Aug 2022 – May 2024 · 1 yr 9 mos · Gurugram, Haryana, India

• Integration between mainline FCB India and digital FCB Kinnect along with ensuring growth were the biggest responsibilities for me.
• Business – Managing the entire P&L for FCB’s flagship agency in India - FCB India, running all the office operations, and leading all the brand and business relationships.
• Clients’ & Brand Portfolio – Managing over ~25 coveted brands and pan-India clients across various categories with over 130 employees reporting to me.
• Office Growth – Inorganic growth with 15 Crore of new business and organic Business growth of 10 crore through cross-pollination across mainline and digital capabilities. Wins like VIVO, BATA, Honda, Pernod Ricard portfolio increase through new brands’ acquisition.
• New Operations’ Office – Responsible for setting up Unilever operations at the new office in Mumbai with a dedicated team working on Unilever brands for India.
• Revenue – 18% annual revenue growth across the portfolio.
• Noteworthy - Almost 50% of the brands in the portfolio were integrated with main brand and digital operations handled by FCB. Identified and put in place a new working structure with an ‘Integration Lead’ recruited by any agency for the first time in India.
• Culture: Striving to set up a culture of respect, excellence and all round happiness.

May 2013 – Jul 2022 · 9 yrs 2 mos · Gurgaon, India

• The key goal here was to minimize the dependence on legacy clients by effectively and profitably growing the business multi-dimensionally through mainline brand solutions & new age business solutions.
• Business - Heading the Delhi & Mumbai offices of Taproot Dentsu & Dentsu One with complete responsibility of all the business and brand initiatives. Onus of managing the entire P&L, steering all the office operations, delivering on the profitability and leading all the brand and business relationships.
• Growth - Track record of achieving more than 8X business growth over the last 9 years at Dentsu – by minimizing the dependence on legacy clients to almost 30% from 90% and ensuring multi-fold growth on the new business front.
• Margins - Running the operations at over 30% operating Margin and also delivering the highest margins in the industry over 40% with Taproot Dentsu.
• Cross-pollination - Business growth through multi-discipline services lines – creative/brand, digital, media, CXM, experiential/event teams and straddling the brands beyond the traditional realm to create solutions in the form of AutoExpo & Honda Revfest worth over 150 crore for Automobile clients.
• Noteworthy - Using the cohesive strength of the Dentsu network to deliver MARTECH solutions - like CDP for Honda (Vs IBM) worth almost 10 Crore. Market leading brand campaigns (helping Honda to catapult from 5th position in market share to 2nd position in 5 years).
• Resources - A new-age agency resource template - rationalized the agency resource structure through skill and competence-based restructuring to create a nimble, agile, flat & extremely client-focused team. Mentoring & creating a strong line of professionals was another accomplishment.
• Brands - Straddling diverse gamut of over ~30 brands brand work directed at mass-segments and high net-worth individuals with diverse consumer cohorts - involving re-positioning, re-launch and re-stage campaigns.

Dec 2006 – May 2013 · 6 yrs 5 mos · Gurgaon, India

• Key goal here was to lead multiple account management teams and partner clients to create successful brand launches, repositioning exercises, category expansions, market share strengthening and rolling out standout integrated marketing communication for both market leaders and challenger brands.
• Business Head for the biggest vertical of Airtel – Mobility/Network, Sponsorships & DTH – leading all brand and marketing communication.
• Worked on brand re-launch of Airtel (across all consumer touchpoints). This was one of the biggest brand re-launch exercises done in the country with marketing and media spends of INR 3bn. Followed this with the launch of Airtel’s 3G services.
• Led the team in creating in successful ATL & BTL campaigns for biggest brand engagement properties for Airtel – Formula 1 Indian Grand Prix, Airtel Delhi Marathon, Airtel Music, Manchester United-Airtel association and the co-branding & product launches (Apple iPhone).
• Successfully spear-headed the brown drinks portfolio of GSK, and led the challenger brand Boost to become one of the fastest growing GSK brands (~20% growth) in the worldwide consumer healthcare stable; Managed re-launches and re-stages for Boost involving positioning strategy and new product development; Played a pivotal role in managing breakthrough sports associations and new sports-celebrity ‘fits’.
• Consolidated and grew the Sony account from a single brand to a multiple brand portfolio (5-fold growth from INR 0.2bn to 1bn in annual capitalized billing) through aggressive account management and new business acquisition.
• Initiated new revenue streams at JWT through celebrity/talent management for Sony & GSK brands.
• Managed and grew the Pizza Hut business and led the team that planned and launched the delivery brand of Pizza Hut in India – PHD; worked on growing the Yum Brands' business to get the Taco Bell brand.
• Successfully worked on the new business pitch for one the largest JWT brands worldwide - Nokia.

Nov 2002 – Dec 2006 · 4 yrs 1 mo · New Delhi Area, India

• Guidance from some the most insightful advertising & marketing minds - first at Dhar & Hoon and then at M&C Saatchi - helped me develop an analytical and rationale-based approach towards brands, account management and strategic planning. This role gave me a significant opportunity to work on strategic assignments and projects for brands.
• Worked on brands like Dabur, Sony, AIWA, Godfrey Phillips, Revlon, Asian Paints, Yamaha, VLCC, Indiatimes etc.
• Spearheaded the brand planning and integrated marketing exercises for Dabur Real Juice portfolio and repositioned the brand to help it become the fastest growing brands (45% growth) within the Dabur stable.
• Successfully acquired the Sony account through a new business pitch; re-launched AIWA in India.
• Involved in brand architecture and brand strategy projects and assignments for Yamaha Motors, Asian Paints , BPCL and Godfrey Phillips’ Jaisalmer Cigarettes brand strategy.

Jan 2001 – Jan 2002 · 1 yr · New Delhi Area, India

• A switch from sales to advertising was made worthwhile with the best opportunities to work on some of the most iconic Indian and global brands.
• Involved in the strategic branding/portalisation exercise to unearth NIIT’s education brands Futurz, Cats & Swift and address multiple consumer segments.
• Involved in planning and organizing - product launches/re-launches; driving engagement through contests, sponsorships - resulting in NIIT becoming the Youth Marketer of the year (MTV-Brand Equity survey)
• Involved in the brand launch and subsequent brand-building exercise for ISB (a McKinsey promoted B-School)
• Responsible for the launch work of Shell Brands (Rimula & 2T)
• Involved in successful new business pitches for Microsoft and JK Tyres

Jan 2000 – Jan 2001 · 1 yr · New Delhi Area, India

• Started with one of the best cross-functional stints as a Management Trainee and then gained hardcore channel-sales experience - in developing market opportunities for this new Credit Card product - GE SBI Credit cards - in Gurgaon & Delhi.
• Ensured business in terms of quality portfolio - acceptable profile, income and risk grade - through an effective field sales management process.
• Laid effective processes & controls in the operations to eliminate frauds/miscommunications at the sourcing stage.
• Grew the customer base by 70% by driving the retail sales and distribution strategy; also carried out various other market development activities including - tracking & analyzing competitor activity with reference to products, sales processes, distribution, pricing & customer promos.