BW People Horizon 2026 and 11th HR Excellence Awards to take place in Bengaluru

BW People Horizon 2026 will bring senior HR and business leaders together in Bengaluru to examine AI, talent transformation, employee experience, leadership capability and the evolving role of the CHRO

BW People is set to host BW People Horizon 2026 and the 11th BW People HR Excellence Awards 2026 in September at Taj MG Road, Bengaluru. With the theme Redefining Strategic HR Excellence, the conference will examine how the HR function is evolving amid rapid technological change, shifting workforce expectations and increasing business complexity.

The conference will open with an address by Dr Annurag Batra, Chairman & Editor-in-Chief, BW Businessworld and Founder, exchange4media, followed by a keynote on The CHRO as a Strategic Architect. The session will examine the shift from transactional HR support to core business strategy, including the alignment of people analytics with the P&L, the CHRO’s role in AI-led digital transformation and changing expectations from corporate boards.

AI and the future of talent ecosystems will form a key part of the agenda, with discussions around human-machine workflows, algorithmic bias in hiring, data-driven performance management and predictive analytics for attrition. The conference will also examine the transition towards skills-first organisations through skills-based hiring, large-scale reskilling and upskilling, internal talent marketplaces and industry-academia partnerships, alongside the continuing relevance of soft skills. Other discussions will cover measurable DEI in algorithmic systems, resilience in hybrid workplaces, digital burnout, psychological safety, employee engagement and productivity, as well as the changing employee value proposition around pay transparency, flexible work, multigenerational benefits and the expectations of Gen Z and Gen Alpha.

The second half of the agenda will focus on organisational resilience and leadership, covering real-time talent and skills planning, performance management, AI-assisted coaching, de-biasing evaluations, digital-era rewards and the growing use of AI and wearable technologies in performance monitoring. Leaders will also examine management capability in the AI era, AI-augmented teams, employee wellbeing, succession planning and next-generation leadership. Discussions on digital trust and governance will address AI ethics, security and algorithmic transparency, while the final panel will explore HR’s evolution as a strategic business partner, breaking down functional silos, building multidisciplinary teams and evolving HR operating models.

The event will feature senior HR leaders including Rahul Maitra, Senior Vice President HR, Amneal Pharmaceuticals; Kashish Kapoor, CHRO, Newgen Software; Aditya Kohli, CHRO, Tenneco; Beena Mathen Jacob, CHRO, Blue Dart; Shruti Walia, HR Head (Corporate Functions), Curefit Healthcare; Devi Prasad Dash, CHRO, Apollo Health and Lifestyle; Rajeev Kumar, Deputy Managing Director, SBI; Ruchira Bhardwaja, CHRO, Kotak Life; and Tarun N P Varma, CHRO, Tata Consumer Products, among others.

A fireside chat with Dr Annurag Batra, The CHRO as Chief Preservation Officer, will examine how HR can evolve beyond its traditional support mandate to become a guardian of an organisation’s long-term viability, workforce health and resilience. The conference will conclude with an evening keynote, The Horizon of Human Capital, bringing together the day’s discussions around the future of human agency in an increasingly automated enterprise.

The evening will culminate in the 11th BW People HR Excellence Awards 2026, recognising organisations and HR leaders for excellence and innovation across the people function. The jury comprises P Dwarkanath, Former Chairman, GSK Consumer Healthcare Ltd.; Dr GP Rao, Founder & MD, GPR HR Consulting; Dr C Jayakumar, Executive Vice President & CHRO, Larsen & Toubro; Prof Arvind Sahay, Director, Management Development Institute, Gurgaon; Prof Sangeeta Shah Bhardwaj, Academician & Professor, MDI Gurgaon; Dr SY Siddiqui, Former Executive Advisor, Maruti Suzuki and Siddiqui Consulting; Yogi Sriram, Consultant to CEO & MD, Group HR, Larsen & Toubro Limited; Dr Punam Sahgal, Former Dean & Professor, IIM Lucknow; Dr (Hon.) Paneesh Rao, CEO, Paneesh Rao People Advisory and HR Leader, ESG Champion; Emmanuel David, MD, International Grid India, Board Member, Aster DM Healthcare and Retd Director, Tata Management Training Centre; Deepak Bharara, Director, People A2Z; and Dr Annurag Batra, Chairman & Editor-in-Chief, BW Businessworld and Founder, exchange4media.

BW People Horizon 2026 will bring the conference and awards together around a central question for the people function: how can HR balance technology and human agency while contributing directly to business performance, organisational resilience and long-term growth?