May 2025 – Apr 2026 · 11 mos · Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India · On-site

Apr 2024 – May 2025 · 1 yr 1 mo

Jun 2023 – Mar 2024 · 9 mos

• Elevated brand visibility through strategic media engagements, securing INR 1.78 crore in PR Advertisement Equivalent Index. Crafted and submitted nine award entries, winning five prestigious awards, including Shepreneurs, ET BFSI, and FE FuTech for the leadership and product. Doubled LinkedIn follower count through compelling content strategies. Strengthened analyst relations by improving Chartis RiskTech 100 ranking to 68th.

Jun 2023 – Mar 2024 · 9 mos

• Communication ambit covered leadership positioning of Ms. Aparna Reddy, Executive Director of Aparna Enterprises Ltd. Ms. Aparna Reddy runs AEL, an enterprise set up by her father in 1990 at a single Tiles showroom close to Abids in Hyderabad. Since then the firm has grown to become national leader in the building materials industry. AEL now has operations in South East Asia, Middle East and few geographies in Africa.
• Alongside the Marketing Head, and a stellar team of brand managers and the CRM team, we reviewed and wrote blogs, created the first newsletter for AEL, launched a new website for the corporate, created corporate presentations, created a Social Media Policy and managed sustained visibility for 12 B2B and B2C brands.
• With PR and the willingness of the vertical heads to go the extra mile in engaging with the right media, we could weave stories on the expansion of businesses. They included Ready-Mix Concrete, luxury bath spaces and kitchens, uPVC profile extrusions, exterior facades and premium aluminium and door systems, mineral processing, customized kitchens and wardrobes and tiles.
• Key achievements included being part of an organization whose Y-O-Y growth outstripped India's GDP growth and being recognized by The Economic Times as the No. 1 Building Materials Company in India. The last one was special as it was a personal initiative overseen by my manager.

Feb 2020 – May 2023 · 3 yrs 3 mos

• Led comprehensive communication strategies, amplifying 12 brands via social media, blogs, and print campaigns. Enhanced internal, external, CSR, and leadership messaging to align with business strategy.

Feb 2020 – Dec 2023 · 3 yrs 10 mos · Tamil Nadu, India · Hybrid

• Translated Maria Montessori's mode of teaching material for students from English to Hindi. Alongside the Managing Trustee and torch bearer, created a marketing strategy for the launch of Montessori medium of pedagogy for lesser privileged students in Chennai. They were sons and daughters of auto-drivers, housemaids and corporation sanitation workers. The Grassroots initiative has expanded to five schools in Chennai.

Aug 2016 – Jan 2020 · 3 yrs 5 mos

• Launched brand verticals in edtech, cybersecurity, and innovation, driving PR initiatives with media and educators. Promoted upskilling certifications via REINVENT IT conferences in Mumbai and Dubai, engaging Fortune 500 leaders and universities.

Jun 2016 – Jan 2020 · 3 yrs 7 mos

• Rocheston is a certifications start-up specializing in certifying students and professionals in cybersecurity, big data, innovation, IoT and AI. I worked closely with the CEO and the uniquely talented team. As a Sr. Manager, served in marketing, business development, university/industry association outreach and communication efforts in the Indian Sub-Continent, MENA region and the Caribbean.

Jan 2016 – May 2016 · 4 mos · Kolkata, West Bengal, India

• Corporate and Stakeholder Communications Consultant for firms such as Mahindra Group, PVR Cinemas, Tata Coffee, Exide Industries and AU Small Finance Bank.

Apr 2013 – Dec 2015 · 2 yrs 8 mos · Greater Kolkata Area

• Harp is a specialized Consulting House offering Communication Audit and Refinement services for Organizations, NGOs, and Government Agencies. We offered Reputation Management services in partnership with Reputation Matters, South Africa. Our clients included Mindaide Consulting, ARMOR Sportswear, Resources Habitat, V-Star Creations and Bayer Material Science.

