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Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd announced that its overall auto sales for the month  of August 2024 stood at 76,755 vehicles, including exports.  

In the Utility Vehicles segment, Mahindra sold 43277 vehicles in the domestic market, a  growth  of  16%  and  overall,  44670  vehicles,  including  exports. The  domestic  sales  for  Commercial Vehicles stood at 21092.  
 
According to Veejay Nakra, President, Automotive Division, M&M Ltd., “We sold a total  of 43,277 SUVs in August, a growth of 16% and 76,755 total vehicles. India’s  Independence Day holds a significant place for us at Mahindra and this year we celebrated  the day with the launch of the much-awaited THAR ROXX – ‘THE’ SUV.  With Thar ROXX,  we're setting our sights on making the Thar franchise the No. 1 SUV franchise (>12.5 Lakh segment) by volume within the next 3 to 5 years”.

Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd said on May 16 it will invest Rs 12,000 crore in its electric vehicle (EV) unit, Mahindra Electric Automobile, over a period of three years up to March 31, 2027.

Mahindra Electric Automobile Limited, a subsidiary of M&M, has been incorporated on October 25, 2022 in India. Total Income of MEAL for the year ended March 31, 2024 was Rs 56.96 crores.

Net worth of MEAL as on March 31, 2024 stood at Rs 3,207.14 crore. The revenue from operations of MEAL for FY24 was nil.

Mahindra Auto sells 43,277 SUVs, a 16% growth in August 2024

Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) has received a goods and services tax (GST) notice over the use of the 'Mahindra' brand name by various group companies, ET reported. The show-cause notice asks M&M why it should not pay GST on the services it provides to its subsidiaries by allowing them to use the flagship brand and logo. The notice is for 2017-2023 period.

The notice raises questions about if the GST authorities are widening the interpretation of the law, applying the tax to “related party transactions” even when no consideration is exchanged. This scrutiny follows similar notices issued to several builders in Mumbai earlier this year for brand and trade name use in transactions with subsidiaries and joint ventures.

It is to be noted that corporates are concerned about the repercussions for many business houses as tax officials feel that GST should apply to the royalties or fees.

It is not the first time M&M has a row with the GST officials. 

Last year, the company was imposed a penalty of over Rs 14.3 lakh for incorrect input tax credit availed during the transition from the excise regime to the GST regime by erstwhile Mahindra Vehicle Manufacturers Ltd, which has been merged into it.

Mahindra Group gets GST notice over brand name use by group firms

Keep up with all the key people movements in the brand marketing ecosystem in Storyboard18’s CXO Moves. Here’s a round-up of the executives who've moved jobs, got bigger roles, switched industries and more.


<img src="https://images.storyboard18.com/storyboard18/2024/07/Untitled-design-2024-07-22T082301.313-2024-07-166505291330e887d23c8148b95c4f12.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="500" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-37588" />


Manjari Upadhye


Previous: Chief executive officer, Welspun World


Present: Chief marketing officer - automotive division, Mahindra & Mahindra


Manjari Upadhye has been appointed by Mahindra & Mahindra as chief marketing officer - automotive division.


Upadhye started her career at Colgate Palmolive as senior product manager, and went on to work across Ocean Spray Cranberries, PepsiCo, Mondelez International, Danone Dairy and Amazon.


<img src="https://images.storyboard18.com/storyboard18/2024/07/Untitled-design-2024-07-22T081038.449-2024-07-1c21a272a56223a79f3eddf7df9be7f8.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="500" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-37585" />


Brian Lesser


Previous: Chairman and CEO, InfoSum


Present: Global CEO, GroupM


Brian Lesser, who served as the chairman and CEO of InfoSum, has been appointed by WPP as the GroupM's global CEO.


He succeeds Christian Juhl, who is stepping down after five years in the role. Juhl will take up a new position with WPP as President, Corporate Development.


Lesser spent 10 years with WPP including as CEO of GroupM in North America from 2015 to 2017. He will rejoin WPP and begin his new role with GroupM in September 2024. 


<img src="https://images.storyboard18.com/storyboard18/2024/07/Untitled-design-2024-07-22T081551.161-2024-07-204df73226d21848a6571caf55de791b.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="500" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-37586" />


Adam Warner


Present: Vice president - global sports and entertainment partnerships, PepsiCo


PepsiCo has promoted Adam Warner to the position of vice president - global sports and entertainment partnerships.


