Vijay Singh
Jamshedpur (Jharkhand) [India], July 29: XLRI – Xavier School of Management, Jamshedpur, once again became the epicenter for transformative ideas in the consulting industry with the successful completion of FULCRUM 6.0, themed “Navigating Disruptions, Resilience, and Strategic Transformation in the Consulting Industry.” Organized by the XLRI PGDM (GM), the event exemplified XLRI’s commitment to bringing together visionary leaders, practitioners, and students for thought-provoking engagement and future-forward conversations.
FULCRUM 6.0 unfolded through an immersive sequence of panel discussions, each thoughtfully crafted to address the evolving priorities of the consulting world. The panels offered an open platform where global executives, sectoral experts, and academic leaders shared their perspectives, fostering a rich exchange between proven best practices and bold new strategies.
The first panel set the stage by exploring Judgement in the Age of Information Overabundance. Esteemed leaders, including Ajit Pai (EY), Amey Navelkar (Persistent Systems), Anup Gandhi (Alvarez & Marsal), Avinash Baliga (Avasant), Inder N. Dua (Infosys Consulting), Jeewitesh Prabhakar (PwC), Maheshan Kuttikkariyil (IBM Consulting), Sangita Moulik Gupta (Leading Consulting Company), Shantanu Singh (Accenture), and Sujith Jain (Alvarez & Marsal), illuminated how discernment and experience remain irreplaceable even as the volume of available information continues to grow exponentially. The conversation explored the interplay between data and instinct, emphasizing that judgement is not just a skill honed through analysis but must be lived, tested, and sharpened through real client experience across a career.
The event’s momentum continued with the second panel – Generative AI as a Disruptor: Existential Threat or the Biggest Opportunity Consulting Has Ever Seen? – which welcomed experts such as Amitayu Roy (Accenture Strategy & Consulting), Angad Karunan (ZS), Avvanti Gupta (IBM Consulting), Prakash Dwivedi (EY), Priyadarshi Majumdar (Genpact), Raghav Manohar Narsalay (PwC), Renu Chandel (Accenture), Sunjeet Gupta (Accenture), Vasudev Puranik (Leading Consulting Company), and Yash Vardhan Nath (PwC). The discussion traced consulting’s evolution through successive waves of technological disruption, arriving now at the era of generative AI. Panelists reflected on how frameworks must become adaptable, that GenAI should be seen as a catalyst rather than a threat and that real consulting value arises when human talent and artificial intelligence collaborate. Operationalizing impactful ideas and maintaining empathy, precision, and purpose were lauded as the keys to navigating the future.
The third and final panel, Fee Pressure, Commoditization, and the Fight to Protect Consulting Margins in the World of Gen AI, saw dialogue among Ankur Mittal (Axeno Consulting), Anurag Khare (KPMG), Karthiga Anand (Leading Consulting Company), Krishna Prasad (CGI), Rohan Padha (Deloitte India), Sharmistha Bagchi (IBM Consulting), and Somsekhar Pal (ZS). The conversation focused on protecting value in a commoditizing market, evolving pricing models, and the imperative of intentional differentiation over the next 3–5 years. Trust, expertise and the human edge in high-stakes decision-making were solidified as the enduring advantage. The session closed with a collective recognition that in the age of AI, the firms that will thrive are the ones that can meaningfully redefine value and co-create outcomes for their clients.
FULCRUM 6.0 was conceptualized and executed by Prof. Kanagaraj Ayyalusamy, Professor of Finance & Convenor, Corporate Relations and Placements; Prof. Sunil Sarangi, Professor of Business Communication & Mr. Rajni Ranjan, Vice President from XLRI’s Corporate Relations & Placements, organized by the enthusiastic Kautilya Consulting Club members: Rishi, Paritosh Mishra, S. Vishal, Morris M., Nandini Navamit, Siddhi Patil, and Aditi Dudeja. The event was moderated by Dr. Rupinder Kaur, Monishka Singh, Nilkanth Sawant and Anurag Singh. Along with them, the hosts and co-hosts Hardik Dhawan, Megh Poddar, Dhwani Shah and Aakriti Anwesha added vibrancy and professionalism to the flow of the event.
FULCRUM 6.0 was not only an opportunity to reflect on consulting’s trajectory but also a platform for celebrating partnership, learning and actionable insight. As the panels concluded, it was evident that XLRI remains at the forefront of assembling communities where technology, people and business converge, fostering the very conversations that will shape consulting’s next chapter on a global stage.
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