Mysuru, January 23, 2026: “The Indian banking sector is currently undergoing a significant phase of digital transformation. While nearly seven lakh digital transactions take place daily in India—a figure impressive in comparison with many countries—it remains modest when viewed against India’s vast population,” observed Mr. Chayan Gupta, National Head – Bancassurance, Aviva India.

Mr. Gupta delivered the inaugural keynote address at the 7th International Marketing Conference on “Technology and Transformation in Marketing: Advancing Purpose, Performance and Personalisation for Impact,” organised at SDMIMD, Mysuru. Highlighting the intersection of marketing and technology in the banking sector, he noted that technological advancements have fundamentally altered customer engagement. With most banking activities now conducted online, professionals have fewer direct interactions with customers. However, emerging technologies, particularly generative AI, are helping bridge this gap by enabling deeper customer understanding and more personalised outreach.

Emphasising the evolving expectations of today’s customers, Mr. Gupta underscored the importance of leveraging data-driven insights to identify customer needs and refine banking processes accordingly. Addressing concerns related to data theft and digital fraud, he stated that while banks are making concerted efforts to safeguard customer interests, financial awareness and discipline among users are equally critical in preventing fraud. He encouraged individuals to adopt smarter financial practices and explore emerging opportunities within the digital banking ecosystem.

Shedding light on the insurance landscape in India, Mr. Gupta revealed that only about 6% of Indians currently hold insurance policies, indicating immense growth potential for the sector. He further noted that the Government of India has set an ambitious goal to ensure that by 2047, every citizen possesses both a bank account and insurance coverage, thereby enhancing financial inclusion and security through more robust and focused outreach initiatives.

Another keynote address was delivered by Ms. Ashwini Thammaiah, Country Head & Board Member, Isocrates Inc. | MADTECH.AI Inc., on the theme “Marketing in the Age of Decision Intelligence.” She addressed the contemporary challenges faced by marketers and the transformative role of AI in addressing them. Citing industry insights, she stated that nearly 80% of marketers struggle with siloed, disconnected, and underutilised data, which significantly hampers actionable insights and effective decision-making.

Ms. Thammaiah emphasised that as markets evolve faster than traditional reporting mechanisms, rapid and informed decision-making has become imperative. She highlighted how technology can assist marketers in areas such as lead management, automated follow-ups, and budget optimisation. She further explained that AI now enables not only the identification of market issues but also a deeper analysis of their causes and potential solutions. While advocating the use of AI-driven models to tackle complex marketing challenges, she reiterated that AI can recommend actions, but the final decision must always rest with human judgment.

The inaugural session also featured an address by Dr. Mohammed Minhaj, Dean–Academics and Professor–Systems, SDMIMD, who reflected on the pervasive role of technology across sectors, with AI increasingly taking centre stage. While acknowledging the enhanced capabilities brought about by AI, he cautioned that challenges related to SEO, SEM, and data privacy demand careful consideration from marketing professionals.

Dr. Keerthan Raj, Conference Chair and Associate Professor–Marketing, SDMIMD, formally introduced the conference theme and highlighted the relevance and urgency of discussions surrounding ongoing technological transformations in marketing.

As part of the conference proceedings, a special technical session on “Performance Marketing” was conducted by Mr. Pawan Kumar Rastogi, Head – E-commerce, TTK Prestige India, who shared valuable industry perspectives on practical challenges and opportunities within high-involvement product categories.

The valedictory session was graced by Mr. Gagan Ranka, Vice President and Head for Home Loan Credit for RoK (Rest of Karnataka) & Goa, HDFC Bank Ltd., and Immediate Past Chairman of CII-Yi Mysuru, who offered insights into the evolution of banking in India andfuture of marketing leadership in an increasingly technology-driven business environment.

The conference witnessed active participation from scholars, industry leaders, academicians, researchers, and practitioners from across the marketing domain. A total of 25 research papers were presented, fostering meaningful dialogue and knowledge exchange on emerging trends and practices in marketing.