Godrej Industries Group Hosts Third National Chemistry Day Summit to Discuss Industry Resilience

MUMBAI — Godrej Industries Group (GIG) recently hosted the third edition of its National Chemistry Day Summit, convening industry leaders to discuss strategies for building resilience within the chemical sector. Held under the theme 'Staying Resilient in a New Age World', the summit was a joint initiative of GIG companies Godrej Industries (Chemicals) and Astec LifeSciences.

The gathering addressed how businesses can adapt to changing market dynamics, evolving supply chains, technological disruptions, and shifting sustainability landscapes. Against the backdrop of geopolitical uncertainty and changing customer expectations, discussions centered on moving beyond short-term reactions to build long-term capabilities.

Vishal Sharma, Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer of Godrej Industries (Chemicals) and Chairperson of Astec LifeSciences, emphasized the collaborative nature required for the sector. He noted that resilience involves anticipating future challenges and that companies must work together across the value chain rather than operating strictly as individual entities.

The summit featured two primary panels. The first, titled 'Resilience Beyond the Enterprise: Building a Future-Ready Chemical Industry,' was moderated by Vishal Sharma and included panellists Murali Krishna Duvvuri of Croda, Alexander Gerding of BASF India, and Bankim Patra of Indian Oil Corporation Limited. Discussions focused on integrated approaches, value chain collaboration, R&D partnerships, and supporting infrastructure.

The second panel, 'Resilience for the Enterprise: Driving Growth, Competitiveness, and Agility in a Changing Market,' was moderated by Sandeep Arora of Godrej Industries (Chemicals). It featured Raj Tiwari of SUPERFORM and UPL Limited, Ajith Kumar of Birla Opus, and Vimal Bhola of Innovist. This session explored internal enterprise capabilities, including talent development, product differentiation, customer-centricity, and balancing execution with R&D investments.

In addition to the panels, the event highlighted emerging priorities such as artificial intelligence and talent acquisition. A keynote session by Sambit Patra of Bain & Company explored the role of AI in shaping future industry growth. Furthermore, a fireside chat on the talent imperative featured Shefali Kohli of Aditya Birla Group and Poonam Burman of Godrej Industries (Chemicals).

"The chemical industry plays a foundational role in the broader industrial ecosystem, and navigating current global uncertainties requires a coordinated approach. Initiatives that bring together key stakeholders to discuss supply chain resilience, technology integration, and talent development are essential for long-term stability and sustainable growth in this sector." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes