Top 15 CMOs Transforming the Online Retail Industry In India
Martechvibe spotlights the top 15 CMOs who are at the forefront of innovation and transformation in this dynamic sector, where traditional markets intersect with burgeoning digital platforms.
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India’s ecommerce and retail sector is seeing a significant surge, with a forecasted value of over $ 160 billion by 2028. Credit goes to the innovative minds who are changing the economic dynamics within their existing companies.
CMOs in India wield significant influence, driving change and shaping brands in multifaceted ways. From galvanising internal teams to bolstering brand value and driving sales, these leaders play a pivotal role in navigating the vibrant Indian retail landscape.
Top 15 Influential CMOs Reshaping the Indian Online Retail Industry
Designation: CMO, Pizza Hut, India Subcontinent
Since joining Pizza Hut, Aanandita Datta has implemented various marketing strategies. One of her latest campaigns on Valentine’s Day, in partnership with Tinder, gained impressive traction, connecting GenZ audiences. Prior to joining Pizza Hut, she served Unilever for over nine years as the Global Brand Manager, where she was responsible for positioning the company’s innovation roadmap and communication development.
Designation: Chief Marketing Officer, Bewakoof.com
Abhimanyu is a change-maker marketing leader who helped Bewakoof.com win popularity among GenZ and Millennials since the beginning. He is one of the creative masterminds behind the brand’s innovative approach to connecting with target audiences.
Designation: CMO and Co-founder at Boat Lifestyle
A voice of young entrepreneurs, and with Shark Tank fame, Aman is the CMO and Co-founder at Boat Lifestyle. He has always been on centre stage due to his innovative marketing strategies. Before launching boat headsets, Aman worked with HARMAN International to elevate sales of lifestyle brands like JBL, Harman Kardon, and AKG in the Indian market.
Designation: Chief Marketing Officer, Britannia
Amit is the mastermind behind Britannia’s clutter-breaking advertising and marketing strategies. From the #HarPocketAbDustbin initiative to support the company’s sustainability goals to introducing ad campaigns with cricket enthusiasts during IPL, his strategies have always been a trendsetter. Before joining Britannia, he led the brand and performance marketing responsibilities for Lenovo’s consumer business in India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh.
Designation: Chief Marketing Officer, Mamaearth
With 20 years of experience in brand management, innovation strategy, and sales, Anuja is the creative head behind the company’s marketing strategies. Her efforts have helped the brand increase its revenue by 6.8% during Q2 FY24. Before joining Mamaearth, she worked with brands like PepsiCo and Godrej to streamline their marketing functions.
Designation: Marketing Head and CMO, Ajio.com
Holding 13 years of experience in the ecommerce and retail sector, Arpan is the trendsetter in Ajio.com’s marketing team. He is the marketing head and CMO at Ajio.com. Arpan is one of the driving forces behind the launch of AJIOGRAM which empowers D2C fashion startups. His hands-on experience in creating innovative digital campaigns has helped a lot of brands to build their ethos. Besides that, he has also worked with brands like Britannia, Arvind Lifestyle, and Wonderchef.
Designation: Chief Marketing Officer, Soch Apparels
Deepak is an omnichannel brand marketer with 20+ years of experience leading ROI-led marketing across retail, telecom and wellness industries. After he joined Soch, the brand also announced its investment plan for its website innovation and automation tools in December 2023. He is a trendsetter and holds expertise in brand development & positioning, ecommerce and performance marketing, CRM, Digital & Social Media, etc. Previously, he has worked with brands like Babyshop, Landmark Group, and VLCC to handle various marketing campaigns.
Designation: Founder, CEO, and acting CMO, Nykaa
Falguni took charge of Nykaa’s marketing functions in 2023. Under her leadership, Nykaa integrated AI-powered solutions to help shoppers find the right products for them, improving its return on ad spend by 15%. After graduating from IIM Ahmedabad, she started her career in consulting with A.F. Ferguson & Com and has spent 18 years at the Kotak Mahindra Bank as a director.
Designation: Chief Marketing Officer, Trident
Recently appointed as the marketer leader at Trident Group, Harshavardhan has been riding the wave with his innovative strategies. Under his tenure, the company launched ‘Karamyogi ki Udaan,’ unveiling the untold stories of trident members, exemplifying its ethos. During his prior stint, Harshavardhan has led the marketing functions for brands like Spencer, ShopClues, and DLF Limited, to name a few.
Designation: Chief Marketing Officer, Reliance Group
Inculcating an open-to-learn approach in his work, Lalatendu is the CMO and a core member of the Central Leadership Team at Reliance Retail. With over 20 years of experience heading the consumer-facing industries, Lalatendu leads a team of over 150 professionals. He is a customer-centric leader who is responsible for executing the company’s brand management strategies, go-to-market plans, and many more initiatives. Besides that, he is the innovative mind behind the single-day launch of Reliance JioMart across 200+ cities during the peak pandemic.
11. Mukta Maheshwari
Designation: Chief Marketing Officer; Vice President & Category Head – Fabric Care, P&G India
Mukta has been serving the Procter & Gamble group for over 17 years, where she joined the company as an assistant brand manager. She plans and executes the company’s brand strategies, and it’s her commendable efforts that the company’s Indian market sales touched $ 2 billion in 2023.
Designation: Chief Marketing Officer, DOMS Industry
Saumitra is the creative head behind Dom’s innovative loyalty strategies. The latest addition to the list is its online art program, ‘Doms Art League, ‘ which encourages school children to develop a special love for art like never before. With over 25 years of experience in various marketing and leadership roles, Saumitra has also worked with Kokuyo Camlin, Revlon India, and CavinKare.
Designation: Chief Digital Marketing Officer, ITC Limited
With over 17 years of service, Shuvadip transitioned various marketing roles in the company, from divisional manager of consumer insights to VP of marketing services. During his tenure, ITC Group also launched an ecommerce portal, enabling manufacturers to seamlessly create accounts to place their orders and track them in real-time. He is a change-maker who also initiated the practice of establishing a Marketing Command Centre and Customer Data Hub in the organisation.
Designation: Chief Marketing Officer, Myntra
With 20+ years of experience across the consumer-tech, FMCG & advertising industries, Sunder has been spearheading Myntra’s digital marketing and branding strategies. During his tenure, Myntra recently launched its Sneaker Club to connect with sneaker enthusiasts. Prior to working with Myntra, he led the brand marketing, content marketing & acquisitions mandate role at Disney+ Hotstar.
Designation: Chief Marketing Officer, India Beverages, PepsiCo
Serving Pepsico for over 17 years, Tarun has transitioned various roles during his tenure, beginning with Assistant Brand Manager to leading PepsiCo’s marketing functions in India. He is a dedicated and innovative performance-driven marketer who oversees the brand’s long and short-term marketing and advertising initiatives. During the initial days of his career, he worked with Kingfisher beer, and LG Electronics under various managerial roles.
