Experience

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  UltraTech Cement

  • Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India

  • General Manager & Brand Building Head - Central Zone

    • Jan 2023 - Present
    • Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Lead the Brand Building function for Central Zone with 8 teammates.Plan & Manage Marketing spend of 30+ Cr. annually.Driving brand building strategies to strengthen UltraTech’s Brand Preference share in the consumers’ mind and in value chain through Consumer Marketing, Trade Marketing, Merchandising, Communication & Content Development, OOH & Retail Visibility, BTL & Rural Activations.

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  KJS Cement (I) Limited

  • Satna, Madhya Pradesh, India

  • Head of Brand Marketing & EA to Chairman

    • Mar 2015 - Dec 2022
    • Satna, Madhya Pradesh, India

    Headed Brand Marketing, Institutional Sales & managed Chairman’s office.Led central marketing efforts like defining the objectives, budgets, aligning efforts, improving systems, processes & prices, devising incentive schemes & operating procedures.Planned Brand Architecture while reinvigorating the Masterbrand i.e. KJS Cement as one of the most desired cement brands by creating fresh value propositions to improve price positioning and gain premium from the market.Led all the market research efforts, provided specific and relevant consumer insight in all decision-making forums, proactively contributed to the product development process and helped the organization expand market share. Led market expansion efforts, developed & executed Go-to-Market strategies and launched & established KJS Cement in new markets.Managed a strong marketing agency and vendor set-up for ensuring speed and quality of implementation, got AC Nielsen on board for market research, McCann Erickson for creative strategy and Perfect Relations for PR.Managed Key Accounts & Bulk buyers to cater to untapped avenues.Assisted Chairman in defining Corporate Brand Strategy, developing & executing Long-term Plans & Vision, Business Analysis & New Market Entry plans.

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  PRISM CEMENT - PRISM JOHNSON LIMITED

  • Varanasi Area, India

  • Head - Marketing Services

    • 2011 - 2015
    • Varanasi Area, India

    Having gained hands-on exposure in Marketing & Brand Management discipline, here with India’s leading integrated building materials company, I joined as Manager and became the Youngest Head of Department for Marketing Services (Brand Marketing) at Pan India level.I established the department and designed SOPs for smooth running of marketing operations, aligned team towards launching a premium brand 'Prism HI-TECH Cement'​ in Bihar, and positioned & established the brand as the most visible cement brand and price leader in the category.I headed brand marketing for multi-million business across the north-central India for invigorating Company's business, operational across MP-Chhattisgarh, UP-Uttarakhand, & Bihar-Jharkhand.Furthermore I played a key role in establishing the brand & increasing brand recall by conceptualizing & executing brand management & communication strategies, launch & promotional campaigns, handling brand activations, devising annual & project specific brand promotion plans & budgets, managing event calendar for CRM & CSR activities, incentive schemes, operating procedures, initiating & executing ATL/BTL activities and maintaining agency co-ordination.

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  Future Group India

  • Lucknow

  • Area Marketing Head

    • 2008 - 2011
    • Lucknow

    Here as part of the largest hypermarket chain in India, I gained significant brand & marketing communication exposure, while positioning a powerful brand and a market leader in terms of quality, affordability & accessibility to the consumers.I initially headed the marketing of 3 existing stores (1 each in Lucknow, Kanpur & Allahabad) and planned & single-handedly managed launch of 3 new stores (2 in Lucknow & 1 in Kanpur), recognized as the best launches in North Zone till date. Also revived & stabilized Kanpur-2 store through increase in footfall/ walk-ins, ticket size & sales by analyzing consumer behaviour and organizing consumer promos.Furthermore here I led brand management at regional level to establish brand image while making the brand penetrate into UP-East market; planned & implemented brand positioning strategies to increase brand awareness, preference & recall value; organised & co-ordinated events, customer engagement activities & BTL activation at all stores; developed new schemes/promotions to attract new & retain existing customers; and formulated & implemented marcom plans & budgets to generate business.

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  Shoppers’ Stop Limited

  • New Delhi

  • Unit Marketing Head

    • 2007 - 2008
    • New Delhi

    During this stint as part of India’s foremost Fashion & Lifestyle retailer, I joined to initially head the marketing for ‘Shoppers’ Stop, Ansal Plaza’, the biggest departmental store of north India and became Unit Marketing Head for 2 stores after launching MGF Saket store. Besides I served as SPOC for 6 Delhi/NCR stores to deal with sponsors, regional team & corporate office in order to design and co-ordinate promotional events for all the stores in Delhi/NCR. Here I was handling the marketing activities for increasing walk-ins and improving ticket size. I also participated in re-branding with the launch of new Logo, where I was involved in organizing launch meet, overnight change of store signage & in-store branding, and tie-up with HT for distribution of Brunch Magazine in SS bags with new tag line “Start Something New” and ensured successful & timely execution of the same.Here I got exposure of planning & executing local marketing activities, designing & running consumer promotions, organizing events, marcom & brand promotions, establishing tie-ups to increase footfalls, brand visibility & value for customers, liaising with companies & brands for in-store events promotions/ sponsorships, and conducting competitive analysis of catchment area, market research & customer feedback for consumer insights.

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  Bennett Coleman and Co. Ltd. (Times Group)

  • Bhopal

  • Account Manager

    • 2006 - 2006
    • Bhopal

    After completing MBA in Marketing, I joined the TOI Group with accountability for starting the Timesjobs’ operations in Bhopal and I played a key role in establishing it as a leading job site in M.P.Here I worked towards market & business development, identifying & exploring new business opportunities, tracking competition, devising strategies to increase market share, institutional sales & sales promotion, along with brand building & brand promotion.Moreover I was actively involved in promotional events from conceptualising to media planning to ATL & BTL activities till final execution and I planned & organised two successful Job Fairs, 1 at Gwalior with 13 companies and 1 at Bhopal with 17 companies.

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  Unilever

  • Bhopal

  • Internship Trainee (During MBA)

    • 2005 - 2005
    • Bhopal

    This was an internship stint during MBA, here I worked on a project titled 'Initiatives to drive growth in HLL’s Personal Wash category of products in rural M.P.' from May 2005 to July 2005.

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  Colgate-Palmolive

  • Bhopal

  • Internship Trainee (During MBA)

    • 2005 - 2005
    • Bhopal

    This was an internship stint during MBA, here I worked on a project titled 'Operation Khoj' from November 2005 to December 2005.