Seth worked with Escorts, JCB India, Birla Yamaha, Eicher Motors and Bahwan Automobiles. MP Vijay Kumar is the Executive Director and Group CFO of Sify Technologies. He is also an active member of several committees of ICAI.

A labyrinth of lagoons and canals, the backwaters of Kerala are one of the most tranquil places to travel in the world. The Poovar lake, particularly, is a nature lover’s delight and a truly unique destination. Take the boat ride and enjoy the beauty of small narrow canals with mangroves all around, a huge river, a close-up view of village life, a beach, an estuary and a lot more. Joint activity with the spouses

Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, considered to have its roots in the 8th century, is among 108 Vishnu temples in India. Built in Dravidian style architecture, it is believed to be the richest Hindu temple in the world. The principal deity is enshrined in the eternal yogic sleep on the infinite serpent Adi Shesha. The history and fame of this temple is intertwined in mystery and rich antiquity. Several stories without any exactitude have originated from its huge collection of invaluable precious stones, gold, silver and a yet-to-be-opened vault.

Note: The temple follows a strict dress code for both men and women. Men must wear Dhoti with or without an Angavastram. Women must wear a Saree only. Dhotis are available for hire outside the temple premises. Photography is banned inside the temple premises.

With seven Commonwealth Games golds, two Asian Games medals, four Olympic Games appearances and two ITTF Pro Tour titles under his belt, Achanta Sharath Kamal is arguably the best Indian table tennis player in history. A winner of Padma Shri and Khel Ratna, Sharath is ranked highest in India and 38 in the world. His career graph is not a straight line to success but is filled with trials, tribulations, and constant reinvention. Meet the man himself as he shares his tale of absolute grit, determination and mental fortitude. Joint activity with the spouses