Mumbai, India · Building brands since 2009

Brand Builder.
Media Architect.
Growth Operator.

Senior Vice President & Head — Group Media and Innovations at Motilal Oswal Financial Services. 13+ years across brand strategy, integrated marketing, digital, performance and media leadership — FMCG, entertainment, technology and BFSI. Built a 35-person in-house marketing function from zero; managed ₹80–100 Cr annual budgets; drove gross-sales market share from 1.6% to 4.3%.

13+ Years
35 In-house team
₹100Cr Budgets managed
scroll
Motilal Oswal· Netflix India· Hindustan Unilever· Visa· Axe· Closeup· BGMI· Surf Excel· Bumble· UpGrad· CEAT Tyres· Godrej· OnePlus· Franklin Templeton· Motilal Oswal· Netflix India· Hindustan Unilever· Visa· Axe· Closeup· BGMI· Surf Excel· Bumble· UpGrad· CEAT Tyres· Godrej· OnePlus· Franklin Templeton·
1.6%4.3%
Gross sales market share
₹5.5 L Cr
Assets Under Advice (AUA)
12 Mn+
Client base crossed
2.3x
Brand recall lift
150%+
Organic search uplift
35
In-house team built from zero
The story

Thirteen years of building brands that compound.

"Brands are the most underleveraged growth asset in Indian business. I exist to fix that."

I started building at 13 and haven't stopped since. Founded a design studio at 17, then spent eleven years across India's top agency networks — Dentsu Webchutney, Jack in the Box, Isobar, White Rivers Media, and The Glitch (WPP) — running brand, strategy and integrated work for Netflix, Visa, Surf Excel, Axe, Closeup, Red Label, Knorr, BGMI, Universal Pictures, CEAT, Sony Pictures, Tata Motors, and dozens more.

In 2022 I moved client-side to Motilal Oswal Financial Services — one of India's largest full-service broking houses — with a specific brief: build the marketing function from a blank page. Thirty-five people, seven direct reports, a lean in-house agency covering brand, performance, digital, social, content, product, events, media, BTL, influencer and marketing finance. Named products. Conceptualised IPs. Established brand governance. Won the firm's first-ever marketing awards.

Then led the transformation of a 37-year-old brokerage into a fintech-first wealth ecosystem through a 24-month repositioning framework. The numbers: gross-sales market share from 1.6% to 4.3%. SIP share from 1.5% to 3.2%. Franchisee network 6,900 → 8,000+. AUA past ₹5.5 lakh crore. Client base crossed 12 million.

Pioneered AI-native marketing at institutional scale — a digital twin of brand leadership for personalised content, and regional social media in five Indian languages powered entirely by AI content, making institutional financial expertise accessible beyond English for the first time.

Occasional speaker on rethinking work, education and self-authored careers — including a TEDx talk on the Indian education system.

2025 — Present
SVP, Head — Group Media and Innovations
Motilal Oswal Financial Services · Reports to Group CMO
2024 — 2025
SVP, Head of Marketing — Wealth Management
Motilal Oswal Financial Services · Reported to MD & CEO
2022 — 2024
VP, Brand & Product Marketing
Motilal Oswal Financial Services
2021 — 2022
Director — Business & Client Relations
The Glitch, WPP
2020 — 2021
Head — Client Partnerships
White Rivers Media
2018 — 2020
Group Head, Client Servicing
Isobar India, Dentsu Group
2016 — 2018
Associate Business Director
Jack in the Box Worldwide
2014 — 2016
Account Manager
Webchutney, Dentsu Group
2013 — 2014
MA, Marketing Communications
University of Westminster, London
2010 — 2013
BA (Hons), Global Business
Coventry University, London
2009 — 2010
Founder
Blue Pencil Studio — design studio started at 17
Professional Experience

The long arc.

A decade on the agency side, then client-side brand and media leadership — across FMCG, entertainment, technology and BFSI. Shortlist of the roles that mattered.

