XLRI – Xavier School of Management is all set to host the 32nd Annual JRD Tata Oration on Business Ethics on November 22. The event will take place at 6:30 PM at Tata Auditorium, continuing its legacy of fostering thought leadership in ethical business practices.

This year’s oration will be delivered by Harish Bhat, an advisor and director at the Tata Group. Known for his insightful perspectives on business integrity and leadership, Bhat’s address is highly anticipated by the academic and corporate communities. The topic of his address is the Legacy of Ratan Tata.

The Annual JRD Tata Oration on Business Ethics, named after the visionary industrialist and former chairman of Tata Group, JRD Tata, has been a flagship event of XLRI for over three decades. It seeks to uphold and propagate the principles of ethical business conduct, aligning with XLRI’s mission to shape leaders who embody values-driven decision-making.

Harish Bhat has worked with the Tata group for 37 years. Over this long period he has held many senior roles in the Group, including as Brand Custodian at Tata Sons, Managing Director & CEO at Tata Global Beverages and Chief Operating Officer of the watches and jewellery businesses at Titan Company.

After his superannuation last year, Harish is now serving as an Advisor at Tata Sons. He is also a Director on the Boards of some Tata companies, including Trent, Infiniti Retail (Croma) and Tata Starbucks.

An avid marketer, Harish has helped nurture and grow many iconic brands of the Tata group, such as Tanishq, Titan, Fastrack, Tata Tea and Chakra Gold Tea. In his most recent role, he led the development and growth of TATA, which is India's most valuable brand. in 2022 and 2023, Forbes listed him as one of the top 10 most influential Chief Marketing Officers in the world.

Harish has also played a key role in strategic initiatives such as the acquisition of Tetley Tea by the Tata group, and the turnaround of the jewellery business at Titan.

Harish is a graduate of BIT'S Pilani and IIM Ahmedabad. in 1987, he won the IIM Ahmedabad Gold Medal for scholastic excellence. In 2017, he received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from BITS Pilani.