VIKRAM VERMA



WE RISE UP HIGH AS WE LIFT OTHERS.




WE RISE UP HIGH AS WE LIFT OTHERS.
BECAUSEYOUR STORY DESERVES THE SPOTLIGHT
P e r s p e c t i v e
Themarketingworldcontinuestodemandsharp
insight,agility,andafinebalancebetweencreativity anddata.Today’semergingleadersarenotonly shapingconsumerengagementbutalsosettingfresh benchmarksinperformance,innovation,andresponsible leadership.Theindividualsfeaturedinthiseditionhavecarved outdistinctpathsintheirindustries,demonstratinghowclarity ofvision,deepmarketunderstanding,andpurpose-driven actioncanelevatebrandsandteamsalike.
Oneexampleofthisissueisaprofessionalwhosecareerspans overtwodecadesacrossproductdevelopment,strategic buying,andmarketexpansion.Withararecombinationof experienceinbothbuyingandselling,they’veconsistently drivendouble-digitrevenuegrowth,identifiedwhitespacesin competitivemarkets,andbuiltproductcategoriesthathave scalednationallyandinternationally Theirapproachcombines practicalknow-howwiththoughtfulmarketpositioning, underpinnedbyadeepunderstandingofsupplychains, consumerpsychology,andprofitability
Inthisedition, Asia’s Top Emerging Marketing Leaders to Follow in 2025,weshinealightonindividualswhoarenot justexecutingstrategiesbutrethinkinghowbusinessshould
bedone.Theyareclear-mindedintheirexecution, intentionalinbuildingmarket-fitsolutions,anddrivenby morethanjustbottom-lineresults.Theirworksignalsa shifttowardlong-term,value-basedgrowthwhereboth customerandcompanybenefitfromthestrategiesinplace.
Amongthefeaturednamesisaseasonedprofessionalwho currentlyleadsmerchandisingforapremiumleathergoods brandwithagrowingglobalfootprint.Theirtrackrecord includesmanagingproductcategoriesworthover₹100Cr andsecuringmeasurableimprovementsinrevenueand marketshare.Withasharpeyefordetailandaresultsfocusedmindset,theyhavebuiltvendorecosystemsthat supportbothqualityandcost-efficiency.Outsidethe boardroom,theyadvocateforethicalleadershipand contributetosocialcauses,settingupastandardfor integrityinbusiness.Eachfeatureinthisissueoffersnot justinspirationbutalsopracticalinsightsforthoselooking tosharpentheirownimpactonmarketing.
Let each page inspire reflection, purpose, and forward thinking!
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September, 2025
Featuring
AbhinavSharma
MohitVini
PrashantNair
ShubharanshauSingh
VikramVerma
To follow in 2025.
VicePresidentMarketing, UltravioletteAutomotive
HeadMarketing, Rides&Community
-India&SAARC, RoyalEnfield
HeadMarketing, BrandManagement, BusinessProcess &NewInitiatives, AshokLeyland
ChiefMarketingOfficer, TataMotors CommercialVehicles
MerchandisingManager, GravsIndiaOverseas, Pvt.Ltd.
AbhinavSharmabuildsfuture-readybrandslike Ultraviolette,leadingboldcreativeandGTMstrategiesthat challengeglobalgiantsandpositionIndianinnovationon theworldstage.
MohitViniisanentrepreneurialleaderdrivingbusiness growththroughstrategicbrandbuilding,marketexpansion, andstrongP&Lleadershipacrossautomotiveandretail sectors.
PrashantNairbrings18+yearsinbrandmanagement, specializinginconsumerinsights,segmentation,and experimentationacrosscategoriesfromconsumerdurablesto commercialvehiclesandequipment.
ShubhranshuSingh,aForbes-recognizedCMO,hasled globalbrandsuccessatTataMotors,RoyalEnfield,andVisa, masteringconsumerengagement,categorycreation,and markettransformation.
VikramVermaisamerchandisingandgrowthstrategy expertwith21+years’experience,drivingglobal expansion,productinnovation,andcategorydominance acrosstradeandB2Bsectors.
Asia’s Top Emerging Marketing Leaders to Follow in 2025
My competitive leadership approach in the marketing arena is guided by core principles of innovation, adaptability, and stability.
The Front Page Exclusive
Intherapidlyevolvingbusinesslandscape,where
customerfocusisdividedandmarketdynamicsshift almostdaily,leaderswhopossesstheabilityto anticipateandpre-emptchange,adjuststrategies,and motivateteamsdifferentiatethemselves.Onesuchleaderis VikramVerma,MerchandisingManageratGravsIndia OverseasPvt.Ltd.AresidentofDwarka,Delhi,Vikram hasovertwodecadesofexperiencespanningmarketing, retailleadership,andprocurement.Hehascomethrough andmadehismarkasoneofAsia’stopemergingmarketing leaderstolookuptoin2025.
