Industry Leaders Discuss Energy Challenges And The Road To Net Zero At Board Stewardship Webinar
Board Stewardship successfully hosted the August 2026 edition of its Monthly Live Webinar Series – Boardroom Insights on August 7, bringing together distinguished business leaders, energy experts and ESG professionals to deliberate on the evolving global energy landscape and the strategic significance of the net-zero transition.
The session commenced with a welcome address by Vikesh Wallia, Managing Director & Editor, Board Stewardship, followed by the Inaugural Address by Shailesh Haribhakti, Board Icon of India and Chairman, Advisory Board, Board Stewardship. The webinar also featured a keynote address by Dr. Atul Arya, SVP & Chief Energy Strategist, S&P Global, setting the context for discussions around energy security, transition and the opportunities emerging for businesses.
Tanish Shewani, Founder & CEO, Bharat Carbon, reflected on the broader opportunity for India, saying, “Net Zero, to me, is not an environmental destination. It is a design philosophy for how we build the future. For India, that means growing and decarbonising simultaneously, at an unprecedented scale. The opportunity is to build businesses where profitability, innovation and environmental stewardship reinforce one another. If we get this right, India will not simply participate in the net zero transition but help define it for the developing world.”
The first panel discussion, “Global Energy Crisis: Fuel for Thought – Challenge or Opportunity?”, brought together Vikesh Wallia, Gauri Jauhar, Executive Director of Strategic Energy & Climate Initiatives, S&P Global, and Akhil Mehrotra, Managing Director, Pipeline Infrastructure Limited. The discussion examined the challenges posed by the changing energy landscape and the opportunities for businesses to build greater resilience while navigating the energy transition.
Ashok Sethi, Ex-Chairman, TCE; Ex-COO& Executive Director, Tata Power; IICA certified Sr. ESG Consultant, Partner Sustain Edge ESG. highlighted the transformative potential of the transition: “Net zero is not merely a climate goal; it is a strategic transformation agenda. It drives operational excellence, innovation, technology breakthroughs, resilient value chains, energy and resource security, risk reduction, and smarter investment. By anticipating market and consumer shifts through scenario-based strategies, businesses can create enduring value. For India, Net Zero is a unique opportunity to demonstrate that people, planet and profits can grow together, at scale, sustainably and competitively.”
The second panel, “Net Zero: Where Zero is the Winner”, featured Arun Om Lal, Tanish Shewani and Ashok Sethi and explored Net Zero not simply as an environmental objective but as a strategic imperative for businesses and their leadership.
Arun Om Lal, retired President (Corporate Affairs & Communications), Hexagon Nutrition Limited and Senior Advisor & Independent Director, emphasised the leadership dimension of the transition. “Net Zero is not an environmental destination; it is a leadership journey.
He concluded with a strong message on the role of leadership in shaping a sustainable future: “The greatest legacy of corporate leadership will not be measured by the wealth we created, but by the world we helped preserve while creating it. In the race toward a sustainable future, zero is not merely a target; it is the hallmark of visionary leadership. Because when it comes to Net Zero, Zero is truly the winner.”
He further added, “Net Zero will not be won by the companies that talk about sustainability but by the leaders who turn carbon reduction into a competitive advantage.”
The webinar concluded with a Q&A session on the Independent Directorship Journey with Vikesh Wallia, providing participants with an opportunity to engage with the evolving role of Independent Directors and the changing expectations of board leadership.