Warner began his career at PepsiCo as a senior brand manager and went on to hold various roles in different capacities. He holds a bachelor's degree in commerce from the University of Birmingham.


Pranav Mishra 


Previous: Head of Liabilities, ICICI Bank


Present: Head of distribution, Kotak Mahindra Group


Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited unveiled its new Distribution structure as part of its growth strategy. 


This is aimed at bringing together all the ways in which our customers interact with the Bank and to deliver an omni-channel seamless experience across all Group products and services, thereby elevating service standards and operational efficiency. 


Anirban Mozumdar


Previous: Chief strategy officer, Havas Group India


Anirban Mozumdar, who led Havas Group India as chief strategy officer, has stepped down from his position.


Mozumdar began his career at Rediffusion DY&R, and went on to work across Leo Burnett, Mudra Communications, Publicis India, chlorophyll brand & communications consultancy and 82point5.


<img src="https://images.storyboard18.com/storyboard18/2024/07/Untitled-design-2024-07-22T081907.261-2024-07-45c0fd8ec04285aa60794823bf1c38d3.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="500" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-37587" />


Harsh Bhutani


Previous: Vice President - Finance, India & Southwest Asia Operating Unit, The Coca-Cola Company.


Present: CFO, Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages 


Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Pvt. Ltd. (HCCB) today announced the appointment of Mr. Harsh Bhutani as its Chief Financial Officer. Bhutani will be responsible for leading HCCB’s financial operations, including Business Transformation, Mergers & Acquisitions, Tax, Treasury, Audit, Accounting & Controls, Reporting and Analysis, and Risk Management.


Anuj Arora


Previous: Chief marketing officer, Symphony Limited


Present: Global chief marketing officer and business head, Symphony Limited


Anuj Arora, who led Symphony Limited as chief marketing officer has been elevated to the position of global chief marketing officer and business head.


Arora, who began his career at Godrej Consumer Pvt Ltd, went on to work across Reliance Retail, A.W. Faber Castell, Piramal Enterprises and Welspun Group.


Compiled by Kashmeera Sambamurthy

CXO Moves: Exec movements across Mahindra & Mahindra, WPP, PepsiCo and more

Manjari Upadhye, who led Welspun Group as chief executive officer at Welspun World, has been appointed by Mahindra & Mahindra as chief marketing officer - automotive division. 


Her skills ranged across product innovation, strategy, partner relationship management, marketing strategy, team leadership, P&L management and business modeling.


Upadhye started her career at Colgate Palmolive as senior product manager, and went on to work across Ocean Spray Cranberries, PepsiCo, Mondelez International, Danone Dairy and Amazon.


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/wpp-appoints-brian-lesser-as-groupms-global-ceo-37381.htm">WPP appoints Brian Lesser as GroupM's global CEO</a>

Mahindra & Mahindra appoints Manjari Upadhye as chief marketing officer - automotive division

Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited unveiled its new Distribution structure as part of its growth strategy. This is aimed at bringing together all the ways in which our customers interact with the Bank and to deliver an omni-channel seamless experience across all Group products and services, thereby elevating service standards and operational efficiency. The teams responsible for Physical branch network, Digital channel and Voice will report to Mishra.

 

The Distribution structure integrates the Physical branch network, Digital Branch channel (encompassing Mobile Banking and Net Banking platforms) and the Voice channel. This strategic initiative aims to ensure a seamless experience for customers across all interaction channels by building synergy and improving service delivery.

 

Kotak Mahindra Bank has appointed Pranav Mishra, as the head of distribution. Pranav has a distinguished background in Banking & Financial Services organizations with over 30 years of experience. He joins from ICICI Bank, where he most recently served as Head of Liabilities, Deposit, Customer 360, Branch Banking, Marketing & Alliances, ATM and Micro Market Strategy. Prior to ICICI Bank, Mishra headed distribution for ICICI Prudential Life Insurance.

 

"I am pleased to welcome Pranav to the Kotak family. Under his leadership, we are committed to strengthening our distribution and delivering a seamless omni-channel experience across all Group products and services," said Ashok Vaswani, MD & CEO, Kotak Mahindra Bank. 


He added, "The new Distribution structure underscores our dedication to embedding banking services seamlessly into our customer journeys, ensuring convenience and reliability at every touchpoint. We are excited about this strategic move and confident that it will further strengthen our ability to deliver exceptional value to our customers.” 

