IMA Insights

The use of consultants, towards the formation of business strategy, has had mixed results. Some companies claim they were a game changer, whilst others strongly disagree. It’s hard to conclude authoritatively with numerical evidence, either way. But what is clear is that they charge a lot. What is not clear though is whether what they do cannot be done internally. Companies have begun to internalise the strategy process, through the formation of a dedicated team, as this paper explains. For many, it has worked beautifully.

A retirement age of between 58 and 62 years, leaves a decade for active engagement. Some prefer to use this freedom, from regimented employment, to pursue personal interests and leisure. Still others seek to remain professionally involved by lending their skills and knowledge, acquired over decades, for the benefit of others. It is a win-win, where the individual monetises her experience and an organisation, gains from it in a cost effective manner. Lending time to boards of other companies is enriching both professionally and financially. CEOs and function heads could actively pursue these opportunities - not necessarily with large public listed companies, but rather with the mid-sized owner managed ones. The attached paper explains. I hope you would find it in order.

Forward premiums, play a critical role in foreign exchange markets. They are the difference between the spot rate and the forward exchange rate. They represent either a premium or a discount at which a foreign currency is valued in the forward markets, when compared to its current value. Premiums, consequently, provide insights into the market’s outlook, investor sentiments and the likely direction of exchange rate movements. Forward premiums are, in addition, influenced by market expectations and risk perceptions. When interest rate differentials between the United States and India narrow, it tends to reduce the attractiveness of holding rupee forward contracts, leading to a decrease in the forward premium. This podcast explains. 

Gen Z are different to their bosses. Their job is only a small part of their identity and they make that abundantly clear in the work place. They value empathy at work and frequently consider it a precondition. Their bosses, on the other hand, do not place as high a value on this attribute. They want to feel respected rather than solely measured for productivity, which is what most companies prefer to focus on. Contrary to popular perception, studies have shown that Gen Z do want job stability and financial security. Many are active investors in financial markets as the primary platform for wealth creation, as opposed to the brick-and-mortar investments in homes and real-estate, preferred by their parents. This podcast  explains.  

At our recent Q4FY24 India CHRO Forum Dialogue in Mumbai, Jaspreet Bindra delved into the influence of AI and Gen AI on business operations and societal dynamics. Following this insightful discussion, Rajesh Mani elaborated on the crucial role played by CHROs in shaping the organisational culture. This podcast summarises these discussions in greater detail. 

Driven by regulators, customers and investors, ESG represents a unique opportunity for businesses to transform themselves. Getting the ‘green transformation’ right involves building a comprehensive strategy that integrates sustainability into operations; and carefully evaluating the firm’s environmental impact, community engagement and governance beyond numerical targets. At a recent India CFO Forum session in Delhi, Abhishek Tripathi, Partner – ESG at Grant Thornton, shared insights on how ESG is becoming an imperative mandate for businesses and the Finance’s role in this transition.This podcast summarises these discussions in greater detail. 

Our recent Q4 FY24 CHRO Dialogue in Delhi had sessions on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) led by Dr Abhishek Tiwary, Senior Vice President, Human Resources Tech Mahindra; and on Generative AI (GenAI), led by Jaspreet Bindra, Managing Director and Founder of Tech Whisperer and author of the bestselling book, ‘The Tech Whisperer: On Digital Transformation and the Technologies that Enable it.’ This podcast summarises these discussions. 

No more than a decade ago mental health sadly, carried a stigma which prevented patients from even discussing it within their own families. Fortunately, that has now begun to change. The issue gained recognition and importance during the extended lockdowns in the aftermath of the Covid 19 pandemic. Subsequently, employers acknowledge this as something that could no longer be ignored and needed to be grappled with. As our research report suggests, employers are taking corrective steps in the right direction to provide support and therapeutic assistance to workers, who suffer from this unfortunate ailment. The fact is, it is so easily treatable, only if awareness could be spread, symptoms recognised and medical intervention sought. Mental health has business repercussions, as the productivity rate of employees falls drastically and burnouts happen faster. This may not, as the usual impression goes, yet affect the overall business and the culture of an organisation, but the reality is quite different. The reason is the problem is far more widespread than many are prepared to admit or even recognise. Consequently, employers have a moral obligation in this regard. This podcast offers a perspective. 

The odds of a second Trump presidency are a little better than the outcome of a toss of a coin. It all boils down to 7 swing states, which have over recent history been pivotal. The real issues to grapple with are the likely policy shifts that may take place under a second Trump administration. This could be across the entire spectrum from geopolitics, energy, security, trade and investment, immigration amongst others. These will impact global supply chains (both manufacturing and services) , and consequently, business enterprise, even those operating in India. This podcast presents a perspective. 

What does it take to start and grow a business in a sector as challenging as civil aviation, with all its regulatory complexities, infrastructural constraints and price-sensitive consumers? What lessons can other industries draw from the experience of IndiGo, India’s largest and most profitable airline, which, through relentless innovation, managed to carve out a niche for itself? How is the entry of Akasa Air, the ‘new kid on the block,’ reshaping an already turbulent sector? Aditya Ghosh, a seasoned business leader with over 22 years of experience and Co-Founder of Akasa Air, who previously spent a decade on the Board of IndiGo, answered these questions at a recent session of the India CEO Forum in Delhi. This podcast summarises the discussion.

