Industry Academia Interface

Xavier Business School, St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata, organized the KPMG Campus Engagement 2026 International Talk Series titled “Preparing for a Career in Finance in the Age of AI” on 3 September 2026. The panel discussion featured Lucy Iacovelli, Canadian Managing Partner, Tax & Legal, KPMG Canada; Dino Infanti, Partner & National Leader, KPMG Private Enterprise Tax; and Dawn Munro, Chief Operating Officer, Tax, KPMG Canada, along with Prof. (Dr.) Sitangshu Khatua, Dean & Professor in Finance, XBS. The session explored the evolving finance profession and the growing role of AI in accounting, tax, audit, and advisory. The panelists emphasized curiosity, adaptability, critical thinking, technical knowledge, communication, and continuous learning as essential career skills. Students also gained insights into AI governance, data analytics, client relationships, and the importance of human oversight of AI-generated outputs. Overall, the session successfully connected academic learning with global industry perspectives and encouraged students to become future-ready finance professionals.

Xavier Business School, St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata, organized an insightful session titled “Beyond Balance Sheets: The Evolving World of Finance” on 23 July 2026 as part of the MBA Induction Programme for the 2026–2028 batch. The session was delivered by Mr. Amit Goel, Chief Financial Officer, Laster Power & Infra Ltd., who shared valuable insights into the evolving role of finance in modern business. Through real-world examples and interactive discussions, he highlighted strategic financial decision-making, data analytics, adaptability, ethical leadership, and continuous learning. Overall, the session successfully bridged academic learning with practical industry perspectives and enhanced students’ understanding of contemporary financial leadership.

The event highlighted the collaboration between academia and industry and inspired students through insights on leadership, resilience, and global professional excellence. Ms. Serafi shared her personal journey, emphasizing courage, adaptability, and continuous learning, while also highlighting the growing importance of Artificial Intelligence and Generative AI in modern careers. The session included felicitation of top-performing students and an interactive Q&A segment. Overall, the event enriched students’ understanding of global leadership and future-ready skills.

The session focused on equipping young learners with contemporary leadership perspectives essential for navigating today’s fast-evolving business environment. Mr. Biswas highlighted the shift in leadership expectations in the digital era, emphasizing adaptability, emotional intelligence, and strategic thinking as crucial competencies for the next generation. He elaborated on how emerging leaders must cultivate agility in decision-making, embrace innovation, and develop collaborative mindsets to succeed in increasingly dynamic organizational settings. A major takeaway from the discussion was the need for youth to blend technical expertise with strong interpersonal skills. Mr. Biswas stressed that leadership today is not defined solely by authority but by influence, empathy, and the ability to motivate diverse teams. He also encouraged students to engage in continuous learning, build resilience, and maintain ethical responsibility as they prepare for future managerial roles. The interactive session witnessed enthusiastic participation from students, who asked insightful questions about leadership challenges, career development, and industry expectations. Overall, the talk provided valuable perspectives on modern leadership and inspired students to prepare themselves proactively for professional excellence.

During the engaging discourse, Ms. Pavek imparted invaluable insights drawn from her extensive experience in diplomacy and international relations. Her expertise illuminated various facets crucial to fostering international cooperation, particularly in today's complex geopolitical climate. The session proved to be an enriching platform for dialogue and learning, facilitated by the insightful contributions of US Consul General Melinda Pavek. Her expertise shed light on the importance of fostering open communication channels and collaborative efforts in navigating the complexities of our interconnected world.

The session aimed to introduce students to the significance of business analytics in various industries and prepare them for a data driven future. The session nurtured the critical thinking and problem-solving skills of the students by showcasing how data analysis can be applied to address real-world challenges effectively. By familiarizing students with business analytics, they were better prepared to pursue lucrative career opportunities in data analysis and decision-making roles.

Mr. Bose elaborated on the idea and importance of banking & marketing in the sphere of finance through a PowerPoint presentation to ensure a lively discussion. He went into the detail on how technology, finance, marketing, and design have all been incorporated into the stratosphere of ICICI Bank Ltd., including portfolio management of businesses and biometric vaults. He discussed on the areas of banking including retail banking and industrial banking, among others.

The inauguration was followed by an interactive discussion with the Chief Guest Mr. Harshavardhan Neotia. The theme of the discussion was focused on building the sense of propriety and righteousness within a person for rightful growth and development over time. The flavor of the inter-exchange made the audience convinced and authentically influenced towards framing a disciplined life to organize one’s path of development in a synchronized manner.