 

Mishra stated, "I am honoured to lead Kotak Mahindra Bank's Distribution structure and am eager to leverage our capabilities to enhance customer engagement and operational efficiency." 



Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/symphony-elevates-anuj-arora-to-global-chief-marketing-officer-and-business-head-37061.htm">Symphony elevates Anuj Arora to global chief marketing officer and business head</a>

Pranav Mishra joins as head of distribution at Kotak Mahindra Group

Pratik Mazumder, chief marketing officer, Mahindra Holidays and Resorts, believes that since marketing is an industry that never rests and there is a constant demand for new ideas and strategies, ensuring balance and well-being ensures better productivity and flow of creativity. In an interaction with Storyboard18, he explained, “We encourage regular downtime, knowing that true innovation often follows rest and rejuvenation. Allowing employees to disconnect and recharge prevents burnout and enhances their ability to generate fresh and impactful ideas.”


Edited excerpts


The creator economy has taken the world by storm. Which influencers and trends are you following currently?


There is a whole range of interest across different categories from real estate to fintech and then travel and food. This satiates both my professional learning and personal curiosity.

 
What marketing-related content do you consume in your free time?


I listen to podcasts on Spotify which are about both self-help as well as marketing and business strategies.


There is a lot of talk about burnout, workplace toxicity and hustle culture. What steps have you taken to avoid the adverse impact of the always-on culture on yourself and your colleagues? What advice would you give to your peers, colleagues and next-gen marketers on this?


Marketing is a 24x7 industry, constantly demanding new ideas and strategies. At Mahindra Holidays and Resorts, we prioritise employee wellbeing and work-life balance, essential for fostering creativity and long-term productivity.


We encourage regular downtime, knowing that true innovation often follows rest and rejuvenation. Allowing employees to disconnect and recharge prevents burnout and enhances their ability to generate fresh and impactful ideas. One of the amazing opportunities that I have is to visit resorts across the country as part of my role.


My advice to peers, colleagues, and future marketers is to prioritise self-care and establish clear boundaries between work and personal life. Immerse yourself in a passion over the weekend, be it carpentry, pottery or fitness. Spend time with your loved ones.


Is there any sport or fitness routine you practice?


I am learning to play tennis and am regular at the gym.


What does your weekend look like?

I like to immerse myself in the culture of the place. Hence, I look forward to attending concerts in the city on weekends. I firmly believe that communicators must immerse themselves in traditional Indian art or any relevant experience that showcases cultural shift—whether it be classical music, dance, or theatre—to truly understand Indian society. This cultural engagement enriches both personal and professional perspectives. Or the weekend could be just a short trip.

 
What are you watching/streaming this weekend?


I am currently toggling between Diplomat and light-hearted comedy like Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

 
Any work/life hack you swear by?


Make a mental job list of tasks you want to achieve before you hit the office. If you delegate instantly when the thoughts are fresh in your mind, it gives clarity.

 
What are you reading currently? Any recommendations?


Collective stories by Henry Cecil.


A piece of wisdom you would like to share...


I try to meet people not from my line of work. Have a social circle beyond your domain so that you have an enriched mind and it helps you to broaden your horizons.


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/prioritise-and-plan-ahead-of-time-to-prevent-burnout-ragini-hariharan-himalaya-wellness-35012.htm">Prioritise and plan ahead of time to prevent burnout: Ragini Hariharan, Himalaya Wellness</a>

Marketing is a 24x7 industry: Pratik Mazumder, Mahindra Holidays and Resorts

Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd has launched 'Hearts to Bravehearts', an initiative to commemorate the 25th anniversary of India's victory in the Kargil War. This initiative aims to honour the courage, sacrifice, and resilience of the soldiers. Mahindra reiterates its commitment towards nation-building through this endeavour.

Mahindra SUVs will simultaneously flag off from Tanot Border Post, Kibithoo Border Post, and Kochi Port covering 10000 km. The convoys will carry messages from citizens to military stations, garrisons, and war memorials across the country, culminating at the Kargil War Memorial.

Mahindra will utilize their extensive network to deliver messages from Mahindra Dealerships to three locations of military significance from where convoys of Mahindra SUVs will flag off. The final destinations for these messages include military stations, garrisons, war memorials, and cantonments across the country and Kargil/Drass.

