Marketing industry leaders and experts explore AI impact at VIT Chennai Marketing Conclave

Lakshminarayanan Duraiswamy, Managing Director, Sundaram Home Finance Ltd delivering the keynote address at the VIT Marketing Conclave

The VIT Business School, VIT Chennai on Friday organised a Marketing Conclave bringing together industry leaders, marketing professionals and entrepreneurs to explore consumer behaviour, brand building and creativity in the age of artificial intelligence (AI). 

The event saw Lakshminarayanan Duraiswamy, Managing Director, Sundaram Home Finance Limited, deliver the keynote address, and LV Navneeth, Chief Executive Officer, THG Publishing Private Ltd (The Hindu), also delivered a special keynote address. 

Emphasising the importance of customer trust in an increasingly AI-driven business environment, Duraiswamy said that organisations must earn customers’ trust and continue to strengthen it every day. Technology and innovation should always be guided by customer needs, he said.  

“AI is not about creating a new technology, and it is not about creating a new design. It is about what it does for the customer,” he added. 

Imagining the Future

Speaking on the theme “Imagining the Future", Navneeth urged young people to cultivate the ability to reflect, imagine and execute ideas. The constant pressure to remain busy often leaves little time for meaningful reflection, which is essential for innovation and creative thinking, he observed.

Thyagarajan T, Pro-Vice Chancellor, VIT Chennai; Suresh Balakrishna, Consultant, VIT Chennai; and Saju B, Dean, VIT Business School, VIT Chennai, also addressed the gathering. 

The conclave featured three panel discussions and two fireside chats, providing a platform for industry experts to exchange perspectives on emerging marketing trends, changing consumer expectations and the impact of technology on brand strategy. 

The first panel discussion, titled “The Human Edge: Understanding Consumers in the Age of AI", examined the continuing importance of human understanding and consumer insights in technology-driven marketing. The second panel explored strategies for building meaningful consumer relationships and lasting brand loyalty. 

Another panel focused on the changing branding landscape, examining the challenges and opportunities emerging from the growth of direct-to-consumer (D2C) business models. 

The Marketing Conclave also provided a forum for students and industry professionals to exchange ideas on the future of marketing. 

Published on October 31, 2026