He delivered a lecture on “Opportunities of Information Technology in West Bengal. He initiated the delivery by stating the facts and undercurrents about the rising trends of IT in West Bengal, emphasizing on the increasing number of permanent employees and the total exports in the year 2016-17. He pointed out many enterprises such as Genpact, Wipro, Infosys also came up for the Bengal Global Business summit, the main objective of which was to nurture the future of IT in West Bengal and to position West Bengal at the IT hub of the country. He also mentioned that West Bengal has its advantages which will help in developing IT infrastructure; rich culture and leading growth engine of the country. He further stated that Bengal’s Silicon Valley Hub is also a major step taken towards creating opportunities of IT in West Bengal. It is spread over 100 acres plot of land. The main objective is to increase job opportunities for creative and non-creative work which requires specific skill set. This helps to build an ecosystem to draw people in the fields of Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, Cloud storage servers, 3D printing techniques, Block Chain technology etc. He pointed out that today, data analytics and IT are developing at a very fast rate and has become the most important resource for business organizations. Data is now being used to store information and records of hospitals and schools, to get signals from ambulances and police for quick co-ordination and disaster management. He concluded by saying that data is for the general public’s benefit.

He delivered a lecture on “Opportunities of Information Technology in West Bengal. He initiated the delivery by stating the facts and undercurrents about the rising trends of IT in West Bengal, emphasizing on the increasing number of permanent employees and the total exports in the year 2016-17. He pointed out many enterprises such as Genpact, Wipro, Infosys also came up for the Bengal Global Business summit, the main objective of which was to nurture the future of IT in West Bengal and to position West Bengal at the IT hub of the country. He also mentioned that West Bengal has its advantages which will help in developing IT infrastructure; rich culture and leading growth engine of the country. He further stated that Bengal’s Silicon Valley Hub is also a major step taken towards creating opportunities of IT in West Bengal. It is spread over 100 acres plot of land. The main objective is to increase job opportunities for creative and non-creative work which requires specific skill set. This helps to build an ecosystem to draw people in the fields of Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, Cloud storage servers, 3D printing techniques, Block Chain technology etc. He pointed out that today, data analytics and IT are developing at a very fast rate and has become the most important resource for business organizations. Data is now being used to store information and records of hospitals and schools, to get signals from ambulances and police for quick co-ordination and disaster management. He concluded by saying that data is for the general public’s benefit.

It was an evening packed with students of XBS, Faculty Members, Deans. The other Guest of Honor for this occasion was Mr. Rajib Kaul, Chairman of the Nicco Engineering Services Limited (NESL).

Sir has been serving as the Principal Consultant of Genpact India, with over 16 years of overall experience in diverse industries like Finance and Accounting and Manufacturing. He initiated his delivery by stating the meaning of an ERP system, a single system that integrates the data and processes of an organization. He told the students about how an ERP allows managers to look vertically and horizontally across the organization to see the information that they must see in order to be predictive in their managerial roles. He then talked about the time when there was no ERP. Each unit of a business had to be accesses and processed separately which would result in delays, lost orders and errors. He then also gave an outlook of the scenario of a business after the implementation of an ERP system. The ERP system integrated and secured self-service processes of a business. Towards the end he mentioned about the various return on organization can get by implementing an ERP system. He said how ERP eliminates redundant data, can help produce goods and services quickly therefore resulting in increased sales volume.

His words reverberated the phrase, "Life is like a ten-speed bicycle, most of us have gears but we never use". He believed in identifying the strength within one's own self in order to taste the flavor of a sumptuous exploration of life.

Xavier Business School, St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata, organized an insightful session titled “Human Resources Reimagined: Talent, Technology & Leadership” on 24 July 2026 as part of the MBA Induction Programme for the 2026–2028 batch. The session was delivered by Mr. Ranjan Banerjee, Group HR Head, Berger Paints India Ltd., who shared valuable insights into the evolving role of Human Resources in modern organizations.

Through practical corporate examples and engaging discussions, he highlighted the importance of talent management, people analytics, digital HR, employee experience, leadership development, and the growing role of artificial intelligence in HR. He emphasized that HR has evolved from an administrative function into a strategic business partner, requiring empathy, adaptability, emotional intelligence, and continuous learning.

Overall, the session successfully bridged academic learning with practical industry perspectives and encouraged students to become future-ready professionals capable of leveraging technology while maintaining a strong focus on people, leadership, and organizational growth.

Through real-world examples, he emphasized vision, adaptability, cultural intelligence, and people-centric leadership. The interactive discussion and Q&A session enriched students’ understanding of global business challenges and opportunities. Overall, the event successfully bridged academic learning with practical industry perspectives and leadership development.

Mr. Goswami shared practical insights on the behavioral competencies required for transitioning from academic life to industry, emphasizing adaptability, communication, collaboration, and ethical work practices. He highlighted the importance of understanding organizational culture and aligning academic knowledge with real-world expectations. The session was interactive, with active student participation during the Q&A. Overall, the lecture successfully bridged theory and practice, preparing students for industry readiness.

With a Ph.D. and D.Sc, Fr. Ignacimuthu has left an indelible mark in academia, serving as chair-professor at Creighton University, Chicago, and as the first Catholic priest to be a vice-chancellor in India. As a polymath in biotechnology and environmental science, he has authored 800+ research papers and 80 books, pioneering eco-friendly bio-pesticides and herbal remedies for sustainable development. Recognized with accolades like the Scientist for Life Sciences Award and the Kamarajar Award, Fr. Ignacimuthu remains humble, attributing his success to grace and support.

