IMA India CEO Forum: Resilience and Cost Leadership in a Fragmented World
Mumbai, October 8, 2025 – Against the backdrop of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s airport inauguration and a diplomatic visit by the British Prime Minister, top Indian CXOs gathered at The St. Regis, Mumbai, for the IMA India CEO Forum on “The CEO Playbook: Resilience and Cost Leadership in a Fragmented World.”
The session featured John Pearson, CEO of DHL Express (part of Deutsche Post DHL Group), who delivered an insightful address on how leadership, adaptability, and cost efficiency are reshaping organizational success in an era of disruption. Pearson remarked, “Trade is like water — it finds its own way. In times of turbulence, leaders must anticipate challenges, stay honest, and adapt swiftly.”
Drawing a vivid comparison between today’s global business environment and a “washing machine in spin-dry mode,” Pearson emphasized the urgency for leaders to remain alert, agile, and collaborative. He noted that true resilience lies in a company’s ability to find tailwinds even when revenue growth slows — a hallmark of leadership strength.
With DHL operating across 220+ countries and managing trade over an average distance of 5,000 km, Pearson also highlighted India’s rising position in global logistics, pointing to its significant improvement in the Global Logistics Performance Index over the last seven years as evidence of growing economic maturity and strategic influence in global trade corridors.
Representing Stratbeans at the event were its Co-Founders, Sameer Nigam and Pradeip Agarwal, who joined fellow CXOs to exchange ideas on driving sustainable growth and building technological resilience amid global fragmentation.
Key Highlights of this Session
- Leadership: Staying authentic, transparent, and focused amid uncertainty and turbulence.
- Resilience: Turning disruption into opportunity — finding new momentum even when growth slows.
- Cost Leadership: Embedding efficiency deep within the organization without compromising innovation.
Reflecting on the session, Pradeip Agarwal, Co-Founder of Stratbeans, remarked:
“Pearson’s perspective on resilience as a differentiator truly resonated. In today’s volatile business landscape, the ability to adapt with integrity and foresight defines enduring leadership.”
As John Pearson summarized, global trade, much like water, will always find its course — and so must leaders, by being flexible, transparent, and forward-thinking.
For organizations like Stratbeans, these insights reinforce a core belief: sustained success in a fragmented world depends on resilient leadership and adaptive technology. Through AI-driven learning platforms and data-enabled decision systems, Stratbeans continues to empower enterprises to stay agile, efficient, and future-ready.