May 2022 — Present
Motilal Oswal Financial Services
Senior Vice President, Head — Group Media and Innovations
(Reports to Group CMO · Previously Head of Marketing, Wealth Management — Reported to MD & CEO)

Built the entire marketing foundation from scratch — assembled a 35-person team, defined processes, established brand governance, and set up a lean in-house agency covering brand marketing, product marketing, business marketing, event marketing, digital and social, influencer strategy, traditional and digital media buying, BTL activations, and marketing finance.

Named products and apps, conceptualised events and IPs, aligned marketing to business priorities, and won the firm's first-ever marketing awards. Launched and set up marketing for the International Business, driving cross-border brand and product launches. Then led the transformation of a 37-year-old brokerage into a fintech-first wealth ecosystem through a 24-month repositioning framework.

Delivered multi-fold share and business growth: gross-sales market share 1.6% → 4.3%, SIP share 1.5% → 3.2%, franchisee network 6,900 → 8,000+ (1,100 net additions in FY23), Assets Under Advice past ₹5.5 lakh crore, client base crossed 12 million. Redesigned board-level marketing reporting by tying brand tracking and consideration metrics directly to business outcomes.

Pioneered AI-native marketing at institutional scale — created a digital twin (avatar) of brand leadership for personalised content, and launched regional social media pages in five Indian languages powered entirely by AI-generated content, making institutional financial expertise accessible beyond English-speaking India for the first time.

Led the IconEvolves brand identity overhaul as a listed-entity transition — negotiated exchange notifications across all Indian stock exchanges, managed regulatory and investor communications for simultaneous compliant rollout. Delivered 2.3x brand recall lift, 150%+ organic search uplift compressing CPA, 3x monthly active app users, 18% investor engagement growth. Established group-wide media governance and IP acquisition strategy across CNBC-TV18, ET NOW, Forbes India, The Ken, Inc42 and Global Fintech Fest.

Brand Performance Digital Social Content Product Events Media BTL Influencer Mktg Finance
Jun 2021 — May 2022
The Glitch, WPP
Director, Business & Client Relations

Built and led a 30+ person strategy and business team for the Flux unit — delivering 135% year-over-year growth on the business unit. Ran integrated, award-winning campaigns across entertainment, gaming, edtech and consumer tech.

Netflix upGrad BGMI OnePlus
Dec 2020 — Jun 2021
White Rivers Media
Head, Client Partnerships

Senior client relationships and new business development across entertainment and lifestyle brands. Led partnership-led growth for global studios entering India.

Universal Pictures Tring
Jan 2018 — Aug 2020
Isobar India, Dentsu Group
Group Head, Client Servicing

Adapted global brand guidelines for the Indian market. Won the Set Wet and Godrej group mandates. Named a BestMediaInfo Rising Star and Campaign South Asia Young Achiever during this tenure.

Universal Pictures Visa CEAT VIP Set Wet Godrej
Jan 2016 — Jan 2018
Jack in the Box Worldwide
Associate Business Director

Cross-market campaigns collaborating with global brand teams, plus new business pitching across FMCG and entertainment.

Sony Pictures Network Knorr Surf Excel Tata Motors
Oct 2014 — Jan 2016
Webchutney, Dentsu Group
Account Manager

First deep client-agency role — collaborated with regional HQs on global campaigns across Unilever's HFD portfolio, and drove 105% revenue growth on assigned accounts during tenure.

Axe Red Label Closeup Knorr Magnum CNBC-TV18 Red Bull
2009 — 2014
Education & first venture
MA Marketing Communications · BA (Hons) Global Business · Founder, Blue Pencil Studio

MA, Marketing Communications — University of Westminster, London (2013–14). BA (Hons), Global Business — Coventry University, London (2010–13). Founded Blue Pencil Studio at 17 — a brand and website design studio built on the premise that good design should be accessible to every small business, not just enterprise budgets.

Portfolio

Selected Work

Driving brand communications for India's most loved household names — Hindustan Unilever, Brooke Bond, Closeup, and more.

