Kochi, Mar 19 (IANS): Over 30 top figures from IT, banking, retail, health, education, travel and transportation sectors will share insights on opportunities, emerging trends and ground realities that would help enterprises compete and lead in a digital world in a two-day event here beginning Thursday.

Organised by the Kerala government, the two-day Global Digital Summit, with the theme "Towards a Digital Future" will see the likes of former Reserve Bank of India governor Raghuram Rajan, Infosys' non-executive Chairman Nandan Nilekani, Infosys' former CEO Kris Gopalakrishnan, Harvard University Professor Gita Gopinath, Harvard Medical University Professor Ajith J Thomas, Byju's educational portal founder Byju Raveendran, besides top executives from Cisco, Volvo India, Flytxt BV, UST Global, Lufthansa, Emirates Group, Dell EMC, Innovation Incubator Inc, Federal Aviation Administration, Mapmygenome, INSEAD, FLYTXT, NASSCOM, E&Y and KPMG.

Satya Nadella, CEO, Microsoft and Joseph Sirosh, Head of Artificial Intelligence of the company will lend their presence at the event through video conference.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the event on March 22 at Le Meridien hotel which would see nearly 2,000 professionals which includes entrepreneurs, academicians, key influencers, start-ups and corporate bodies in attendance.

"This will be the most high-profile IT event ever conducted in Kerala. It will unleash the digital achievements of the state and its potential as a consumption-ready digital market place. Envisaged as a biennial event, it seeks to create and foster a network of digital achievers and inspire them to participate in the digital ambitions of the state," S.D Shibulal, who is chairman of the state's High Power IT Committee, told the media here on Monday.

"This would be a wonderful opportunity for Kerala-based companies, start-ups, aspiring entrepreneurs and individuals to understand directly from some of the brightest minds in the world about emerging trends in the digital space and what the future holds for them.

Disruptive technological forces are set to revolutionize the way businesses are being done. Kerala cannot afford to be left behind," said the former Infosys CEO and MD.

V.K.Mathews, who heads IBS Software Services and is a key organiser of the two day event, said the direct outcome of the event will be the formation of a "Digital Achievers Network of Kerala Origin", numbering around 150.

"The members of this network will, on a collective and individual basis, become the brand ambassadors of Kerala. This network will also serve as an ideation platform for championing the cause of Kerala to become a hub for the knowledge industry," he said.

The 30 invitees are divided into six panels and the topics of discussion would include aThe digital future of travel & transportation'; 'Data: Oil of the digital future'; 'The digital future of health & sustainability'; 'The digital future of education & skills'; 'Technology disruption and inclusion'; and 'The digital future of banking finance and retail'.