The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), India’s apex business chamber, announced the appointment of Shailesh Pathak as their Secretary General in March. In a career spanning 37 years, Mr Pathak has spent time in government as an IAS Officer as well as helmed large companies in the private sector. His extensive international exposure includes an Eisenhower Fellowship in 2000 as an emerging Indian Leader, an EU Visitor Program hosted by the European Commission 2003, and a Chevening scholarship at the University of Oxford in 2011.
He was recently in London, along with the Forum of Parliamentarians, which is FICCI’s unique initiative for outreach across party affiliations, covering both Houses of the Indian Parliament, in true bipartisan spirit.
The Forum engages with Parliaments across Indian States and important Parliamentary Standing Committees. It provides a platform for Members of Parliament to meet and interact with stakeholders in other countries, such as the UK. These stakeholders usually include parliamentarians, government representatives, businesses, academic and research institutions, diaspora networks, etc.
This year’s delegation to the UK, comprised of Indian Members of Parliament representing 5 different parties Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP), Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP). They represented six states of India (Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Kerala, Odisha and Maharashtra). This was the first visit overseas after pandemic since June 2018.
Centenary celebrations in 2027
At an exclusive interview with Asian Voice, Mr Pathak spoke about his vision for FICCI in the coming years. As FICCI turns 100 soon, he said, “Mahatma Gandhi had come for the fourth annual general meeting of FICCI in 1931. So, we celebrate 100 years in April 2027 and there's a countdown clock that we have put up at our reception. We plan to do a lot of things and there are seven groups, who are working on this, including Dr Param Shah, FICCI (UK) Director. At the same time, India is going to become a $5 trillion economy in the next few years, and it's certainly going to be closer to an $8 trillion economy by 2030, as per a recent Morgan Stanley report, and that's not going to happen without the private sector becoming much bigger. So, if the private sector today is here, and looking at a certain amount of growth in the next five to seven years, FICCI is definitely going to be both a cause and a result of this growth.”
G20 and women empowerment
The upcoming G20 which PM Rishi Sunak specially mentioned at his summer reception in No 10 during, will have a country-wide (India) participation, including by the FICCI, which is backing sustainable development, green energy, women’s empowerment as well as leadership.
Mr Pathak elaborated, “We are very much part of the deliberations. As you know the G20 Summit will happen in September 2023. Our involvement in particularly mine, will be in the Business-20 and is going to continue after.
“I would also like to highlight on the G20 Alliance for the Empowerment and Progression of Women’s Economic Representation (G20 EMPOWER), which is accelerating women’s leadership and empowerment in the private sector. This initiative was launched in 2019 with representation from the government and private sector.
“During 2023, EMPOWER is taking forward the cause of women-led development with Digital Skilling as a cross-cutting priority, not only in the corporate sector but also at the grassroots. The key outcomes of the EMPOWER deliberations held so far will be announced at the upcoming G20 EMPOWER Summit on 1-2 August 2023 in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
“The FLO Industrial Park in Hyderabad, Telangana is India's first 100 percent women-owned industrial park. This park was inaugurated on 8 March 2022, commemorating International Women’s Day and is promoted by FICCI Ladies Organization (FLO) in partnership with the Telangana government. It has begun its operations with women-owned and operated Green Projects. The park's opening attracted considerable attention from women entrepreneurs interested in operating their manufacturing business from this location. This flagship project is unique in India, and participation is open to chapter members and national members of FLO,” he added, focussing on FICCI’s established role in women empowerment and leadership at all levels.
Recognised at UK-India Awards 2023
FICCI has also emerged triumphant as the ‘Business Promotion Organisation of the Year’ at the 5th UK-India Awards 2023 held in London recently. They were awarded for their work in the India-UK corridor, highlighting its instrumental role in promoting India's business interests globally and fostering a favourable ecosystem for economic development. “The Business Promotion Organisation of the Year award is a significant milestone for FICCI for its work in the United Kingdom. It is a testament to its unwavering commitment to promoting India's business interests and fostering international partnerships. This recognition further reinforces FICCI's position as a leading voice for Indian businesses and its instrumental role in shaping the country's economic growth,” said Mr Pathak expressing his gratitude.