Surf Excel — HUL
Surf Excel · HUL
Daag Achhe Hain — Brand Film
Surf Excel · HUL
Surf Excel Digital
Surf Excel · HUL
Surf Excel — Haar Ko Harao
Red Label Tea & Closeup
Red Label Tea
Surprise Visit Campaign
Red Label Tea
Ganpati Campaign
Closeup
Closeup — Brand Film

Campaigns crafted across India's top agencies — Dentsu Webchutney, Isobar, The Glitch, Jack in the Box — for brands spanning gaming, education, fintech, and consumer tech.

UpGrad
UpGrad
UpGrad Campaign — Film 1
UpGrad
UpGrad Campaign — Film 2
UpGrad
UpGrad Campaign — Film 3
BGMI (Battlegrounds Mobile India)
BGMI
BGMI Campaign — Film 1
BGMI
BGMI Campaign — Film 2
BGMI
BGMI Campaign — Film 3
Visa
Visa
Visa — Brand Campaign
Visa × PVR
Visa + PVR Collaboration

Breakthrough digital campaigns for Netflix India — blending on-ground activations with immersive digital storytelling to launch some of the platform's biggest shows.

Netflix · On-ground Activation
Money Heist Mumbai — On-Ground Experience
Netflix · Never Have I Ever S2
Never Have I Ever — Campaign Film 1
Netflix · Never Have I Ever S2
Never Have I Ever — Campaign Film 2
Netflix · Never Have I Ever S2
Never Have I Ever — Campaign Film 3
Netflix · Never Have I Ever S2
Never Have I Ever — Campaign Film 4
Netflix · Ray
Ray Campaign — Film 1
Netflix · Ray
Ray Campaign — Film 2
Netflix · Ray
Ray Campaign — Film 3

Social-first campaigns designed for engagement, shareability, and cultural resonance — from viral investor content to FMCG social plays.

Motilal Oswal — Social Series
Viral · Investor Series
Investor Hit Mein Jaari — Vijay Kedia
Social Series
Taunts with Love
Emotional Series
Papa Dil Se
Surf Excel Social
Surf Excel
Surf Excel Digital Campaign
Surf Excel
Surf Excel — Daag Achhe Hain

Narrative-first brand storytelling across financial services, consumer goods, and technology — campaigns that moved culture, not just metrics.

Motilal Oswal
India's Bullish Run In Stock Markets
Visa
Visa — Brand Film
Visa × PVR
Visa + PVR Campaign
Godrej — Script
Script Brand Film
Closeup
Closeup — Brand Film
Red Label Tea
Red Label — Surprise Visit
Red Label Tea
Red Label — Ganpati
Surf Excel
Surf Excel — Brand Film

Over 3+ years at Motilal Oswal, built an in-house marketing powerhouse — rebranding a 40-year-old legacy, driving India-first media innovations, and creating campaigns that bridged finance with culture.

🏢 CNBC-TV18 Studio Takeover — India First
🚇 Malad Metro Station Branding
🎙 Vijay Kedia Viral Collaboration
🏆 35+ Awards in 4 Years
Brand Films
India's Bullish Run
Brand Film
India's Bullish Run — Then, Today and Tomorrow
Stock Markets
Brand Film
Stock Markets Can Thrill, Stock Markets Can Kill
Let your money work
Brand Film
Let Your Work Money Do The Work
Experience Builds Expertise
Brand Film Series
Experience Builds Expertise — Vol. 1
Experience Vol 2
Brand Film Series
Experience Builds Expertise — Vol. 2
Experience Vol 3
Brand Film Series
Experience Builds Expertise — Vol. 3
Experience Vol 4
Brand Film Series
Experience Builds Expertise — Vol. 4
Experience Vol 5
Brand Film Series
Experience Builds Expertise — Vol. 5
Experience Vol 6
Brand Film Series
Experience Builds Expertise — Vol. 6
Options Store
Options Store
Product Film
Options Store Campaign
Performance Ads
Performance Ad 1
Performance
Performance Ad — Vol. 1
Performance Ad 2
Performance
Performance Ad — Vol. 2
Social Media Series & Playlists
🎙

Corporate Mushaira

A unique cultural content format blending Urdu poetry with corporate insights — an India-first branded series.

