Panel Themes
Indias Evolving Health Care System: Navigating a Brave New World
Indias health care sector can be viewed as a glass half empty or a glass half full. The challenges the sector faces are substantial, from the
need to improve physical infrastructure, to the necessity of providing health insurance and ensuring the availability of trained medical and public health personnel. But the opportunities are equally compelling, from developing drugs for the developing world, developing new infrastructure, providing medical equipment to delivering telemedicine solutions and conducting cost-effective clinical trials. Top hospitals in India are offering world class health care at a fraction of the cost at which they are offered in the West. The rise of the new Indian consumer that is urban, middle class and wealthy, lives a fast-paced, Western lifestyle . As a result, they suffer from Western, lifestyle related, illnesses for which they not only want but can also afford innovative drug treatments. Hence for companies that view the Indian health care sector as a glass half full, the potential is enormous. To learn more on how India is navigating a brave new world in health care, attend the Duke India Business Forum on Sunday, March 28th!
Panel List:
Dr. Nandakumar Jairam
Dr. Vijai Kumar
Dr. Praveen Tyle
Mr. John R. Copeland
Dr. Manoj Mohanan
Dr. Bimal Shah(Moderator)
India's Next Technology Proposition
From the establishment of their first Indian operations in the early 80s, firms across the globe have benefited from a technologically skilled Indian workforce and the advent of the offshore delivery model. While the Y2K boom might have created a sudden surge in worldwide interest in Indian technical skills, it took the emergence of global powerhouses like TCS, Infosys, Wipro and Satyam to sustain the technology business between global and Indian firms. The intervening years saw several major multinational technology companies establish offshore development centers in India. Now that the global outsourcing model is firmly established as a norm in the industry, what is the next logical step for Indian technology firms?
Breeding innovation, Indian technology firms are taking rapid steps up the value chain. Spurred by initial successes within the offshore development centers of major multinationals, Indian firms are now venturing into designing, developing and marketing complete systems. Bangalore, has emerged as a worthy holder of the title Indias Silicon Valley, with several startups from around the world establishing end-to-end product development centers in the city. Value added services are being offered, be it knowledge process outsourcing or legal process outsourcing. What is required to maintain this frantic pace of growth? What are the perils for a multinational firm in seeking technology from India? What does it take to be successful in the second wave of Indian technology businesses? These are the questions that we will pose to our esteemed panel, which includes senior executives from leading and innovative technology firms in India.
Panel List:
Mr. Mike Brinker
Dr. Alok Aggarwal
Mr. Ajay Goel
Ms. Farzana Haque
Mr. Harish Abbott(Moderator)
USIndia Economic Relations: Strengthening Ties
This session will explore the nuanced economic and political relationship between the worlds oldest and largest democracies. The new era of US-India relations coincided with the liberalization of the Indian economy in the early 90s. Doors were opened on both sides, providing US firms access to the Indian middle class market, and Indian firms access to the US capital markets. The relationship has now matured to a point where US-India trade is valued at well over $70 billion, with a trade deficit of $10 billion in Indias favor. With the US being Indias single largest source of foreign direct investment, and with India becoming an increasingly important investor in the US, the two countries have firmly entrenched economic incentives to broaden the scope of their relationship.
Visualizing the US-India relationship within the broader mosaic of US and Indian foreign, domestic and trade policy will be key to businesses in both countries. What is it that fundamentally drives this relationship? Is it a congruence of political ideals, the harsh realities of global economic interdependence, or a common interest in marginalizing a competing economic powerhouse? What needs to be done to improve this climate of economic cooperation? Most importantly, how do US and Indian firms position themselves for the future, and how do they plan for any potential changes in this environment? These are some of the questions we will be posing to our esteemed panel, leveraging their collective experience in the US Department of State and in industry.
Panel List:
Mr. David P. Good
Dr. Surabhi Garg
Ms. Farzana Haque
Prof. John Coleman
Brands Crossing Borders
In an era when borders between countries are becoming increasingly seamless, many brands seek an international presence. The rapidly expanding middle class market in India, coupled with an increased purchasing power, has made the country a tremendously attractive destination for a variety of global brands. However, marketers face the challenge of retaining their brands original identity and core values, while creating a very niche appeal to make it attractive to the Indian consumer. It is essential to analyze both overt and nuanced variations in the cultural, economic and geographic differences that make the Indian market an intriguing environment to operate in. The session, Brands Crossing Borders explores the customization of international brands for the Indian population, and examines how brand giants develop global strategies to create a universal appeal for their products. By studying some successes and failures experienced by prominent brands, this session will provide a starting point for the audience to start planning forward for the future challenges and opportunities of marketing in India.
Speaker:
Mr. Ashok Vasudevan
Financing India's Growth
Indias financial sector has evolved significantly in the last decade. Almost every mid to large-sized financial organization (from investment banks to private equity to venture capital) has developed a presence in the country in some way, shape or form. Large amounts of capital flooded markets via FDI or internal sources, to take advantage of the numerous opportunities the country had to offer. At the same time, sensing the momentum, Indian financial organizations began to go global. While the financial crisis did have an impact on the countrys capital markets, the countrys sound monetary policies shielded it from significant damage. What does the future hold for Indias capital markets? What role will Private Equity and Venture Capital play in fueling this growth? How will the model need to be modified for the Indian market? Which areas are attracting the most investment now and in the future? And finally, what do these trends mean for MBA students that are looking to build their careers in the Indian financial market? How should they position themselves now in order to take advantage of these opportunities 3, 5, and 10 years hence? These are some of the questions our esteemed panelists from the world of Banking, Private Equity and Venture Capital will try to shed light on during the panel: Financing Indias Growth.
Panel List:
Ms. Renuka Ramnath
Mr. Ravilochan Pola
Mr. Atish Babu
Prof. Manju Puri(Moderator)