Veejay Nakra, President - Automotive Division, M&M Ltd. said, "We are deeply honoured to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Kargil victory with our 'Hearts to Bravehearts' initiative. This campaign is not just about remembering our heroes but about celebrating the freedom and peace they have secured for us. By sending our heartfelt messages to the brave soldiers who protect our nation, we aim to show them that their sacrifices have not only brought us safety but also endless smiles and a peaceful life. Mahindra is proud to be a part of this significant journey, reinforcing our commitment to exploring the impossible and supporting our nation's heroes."

Mahindra has tied up with Faujiana as a partner to engage with Kargil war veterans to spread awareness and drive citizen participation through its extensive network. Along the way, the drive will also foster goodwill through the involvement of eminent journalists and celebrities, amplifying the campaign’s emotional resonance.

 


 

By delivering these messages to Defence destinations across the country, Mahindra proudly plays a role in honouring heroes and reinforcing the nation's pride in its defence forces.

Mahindra commemorates 25 Years of Kargil Vijay Diwas with 'Hearts to Bravehearts' initiative

Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. (M&M Ltd.), one of India’s leading automotive companies, today announced that its overall auto sales for the month of May 2024 stood at 71,682 vehicles, a growth of 17%, including exports.

In the Utility Vehicles segment, Mahindra sold 43,218 vehicles in the domestic market, a growth of 31% and overall, 44,283 vehicles, including exports. The domestic sales for Commercial Vehicles stood at 19,826.

According to Veejay Nakra, President, Automotive Division, M&M Ltd., “We sold a total of 43,218 SUVs in May, a growth of 31% and 71,682 total vehicles, a 17% growth over last year. As we opened bookings on 15th May, we were delighted to receive an overwhelming response for the XUV3XO. Within the first hour of opening bookings, we hit the 50000 mark. The belief that our customers have shown on us reiterate the strong disruptive proposition of XUV3XO. We have started deliveries from 26th May.”

Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd said on May 16 it will invest Rs 12,000 crore in its electric vehicle (EV) unit, Mahindra Electric Automobile, over a period of three years up to March 31, 2027.

Mahindra Electric Automobile Limited, a subsidiary of M&M, has been incorporated on October 25, 2022 in India. Total Income of MEAL for the year ended March 31, 2024 was Rs 56.96 crores.

Networth of MEAL as on March 31, 2024 stood at Rs 3,207.14 crore. The revenue from operations of MEAL for FY24 was nil.

"The investment will accelerate the growth of 4 (Four) Wheel Passenger Electric Vehicles Business and to get growth capital to fund the said business. MEAL will significantly leverage the manufacturing capabilities and product development of M&M as also its ecosystem of suppliers, dealers and financiers. The funds infused by M&M will be utilised by MEAL primarily to create and market a world-class Electric SUV portfolio with advanced technologies. The investment will help M&M to leverage their focus and expertise in ESG and climate change," said M&M.

Mahindra Auto sells 43,218 SUVs, a 31% growth, in May 2024

Mahindra & Mahindra, India’s SUV manufacturer, has teamed up with artists Santanu Hazarika and Abhishek Paatni of Nought One to showcase a streetwear collection that draws inspiration from the design and colours of the Mahindra XUV 3XO. The collection was introduced at the XUV 3XO ‘Tech Fashion Tour’, an Exhibit Property, held in Mumbai, showcasing Mahindra's innovative approach to connecting with new-age customers. 


Design elements from the XUV 3XO, like its diamond inserts and logo, have been adapted into the apparel, linking the pieces directly to the SUV’s aesthetic. This collection is targeted to attract young consumers who appreciate both modern fashion and innovative car design, stated the company.


Pratap Bose, chief design and creative officer, Mahindra & Mahindra, said, “Today, we are excited to showcase a collection that brings together our passion for innovation across our authentic SUV range with the dynamic world of fashion. The new XUV 3XO is the latest expression of Mahindra’s HEARTCORE Design philosophy. Designed to stand out from the crowd, the XUV 3XO takes the premium compact SUV to new heights of Design, Technology, and Innovation. This collection not only reflects the bold and distinctive features of the XUV 3XO but also complementsthe lifestyle and values of our younger consumers. Through this collaboration with Santanu and Nought One, whose work is always at the cutting edge of design and fashion, we are reaching out to new audiences and exploring new forms of expression.” 


