Jamshedpur (Jharkhand) [India], October 27: XLRI – Xavier School of Management, Jamshedpur, hosted the sixth edition of KRONOS, its annual flagship CHRO Conclave. Organised by the PGDM (GM) Conclave Committee, Corporate Relations & Placement, the conclave brought together 23 CHROs and senior HR leaders to deliberate on the theme, “Who Will Build the Company of Tomorrow? The New Rules of Leadership, Talent & Performance.” The conclave explored the evolving role of Chief Human Resources Officers (CHROs) in shaping organisational structures, strengthening performance and redefining the relationship between organisations and their people.
The event was inaugurated with the ceremonial lighting of the lamp by Dr. Sanjay Patro, Dean (Academics), XLRI Jamshedpur, and Prof. Sunil Kumar Sarangi, Associate Dean – Corporate Programs & VIL, XLRI Jamshedpur, in the presence of distinguished HR leaders.
In his inaugural address, Dr. Sanjay Patro recalled India’s technology mission of 1984–85, when computerisation faced resistance from bank and railway employees, yet the technology sector subsequently emerged as a major employer of young people. Drawing parallels with the present, he emphasised India’s potential to drive another transformation through its talent and industry leadership. He challenged participants to consider how India, representing one-sixth of humanity could put its collective intelligence to work for the greater good. He encouraged students to engage actively with industry leaders and develop clarity about multiple possible futures and the preparedness each would demand.
The first panel, “The Organization Without a Blueprint,” explored the changing nature of organisational design through two parallel sessions.
The first session, moderated by Aneesh Chopra, a student of XLRI Jamshedpur’s PGDM (GM) programme, 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 shared how NaBFID built its structure around purpose, accountability and the customer with just three operating layers, while Prosenjit Mukherjee highlighted the role of a clear delegation-of-authority matrix. The discussion underscored the need to reduce bureaucracy, retain organisational flexibility and recognise human judgement as a critical resource.
The parallel session, moderated by Anshita Daga, a student from PGDM (GM) programme, featured Bushra Mehdi (Axeno Consulting), Janani Prakaash (Genzeon), Kavita Tandon (Snowflake), Sandhya Nambiar (PwC AC India) and Sharad Verma (Iris Software).
The panellists examined how rigid hierarchies can impede decision-making and discussed the shift towards more empowered middle-management structures. They highlighted learning agility in recruitment and the need to prepare managers to lead teams comprising people and AI agents. The central message was that organisational structures must follow strategy and evolve with changing business needs.
The second panel, “The Performance Paradox,” was moderated by Nimish Batra, a student from PGDM (GM) programme. It featured 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 emphasised end-to-end problem-solving, talent density, collective ownership and clear strategy. They cautioned against siloed efficiency, employee disengagement and internal competition. The discussion also highlighted the “watermelon effect”, in which performance dashboards appear healthy while underlying organisational culture indicates otherwise.
The third panel, “The New Employment Deal,” was moderated by Vamsidhar Adhinarayan, a student from PGDM (GM) programme. The panellists were 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 invited students to vote using coloured cards on who should fill a leadership vacancy, highlighting differing perspectives on talent decisions. Soni Sinha emphasised that leadership requirements depend on organisational context, noting the importance of tacit knowledge and stability in manufacturing and the need for a sprint mindset in faster-moving businesses. Referencing World Economic Forum projections of significant job and skill shifts by 2030, panellists described the evolving employment relationship as a shift from job security towards employability. They also highlighted psychological safety, curiosity and organisational culture as essential to navigating technological change.
KRONOS 2026 was organised under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Kanagaraj Ayyalusamy and Mr. Rajni Ranjan by the PGDM (GM) Conclave Committee, Batch 2026–27, comprising Abirami S, Morris M, Muskan Gupta, Stuti Patwardhan and Utkrisht Suri. The event was hosted by Aditya Madan, Abirami S, Hardik Dhawan, Manasi Potnis, Varun Gopu and Jigyasa Hirawat.
Through KRONOS 2026, XLRI continued its tradition of bringing industry leaders and students together to exchange perspectives on the future of leadership, talent and organisational performance, reaffirming its commitment to responsible leadership and the greater good.
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