XLRI Jamshedpur Hosts FULCRUM 5.0, Explores the Future of Consulting in the Age of AI

Jamshedpur, October 16: XLRI Jamshedpur once again became the centre of discussion and innovation in the consulting world with the successful hosting of FULCRUM 5.0 on October 11. The event, themed “Reimagining Consulting: Innovation, AI, and Talent,” was organized by the PGDM (GM) program and the Kautilya Consulting Club. It reflected XLRI’s continuing commitment to bringing together business leaders, consultants, and students to discuss the future of consulting in a rapidly changing world.

The one-day event featured three interactive panel discussions that focused on major shifts in the consulting industry—innovation, artificial intelligence, and the changing role of human talent.

The first panel, “Start-Up Thinking in Big Firms: Intrapreneurship in Consulting,” explored how large consulting firms can promote innovation from within. The panel featured Prashant Mehra (Grant Thornton Bharat LLP), Utkalika Badu (Gartner), Soumala Sarkar (Accenture), Rajesh Narayan (LatentView Analytics), Dipen Trivedi (BDO), Debashish Biswas (Deloitte), and Maneesha Gupta (Cognizant). Speakers discussed how intrapreneurship—thinking like a start-up within large organizations—can help firms remain agile and creative. They emphasized that culture plays a critical role in encouraging innovation and must be lived and demonstrated by every member of the organization. The session highlighted how fostering creativity, taking calculated risks, and promoting ownership can help consulting firms stay ahead in a competitive market.

The second session, “Consulting Reimagined: Adapting to the GenAI Era,” focused on the growing influence of artificial intelligence in consulting. The panel included Shamindra Basu (IBM), Vidhya Visweswarababu (Deloitte Digital), Karthikeyan Girijanandan (Ascendion), Shrikant Sarda (Accenture), Akhilesh Sahu (Alvarez & Marsal), and Dipanjan Bhattacharyya (Accenture). Experts traced the evolution of consulting through four stages—ERP, the internet and mobile era, digital analytics, and now the rise of GenAI. They agreed that while technology has become a major force, consulting’s true strength still lies in human insight and creativity. The speakers stressed that artificial intelligence should act as an enabler, helping consultants make data-driven decisions while maintaining empathy, clarity, and purpose.

The final discussion, “Talent Advantage in Consulting: Building the Workforce of the Future,” focused on preparing consultants for the challenges of the next decade. The panel included Rohit Gambhir (Centric Consulting), Ravindra Yadav (The Knowledge Company), Disha Roy (Publicis Sapient), Rachna Nath (Intueri Consulting), Rayan Modi (BDO Executive Search), and Dr. Rupesh Kumar Singh (EY). Speakers highlighted the importance of multi-skilled professionals and the need for continuous learning and adaptability. They observed that trust, empathy, and collaboration would remain vital qualities in the consulting industry, even as technology continues to evolve. The panel concluded that the leaders of tomorrow will be those who can balance innovation with human understanding.

Reflecting on the event, Manish, a faculty member at XLRI, said, “FULCRUM 5.0 is a platform where thought leaders and professionals come together to shape the consulting industry’s future. It demonstrates how innovation, technology, and human talent can work hand in hand.”

The event ended on a positive note, with participants appreciating the opportunity for knowledge sharing and collaboration. FULCRUM 5.0 once again reinforced XLRI’s role as a pioneer in creating spaces where academia and industry connect to discuss global trends and future possibilities in consulting.

The event was efficiently organized and executed by the Kautilya Consulting Club of the PGDM (GM) cohort.