VMPL
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 22: SHRM Tech26, the 12th edition of SHRM's flagship conference on HR and workplace technology, opened today at the Jio World Convention Centre, Mumbai, bringing together more than 2,500 HR and business leaders, including over 500 CXOs and 150+ speakers from India and around the world. Held under the theme "Connected Intelligence," the two-day conference is examining how organizations can combine human capability with AI-powered systems to transform decision-making, workforce strategy, and enterprise performance.
From boardroom strategy to frontline execution, Day 1 discussions reflected a clear shift in how organizations are moving beyond AI experimentation toward scalable, and responsible adoption. Opening the conference, Achal Khanna, CEO, SHRM APAC & MENA, said the future of work will belong to organizations that can seamlessly connect people, technology, and data. "Connected Intelligence is about creating workplaces where human capability and artificial intelligence amplify one another.
The organizations that will lead tomorrow are those that use technology not just to automate tasks, but to enhance decision-making, strengthen culture, and unlock the full potential of their people," said Achal Khanna, CEO, SHRM APAC & MENA. The opening keynote, "From Connection to Cognition," was delivered by Vinay Tonse, Managing Director & CEO, YES BANK, who spoke about how leaders can build intelligent ecosystems that convert information into insight and insight into action. Throughout the day, SHRM Tech26 featured a high-impact lineup of keynote addresses, panel discussions, and concurrent sessions covering workforce transformation, employee experience, recognition and rewards, well-being, talent acquisition, and enterprise AI.
Sessions such as - The 2026 Blueprint for an Engaged Workforce, Global HR Playbook that Actually Drives ROI, and Workforce 2030: The Next Frontier of Talent and Transformation highlighted the growing importance of skills-based organizations, measurable HR outcomes, and employee-centric design.
A series of discussions focused on how organizations are redesigning the employee experience. Conversations on benefits, well-being, and recognition explored how companies are using data and technology to create more personalized and meaningful experiences for employees.
Sessions such as From Benefits to Behaviour, The New Wellbeing Stack, and The Core R&R Playbook underscored the role of financial, mental, and physical wellbeing as strategic drivers of engagement, retention, and productivity. Day 1 also placed a strong spotlight on AI's impact on work and business performance. In his impact address, Krishnakumar Natarajan, Former CEO of Mindtree and Managing Partner at Mela Ventures, examined how leaders can guide AI-driven workforce transformation. Later, Manish Gupta, Group CIO, Aditya Birla Group, argued that the new competitive advantage lies not in talent or technology alone, but in the ability to scale intelligence across the enterprise.
One of the day's marquee sessions, "Connected Intelligence in Action: Agentic AI Redefining Enterprise Performance," presented in partnership with Workday, explored how organizations are moving from isolated HR systems to connected intelligence layers capable of initiating decisions, orchestrating actions, and improving enterprise agility. The session featured Richard Rekhy, Vice Chair, Grant Thornton Bharat & Former CEO, KPMG in India, Sunil Jose, President, Workday India; Harjeet Khanduja, Senior Vice President - HR, Reliance Jio; and Kavita Kurup, Chief People Officer, Cyient.
Additional highlights included discussions on quality talent acquisition, future-ready skills, cloud-based HRMS platforms, and the evolving role of leaders in an AI-powered world. The day concluded with the Future-Tech Track, "Workforce 2030: Skills, Systems, and Shifts," featuring senior leaders from PepsiCo India & South Asia, and Google India, who shared insights on building resilient organizations equipped for the next decade.
Commenting on the significance of the event, Gaurav Bansal, Director, Marketing & Communications - SHRM India, APAC & MENA, said SHRM Tech26 reflects the conversations that matter most to business leaders today. SHRM Tech26 is where the future of work becomes tangible. Day 1 made it clear that organizations are focused on scaling AI responsibly while keeping people at the center. The ideas and insights shared here provide a practical roadmap for leaders looking to drive transformation with confidence,".
"At SHRM, our focus is on helping organizations build future-ready and people-centric workplaces. Through SHRM Tech26, we are bringing together HR and business leaders to discuss how technology and human intelligence can drive stronger employee engagement, workplace transformation, and business growth," said, Surajit Bit, Senior Director - Operations & People Engagement, SHRM India, APAC & MENA.
With discussions spanning technology, culture, leadership, and strategy, SHRM Tech26 Day 1 reinforced one central message: the future of work will be defined by connected intelligence, where AI augments human potential and HR plays a pivotal role in shaping enterprise success.
SHRM Tech26 continues tomorrow with additional sessions on workforce innovation, leadership, and emerging technologies.
About SHRM Tech
SHRM Tech is SHRM's flagship annual conference focused on the intersection of HR and technology. It brings together HR leaders, business executives, and technology innovators to explore the trends, tools, and strategies shaping the future of work.
About SHRM
SHRM is the world's largest HR professional society, representing millions of workers and workplaces globally with over 340,000 members in 180 countries, providing HR research, public policy advocacy, and workplace solutions. SHRM equips professionals and organizations with the insights and resources needed to build better workplaces.
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