Dec 2019 – May 2022 · 2 yrs 5 mos

• Cactus provides tech-powered solutions to stakeholders in 2 sectors: Academic Publishing and Life Sciences
•  Managed inorganic growth strategies spanning M&A, JVs, partnerships, and investments through CVC arm, Cactus Accelerator:
• Prepared investment memos and presented recommendations to the leadership
• Managed the end-to-end investment/acquisition process involving target screening and assessment, valuation and synergy analysis, due diligence, negotiations, and deal-closure
• Oversaw pre and post-merger integration process
•  Played Strategy Business Partner for the fastest-growing academic market, Greater China:
• Worked with the business head to develop the business case for major business initiatives
• Critically analyzed and drove the pace of the business initiatives against the 3-year goals
• Ran strategic projects identified by the business head like branding strategy, GTM strategy, etc.
• Analysed the market trends and opportunities & recommended subsequent actions to senior management
•  Led the initiation and incubation of key strategic & experimental projects to explore new growth opportunities.
• Drove improvement projects that require design, excellence, and growth capabilities
• Some noteworthy projects include the implementation of the balanced scorecard for tracking strategic initiatives, the development of a 3-year strategic vision, quarterly monitoring of brand perception and devising responsive branding strategies, becoming a prestigious member of the UN SDG Publishers Compact, etc.

Sep 2018 – Dec 2019 · 1 yr 3 mos

• Provided support to the co-founder and executive chairman in various strategic initiatives, including:
•  Successful completion of Cactus' first-ever acquisition and two strategic investments, contributing to the company's goal of becoming a product organization from a services organization
•  Led efforts to launch a sector-agnostic venture capital fund that focused on early-stage ventures, resulting in angel investments in two startups and two regional movies
•  Collaborated with multiple stakeholders to develop a comprehensive three-year strategic vision and translated it into actionable initiatives; monitored progress monthly using the Balanced Scorecard to ensure alignment with long-term goals
•  Facilitated a path-breaking strategic partnership deal with a key industry monopoly, significantly enhancing Cactus' competitive advantage; worked independently on the deal's completion

May 2017 – Aug 2018 · 1 yr 3 mos · Bengaluru Area, India

• ► Key Responsibilities
•  Drive interaction with relevant stakeholders; develop thought leadership and prepare client presentations
•  Spearhead a team of 3-6 research analysts to conduct primary and secondary research
•  Analyse data and construct dynamic Excel Models to present business intelligence analysis
• ► Projects
•  Policy Revamping:
• Supported a government agency in policy formulation & implementation strategy
• Revamped the existing commercial manual to maximize non-aviation revenue and increase ASQ ratings at 108 airports
•  Brand Strategy:
• Developed consumer-oriented marketing strategy for India’s prominent online healthcare service provider
• Identified the target segments, devised targeted brand messages stratified by the most efficient communication media
•  Due-Diligence:
• Conducted 3 commercial due diligence and developed sector perspectives for 2 Singapore based PE funds
• Administered quarterly market scans across sectors to identify potential investment opportunities for global PE/VC funds
•  Pitch Deck:
• Directed an in-depth study on the potential of Interior Designing in India for an online interiors solutions provider
• Ran root cause analysis of the pain-points and formulated relevant value propositions for various stakeholders
•  Market Research:
• Published quarterly analysis reports on Hyperlocal Home Services, Mobile Wallets and Online Ticketing industry
• Performed business intelligence exercise by driving supply & demand side surveys, primary and secondary research
•  Operations and Planning:
• Formulated a detailed employee allowance structure for a renowned Indian IT company with an objective of cutting costs
• Benchmarked structure against 5 competitors, living standards in respective countries and employees’ competency levels

May 2016 – Jul 2016 · 2 mos · Gurgaon, India

•  Performed market research and prepared benchmarking reports to increase adoption of ShopClues University and Merchant Forum

Dec 2015 – May 2016 · 5 mos · New Delhi

•  Received Pre-Placement Offer and Letter of Appreciation
•  Managed office interior design projects for The Taj Safaris budgeted at INR xx crores and PDQ Asia budgeted at INR x crores
•  Only trainee to be given independent responsibility of vendor handling and client dealing

Jun 2015 – Jul 2015 · 1 mo · Bengaluru Area, India

•  Outlined client requirements into actionable tasks
•  Managed the project to help cross-functional teams align on customer expectations and roadmap to launch the flagship product within 2 months
•  Curated and reviewed 170+innovative assessments for standards 1-10 to deploy quality learning in 27+ schools

May 2014 – Jul 2014 · 2 mos · Gurgaon

•  Presented street lighting design requirements proposal for 12 sq.km of area to Philips; Bagged partnership worth INR 1.84 crores with Philips
•  Drafted pitch and adaptation plans for Philips Greenline 43W LED series to ensure smart and energy efficient street lighting system

Feb 2014 – Apr 2014 · 2 mos

•  Blogged for ‘Opensabha’, a public forum aimed at creating awareness regarding Indian General Elections, 2014