Icon Lectures: Day 1BIO DATADr Raman Ramachandran, Chairman, BASF Companies in India & Head South AsiaDr Ramachandran is the Chairman of BASF Companies in India. In addition to this, he is the Head of BASF in South Asia, with Group Companies in Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh reporting to him. Prior to his current role, he held the position of Senior Vice President, Crop Protection, Asia Pacific, based in Singapore.Dr Ramachandran has over 25 years of diversified experience in research, operations, new market development and strategic planning. He joined BASF in 2000 and has held several senior management positions in the company, including two years as a Director on the Board of BASF India Limited, from 2006 to 2007.He is a Master of Science and a PhD in Agriculture from the University of Adelaide, Australia, after which he pursued his research interests by associating with Universities/Institutions of International reputation such as International Rice Research Institute, Manila, Philippines; University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI; ICIPE, Kenya. During his academic career he published more than 25 research papers in International Scientific publications and has won a number of awards, including the prestigious, Robert S. McNamara Fellowship of the Economic Development Institute of World Bank in 1990. Raman is also a Newfield certified coach.BIO DATAMr Alok Kirloskar, Managing Director, SPP Pumps LtdMr Alok Kirloskar graduated in Business administration with a concentration in Finance and Industrial engineering from Carnegie Mellon University (Pittsburgh, USA). He has been associated with other companies such as Girvan Institute of Technology (NASA technology Commercialization Division), Toyota Motors USA and Sonansoft Corporation (Microsoft GPC). Mr Kirloskar is Managing Director of SPP Pumps Ltd. SPP Pumps Ltd is the United Kingdom’s largest Pump manufacturer with significant focus on the Oil and Gas, Industrial, Firefighting and water and waste water sectors. It is a part of the USD 700 million Kirloskar Brothers Limited which is the flagship company of the USD 2.5 billion Kirloskar Group with interests in Pumps & Pumping Systems, Diesel Engines and Gensets, Compressors, Pig Iron as well as automobiles through the Toyota Kirloskar Motors joint venture. In addition to running SPP Pumps Ltd, he manages the knowledge management systems for both KBL and SPP combined as well as the Mergers & Acquisitions group at Kirloskar Brothers Limited.

Panel Discussion : Day 1

BIO DATAMr B Shankar, Chairman and Managing Director, Xytel India Pvt LtdMr B Shankar is the Chairman & Managing Director of Xytel India Pvt Ltd has over 40 years of experience in Petrochemicals Plant Design, Project Management and Mini Plants. Xytel India is a joint venture company of Aker Solutions and Xytel Inc. (USA) a pioneer in Skid Mounted Mini Plant Design with expertise in Modular Design of over 40years. Mr Shankar joined Xytel India as GM Operations in 1998 and gradually rose in the organization to assume the position of Chairman and Managing Director in 2007. He has steered the company to expand the business in volume and geography.Mr B Shankar served as Project Manager in KPGI, now known as Aker Solutions and Technimont - ICB from 1985 to 1998 and has successfully executed several Petrochemical Projects from grass root. He has also served as Head of Process Department in KPGI between 1993 and 1995 and contributed significantly towards the turnkey business promotion and execution of KPGI.He is a Chemical Engineer from Madras University and has undergone professional training in several management organizations. He has a professional Certificate in the management programme at US International University San-Diego, California on Strategic Management.

Icon Lectures: Day 2

BIO DATAMr V V Surya Rau, President – Group Manufacturing Services as, RelianceMr V V Surya Rau graduate in Mathematics and Statistics from Vivekananda College Madras, Silver medallist in B.Tech Chemical engineering from IIT Madras in 1965, started his career as a shift supervisor, in PVC polymer plant at Calico Chemicals and Plastics in Mumbai in 1966, after a six months exposure in petroleum refining at Alexandria Petroleum Company in Egypt. Mr Surya Rau joined Reliance Industries currently India’s largest private sector company in 1997 as the President of Patalganga Complex. He was transferred to Jamnagar world Class Grass roots refinery, complex at the time of construction, as the President petrochemicals and non-fuels comprising Aromatics, Poly propylene, Power and Utilities Oil Movement and Storage and marine facilities. After successful commissioning of the same, he moved to Mumbai and established the Reliance Group Manufacturing Services as its President. His passion for excellence extends beyond the HSE, Six Sigma, Leadership and Executive Coaching and other next practices of Manufacturing Excellence.In the past, he has worked in various capacities with NOCIL. Mr Surya Rau has received immense inputs in various manufacturing excellence practices at SHELL, DuPont, ASCI, IIM A, and IIM B