Created and nurtured brands of stature like Airtel, Tata Indicom, Royal Challenge, Videocon, The Times of India, Biocon, Kenwood, Daewoo Matiz, and Daewoo Nexia.
- Extensive experience in markets across Asia, Africa, and Latin America
- Successful foray into Brand Consultancy with a retinue of successful work and clients
- Multiple Jury panels; Passionate speaker & panelist
- Speaker member of US-headquartered International Association of Business Communicators [IABC]
- Certified “Internal Assessor” of the Tata Business Excellence Model [TBEM]
Competencies:
Brand Building • Communication & Creative Strategy • Brand Launch/Relaunch • Advertising • Market Research • Digital Marketing • Public Relations • Content Creation
Years of
Work
Experience
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
EDUCATION
- Strategic Thinking and Leadership from Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
- Strategically Planning and Managing Corporate Communications and PR from Marcus Evans, London
- New Product Development from Tata Management Training Centre, Pune
- Neuroscience in Marketing from IIM Ahmedabad
- Advanced Digital Marketing from IIM, Bangalore
- Integrated Marketing Communications from ISB, Hyderabad
- MBA, BSc, ISC, ICSE
EXPERIENCE
2020:
Marketing / Brand Consultant
Building and refreshing clear, unified brand definitions, architecture and communication
2013 - :
Wadhwani Foundation
Executive Vice President - Global Marketing
Driving marketing initiatives for the Silicon Valley based Foundation across three continents of Asia, Africa and Latin America.
2010 to 2013:
MARG Group
Group Vice President & Head – Corporate Communications
Brand Building and Business Development Support towards infrastructure brands in real estate and SEZ.
2007 to 2010:
Biocon Ltd.
Group Head – Brand Marketing & Communications
Delivered on a mandate for structured Communications and Branding support for the Branded Formulations division through more than thirty successful brand launches.
2005 to 2007:
Bharti Airtel
DGM – Marketing
Was a key member of the iconic refreshed branding exercise of the Airtel brand and achievements included a massive revamp of retail & outdoor visibility, innovative PR initiatives and the President’s medal for excellence.
2002 to 2005:
Tata Teleservices Ltd.
Marketing Head – 3 Telecom Circles (Gujarat, UP-E & UP-W)
Launched the ‘Indicom’ brand across three circles with a focus on Business Planning, Revenue Enhancement and Brand Launch incorporating ad campaigns, ATL / BTL promotions, Strategic tie-ups and Public Relations.
1999 to 2002:
Shaw Wallace
National Product Manager
Handled major liquor brands like Royal Challenge & Antiquity and millionaire brandies with responsibilities of Packaging, Positioning and Branding, Pricing, Advertising and Promotions. A key achievement was the launch of golf accessories as a surrogate for Royal Challenge
1997 to 1999:
Daewoo Motors
Dy. Manager – Marketing
Was part of the high-decibel launch of two auto brands – Nexia and Matiz with a heavy mass media advertising blitz.
1995 to 1997:
Videocon International
Manager – Corporate Communications
Instrumental role in the launch of Kenwood and Sansui brands in India.
WORKED WITH ICONIC BRANDS
ENDORSEMENTS
I remember Atul as a very calm and composed person when we went through trying times/crisis on account of some unforeseen circumstances when he was our client. He was rock solid and ensured his organization’s interest is safeguarded and at the same time empathizing with us on our tight and difficult situation.
Atul is focused and result-oriented. I worked with him in Gujarat circle during the Tata Tele launch in a saturated market with multiple operators. In such a hostile environment I saw him work with a lot of passion and under tremendous pressure but was able to deliver results on a regular basis.
Atul leads by example. An exceptional performer with 100% reliability, he has the knack for the minutest/pin-point details. Above all, he’s a wonderful human being.
Atul possess high leadership qualities coupled with in-depth understanding of Branding & Marketing Communication, Very energetic. Has eye for detail.
Atul is a professional with an uncanny hawk eye on priorities and forthcoming challenges for which he is always prepared. It is this quality that makes Atul a top achiever. Stable in thought and action, he is an extremely comfortable person to work with, understands each team member’s competencies and makes them excel. He has a fantastic sense of humor that adds to his ability to take on high pressure with high pleasure.
Atul made a huge impact on our company’s branding when we worked together at TATA Teleservices Limited. In addition to having excellent Marketing Skills, Atul is a great team player and his communication skills, both written and verbal, are excellent. He will be a valuable asset to any organization. I was consistently impressed by both Atul’s attitude towards work and his performance on the job. He is also equipped with analytical skills to diagnose problems and devise viable solutions.
