Business leaders at the Fortune India MPW 2026 event shared strategies for navigating economic uncertainty and AI integration. Executives emphasized maintaining customer-centric operations and building long-term business advantages to counter geopolitical and supply chain risks. The discussion highlighted how companies are adapting their leadership styles to support a changing workforce.
Industry leaders speaking at Fortune India's Most Powerful Women event in Mumbai on July 10, 2026, outlined how companies are preparing for global challenges. The discussion focused on maintaining business stability despite rapid technological shifts and unpredictable geopolitical conditions.
Strategic Focus at Brigade Group
Pavitra Shankar, Managing Director of Brigade Group, highlighted the need for companies to remain focused on core business principles rather than reacting to every short-term market fluctuation. For a real estate developer like Brigade Group, this involves identifying stable demand areas such as residential spaces, commercial offices, and data centers. Shankar noted that building a business advantage that is difficult for competitors to copy remains a priority, allowing the firm to withstand macroeconomic pressure while maintaining its long-term project pipeline.
Supply Chain Resilience at Balaji Wafers
Mansi Virani, Director at Balaji Wafers, detailed how the company manages operational risks by diversifying its supply chain for raw materials. This strategy is rooted in the company's historical experience with agricultural supply volatility. In the FMCG sector, where input costs for items like potatoes and oils can fluctuate significantly, such diversification is a key tool for protecting profit margins. Furthermore, the company is increasingly using data analytics and automation to improve efficiency in its production and distribution networks.
Technology and Workforce Management
Devita Saraf, CEO of The Vu Group, provided an optimistic view on artificial intelligence, describing it as a driver for future job creation and economic expansion rather than a disruption. The panel agreed that Indian companies are currently in a strong position to innovate, provided they adapt their leadership styles to better suit a younger workforce. The consensus among these executives was that modern leadership requires empowering employees with a clear vision, rather than relying on strict control, to harness the full potential of new technology.
For investors, the key monitorables moving forward include how these companies balance capital spending on technology with the need to maintain strong cash flows. Tracking the ability of firms to secure raw materials and maintain occupancy rates in real estate or volume growth in FMCG will be important as companies navigate global economic pressure.