Godfrey Phillips India has a rich legacy, yet it continues to embrace new technologies and ways of working. How do you view innovation in the context of such a well-established organisation?
One of the philosophies that continues to inspire us comes from our founder, KK Modi, who firmly believed that “to stagnate is to die.” He often spoke about the importance of constantly learning, evolving, and adopting ideas from the best minds and institutions around the world. That mindset remains deeply embedded in GPI’s DNA even today.
Mohd. Irfan, Head of IT, Godfrey Phillips India Ltd
Innovation, for us, is about continuously reinventing ourselves while staying true to our values. Under the leadership of our Chairperson and Managing Director, Dr. Bina Modi, we have continued to invest in technology, sustainability, people, and operational excellence to build a resilient and future-ready organisation.
From cloud-first architecture and advanced analytics to cybersecurity, intelligent automation, and AI readiness, technology today is helping us become more agile, data-driven, and responsive. We actively learn from peers, technology partners, and global best practices, and as we continue to evolve, we also hope to contribute back to the ecosystem by sharing our own experiences and learnings. That’s how innovation sustains itself.
AI is reshaping every industry. How is GPI preparing for an AI-driven future?
Long before AI was the buzzword, our CMD, Dr. Bina Modi, and CEO and Whole-Time Director, Sharad Aggarwal, had a keen interest and understanding of its potential to change businesses for better. The conversation around AI has rapidly moved from experimentation to enterprise value creation. Our approach has been to focus first on building strong digital foundations before scaling AI-led innovation.
Over the last few years, we have invested heavily in cloud infrastructure, data governance, analytics capabilities, and integration frameworks. These foundational investments are creating an AI-ready enterprise where data is structured, accessible, and usable at scale.
We have already begun introducing Generative AI capabilities within controlled enterprise environments and are actively evaluating opportunities across forecasting, knowledge management, employee productivity, cybersecurity, and intelligent automation.
At the same time, responsible AI remains a critical priority. Governance, privacy, security, and ethical use are integral to our AI strategy. The future belongs to organisations that can combine innovation with trust, and that is exactly the balance we are working to achieve.
Employee experience is increasingly becoming a key pillar of digital transformation. How is GPI leveraging technology to empower its people?
Our core value is People-First. So, any digital transformation at GPI can only be truly successful when it improves the experience of the people using it. Technology should simplify work, remove friction, and help employees focus on what matters most.
One of our most impactful initiatives in this area has been the rollout of MyHR, our integrated digital HR platform built on Oracle Fusion. Developed in close partnership with our CHRO, Sakshi Anand, the initiative was designed to create a seamless and intuitive employee experience across multiple HR processes. Leveraging a globally recognised cloud-based HR platform has enabled us to build a solution that is not only robust and scalable, but also continuously evolving through regular enhancements and new capabilities.
The transformation involved consolidating systems, standardising data, automating workflows, and creating a unified platform accessible across locations. Employees today have greater visibility, transparency, and control over key HR services, while managers benefit from faster access to insights, analytics, and decision-support tools. The platform’s cloud-native architecture also ensures that we can continuously introduce new features and innovations without disrupting the user experience.
Beyond efficiency gains, MyHR represents something larger. It reflects our commitment to building a workplace where technology empowers people, strengthens engagement, and supports the OneGPI culture that connects employees across the organisation. As the platform continues to evolve, it will play an increasingly important role in creating a more connected, agile, and employee-centric workplace.
Cybersecurity has become a boardroom priority. How are you securing an increasingly digital enterprise?
Cybersecurity today is a business resilience discussion.
As our digital footprint expands, we continue to strengthen our security posture through a comprehensive zero-trust architecture, where every user, device, and application is continuously authenticated and validated before access is granted.
This is supported by advanced threat monitoring, AI-powered detection capabilities, identity governance controls, vulnerability management programs, and continuous security assessments. Our objective is to move from reactive defence to proactive risk management.
Equally important is the human dimension. We conduct regular awareness programs, phishing simulations, and security training sessions to ensure cybersecurity becomes part of everyday behaviour across the organisation.
Technology, processes, and people must work together. When those three elements align, organisations become significantly more resilient against emerging threats.
Technology is evolving faster than ever. How do you ensure GPI stays ahead of the curve while remaining grounded in practical business value?
One of the realities of modern technology leadership is that technology is evolving faster than any single organisation can predict. Staying ahead therefore requires a combination of continuous learning, strong partnerships, and a willingness to adapt.
At GPI, we place significant emphasis on capability building across the organisation. Our IT teams regularly participate in certification programs, technology workshops, partner-led training sessions, and knowledge-sharing forums to stay abreast of developments in areas such as cloud computing, cybersecurity, AI, analytics, and enterprise applications. Equally important, we invest in digital literacy and awareness programs for employees across functions, ensuring that new tools and technologies are understood, adopted, and used effectively. Whether it is cybersecurity awareness, AI-enabled productivity tools, or new digital platforms, continuous learning has become an integral part of our culture.
We also actively engage with technology partners, industry peers, cloud providers, and cybersecurity specialists to understand emerging trends and best practices. These interactions often provide valuable insights into how technology can solve business challenges in new and innovative ways.
At the same time, every technology decision must ultimately create measurable business value. We evaluate initiatives through the lens of business outcomes, employee experience, operational efficiency, risk reduction, and long-term scalability. The goal is not to adopt technology because it is new. The goal is to adopt technology because it solves a real problem, creates meaningful impact, and helps the organisation move forward.
Looking ahead, what will define the next chapter of GPI’s digital journey?
Dr. Bina Modi, has consistently championed the role of technology as a catalyst for business growth and organisational agility. Her belief that technology should drive smarter decisions, faster execution, and stronger collaboration aligns closely with our vision for the future.
Over the next five years, I expect AI, advanced analytics, intelligent automation, connected operations, and predictive decision-making to become deeply embedded across the organisation. Technology will increasingly move beyond enabling processes to actively shaping business strategy.
We are building towards a future where data flows seamlessly across functions, decisions are powered by real-time intelligence, and employees have access to smarter digital tools that enhance productivity and innovation.
Our aspiration is not simply to become more digital. It is to become more intelligent, connected, and adaptive as an enterprise. Technology will continue to be the thread that brings together our people, processes, and ambitions, helping us create sustainable value in an increasingly dynamic world.
Enjoyed this interview? Now imagine yours. Write to:
jeevika@thefoundermedia.in
About The Author
