The summit with the objective of empowering students with industry insights brought together industry leaders who shared actionable insights, enabling students to understand the evolving role of AI and data-driven decision-making in today’s marketing landscape. The keynote address by Deepak Mahnot, Chief Marketing Officer, Soch Apparels titled Beyond the Basics: Innovating the 4Ps for Tomorrow explored how innovation in Product, Price, Place, and Promotion can redefine marketing strategies with examples. He concluded with a call for proactive innovation to build sustainable marketing practices. The panel discussion, titled Premiumization vs. Affordability: Aligning Products with Market Segments featured B.P. Shiv, Vice President, TAFE who highlighted the importance of tailoring product variants to meet the diverse needs of the automobile sector. Doorva Bahuguna, CMO, Keenai Global, showcased how exclusivity can be maintained at lower costs, citing IPL jerseys as an example. Shawn Chandy, CMO, Paragon Footwear, emphasized creating a premium perception through sub-brands while focusing on sustainability, particularly in European markets. Bhasker Madapura, CMO, InfoVision discussed how AI can reduce costs and increase affordability but cautioned against its zero-sum dynamics.
The session concluded with insights into how technology, especially AI, is reshaping both premium and affordable product offerings. B.P. Shiv in another keynote on Strategies for Outpacing Competition to Achieve a Winning Edge focused on the topic of aligning product innovation with customer needs, leveraging technology for cost efficiency, and fostering long-term partnerships. He shared case studies on localization in India to illustrate how operational excellence drives competitive success. The panel discussion, titled The Role of AI and Machine Learning in Product Innovation explored the transformative role of AI in business strategies. Karthik S, Head of Marketing, Amazon Web Services India, emphasized that AI is reshaping roles rather than replacing them, underlining the importance of mastering AI for competitive advantage. Nikhil Kumar, Head of Digital and Brand Marketing, Stanley Black & Decker India, shared insights into how global brands leverage AI to hyper-personalize content and adapt messaging based on regional preferences. The panel concluded with a vision for the future, highlighting how AI continues to transform traditional approaches to searching and data analysis, offering precise and actionable insights. The summit that provided students with an invaluable opportunity to gain firsthand insights from industry leaders was inaugurated by Dr. J. Suryaprasad, and Dr. Shailashree Haridas. CMO Summit 2024 based on the theme of Empowering Students with Industry Insights focusing on innovation, AI-driven product development, and strategic marketing was organized by Faculty of Management and Commerce, and Center of Excellence in Learning and Development on December 17, 2024 at RR campus.
