ElitePlus two-day global summit to kickstart tomorrow

The 12th Speciality Films & Flexible Packaging Global Summit, organised by ElitePlus Business Services, returns to Mumbai’s Jio World Convention Centre on 3–4 September 2025. With more than 2,200 delegates from 900+ organisations and 150 exhibitors expected, the summit has established itself as the world’s largest networking and knowledge platform for the films and flexible packaging value chain.

On day one, speakers will delve into how the polymer industry is undergoing rapid transformation, led by circularity and digitalisation, addressing themes that are reshaping the future of packaging. A look at the agenda indicates industry leaders will highlight how polymer producers are increasingly turning to renewable energy sources and alternative raw materials, with fossil-based virgin polymers expected to become premium products. This dynamic will be explored by speakers such as Robert Cotton, R&D director - packaging sustainable materials, PepsiCo, who will discuss PepsiCo Foods' journey in sustainable packaging, and Jacob Duer, president and chief executive officer, Alliance to End Plastic Waste, who will provide takeaways from the INC-5.2 Geneva deliberations. Simultaneously, with advances in technology and scale, chemical recycling is maturing as a viable solution to handle complex waste streams economically, closing the loop on materials once deemed non-recyclable.

In addition, speakers will explore how digital material design is transforming product development. By simulating material behaviour digitally, the industry is set to reduce reliance on physical prototyping, speeding up innovation cycles and reducing waste. This forward-looking perspective will be addressed by experts like Mark Carl-Henrik Conrad, associate partner, McKinsey & Company, who will present on sustainability from the perspective of global consumers, touching upon how digital tools are shaping consumer-driven sustainability.

Another focus at ElitePlus will be regulatory frameworks. Standardised rules around carbon footprint reporting and recyclability criteria are anticipated to reshape supply chains, ensuring transparency and comparability across global markets. This crucial aspect will be covered by Deepak Mishra, joint secretary (PC), Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers, Government of India, who will provide policymaker guidance, and Varun Gupta, supply chain director - South Asia region, Nestle India, who will speak on the role of packaging in the growth of the food business within evolving regulatory landscapes.

Besides the two-day summit will feature an impressive roster of leaders and changemakers setting the stage for these discussions:
Nadir Godrej, chairman and managing director, Godrej Industries, will serve as the session chairman.
Harsh Mariwala, chairman, Marico, will deliver a keynote address on Succession in Family-Managed Business.
Jayen Mehta, managing director, Amul (GCMMF), will give a keynote address titled Amul-Going Global–Conquering the World.
Krishnakumar Thirumalai, director, Reliance Consumer Products, will present a keynote address on the impact of consumer buying behavior on packaging.
Siddhartha Sanyal, chief economist and head of research, Bandhan Bank, will address economic headwinds and their impact on global and Indian economies.

PrintWeek and WhatPackaging? magazines are media partners of the 12th Speciality Films & Flexible Packaging Global Summit.