Assistant Chief Manager
Sahara India Group
Total years of experience :23 years, 7 Months
Heading the Strategic Communications, Public Relation, Corporate Image & Reputation Management, Crisis Communication, Marketing Communications, External & Internal Communications and Brand Management functions of the group and all its divisions; along with managing daily operations of the Corporate Communications Department and its branch offices, across 5 cities.
Areas of responsibilities include -
- Managing Corporate Image of the group and all its business units
- Defining short-term and long-term communication goals, Strategy Planning and implementing campaigns to achieve the said goals in a time bound and cost effective manner. Besides, designing and implementing Integrated Communication, Marcom and PR Campaigns to achieve desired results, maximizing the ROI
- Pan India as well as International Media Relations and Media Advocacy for the group and all its businesses. (I maintain effective Media Relations with over 2000 international, national, regional and local media professionals including Editors, COBs, and Reporters to Stringers across India)
- Crisis & Issue Management; Developing and Editing white papers, product papers, articles, presentations, fact sheets, concept papers, press releases, press notes, etc.
- Managing Chairman, CEO/CXO communication engagements and imagery
- Advising senior management and leadership teams on communications
- Managing the profile of the sports properties of Sahara including ‘UP Wizards’ (HIL team), ‘Awadhe Warriors’ (IBL team) and the erstwhile, ‘Pune Warriors India’ (IPL team)
- Supervising Internal Communications of the group and its divisions, ensuring smooth, timely and effective communication with over 1.2 million workers of the group spread across 4700 establishments, through intranet, circulars and internal publications. (Have conceptualized industry specific periodic publications for internal and external audience - ‘Update’ for Real estate business, ‘Cure & Care’ for Sahara Hospital, Weekly Strategic ‘Industry Round-up Report’ for Chairman’s Club and flash news through intranet and Whatsapp broadcast)
- Strategizing and implementing Digital, Online and Social Media solutions for the group. This includes conceptualization and managements of websites and group’s presence on all web platforms
- Hiring and training cross-functional communications teams for the department and its 5 branches. Developing high-performance teams ready to take greater responsibilities and leading them to deliver comprehensive communication solutions with efficiency and in a sustainable manner
- Budgeting and Cost Management of the department and for various Campaigns/Projects.
- Designing Brand Strategy; Creating and Positioning new brands and managing the transitions of the existing brands
- Conducting image audits and researches for the group and all its businesses
- Forging advertising and marketing tie-ups, Partnerships and Formation of Alliances
- Selection and managing the engagement of national and international Communication, Marketing, Research, Design and Brand Development Agencies for the group
- Conceptualization and Supervision of the designing and production of Collaterals - Brochures, etc.
- Communications support to CSR activities of the group (developed group’s first CSR profile by collecting and reporting all the activities undertaken by the group and its divisions, since its inception)
Business Development, Client Servicing of key accounts and strategy planning for corporates, governments, institutional and individual clients of the agency. Headed the team of professionals to provide research services to the activities for the clients. Also assigned to strategic initiatives of the agency, which included New Media & Foreign Media solutions, events advisory services, Public Affairs services, websites’ review, speaker services and various non-media activities. Authored Case studies and developed Risk Management manuals for clients.
Clients Handled - Diabold, BHP Billiton, UPASI, Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Widex