After decades of being burdened with leftist Peronists, Argentina finally elected Javier Milei a self-described libertarian. Mr Milei had campaigned on a promise of small government and a passionate commitment to fixing Argentina’s crumbling economy.  An economic paradox of sorts, in the first few decades of the 21st century, Argentina was one of the world’s richest countries. It is now an economic disaster. Burdened with unsustainable debt and very high inflation, Argentina has consistently defaulted on its commitment to international creditors. Mr Milei brings a fresh promise to fix its economic architecture. This podcast explains.

Simon Kuznets, a Nobel Prize-winning economist, once remarked that there are four types of countries – advanced economies, emerging markets, Argentina and Japan. Japan, which has over the years and despite a series of policy efforts, remained plagued with price deflation and feeble growth. But a new worry that it is now struggling with is the massive debt burden of its government. With rising interest rates, this may become unsustainable. Also burdened with a declining workforce and possibly a shrinking economy, Japan will tragically lose its influence in Asia. That cannot be construed as good news. This podcast explains

At a recent, half-day India CHRO Forum meeting in Bangalore, IMA India had sessions on building a high-performance culture, and on identifying and managing unconscious bias - which can be a serious impediment in any business.Fidelity National Financial (FNF) India stands out within India’s fast-growing Global Capability Centre (GCC) space. It is one of the rare GCCs to have an independent P&L mandate – one that is supported by a high-performance culture that remains solidly employee-centric. This unique mix has allowed FNF to move steadily up the ranks on the Great Places to Work (GPTW) list. What does it take to build and sustain such a culture? How did HR and the CEO’s office work together to enable it? George Inasu, FNF India’s Managing Director and Country Head, answered these questions while tracing FNF’s unusual story. Unconscious biases are ingrained prejudices or attitudes that subtly influence a person’s perceptions, decisions and actions. Smita Tharoor, motivational keynote speaker and thought leader on the unconscious bias, and the founder of Tharoor Associates; and Sriram S., award winning Happiness@Work, author of ‘Happiness Habits’, certified life wisdom and unconscious bias coach and a featured speaker at TEDx, explored unconscious bias in daily life and workplaces and delved into manifestations and impacts in gender differences. They further uncovered its effects in work settings and discussed constructive management strategies to address and mitigate such biases effectively.This podcast summarises these discussions.

With 2024 around the corner, it is a good time to take stock of the prospects for global – and Asian – growth. China is visibly slowing, part of the eurozone are in recession and America may not be able to hold off a downturn for much longer. Added to this mix, geopolitical risks have spiked and elections are due in India, the US and probably the UK. At a recent joint online session of the India CEO and CFO Forums session, Richard Martin, Founder and Managing Director of IMA Asia, assessed the risks and opportunities that lie ahead and offered unique insights from an East-Asian vantage point.  This podcast offers a brief summary of the session 

Over the coming decade, some countries will do a lot better than others. India, for instance, is likely to emerge as the world’s fastest growing large economy just as China’s growth begins to moderate. Businesses will need to realign their strategies under these changing market conditions to seek out opportunities and refigure their supply chains. The critical question for strategists is the management of risk - is the greater risk the investment committed to tap future opportunities going sour (should they fail to materialise) or is it the failure to tap it and lose both market share or an opportunity?

The rise and fall of countries in the global pecking order, is based on their ability to efficiently use capital and other resources. Clearly, it helps to avoid bad politics. Over the course of the last five decades, the global economic map has transformed radically. In the coming decade, there will again be a new set of winners and losers. This paper is the first in a two part series that looks at historical changes and our assessment of the future. It is based, largely, on the commentary by Richard Martin, Managing Director of IMA Asia, our sister company, at a joint session of the CEO and CFO Forums.

Private equity investor, philanthropist and educator – Ashish Dhawan has worn many hats over the course of his career. He currently runs The Convergence Foundation (TCF), which he set up a few years ago to help drive change at a public-policy level. At a recent online session of the India CEO and CHRO Forums, he shared insights, drawing on his long and varied career, on how business, education and the not-for-profit sectors intersect in India. He also discussed how he used his learnings from the private sector to help build one of India’s leading educational institutions, Ashoka University, and more recently, to establish TCF. This podcast  summarises these discussions 

India is in the midst of transformative change, economically, geopolitically and in terms of public policy. Savings are moving from fixed assets (real estate, gold) to financial ones. Equally, capital markets are fast replacing banks as a source of growth funding. 

During IMA India's  espresso session last week, we shared the findings of the 2023 Personal Finance and Wealth Management Survey. With about 360 respondents, the data generated was robust both in terms of our ability to undertake correlations and generate meaningful insights for practical use. The report will be shared over the coming days. During the session, participants raised questions in relation to personal finance and this podcast will provide a perspective on some of these. 

In recent years, the issue of sustainability has gained vastly in prominence – and with it, so has the need to incorporate it in financial reporting. Traditionally, the two have been kept separate, but today, SEBI’s BRSR, the IFRS S1 and S2 standards and Ind-AS all have provisions for including sustainability-related issues in financial statements.At a recent session of the India CEO and CFO Forum in Mumbai, MP Vijay Kumar, Executive Director and Group CFO of Sify Technologies, decoded these standards and their implications for Finance. The podcast offers a brief summary of the session along with a fuller commentary on the subject.