IIFT GIFT City Campus Hosts NEXUS 2026 Leadership Conclave on Gen Z, AI and Future of Work

Gandhinagar, September 12, 2026: The Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), GIFT City Campus, hosted the maiden edition of NEXUS 2026: Connecting Talent, Technology & Global Business, a leadership conclave focused on the changing world of work, Gen Z at the workplace, Artificial Intelligence and the future of employment.

Held at the IIFT GIFT City Campus in Gandhinagar, the conclave brought together senior HR professionals, industry leaders, faculty members and students for discussions on how organisations can engage and retain the next generation of talent while adapting to rapid technological changes.

The event focused on emerging workplace expectations, including professional dignity, meaningful work, purpose, flexibility and work-life balance. It also aimed to strengthen industry–academia dialogue and provide students and emerging business leaders with an opportunity to learn directly from experienced professionals.

The inaugural edition featured two panel discussions — “Gen Z at the Workplace” and “Great Place to Work 2.0” — covering talent management, workplace culture, leadership, technology and the future of work.

Focus on Gen Z at the Workplace

The first panel, titled “Gen Z at the Workplace: Engaging, Developing, and Retaining the Next Generation of Talent,” examined the changing expectations of Gen Z professionals entering the workforce.

The panel featured Pascoal Dantas, CHRO and Group Chief People Officer at HLE Glascoat Limited & YASH Group; Dr. Deepa Mishra, Director – People and Culture at Uplers & Mavlers; Anil Nair, Centre of Excellence Head – Talent & Leadership at Zydus Group; and Vishal Chhiber, CHRO at GIFT Company Limited.

The discussion explored how organisations can better understand the aspirations of Gen Z while creating workplaces that support learning, growth, engagement and long-term professional development. Panelists also discussed the need to move beyond conventional employee-engagement approaches and adopt more inclusive workplace practices.

‘Great Place to Work 2.0’ and the AI-Enabled Workplace

The second panel, “Great Place to Work 2.0: Reimagining Culture, Employee Experience and the Future Workplace,” focused on how organisations can build effective workplaces amid technological transformation and changing employee expectations.

The panel included Subimal Mondal, President & Group CHRO at Deepak Group Co.; Hiral Rajput, CHRO at APM Terminals Pipavav; Kiran Prasad (IK) Ivaturi, Executive Vice President & Group CHRO at Abhinandan Ventures; and Vishal Mankodi, General Manager – HR at Astral Limited.

A key focus was the emergence of the AI-enabled workplace. The panel discussed how Artificial Intelligence and new technologies can augment human capabilities, improve productivity and create new opportunities for employees while maintaining a strong human focus.

The discussion also covered workplace flexibility, work-life balance and the evolving relationship between employees and their organisations.

Building an Industry–Academia Platform

According to the press release, the idea for NEXUS 2026 emerged through deliberations involving Dr. Rajendra Prasad Sharma, Campus Head, IIFT GIFT City Campus, who was part of the think tank that shaped the event and its thematic direction.

The initiative also builds upon the recent visit of Dr. K. Rangarajan, Vice Chancellor, Indian Institute of Foreign Trade. The event's thematic direction emphasised the importance of organisational systems and processes that can engage Gen Z through dignity, meaningful work, flexibility, empowerment and technological innovation.

The first edition of NEXUS 2026 aims to establish a continuing platform for discussions around talent, leadership, technology and global business, while providing IIFT students with greater exposure to contemporary industry practices and changing workplace expectations.

About IIFT GIFT City Campus

The Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) is an autonomous organisation under the Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India. Established in 1963, the institute works in education, research, capacity building and thought leadership in international trade and business.

The IIFT GIFT City Campus is located in GIFT City, India's first International Financial Services Centre (IFSC). The campus offers the institute's flagship two-year, full-time MBA (International Business) programme along with short-term Management Development Programmes (MDPs) for industry, government, MSMEs and other stakeholders.

The campus aims to strengthen capabilities in international trade, export procedures, documentation, research, consultancy and global business practices, contributing to the development of globally competitive organisations.

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