WhatstandsoutaboutVikramisnotjusthisprofessional achievements,butthemagicofstrategicforesight, inventiveness,andhumanunderstandingintoleadership thatnotonlyisfuture-proof,butalso,deeplyhuman becausehispathfromimmersingondigitalplatformsto becomingasageofmarketinginnovation,isareminderof howcuriosity,determinationandintuitioncanturnacareer intoalegacy
FromCuriositytoCareer:TheEarlySpark Vikram’sentryintothemarketingworldwasnotaccidental. Itbeganwithacuriosityaboutthewaysdigitalplatforms couldtransformbusinessesandbridgethegapbetween producersandconsumers.WhileworkingatGravsIndia OverseasPvt.Ltd.,hesawthepotentialofplatformslike IndiaMARTnotjustastoolsfortradebutasenginesof growth.Byactivelyusingthemtogeneratesales,hegained first-handexposuretothemechanicsofe-commerce,online visibility,anddigitalnetworking.
Atthesametime,Vikrambeganexperimentingwith LinkedIn.Unlikemanywhousedtheplatformonly passively,heactivelysharedinsights,celebratedsuccesses, andevenusedhumourtocreateengagingcontent.Hisposts carrieda“viraltwist”,amixofwitandwisdomthatnot onlybuilthispersonalbrandbutalsopositionedhimasa thoughtleaderwithinthewidermarketingcommunity.
Theseearlyexperiencessolidifiedhisbeliefthatmarketing isnotjustabouttransactions,butalsoaboutstories, relationships,andauthenticity.Thisphilosophyhasbeen theguidinglightthroughouthisprofessionaljourney
Inthehighlycompetitivemarketingspace,leadership demandsmorethanjusttacticalexecution.ForVikram,itis builtonafoundationofvalues,innovation,adaptability, stability,clarity,andtransparency
I emphasize evidence-based results and continuous market research to discover the behaviors, preferences, and cultural nuances of local customers.
“ “
Hebelievesinstrikingabalancebetweenfree-form explorationanddependableexecution,ensuringthatbold ideasaregroundedinsustainablepractices.Hisleadership isnotabouttop-downcontrolbutaboutempoweringpeople throughnimbleprocesses,continuouslearning,and collaboration.
“Clarity and transparency are essential to building trust,” heoftenemphasises.Whetheritiswithteams,clients,or customers,Vikram’sapproachistoleadbyexample, sharingachievements,insights,andlessonsopenly This mixofvisionandhands-onmanagementhasallowedhim tonavigatedisruptionswhileinspiringresilienceinthose aroundhimconsistently.
OneofVikram’sgreateststrengthsishisabilitytostay aheadofindustrytrends.Withover21yearsofexperience ingrowthhacking,strategicmarketing,andcategory management,hecombinesexperiencewithcuriosity.
Hisstrategyrestsonconstantmarketresearch,data-driven decision-making,andagileexperimentation.From streamliningsupplychainstodevelopinghigh-impact productportfolios,Vikramcontinuouslyadaptstoshifting marketdynamics.
Butstayingaheadisn’tjustaboutanalysis,it’sabout sharingknowledgeandstayingconnected.Byregularly contributingthoughtleadershipcontentonplatformslike LinkedIn,heremainsengagedwithevolvingcustomer needs,culturaltrends,andtechnologicalshifts.This responsivenesshasbecomehiscompetitiveedgeinaworld wheremarketingstrategiesagequickly
AmongthemanymilestonesinVikram’scareer,afewstand outforthewaytheyreflecthiscommitmenttoexcellence andinnovation.EnterpriseReviewMediarecognisedhim forretailleadershipandprocurementexcellence,a testamenttohisabilitytotransformprocurementprocesses withpurpose.
Equallymeaningfultohimhasbeenhissuccesson LinkedIn,wherehisinsightsandthoughtleadershiphave generatedmeaningfulengagementacrossthebusiness community.ForVikram,thisrecognitionisn’tjustabout visibility;it’saboutknowingthathisideasspark conversationsandinspireothersinthemarketingspace.
Theseachievementsarenotendpoints,butmilestonesthat fuelhisdrivetokeeppushingboundariesandredefining whateffectivemarketingleadershiplookslike.
Innovation,forVikram,isnotabuzzword;it’sthe cornerstoneofhisapproach.Heviewsmarketing campaignsaslivingexperiments,blendingdata-driven insightswithcreativityandculturalsensitivity. Hiscampaignsaremarkedby:
• Experimentationwithcontent,oftenhumorous,viral, andengaging.