Jan 2012 – Mar 2013 · 1 yr 2 mos · Gurugram, Haryana, India

• Zuari Agro Chemicals Ltd., part of the KK Birla-owned Adventz Group, initiated me into the world of fertilisers and most importantly, farming of pineapples, bananas, cotton, rice and wheat.
• Some of the most critical questions that I had, when I tilled farms in Bihar, were answered. I marketed fertilisers in the villages of Goa, met dealers, spoke to farmers, and understood the value chain as well as the Unit Cost Economics of fertilisers.
• Farmers had a primary question. Who will till their land after them? The next generation migrates to cities for higher studies and work. As a consequence, the food plate shrinks, gets costlier, land holding decreases, cost of ownership rises, even as the debate into chemical fertiliser versus natural manure continues.
• Moving around the villages, playing football with children, speaking to village elders and personnel running Primary Health Centres, broke several marketing myths and changed my 'air-conditioned cubicle' views.
• Additionally, I prepared a communications plan for the Adventz Group that has business interests in agro-chemicals, furniture, railway wagons and real estate.

Jan 2012 – Mar 2013 · 1 yr 2 mos

• Designed PR plans to enhance brand equity among farmers and media, collaborating with industry bodies such as CII and FICCI for leadership visibility. Introduced innovative employee engagement program, helping new hires on rural business.

Jan 2008 – Dec 2011 · 3 yrs 11 mos

• Crisis communication, corporate affairs, media relations, product communication, leadership communication took wings at Emaar MGF Land Ltd, now renamed as Emaar India. Sustaining the ethos of the brand, carefully built in the run-up to the public issue, was a key challenge that we successfully manoeuvred.
• Although the IPO wasn't subscribed fully, I learnt 'how to market a large public issue in India' in close coordination with agencies, legal advisers and investment bankers. In addition, the launch of an intricately curated newsletter, Horizons, for internal and external audience, was a vital highlight.
• Over time, I was part of a crack team that launched residential, commercial, retail and hospitality projects across realty markets in India. A significant learning was the way Mohamed Alabbar, Chairman, Emaar Properties, handled challenging situations and questions, from the Press. His calmness, poise and grace while answering queries was exemplary and signified class.
• Essentially, my stint gave me insights into the 'how, when, where and why' global leaders and organizations behave, execute for the future and minimize risks. The goal: greater value for stakeholders.

Jan 2008 – Dec 2011 · 3 yrs 11 mos

• Played a pivotal role in global PR for Burj Khalifa and Commonwealth Games Village launches. Developed media guidelines and managed PR agency for targeted communication strategies. Positioned Emaar MGF IPO for 100% institutional subscription, negating negative coverage.

Jun 2007 – Jan 2008 · 7 mos · Greater Hyderabad Area

• The actualisation of studying Economics, Mathematics, Statistics and some English happened at UBS India Service Centre. As the first hire at the Wealth Management Research editing team, my remit included editing and processing high-end research for wealthy clients of the bank.
• I worked in a multi-cultural, diverse environment where meritocracy was the sole criteria for further building the editing team. Flawless content management across markets, geographies and timelines, was institutionalized at UBS Hyderabad.
• Key achievements included consistent learning from a Leader who put a 'Sell' rating on Yahoo Inc. during the dotcom boom; a significant improvement in the quality of reports written by Indian and Global analysts at UBS WMR and an awakening to real, solid research.

Apr 2003 – Feb 2007 · 3 yrs 10 mos · Greater Hyderabad Area

• Officially began working at Deccan Chronicle, the flagship newspaper of Deccan Chronicle Holdings Ltd. after interning at Hindustan Times, Chandigarh. During internship, a batchmate and I wrote on mobile phones, real estate and CSR.
• Unofficially, I began loving NEWS/newspapers/magazines/encyclopedia since 1984, when the former Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi was shot dead.
• At DC-Hyderabad, I lived news, pages, layouts, pictures, blurbs, graphs and headlines. Within a year, I began reporting on the Business of Things. It included Automotives, Infrastructure, Realty, Entrepreneurship, Sustainability, the PartyGaming scandal and Politics; when the Congress, led by the Late Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, demolished N. Chandrababu Naidu's fortress built on IT and Pharma in elections. In the process, I also acquainted myself with Newspaper Management.
• Had the first taste of Investigative Journalism with attempts to pry into substance abuse in the social circuit of the city of Nizams and gatecrashed VVS Laxman's marriage for Exclusive pictures and story, armed with a Nokia 6600. DC was a thoroughly enjoyable launch-pad for my career, ably guided by Leaders who had launched several newspapers in their careers.