XLRI Jamshedpur was declared as the 1st runners-up followed by IIM, Bangalore
Highest ever participation from business schools with 1103 team registrations, 287 entries
Winners secure a Direct Pre-Placement Interview with TAS

Mumbai, November 17, 2017: E-Commerce held centerstage in 2015. Big Data Analytics took over in 2016. This year, the spotlight was on ‘Waste to Value’. Tata Business Leadership Awards (TBLA) 2017, the annual business case competition organised by the Tata group, saw best minds from premier business schools from across India come up with innovative business solutions for the reduction, efficient disposal and productive use of industrial waste produced by Tata companies.

TBLA was won by Team Caesar of S.P. Jain Institute of Management and Research, Mumbai. Team Invictus from XLRI Jamshedpur and Team High Flyers from IIM, Bangalore were announced as the 1st and 2nd runners-up, respectively. The other teams, which reached the finals were from IIM-Ahmedabad, IIM-Calcutta, IIM-Lucknow, IIM-Kozhikode, FMS, Delhi and TISS, Mumbai.

The teams in the final round were given a challenge where they had to build a case for setting up an integrated waste management company within the Tata group that takes ownership of the industrial waste from Tata companies and unlocks value for all stakeholders. The winning entry from S.P. Jain suggested creating one such company within the group providing a holistic solution, from consulting to research and development to an investing arm, thereby tackling all issues of industrial waste management. This kind of an integrated business solution does not currently exist in the country, thereby making the suggested plan unique and a winner.

The winners were felicitated with the coveted TBLA rolling trophy, a cash prize of Rs. 500,000 and a direct pre-placement interview (PPI) opportunity with TAS, the flagship leadership development programme of the Tata group. The 1st and 2nd runners-up received a cash prize of Rs. 200,000 and Rs. 100,000, respectively, along with an opportunity to be a part of the TAS presentation round.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. S. Padmanabhan, Group Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO), Tata Sons, said, “TBLA aims to engage with bright minds and provide them with a platform to showcase their leadership and entrepreneurial capability. In its 15th year now, it has been successful in recognizing talent and triggering enthusiasm to come up with innovative solutions to challenging real-world situations. It was fascinating to witness the effortless manner in which the finalists presented their ideas on some of the most critical industrial waste management challenges being faced by corporate India.”

Senior leadership from the Tata group including Dr. Gopichand Katragadda, Group Chief Technology Officer, Tata Sons, and Mr. Rajesh Gopinathan, CEO and MD, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) also graced the occasion.
In the pre-final rounds, the participating teams presented solutions to live business cases from Tata companies namely Tata Steel, Tata Power, Tata Chemicals, and Ginger Hotels. Nine teams were shortlisted by senior Tata leaders to compete at the finals.

About TBLA: TBLA is an initiative of Tata Group HR and is a business case competition conducted among premier business schools of the country and Tata group companies. It is a brand building and engagement platform for TAS, which is the flagship leadership development program of the Tata group.

About TAS: TAS was conceived by J. R. D. Tata in the 1950s as group high potential talent to be deployed across Tata companies. TAS recruits high-potential postgraduates from leading business schools and from Tata group companies, each year, and grooms them for leadership positions in the group.

About the Tata group: Founded by Jamsetji Tata in 1868, the Tata group is a global enterprise, headquartered in India, comprising over 100 independent operating companies. The group operates in more than 100 countries across six continents, with a mission 'To improve the quality of life of the communities we serve globally, through long-term stakeholder value creation based on Leadership with Trust'. Tata Sons is the principal investment holding company and promoter of Tata companies. Sixty-six percent of the equity share capital of Tata Sons is held by philanthropic trusts, which support education, health, livelihood generation and art and culture. In 2016-17, the revenue of Tata companies, taken together, was $100.39 billion. These companies collectively employ over 695,000 people. Each Tata company or enterprise operates independently under the guidance and supervision of its own board of directors and shareholders. There are 29 publicly-listed Tata enterprises with a combined market capitalisation of about $130.13 billion (as on March 31, 2017). Tata companies with significant scale include Tata Steel, Tata Motors, Tata Consultancy Services, Tata Power, Tata Chemicals, Tata Global Beverages, Tata Teleservices, Titan, Tata Communications and Indian Hotels.