View Playlist →
📢

Investor Hit Mein Jaari

The viral investor collaboration series featuring Vijay Kedia — India's first influencer-meets-financial-education content play.

Investor Hit Mein Jaari
Viral Series
Investor Hit Mein Jaari — Vijay Kedia
Full Playlist →
💙

Papa Dil Se

Emotional storytelling series around fathers and financial planning — connecting human values with wealth management.

Papa Dil Se
Emotional Series
Papa Dil Se
😄

Taunts with Love

Relatable social content format using humour and taunts to make investing conversations accessible to everyday audiences.

Taunts with Love
Social Series
Taunts with Love
📊

Financial Budget Series 2023

Real-time topical content series around Union Budget announcements — making complex financial news digestible.

View Playlist →
Topical Films — Cricket
Cricket Topical 1
Topical
Cricket Film — Vol. 1
Cricket Topical 2
Topical
Cricket Film — Vol. 2
Cricket Topical 3
Topical
Cricket Film — Vol. 3
Cricket Topical 4
Topical
Cricket Film — Vol. 4
Cricket Topical 5
Topical
Cricket Film — Vol. 5
Skills & Competencies

What I actually do.

A functional map of the work — built across thirteen years, sharpened on brand-side at institutional scale.

01
Brand Strategy & Positioning

Architecture, narrative, visual identity. Building brands that compound equity — from blank-page launches to heritage-brand repositioning.

02
Integrated Marketing Communications

The full stack — above-the-line, digital, social, content, PR, influencer, BTL, events. Orchestrated, not assembled.

03
Digital & Performance Marketing

Funnel design, attribution modelling, CAC/LTV economics, acquisition flywheels. Performance that feeds brand, not starves it.

04
Media Strategy, Planning & Buying

Traditional and digital media buying at scale. IP acquisition, publisher partnerships, newsroom integrations. Media as product, not spend.

05
Marketing Technology, AI & Attribution

AI-native content systems, digital twins, regional-language scale via gen-AI, data-driven attribution. Built for institutional governance.

06
Go-to-Market & Product Marketing

Product naming, launch architecture, category creation, cross-market playbooks. The bridge between product strategy and market truth.

07
P&L Ownership & Marketing ROI

₹80–100 Cr annual budgets. Board-level measurement architecture. Marketing reframed from cost centre to growth lever.

08
Team Building & In-House Agency Design

35 people from zero, seven direct reports. Designing the operating model, not just the org chart. Talent that follows across roles.

09
Cross-Market & International Campaigns

Adapted global brand guidelines for India — Visa, Netflix, Universal, Surf Excel. Now launching Indian brands outbound.

Recognition

Awards & Accolades

Selected recognitions across the last six years — from client-servicing excellence to brand-building leadership at institutional scale.

🏆
2025
Brand Builder of the Year
The Great Indian BFSI Awards
🥇
2024
Rising Star of the Marketing World — Gold
Economic Times Brand Equity
🌏
2019
South Asia Young Achiever of the Year
Campaign South Asia
2019
Rising Star of the Year
Media Ace Awards · Exchange4Media
🎤
Speaker
TEDx — "I didn't fail exams, exams failed me"
On rethinking education & self-authored careers
🏅
Career Total
35+
Industry awards across roles — campaigns & leadership
Press & Media

Features & Coverage

Varun Mundra TEDx talk — I didn't fail exams, exams failed me — at TEDxKharguliHills
TEDx Talk · TEDxKharguliHills · Dec 2021

"I didn't fail exams. Exams failed me."

A fifteen-minute case for rethinking the Indian education system — and why the most interesting careers are usually self-authored, not institutionally scripted. Drawing on a teenage entrepreneurship journey, it argues that failure, properly looked at, is a better teacher than any exam.

The same thesis runs through the marketing work: brands, like people, grow fastest when they stop performing to a rubric and start building to a question only they can answer.

Campaign Coverage
Role Moves & Recognition
Let's connect

Say Hello.

For speaking invitations, collaborations, jury work, and conversations about brand, media and growth — LinkedIn is the fastest route.