Overview

XLRI – Xavier School of Management, Jamshedpur, organized the sixth edition of KRONOS, its annual flagship CHRO Conclave, on 27 October 2026. The theme was “Who Will Build the Company of Tomorrow? The New Rules of Leadership, Talent & Performance.” The event was arranged by the PGDM (GM) Conclave Committee, Corporate Relations & Placement and brought together 23 chief human resources officers and senior HR leaders.

Inauguration

The conclave was inaugurated by Dr. Sanjay Patro, Dean (Academics), XLRI Jamshedpur, and Prof. Sunil Kumar Sarangi, Associate Dean – Corporate Programs & VIL, XLRI Jamshedpur, who lit the ceremonial lamp in the presence of the invited HR leaders. In his address, Dr. Patro recalled India’s 1984‑85 technology mission, highlighted the country’s potential to drive another transformation through talent and industry leadership, and urged participants to consider how India’s one‑sixth share of humanity could apply collective intelligence for the greater good.

Panel 1 – The Organization Without a Blueprint

The first panel was split into two parallel sessions.

  • Session 1, moderated by XLRI student Aneesh Chopra, featured Abhisek Nag (Fornax), Gaurav Ahluwalia (Cisco), Prosenjit Mukherjee (Kalamandir Jewellers Group), Reena Wahi (KPMG India), Sanjev Vaid (NaBFID) and Swati Mudgal (Axeno Consulting). Panellists discussed purpose‑driven structures, customer‑centricity, transparent accountability and open communication. Sanjev Vaid explained NaBFID’s three‑layer operating model built around purpose, accountability and the customer; Prosenjit Mukherjee highlighted the importance of a clear delegation‑of‑authority matrix. The discussion stressed reducing bureaucracy, retaining organisational flexibility and treating human judgement as a critical resource.
  • Session 2, moderated by student Anshita Daga, included Bushra Mehdi (Axeno Consulting), Janani Prakaash (Genzeon), Kavita Tandon (Snowflake), Sandhya Nambiar (PwC AC India) and Sharad Verma (Iris Software). The speakers examined how rigid hierarchies impede decision‑making and advocated for empowered middle‑management structures, learning agility in recruitment, and preparation of managers to lead teams that combine people and AI agents. The central message was that organisational structures must follow strategy and evolve with changing business needs.

Panel 2 – The Performance Paradox

Moderated by student Nimish Batra, the second panel comprised Harshavardhan Kundalkar (Daimler Truck Innovation Center India), Indu Rashmi (Acer), Nitin Khindria (Omega Seiki Mobility), Samik Basu (Hindalco Industries Limited), Siddhartha Mukerjee (Accenture) and Soumick Roy (NaBFID). The discussion focused on balancing efficiency with long‑term organisational capability. Panellists highlighted end‑to‑end problem‑solving, talent density, collective ownership and clear strategy while warning against siloed efficiency, employee disengagement and internal competition. They also introduced the “watermelon effect,” where performance dashboards appear healthy while underlying culture is weak.

Panel 3 – The New Employment Deal

The third panel, moderated by student Vamsidhar Adhinarayan, featured Karthik Panchapakesan (TVS Motor Company), Kavita Kurup (Cyient), Parvatharajan Muthusami (Deloitte Consulting India Private Limited), Shantanu Das (Zydus Wellness), Soni Sinha (Tata Steel) and Sriniwas CR (Tata Chemicals Limited). An interactive exercise asked students to vote with coloured cards on who should fill a leadership vacancy, revealing differing perspectives on talent decisions. Soni Sinha stressed that leadership requirements vary by organisational context, noting the need for tacit knowledge and stability in manufacturing versus a sprint mindset in faster‑moving businesses. Citing World Economic Forum projections of significant job and skill shifts by 2030, the panel described the employment relationship as moving from job security toward employability, and highlighted psychological safety, curiosity and organisational culture as essential for navigating technological change.

Organisation and Hosting

The conclave was organised under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Kanagaraj Ayyalusamy and Mr. Rajni Ranjan, with the PGDM (GM) Conclave Committee batch 2026‑27 members Abirami S, Morris M, Muskan Gupta, Stuti Patwardhan and Utkrisht Suri. Hosting duties were performed by Aditya Madan, Abirami S, Hardik Dhawan, Manasi Potnis, Varun Gopu and Jigyasa Hirawat.

Conclusion

Through KRONOS 2026, XLRI reaffirmed its tradition of convening industry leaders and students to exchange perspectives on the future of leadership, talent and organisational performance, emphasizing responsible leadership and the greater good.