Atul exemplifies rich domain knowledge and is an extremely hard working person with an eye for detail. He wears an amazing temperament at work and is pretty jovial outside shop. A great colleague to work with, I enjoyed my tenure and learnt a lot from him.
Atul is true professional with an eye for detail and outstanding managerial skills.
Atul is thorough professional and is extremely dedicated. He has a great ability to handle Brand, Media and PR, is team player and an excellent team manager.
A true leader, able to lead objectively with fairness, precision and a mentoring nature. Ability to negotiate and resolve difficult situations.
Atul has always inspired me to achieve new heights, he has been a teacher and a leader to me. He is an Innovative thinker and achiever having great leadership and motivation qualities.
Atul is a true result-oriented professional. He is a hard core Marketing person with strong leadership skills & commitment to his profession. His outstanding communication skill makes people listen. He is a good human being who is ready to help and motivate his team for higher excellence. It was a privilege to work with him.
Atul is an incredibly reliable professional. He couples a deep understanding of Marketing along with a great ability to carry his team. It was a pleasure working with him.
Atul is a very mature marketing person who brought the sensibility of FMCG thinking into the relatively drier field of pharma. His briefs were sharp and his interaction always professional. It’s said that the creative product of a company is often as good or bad as the client who buys it. I constantly found in Atul, a client who understands creative strategy, as distinct from advertising and marketing strategy. Atul has the wisdom and courage to buy good creative work and sell it internally, which has resulted in great differentiators and growth for the many brands on which we worked together. It was a pleasure to have a client like him.
It was an enjoyable experience working with Atul at Shaw Wallace. Always appreciative and soft spoken, Atul had the knack of getting the best out of our team. I particularly remember the unrelenting perseverance and his quest for perfection when we were working on the new label design for Antiquity Whisky. He was a true delight to work with.
Atul is a gifted Marketing expert. He is hard working with a positive attitude towards work and life in general. Atul was known as the “go to” person for any ATL or BTL related activities in Tata Teleservices. He has an amazing sense of humor and I still remember him bringing smile to people’s faces even during tense moments. I wish him very best for his current and future assignments and highly recommend him.
Atul is extremely dedicated and a thorough professional. He has great ability to handle Brand, Media and PR and is equally at ease with Product and Event Management. A pleasing personality who is great at cracking an instant rapport with any one. A lovable team player and an excellent team manager. Due to his hard work and achievements rose to the Circle Marketing Head position within Tata Teleservices. I know he will excel in any task he undertakes.
Atul is a person with clear mind. His thoughts are as organised as his desk, always meticulous and structured. He has been good senior to work with and I’ve learnt a great deal from him. During 2003 annual budget work, we (product managers) were to make our product budgets and get an approval from the management. It was my first budget proposal. Atul not only taught me how to make product revenue projections but also opened my mind towards the market and its potential. Definitely an asset to any organisation.
Atul is the most creative Marketing professional I have ever met. He follows processes and always delivers on time. He was instrumental in streamlining the Market Communication function in Bharti Airtel Limited within a short span of time. He is a team player and is focused on targets. He will be an asset to any organization he works for.
Atul carries a very cool head over a vast bundle of experience, across F&B and Telecoms. An expert in brand and Marketing communication, I always found Atul very creative and planned. My work at Tata Teleservices involved liaising with Atul closely and very frequently. He came across a positive professional who contributed effortlessly to all new situations given his knowledge and experience. Atul is extremely courteous and a very focused professional.
Atul has two distinct sides to him…a wonderful , dependable human being & a very staunch professional …the combination that is fast becoming a fading memory in this corporate world, and which he still believes in! He was in the senior leadership team when I joined Airtel and was a source of corporate wisdom. I would always seek his advice during my grooming days at Airtel. He is multi-talented, sharp shooter at work and most importantly knows how to get it done faster than others! A humble professional who will be a boon to any organization that wants a sharp leader …different from the crowd!
I have known Atul for many years, but the depth and width of his marketing knowledge never ceases to amaze me. However, more important than his marketing prowess, it is Atul’s outstanding leadership skills that have been a hallmark of his glittering career. He leads by example and his leadership style is marked by perseverance. He will persevere with his direct reports till the time they start delivering effectively. Two traits of Atul distinguish him from the rest – One is his uncanny ability for foolproof planning and anticipation and the other is his focus on marketing as a strategic support to business objectives.
Mr. Cool. Never loses a sight of a goal and works with meticulous planning and great dedication. He is the one person, whom I admire for his ability to maintain his composure under any circumstances and deliver great results. Remaining in touch with current trends and of course friends too is his one of the most important traits as a person.