• Useofadvanceddigitaltechnologiesandemerging trends.
• Growthhackingprinciplesthatfocusonagilityand scalability.
• Customisationfordiverseaudiences,ensuring relevanceacrossgeographies.
Whatmakeshisapproachuniqueisthatinnovationis alwaystiedtomeasurableoutcomes.Forhim,creativityis notjustaboutbeingdifferent;it’saboutbeingeffective, resonant,andsustainable.
Noprofessionaljourneyisfreefromchallenges,and Vikramhasfacedhisshare.Industrydisruptions,pressure tobalanceinnovationwithstability,andtheneedtoadapt quicklytounforeseenchangeshavetestedhisresilience.
Yet,thesemomentshavebeenopportunitiesforreinvention. Bypractisingstrategicflexibility,employingdataanalysis,
andfosteringteamcollaboration,Vikramhasbeenableto notonlynavigatechallengesbutalsoconverttheminto growthopportunities.
Asheputsit, “Difficulties are not detours, they are raw material for conscious creation.” Thismindsethasshaped hisleadership,makinghimbothadaptableandvisionary.
Vikramisdeeplycommittedtomentorshipandknowledgesharing.Toaspiringmarketers,hisadviceisclearand practical:
• Embracecontinuouslearning,creativity,andresilience.
• Staycuriousaboutemergingtrendsandtechnologies.
• Buildstrongfoundationsinunderstandingmarkets, culturalnuances,andcustomerbehaviour
• UseplatformslikeLinkedIntoshareinsightsand establishthoughtleadership.
• Balancecreativerisk-takingwithconsistentdelivery.
Mostimportantly,heemphasisesleadingbyexampleand focusingoncreatingsustainablevalue.Forhim,successis notaboutshort-termwinsbutaboutbuildinggrowththat lasts.
Lookingahead,Vikramisexcitedaboutprojectsthatwill expandmarketpresencethroughdata-drivencampaigns, optimisesupplychains,andbuildimpactfulproductlines acrossmarkets.Heenvisionscreatingnimble,resilient systemsthatcanthriveamidstdisruption.
Onapersonallevel,heaimstoestablishhimselfasa thoughtleaderfurther,continuingtocreatecontentthat inspires,educates,andengagestheglobalmarketing community.
Hisbroaderphilosophyisoneofbalance,between creativityandexecution,innovationandstability,global visionandlocalrelevance.
WhenaskedaboutthenextdecadeofmarketinginAsia, Vikrampaintsavividpicture:
• Amobile-firstgenerationwillshapethedigital economy
• GenZconsumerswilldrivetrendsinshort-formvideo,
Leverage data-driven insights and be inquisitive about emerging trends and technologies. “ “
liveshopping,andpersonalisedAI-drivenexperiences.
• Localisedstrategieswillbecomecriticalinaregionas diverseasAsia.
• Sustainabilityandethicalmarketingwillriseascentral themes.
Forhim,thefuturebelongstothosewhocancombine creativity,precision,andculturalawareness,leaderswho canengage“thenextbillionconsumers”inmeaningfuland authenticways.
Beyondstrategiesandmetrics,Vikrambelievesinaholistic philosophyofmarketingleadership.Itisaboutintegrating technology,humanintuition,andsustainabilityintoa frameworkthatcreatesrealvalue.
Hestressestheimportanceofauthenticrelationships,both withinteamsandwithcustomers,notingthattruesuccess liesnotintransactionsbutintrustandcollaboration.
Thisbalanceofdataandempathy,ofinnovationandethics, defineshisleadershipstyleandsetshimapartasa marketingleaderforthefuture.
FromhisearlyexperimentsonIndiaMarttobecominga recognisedleaderinmarketingstrategyandthought leadership,VikramVerma’sjourneyisastoryofcuriosity transformedintoimpact.Hisabilitytoblendstrategic insight,innovation,andhuman-centredleadershipmakes himoneofthemostpromisingnamesinAsia’smarketing landscapetoday.
Ashecontinuestoshapecampaigns,mentoryoung professionals,andreimaginemarketingforarapidly evolvingworld,onethingisclear:VikramVermaisnotjust keepingupwithchange;heishelpingtodefineit.
Digitalmarketingisevolvingquickly
becauseofnewtechnology,changing customerhabits,andnewbusiness goals.Companiestodaycannotaffordtobe dependentonregularonlineadvertisements. Theyrequireinnovativeandintelligentwaysof reachingandcommunicatingwiththeir audiences.Modernmarketingisorientedtothe personalizedapproach,creativity,andtheuseof factstomakeadecision.Thisapproachassists businessestointeractwithcustomersmore effectively,impact,andcreatetrustinthe dynamicdigitalworld.
