Financial Awareness Conclave 2025, Kolkata, India

Financial Awareness Conclave: "Policy. Partnership. Progress"
Friday, 20 June, 2025, Williamson Magor Hall, Bengal Chamber, Kolkata

The Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry successfully organised the "Financial Awareness Conclave: Policy. Partnership. Progress" on Friday, 20th June 2025 at Williamson Magor Hall, Bengal Chamber, Kolkata.

The Conclave was designed to support MSMEs and mid-sized enterprises by enhancing their understanding of key financial strategies, access to capital, risk management and scalable growth planning. With sessions led by experts from leading banks and institutions, the Conclave offered valuable insights into credit facilitation, IPO preparedness, government schemes and other critical enablers of financial empowerment.

Mr. Sumit Bose, Former Finance & Revenue Secretary, Government of India, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. The Guests of Honour were Dr. Subhransu Sekhar Acharya, Chairman-cum-Managing Director, The National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC) and Mr. J. S. Tolia, Zonal Manager, LIC of India, Eastern Zone. The Opening Session featured prominent speakers including Mr. Amit Sharma, CFO, SBI Factors Limited; Mr. Bikramjit Sen, Chief Operating Officer, L&T-SuFin; and Mr. Gunasekhar Boga, Executive Director - Underwriting, Reinsurance, Product Development & Risk Management, IFFCO-TOKIO General Insurance Co. Ltd.

The Opening Session was followed by a Fireside Chat with Shri Rajneesh Kumar, Deputy General Manager (SME), State Bank of India. The Fireside Chat was moderated by Mr. Arnab Chakraborty, Director, The Bengal Chamber of Commerce & Industry. The session provided focused insights on MSME financing and offered a deep dive into the evolving priorities and practices in MSME financing from India's largest bank.

The Fireside Chat was followed by Experts' Roundtable on "MSME Connect: Redefining Partnership" which was addressed by Mr. Anirudha Barooah, Assistant General Manager & Regional Head, India EXIM Bank and Member, BCC&I International Trade National Committee and Mr. Partha Dasgupta, Retail Business Head - East, L&T Finance. The discussions covered export finance, market insights, innovative lending models and how technology and customized products are reshaping the way MSMEs engage with finance. The next session titled "List. Scale. Succeed. The IPO Path for MSMEs" was addressed by Mr. Sandeep More, Regional Head - East, BSE Limited; Mr. Samir Agarwal, Director, Indcap Advisors Pvt. Ltd. and Mr. Aditya Vikram Birla, Managing Director, Cosmic CRF.

The session on "List. Scale. Succeed. The IPO Path for MSMEs" delved into the strategic, regulatory and operational aspects of SME listings. The discussions offered a forward-looking perspective on the SME IPO landscape and highlighted the expectations BSE SME has from companies approaching for listing. From the merchant bankers' perspective, the conversation focused on why SMEs should consider listing in today's environment despite the continued availability of traditional funding sources such as bank loans and private equity. They emphasized their role not just in documentation but in adding value through strategic advisory on pricing and positioning. The panel examined what financial and operational traits signal IPO readiness, the current valuation trends in SME IPOs, and the typical timeline from preparation to listing. They also flagged common risks SMEs should address 9-12 months ahead of listing and discussed how companies can strike a balance between improving corporate governance and maintaining operational agility. From the viewpoint of a listed SME, the session explored the long-term benefits derived from listing-beyond just capital infusion. Another key session, "Leveraging Insurance for Business Growth and Enhanced Risk Resilience," featured Ms. Sunita Kapade, Deputy General Manager - Miscellaneous and Liability Underwriting, National Insurance Company Limited; Mr. Nikash Kumar Deka, Head - SME & Insurance Inclusion, Universal Sompo General Insurance; and Mr. Dhiman Paul, Chief Business Manager, The New India Assurance Co. Ltd.

The session on "Leveraging Insurance for Business Growth and Enhanced Risk Resilience" focused on how insurance can serve as a critical enabler for the stability and scalability of MSMEs. The discussion began by outlining the key insurance products most relevant to MSMEs. It was emphasized that insurers, regulators, and development agencies must work together to simplify policy structures, enhance distribution and build trust through education and transparency to increase penetration and offer MSMEs more holistic financial protection. A key takeaway was that insurance should not be viewed as a cost but as an investment in resilience. The speakers stressed the importance of building a culture of risk preparedness within small businesses.
,br> The session on "Exploring Commodity Market: Opportunities for MSMEs" was addressed by Mr. Sanjib Gain, Sr. Manager - Business Development, Multi Commodity Exchange of India Ltd. (MCX India). The Conclave witnessed the participation of over 250 delegates from various sectors, creating a vibrant platform for knowledge sharing, networking and collaborative growth among industry leaders, financial institutions and the MSME sector.