The CHRO Roundtable 2025, hosted at the IIFT Kolkata Campus, was a landmark event bringing together senior HR leaders, corporate professionals, academicians, and students to reflect on the future of work and the evolving responsibilities of HR in an AI-driven world. The theme emphasized how organizations must prepare for a rapidly changing workforce and create sustainable strategies for the coming decades. The day began with registration, followed by the auspicious Lighting of the Lamp (Diya Prajwalan) ceremony, led by Dr. Saikat Banerjee (Head – CRCAD, IIFT), Dr. K. Rangarajan (Centre Head – IIFT Kolkata Campus), and Chief Guest Ajaya Kumar Sahoo (Executive Director, Group HR – RP Sanjiv Goenka Group). Each dignitary was warmly welcomed with a floral bouquet and a token of appreciation, marking the beginning of the event with positivity and respect.
Professor Saikat Banerjee traced the history of IIFT and highlighted the mission of 'One IIFT, Multiple Campuses', emphasizing a common pedagogy and shared vision. Professor K. Rangarajan contextualized the current workforce dynamics and highlighted pressing challenges in HR. He noted the rising impatience among youngsters and the lack of clarity on career goals. He emphasized how greater knowledge increases employability and market value but simultaneously reduces employee loyalty and tenure in organizations. He underscored the importance of addressing the 'Employability Quotient' and the 'HR Quotient', while warning against the dilution of corporate rigor.
Chief Guest, Ajaya Kumar Sahoo, delivered a powerful address on the dynamic role of HR in today’s fast-evolving world. He emphasized that HR is no longer limited to being process-oriented but is increasingly becoming site-driven, contextual, and business-focused.
The first panel discussion brought together leading HR practitioners to share their perspectives on how AI is reshaping the workforce. Dr. Manoj K. Prasad (Reliance Industries) compared AI to 'Kamdhenu', a divine resource that can fulfill multiple needs. He acknowledged that while AI may lead to job losses, approximately 170 million new jobs are expected to be created globally. He highlighted the emergence of agentic digital workers, cloud AI, and quantum AI, stressing the need for continuous upskilling and reskilling. Priya Ranjan Kumar (JSW Steel described HR as the culture architect of an organization and identified the '5Cs' – Critical Thinking, Complex Problem Solving, Creativity, Collaboration, and Communication – as the cornerstone of future leadership. He emphasized embedding these competencies into workplace culture. Ranjan Banerjee (Berger Paints) focused on the acceleration of digital job creation by 2035. He emphasized that staying relevant is the most important skill for MBA graduates. He spoke about HR’s evolving role amidst geopolitical changes and stressed upon coaching, empathy, and community-building as human qualities AI cannot replicate. Asha Subramanian (Subex) highlighted AI’s limitations and categorized AI literacy into three tiers – basic users, program learners, and deep experts. She also underlined which roles may vanish and which may evolve alongside AI augmentation. The panel moderated by Dr Naman Sharma, a faculty member of IIFT concluded that while AI will disrupt industries, it cannot replace human purpose, creativity, and empathy. HR leaders must take responsibility for reskilling and preserving human-centric values.
Sudhir Sharma (Adani) discussed leadership challenges in times of disruption. He stressed the need for humility, accountability, and hard work, along with corporate accountability and acceptance of failures.
The second panel discussion focused on leadership expectations in the coming decade. Capt. Partha Samai (Jio) advocated leadership agility and promoted the '3Cs' – Curiosity, Collaboration, and Courage. He emphasized the importance of asking 'why' before making decisions. Rakesh Prasad discussed situational leadership and the importance of speed in execution. Arpita Pamnani (Axis Bank) spoke about valuing Gen Z perspectives, highlighting their curiosity and enthusiasm. She emphasized how freshers bring energy and humility to HR practices and contribute to workplace transformation. Navneet Damani (ITC Ltd) focused on shifting priorities of Gen Z employees, the need to inspire rather than impose, and the role of self-leadership. He advocated coaching programs to support employees’ personal discovery and growth. The panel moderated by Dr. Priyanka Jaiswal, a faculty member of IIFT agreed that adaptability, humility, and embracing generational diversity are central to preparing leaders for the next decade.
In the last session of the day, Rashmita Parija (Lexmark) provided insights into the HR Playbook for Gen Z & Gen Alpha Workforce. She spoke on redefining loyalty, flexibility, mental health, personalized learning and DEI expectations.
The day concluded with a vote of thanks by Banty Banerjee, who expressed heartfelt gratitude to all dignitaries, speakers, panelists, faculty, and students. The event created a meaningful dialogue between industry leaders and academia, inspiring students and professionals to embrace change with curiosity, resilience, and responsibility.