Dr. Chakravarti is a seasoned analytics professional for 25+ years in Financial Services, Insurance, and Market Research specializing in Credit Scoring, Risk Management, Marketing Analytics, Analytics Strategy Development, Analytics Infrastructure, Analytics team development, and training. Her extensive experience spans the Asia Pacific, the Middle East, the US & Canada.

The hour-long session covered important topics like outlining the fundamental principles of international taxation, emphasizing the significance of double taxation treaties, residency, and source-based taxation. Mr. Mukherjee adeptly elucidated the challenges faced by multinational corporations in complying with various jurisdictions while optimizing their tax liabilities. The interactive Q&A segment allowed students to seek clarification on intricate matters, providing them a platform for engaging discussions on the challenges faced by businesses operating in multiple tax jurisdictions.

The session undoubtedly succeeded in equipping participants with valuable knowledge that will prove instrumental in navigating the complexities of international taxation.

Mr. Sumit Ray has an experience of more than 3 decades of working in the field of marketing across various reputed brands in the country. He initiated the discussion with a few questions related to “what is marketing in its real sense”. Mr. Ray had come up with several interesting anecdotes from his life pertaining to the topic, mental exercises which helped students to think from an industry point of view. His primary teaching was how innovation will always lead to success in the corporate arena or otherwise. He engaged the students by asking them simple general knowledge questions and intertwining it with marketing skills.

Dr. Sinha elaborated the discussion into a few questions related to “corporate workforce management today”. She had given an insight to corporate culture, expectation of organizations from the potential candidates, influence of artificial intelligence in HRM and its pros and cons. The session was lightened up by vivid interaction on “success beyond designations and salary” and how the corporate life is to be managed during various responsibilities given to the employees.

Mr. Banerjee is an Engineer and Entrepreneur who in a relatively short span of time has created and grown RT Network Solutions Pvt. Ltd. into a successful IT Services venture. Ensuring an engaging session, Mr. Banerjee used a PowerPoint presentation to elaborate on the evolution of Industrial revolution right from Industrial Revolution 1.0 in 1780 till Industrial Revolution 5.0 which we are going through now. He elaborated on the 3 strategies by which Industry 5.0 is underpinned. He shed light on the advantages and disadvantages of Industrial Revolution 5.0. He thereafter shared various examples on the Applications of Industry 5.0. The Fifth Industrial Revolution, a new and developing era of industrialization that sees humans working alongside cutting-edge technology and A.I.-powered robots to improve workplace processes, was the main topic of his informative speech.

He spoke about how the concept of brand value is changing now and about various current issues and challenges that marketers are facing today. He also introduced the concepts of Need Value Matrix and Dating Matrix in the seminar.

Mr. Arka stated that Paytm will leave no stones unturned in order to revolutionize the global economy. Paytm has turned conspicuous as a digital wallet and an e-commerce payment system and it further proposes to extend its innovations to deem superior in the world ecosystem. Mr. Arka further indicated that Paytm acknowledges the challenges today but he sincerely believes that the company's upheaval is interminable since they believe in surpassing yesterday's success for a brighter tomorrow.

Mr. Chakrabarti initiated by stating the facts and undercurrents about how Artificial Intelligence will impact the future of work, emphasizing on the increasing risk of jobs in banking sector due to AI and also about how AI will take over the world in the upcoming years. He also talked about what AI can do in automation sector and how intelligent forms of automation are changing the ways companies operate. He also talked about the increasing rate of production in China and how the country is drawing up technical standards with which they are putting strategic plans with Chinese government to wire the world with AI.

He started the session by saying "Professional excellence is very different from academic excellence". He enlightened the students by saying that behavioral skills should have 3 C's that is context, content and confidence and that one should also understand relationship.

She mentioned few emotions that the students come across everyday like anger happiness, fear, love etc. and how understanding Emotional Intelligence helps to control emotions and manage impulses. She explained what Response vs. Reaction is. She emphasized on the importance of self-awareness. She mentioned about the six components that constitute Emotional Intelligence. She even had put up some facts on how emotions affect health and told how to manage emotions through engaging in hobbies, listening music, taking a quite walk, empathy etc. This session was extremely important and beneficial as being a manager the most crucial aspect is to manage people while keeping oneself calm and composed and this is possible only when one knows about emotions and how to control actions following those emotions.

The Covid-19 pandemic, needless to say, has got us confined to our homes. But Xavier Business School (XBS), despite these constrictions, continues to provide its students with excellent practical exposure by means of insightful webinars, fascinating interactive sessions, and a lot more. The students and faculty members of XBS got an incredible opportunity on 8th August, 2020, to host Ms. Jayeeta Nandi, Regional HR - East, Kellogg India Private Ltd., where she truly enriched the students with her gamut of knowledge and experience as they had some priceless takeaways from her session on “Changing Trends in the Job Market in the New Normal”.