KSOM Hosts 17th National Marketing Conclave
KIIT School of Management (KSOM) hosted its 17th National Marketing Conclave on September 19, 2026, on the theme “Marketing in the Age of Algorithms and Agents: Winning the Always-On Consumer”which explored the growing role of artificial intelligence, algorithmic discovery, and digital innovation in shaping consumer behaviour, strengthening brand–consumer connections, and driving the future of marketing in an always-on digital landscape.
The inaugural session commenced with the deliberations by Prof. Arnav Pati, Convenor. He highlighted the conclave’s focus on connecting education with industry and societal change. He observed that consumers today use price comparisons, product demonstrations, social media, and AI to make informed choices, making credibility and the path to the consumer increasingly important for brands.
Prof. Saranjit Singh, Vice Chancellor, KIIT-DU addressed the students on the disruptive impact of AI and raised questions on the future of general intelligence, the nature of AI as a technology, and its potential to replace marketing functions. He emphasised that marketing remains fundamentally about connections and emotions. Prof. Kumar Mohanty, Director, KSOM highlighted the growing importance of corporate research and the shift in marketing from traditional shelf space to visibility on search platforms. He also spoke about the influence of Gen Z and social media influencers on consumer choices.
Shri Arun Misra, Group CEO and Executive Director, Vedanta, delivered the keynote address. He spoke on the growing impact of AI on marketing, consumer behaviour, and the future of work. He highlighted the rise of AI-driven consumer decision-making and the need for marketers to adapt to changing consumer behaviour. He also emphasized the emerging role of AI in areas such as demand planning, procurement, and supply chains, and stressed that professionals who master AI will remain better equipped for the evolving workplace.
The inaugural session also featured the unveiling of the “KIIT/KSOM × Samsung India Student–Faculty Collaboration Initiative,” facilitated through the support of Mr. Sujoy Sahu, Associate Vice President, Cheil India, marking another step towards strengthening industry–academia collaboration. Prof. Suvasis Ghosh, Dean – Training & Placement and Industry Engagement, announced this first-of-its-kind initiative at KIIT – an exclusive corporate collaboration with Samsung designed to bring premier technology directly to the KIIT community with unmatched value. Through a dedicated web and mobile portal, KIIT members gain access to Samsung’s complete portfolio—from mobility devices to consumer electronics—with exclusive savings of up to 40% compared to conventional retail and online platforms. Every purchase guarantees genuine products via direct Samsung billing, convenient EMI options, doorstep delivery across 99% of Indian PIN codes, and dedicated calling support.
Prof. Arvind Tripathy, Dean, KSOM, proposed the vote of thanks in highlighting emerging opportunities in the evolving marketing landscape.
The conclave then moved into two parallel panel discussions centered on the theme“How Do You Sell When the Consumer Already Knows? Marketing to Search-Smart, AI-Assisted, Always-On Buyers.”
Panel 1 consisted of corporate stalwarts such as Mr. Dushyant Panda – VP – Marketing & Business, Razorpay; Mr. Kumar Awanish – Group Chief Operating Officer, Cheil SWA; Mr. Priyadarshi Mohapatra – Founder & CEO, CureBay; Mr. Sambit Panda – National Modern Trade Head, IFB and Mr. Sukhpreet Singh – Chief Revenue Officer, Dish TV India Ltd. & VZY Smart TV Biz. They deliberated on how AI is transforming the consumer journey, with consumers increasingly relying on AI-driven search, ratings, online content, and recommendation engines. The discussion focused on marketing’s shifting role from information delivery to trust-building, validation, positioning, and simplifying consumer choice. It also highlighted the continued importance of human judgement, empathy, brand identity, and emotional connection, along with the need for marketers to keep learning and adapting to the rise of agentic AI.
Panel 2 was graced by top industry professionals like Mr. Anirban Paul Chowdhury – National Marketing Head, Skipper Pipes; Mr. MohitVerma – Senior Vice President – Marketing, HighRadius; Mr. Sanjeev Gupta – Joint President – Marketing, My Home Group and Mr. SarojMohanty – Vice President – Marketing, Sonalika Tractors. The panellists examined how AI is shaping the marketing and sales landscape, focusing on evolving consumer behaviour, the growing influence of AI-driven search, and the changing role of sales professionals. The discussion highlighted the importance of understanding customer needs, building trust and confidence, strengthening product differentiation and digital discoverability, and using AI as a decision-support tool while retaining human judgement and interaction.
The second half featured interactive Workshops with senior marketing professionals that explored key dimensions of the evolving marketing landscape, including AI-assisted consumers, algorithmic discovery, digital consumer behaviour, storytelling and advertising, sustainable marketing, consumer insights, digital innovation, and the future of marketing.
The sessions offered industry-led perspectives while reflecting KSOM’s focus on experiential learning, industry engagement, and developing future-ready marketing professionals.