The Fuqua School of Business at Duke University is pleased to announce the 2nd Annual India Business Forum. This event provides a platform for global business leaders, professionals, alumni, faculty and students to share their perspectives on critical Indian business issues.

“INDIA: TURNING THE LENS ON TOMORROW”

For nearly two decades, continuing economic liberalization and reforms have fueled India’s economic growth. Through disruptive innovation, such as the global sourcing and delivery model, India has become the second fastest growing economy and has strongly positioned itself as a global leader. The country has become the preferred destination for investment for multinational corporations as they look to capitalize on India’s growing middle-class, skilled workforce and its relentless spirit of innovation. Indian companies, in their quest to go global, have also made history in recent years through incredible advances in innovation and M&A activity across various sectors.

The global financial crisis, however, has created uncertainty and challenges, and has raised a host of questions for both companies interested in conducting business in India and for Indian companies seeking to expand globally. Will innovation that fueled prior growth continue to transform India into an economic powerhouse? How will Indian companies expanding globally merge their work ethics and culture with those of host countries? What are these companies doing to build global brands? Does the Indian market have capital to continue financing multibillion dollar acquisitions? These are the questions that the 2nd Annual Duke India Business Forum, entitled “India: Turning the Lens on Tomorrow,” aims to explore through a variety of thought-provoking sessions. This day-long event is entirely student-run and will explore various facets of these challenges from the perspective of business practitioners who would like to conduct business with and within India.

A SUCCESSFUL START

Last year, the Fuqua School of Business held its inaugural India Business Forum. The conference attracted more than 400 attendees from all over the United States and India. The list of distinguished speakers included Shikha Sharma (CEO, Prudential ICICI), Deepak Advani (CMO, Lenovo India) and Vish Mishra (Venture Director, Clearstone Venture Partners). Panel discussions and keynote speeches were primarily focused on the finance, marketing, technology, entrepreneurship and healthcare verticals. Both Indian and international firms used the platform successfully to showcase their global presence. The audience was comprised of both the student body and a variety of working professionals. In addition, this event served as a networking platform for students, professionals working in Research Triangle Park and members of organizations, such as The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE).