IIM Lucknow’s Manfest 2010 – The Annual International Business Conclave organised ‘ Full Throttle: The Automobile Conclave’. Recent times in the global automobile industry have seen large conglomerates crashing while the Indian sector has seen an opposing trend with acquisitions and innovations galore. The growth opportunities in this sector are seamless and every day presents a newer challenge to the industry with extremely dynamic requirements and demands. The theme of the conclave was ‘Moving into top gear: getting India on the road ahead’.
Dr. Wilfried Aulbur, CEO Mercedes Benz India, Mr. D P Singh, VP S&M Goodyear India, Mr. Rajeev Kapoor, President and CEO Fiat India, Mr. Dilip Chenoy, Director-General SIAM and Mr. Dilip Chhabria, Founder DC Design. These are the names which glittered at the conclave at IIM Lucknow.
The sizeable audience gathered at the conclave was a mix of b-school students from across the globe, industry stalwarts, IIM Lucknow alumni among others. It was an enriching 2 hours of discussions which touched upon several relevant issues in the automobile industry in India.
“There is a right to drive/hire/rent a car in Europe. It would be great if we have such a concept in India”, said Dr. Wilfried Aulbur. Mr. Dilip Chenoy shared his views on the correlation between the auto industry and global warming “Research in fuel efficiency is highly important. This is a step which the entire automobile industry has to take in unison”
The discussion provided an insight into the working dynamics and thriving factors of the Automobile industries. It provided a critical analysis of the current position of the sector and the various opportunities for expansion. The conclave was pivoted around the Indian scenario and aimed to investigate the governing equations of the in-context industry, and attempt at answering the question regarding potential sustainability.
Objectives of the Conclave were:
· To understand the present nature of the industry and to seek a roadmap for the industry’s future opportunities for growth
· To provide a perspective to business school students and Manfest participants about the opportunities available in the automotive sector
· To educate the audience in depth about the challenges faced by the automobile industry and ways to jump ahead
All in all, it was an enriching experience for everyone. “This was a dream session for auto enthusiasts. The panel had some very interesting insights on the way ahead for India. Great event”, says Kiran Shah, a student from IIM Lucknow.