Hazarika and Paatni said, “We are thrilled to partner with Mahindra on this unique project. This collaboration with the XUV 3XO is a perfect blend of our streetwear aesthetic with the standout design of this modern SUV. It’s an exciting challenge to translate automotive innovation into fashion, and we believe our customers will appreciate the creativity and authenticity behind each piece. This partnership reflects futuristic, functional clothing which blends with the aesthetics of the new age and a progressive future.” 


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/policybazaar-rolls-out-new-ad-campaign-on-exceptional-claims-assistance-32019.htm">Policybazaar rolls out new ad campaign on exceptional claims assistance</a>

Mahindra collaborates with Santanu Hazarika and Nought One to showcase XUV 3XO inspired streetwear collection

Rohit Bhasin, president, retail liabilities, product and chief marketing officer at Kotak Mahindra Bank, ensures his team does not work on weekends. They are pulled in only in exceptional cases such as quarterly results or a board meeting, he told Storyboard18 in an interview.


With many meetings during the week, Bhasin barely gets time to think during the week. So he keeps a part of Saturday just to think about things on top of his mind and about who he wants to speak to. 


Edited excerpts:


The creator economy has taken the world by storm. Which influencers and trends are you following?


I'm a lot on Instagram, and I developed awareness about many influencers from their felicitation by PM Modi at the National Creators Awards ceremony. Post this event, I have begun following Ranveer Allahbadia aka BeerBiceps. I also follow RJ Karishma and Aiyyo Shraddha. With Aiyyo Shraddha, we did some work with her on Kotak in the past, and I had actually gone to attend a workshop with Meta. She was the MC there and did an amazing job.

Podcasts are something which have become extremely popular. I'm a lot on Instagram because that's where I pick up a lot of trends, and a lot of what is happening in popular culture. If you really want to see what is happening in popular culture, the place to go is Instagram.


I'm also on LinkedIn a lot and it is a great place to read good content, on marketing, on news, on what's happening in the world in terms of good pieces of creatives, especially what they have been inspired by. 


What marketing-related content do you consume in your free time?


I don't consume market-related content in my free time. I do a lot of that during my work time. If I'm on LinkedIn looking at content, I see what other brands have worked on.


Also, a lot of marketing content may feel like it's entertainment. But, to be a good marketer, one needs to really understand what is happening in popular culture. And if you don't understand popular culture very well, you will not really be able to feel the pulse of the country.


When you're trying to build a campaign and you think of insights, your insights will be very theoretical. So whether it's watching movies on OTT, going to cinemas to watch movies, you'll see so much of popular culture there.


So, for me, any and every place where I go is a place to just get insights about what's happening in this country. What are the aims and aspirations of people? What is the cultural fabric and social fabric of the country? What are people talking about? What are the insights? How is the new generation behaving?


I'll give you one example – the pre-wedding festivities of Anant Ambani. It was the world coming together to celebrate the pre-wedding of a couple from India's richest family. But for me, it was an amazing experience in earned media. My thought was process was that none of that content was paid media. But imagine how they would have thought about how we drive visibility? How do we make this event the most talked about event? And that happened.


And for me, a big insight as a marketer was when I think of my campaigns, ‘How do I really use the power of earned media to do something similar to that scale?’


That's my learning. If I can ever build a campaign of mine to that scale where it is the most talked about event on the weekend, I would have really done amazing as a marketer. So while people saw it as a means of entertainment, my biggest lesson was the amazing use of earned media to drive visibility about your campaign, and about your brand.


There’s a lot of talk of burnout, workplace toxicity and the hustle culture. What steps have you taken to avoid the always-on culture? And what advice would you give your peers, colleagues and next-gen marketers?


The lines are blurring between personal time and office time, which is good and which is bad. The good part is that you're always thinking about how you can get an insight from anybody and not switching off from that perspective. And, you're just learning.


But I'm on LinkedIn on the weekend. I'm learning something. So I may not be sending emails. But am I using it to become a better marketer and if I'm a better marketer, I can help drive better campaigns for Kotak. But what we have to be very careful of is to respect the personal time and personal spaces of people.


So as a practice, we don't work on the weekends and unless there is an unavoidable event like declaring annual results or quarterly results on the weekend, or a board meeting on the weekend, a media event or a media conference, then we work on a Saturday. But that should be an exception and not the norm. So therefore, everyone gets those two days to just unwind, spend time with friends, families, entertain themselves, play, and make sure that they're fit, and just come back recharged and energised on Monday. But at the same time, there are people who want to work on the weekends.


