October 12, 2024: The Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) MBA-PGPX, in collaboration with the School of Ultimate Leadership (SOUL), Ahmedabad, recently organised a joint Speaker Session featuring Mr. Ajay Piramal, Chairman of the Piramal Group as the keynote speaker, as a part of the MBA-PGPX Speaker Series by IIMA and the Pinnacle Voices Leadership Series by SOUL. Mr. Piramal’s session, titled ‘Eternal Values in a Changing World’, emphasised the importance of integrity, compassion, and ethical leadership during times of volatility and transformation. The MBA-PGPX Speaker Series at IIMA aims to invite industry leaders on campus to share their learnings and insights with the students and the Pinnacle Voices Leadership Series is SOUL’s flagship initiative aimed at showcasing visionary leaders who embody ethical leadership and values-driven success. The series invites thought leaders from diverse sectors to share their insights, inspire, and engage with a broad audience of current and future leaders.
Mr. Ajay Piramal’s discussion covered several key points, including the enduring role of values-based leadership in fostering sustainable success, the integration of timeless principles with modern innovation, and leadership lessons drawn from Mr. Piramal’s extensive global business experience. He focused on the significance of timeless ethical principles in navigating the ever-changing global business landscape, offering deep insights into how integrity and compassion remain central to achieving long-term success through ethical decision-making that fosters trust and growth. The event also featured an interactive Q&A session with Mr. Piramal and provided networking opportunities for young leaders, entrepreneurs, and academics to engage with one another.
During his talk, Mr. Piramal shared various business anecdotes and emphasised that while change is inevitable, our values are eternal which in turn creates economic value. “If you run a value-based business or live by values, it creates significant economic value”, Mr. Piramal said. He added, “All of us go through difficult moments in life, and it’s during these times that maintaining equanimity is essential. This is how the best opportunities in life arise.”
Dr. Hasmukh Adhia, Vice Chairman of SOUL, emphasised the distinct nature of leadership, stating, “Leadership transcends the boundaries of management. While management focuses on external resources and stakeholder engagement, true leadership stems from an internal mindset. It is deeply rooted in one’s personality, values, and ethics, guiding one’s management style and decision-making.”
Professor Amit Karna, Chairperson of MBA-PGPX, IIMA, highlighted the importance of value-driven leadership. “When one’s leadership style is deeply rooted in values, it leads to ethical decision-making, which can ultimately earn the trust of your team and other stakeholders. The insights shared in Mr. Piramal’s talk have the power to inspire the next generation of leaders to prioritise values in their leadership journey.”
The event was attended by a diverse audience of IIMA community members, alongside students from other universities across Ahmedabad and business executives countrywide.
About IIM Ahmedabad: The Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) is a premier, global management Institute that is at the forefront of promoting excellence in the field of management education. In more than six decades of its existence, the Institute has been acknowledged for its exemplary contributions to scholarship, practice and policy through its distinctive teaching, high-quality research, nurturing future leaders, supporting industry, government, social enterprise and creating a progressive impact on society.
IIMA was founded as an innovative initiative by the Government, industry, and international academia in 1961. Since then, it has been consolidating its global footprint and today it has a network with over 80 top international institutions and a presence in Dubai. Its eminent faculty members and more than 44,000 alumni, who are at the helm of influential positions in all walks of life also contribute to its global recognition. Over the years, IIMA’s academically superior, market-driven, and socially impactful programmes, have earned high reputation and acclaim globally. It became the first Indian institution to receive international accreditation from EQUIS. The Institute is also placed first in the Government of India’s National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), India Rankings 2024. The Institute has been ranked 43rd globally in the Financial Times (FT) Executive Education Rankings 2024. The renowned flagship two-year Post Graduate Programme in Management (PGP) is ranked 39th in the FT Masters in Management Ranking 2024 and the one-year Post Graduate Programme in Management for Executives (PGPX) has been ranked 41st in the FT Global MBA rankings 2024.
IIMA offers consultancy services and more than 200 curated executive education programmes in customised, blended, and open enrolment formats for a diverse audience comprising business leaders, policymakers, industry professionals, academicians, government officials, armed forces personnel, agri- business and other niche sector specialists and entrepreneurs.
To know more about IIMA, please visit: https://www.iima.ac.in/
About SOUL: The School of Ultimate Leadership (SOUL) is a premier institution committed to cultivating ethical leadership for the public and private sectors. Through programs like the Pinnacle Voices Leadership Series, SOUL aims to inspire and empower leaders to navigate the complex challenges of today’s world with integrity and values.
For media queries, please contact:
Ms. Shivangi Bhatt | manager-comm@iima.ac.in and pr@iima.ac.in
