- As Gujarat rises as a hub for innovation, York IE’s flagship event urges professionals to embrace AI and emerging tech to drive smarter decisions, agile leadership, and career growth in the digital era
NE BUSINESS BUREAU
AHMEDABAD, OCT 6
In a world rapidly shaped by automation and intelligent systems, the ability to understand and harness Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer optional — it’s essential. Reflecting this urgency, York IE, a global product strategy, investment, and advisory firm, hosted the second edition of PM Connect in Ahmedabad on Saturday, themed “AI and the Future of Product Management.” The event drew over 70 professionals from leading technology firms and startups, reaffirming Gujarat’s growing reputation as an innovation hotspot.
PM Connect, York IE’s flagship knowledge-sharing series, is designed to foster collaboration among product managers, technologists, and startup founders. This year’s sessions underscored how AI is transforming every layer of product management — from strategic decision-making to user analytics and product design.
The program featured dynamic talks by industry experts:
- Hemal Bhatt, Product Manager at IBM, introduced the EDGES Framework, outlining strategies to build agile, high-performing product teams capable of thriving amid rapid tech disruption.
- Pratik Vohera, Chief Product Technology Officer at Pet Pooja, shared real-world insights on how AI-powered analytics can enable faster, data-driven decisions, citing his experience scaling SaaS solutions for the F&B sector.
- Shyamal Datta, Head of Product at a leading media house, discussed how AI is redefining product management skills, urging professionals to evolve from operational executors to innovation leaders.
Addressing the participants, Kalrav J. Parsana, Vice President – India Operations, York IE, said: “The DNA of York IE has always been rooted in startups — experimenting, building, and scaling. PM Connect 2.0 is our way of bringing together a community of builders and innovators to learn from one another and push the boundaries of their creative thinking.”
The event concluded with a panel discussion, interactive sessions, and networking opportunities, where budding product managers showcased their problem-solving and design-thinking capabilities.
With Gujarat emerging as a thriving base for startups, SaaS firms, and digital-first enterprises, the discussions at PM Connect underscored a clear message — those who learn AI and adapt to emerging technologies will stay ahead in the growth curve, while others risk being left behind.
By equipping professionals with the tools to think algorithmically, innovate responsibly, and manage intelligently, York IE’s PM Connect is shaping not just the future of product management — but the future of leadership in the AI era.