I have lots of meetings during the week and therefore, I do not get a lot of thinking time during the week. So I keep a part of my Saturday just to kind of do my thinking. What are the things which are on top of my mind? What do I want to do about some of those things? Who are the people I want to speak to? So that kind of gives me a clear direction when I come back to work on Monday, I'm very clear what I want to drive this week.


When I send out an email or a message to someone on the weekend, I'm very clearly telling that person that ‘I don't expect you to respond to this message. I may not have time to send emails on a working day.’ But I'm very clear that I want my team to respond at a time when it is feasible to you and there is no pressure on anyone to immediately respond to an email. 


When I was in Singapore, I had joined a badminton club and was a part of a group who would play badminton every morning on Saturday and Sunday and then sit down for a cup of tea after that. So, that was like a weekend ritual which really made me fit as well as got me bonding with a valuable set of friends.


I was an avid biker. I would kind of bike every alternate day or run to just spend a lot of time outdoors while I was in Singapore. I don't do a lot of that here in Bombay. But I kind of regularly go to the gym on alternate days. I do yoga twice a week which keeps me fit. It also channelises my mind and energises me.


What are you watching or streaming this weekend?


I have been watching the IPL (Indian Premier League) these days. My girls play cricket for Singapore and one of them is a CSK (Chennai Super Kings) fan. She loves Dhoni (MS Dhoni) and I'm a Mumbai Indians fan. So, we have a bit of a rivalry.

Other than that, we kind of share notes on IPL every day. So that's our common ground.

Any work hack or life hack you swear by?

I wish I could become a bit more disciplined with my time. I'm not very good with my time. For me, one work hack I always try to follow is to be prepared for a meeting. I always prefer to have a pre-read for a meeting so that I can read before I go to the meeting. I'm clear about what this meeting is for.


Then, I avoid people making presentations at meetings because I feel that when you get together as a group, you should spend more time discussing the issue and finding solutions rather than spend most of your time where people presenting to each other. 


I always basically ask a simple question: What does success look like for you in the meeting? And by the time you end the meeting, you should be able to ask the same person the question: ‘Do you think the meeting got you what you wanted?’


If the answer is yes, it's a successful meeting. Otherwise, we wasted everyone's time.


What happens in a workplace is you just get pulled into various meetings. And you need to make sure that meetings where you don't add value, you should try and cancel 50 percent of meeting. And use that time to do thinking and talking to people. That's a much better use of time. Secondly, have an agenda for the meeting, have a pre-read for the meeting, be prepared. And basically try and have expectations clear for the people who organise the meetings so that you can deliver those expectations. That's really my work hack.


The other work hack I always try to do is for every mail that you write back to a person, do you think you can have a better outcome if you pick up the phone and speak to that person?


That will also help you build a more personal equation with the person rather than sending two mails to and fro. So that's what I try to do. Of course, if it's one to many people, I write an email. But if it's one-on-one, the best thing is to pick up the phone and speak. So those are the two hacks which I try to follow. 


What are you reading? Any recommendations?


We got a new CEO and he gave us two wonderful books to read. One is called ‘The Secret Lives of Customers’. The second book is called ‘Competing Against Luck’. I've read the first one. It's a fabulous read. It takes a theoretical concept of jobs to be done. It lands on a simple philosophy that consumers have needs. They have jobs that they want to do. For those jobs, they hire brands.


If those brands and products do their job very well, they rehire those brands. If they don't, they fire those brands. So if you really want to be a preferred brand, you should understand what is the job for which the consumer wants to hire you and to be able to do that very well.


And that's really the concept of jobs to be done, which I learned at Unilever and brought here to Kotak, is beautifully explained in a very storytelling way. 


A piece of wisdom you would like to share?


As a marketer, always start with keeping the consumer at the heart of everything you do. Always start with understanding what are the needs of the customer – whether they are stated or latent. Be the voice of the consumer in the room. And build products and solutions which really answer those needs. 


If your product doesn't really answer the needs of the customer, then the customer is not going to buy it. 


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/honasa-consumers-anuja-mishra-when-you-go-to-work-like-youre-going-to-school-it-paves-the-way-to-enlightenment-15082.htm">Honasa Consumer’s Anuja Mishra: When you go to work like you're going to school, it paves the way to enlightenment</a>

MAHINDRA