Personalizationisconsideredoneofthemost crucialelementsofmodernmarketing.The consumersaredemandingexperiencesthatare customizedaccordingtotheirtasteandbehavior
Personalizationismorethantypinginthename ofthecustomerinanemailorsendinga promotionalemailtoacustomer;itisabout
providingthecustomerwithproduct suggestions,providingacustomerwith promotionaloffersbasedontheirprioractivities, andengagingthecustomerinrealtimeusing chatbotsandsocialplatforms.
Brandsthatinvestinpersonalexperiencesare experiencingincreasedengagementandloyalty, andlong-termcustomerrelationships.This strategyrepresentsoneoftheprinciplesof marketinginnovation:usingdataandinsightsto ensureeveryinteractionisvaluable.Companies thatknowtheiraudiencesonafine-grainedlevel cananticipate,surpass,anddevelopmemorable experiences.
ArtificialIntelligence(AI)andautomationhave becomecentraltomodernmarketing.AIhas helpedmarketerstoanalyzeextensiveamounts ofdata,predictcustomerbehaviors,simplify campaigns,andevencreatecontentefficiently.
AIenhancesspeedandaccuracy,beitinthecaseofad budgets,productrecommendationcreation,ormonitoring conversionopportunities.
Automationdoesnotreplacehumancreativity,butinstead supportsit.WiththeabilityoftheAItoanalyzeandhuman judgmentandnarrative,forward-thinkingmarketersare creatingefficientandemotionallyeffectivecampaigns.This mergingoftechnologyandcreativityhasbecomethecore ofmarketinginnovationnowadays.
Thecontentisalsoacrucialpartofdigitalmarketing; however,itsmethodsofdeliveryhavechanged.Videos, livestreams,collaborationswithinfluencers,andinteractive contentarethenewinfluencingfactorsinconsumer decision-makingcomparedtotraditionaladvertisements. Theprinciplesofsuccessfulmarketinghavemadeauthentic value-basedcontentinformative,entertaining,or inspirational.
Purposefulcontent,suchastutorials,productdemos, behind-the-scenes,orinitiativeshighlightingsocialimpact, helpsthebrandsincommunityandtrustbuilding. Marketinginnovationfocusesondevelopingcontentthat resonateswiththecustomer'svaluesandaidsin involvementduringthepurchaseprocess.
Today’scustomersengagewiththebrandsthroughseveral platforms,suchassocialmedia,searchengines,websites, mobileapps,andemail.Tostayeffective,marketersusean omnichannelapproachthatdeliversconsistentmessages andsmoothexperiencesacrossallthesepoints.
Withthisstrategy,companiescombinedatafromevery interaction.Thishelpsthemtotargetbetter,tomakefollowupsintime,andtocreateevenbettercustomerjourneys. Thetrendshowshowmodernmarketingbringstogether technology,data,andcreativitytocreateclearand meaningfulbrandexperiences.
AdaptingtoNewSearch
Searchbehaviorischangingrapidly.Voicesearch,visual search,andsocialdiscoveryplatformsarereplacing traditionalkeyword-drivenqueries.Modernmarketing thoughtinvolvesoptimizingcontentformultiplediscovery
channels,includingGoogle,Instagram,TikTok,YouTube, andvirtualassistantslikeSiriorAlexa.
Whenbrandsshowupwherepeoplenaturallylookfor information,theystayvisibleandrelevant.Thischangeis centraltomarketinginnovation,particularlytotheyounger, tech-consciousgroupswhoresorttosocialandvisualmedia togetideasandproductdecisions.
Ethicalmarketingandtransparencyareessentialinthe modernworld.Consumersarebecomingmoresensitiveto privacyconcernsanddemandthatbrandsbecome transparentonhowtheyusetheirdata.Forward-looking marketingthoughtprioritizeshonesty,clearopt-inoptions, andresponsiblehandlingofpersonalinformation.
Transparencyalsoextendstosocialandenvironmental responsibility.Loyaltyandcredibilityarebuiltwhenbrands areproactiveandpromotetheirvaluesandsustainability Integratingethicalconsiderationsintostrategyisakey componentofmarketinginnovationthatenhancesbrand trust.
Thedigitallandscapeisconstantlyshifting,somarketers mustembracelifelonglearning.Themosteffective marketingthoughtencouragesexperimentation,adaptation, andcontinualskilldevelopment.Brandsthatmonitorresults, refinestrategies,andpivotbasedoninsightsremain competitiveinthefast-changingdigitalspace.
Modernmarketingisaboutleadinginsteadoffollowing. Personalization,AI,value-drivencontent,omnichannel strategies,newsearchhabits,transparency,andcontinuous learningnowshapehowcompaniesconnectwithpeople.By embracingmarketinginnovation,brandscanbuildgenuine relationships,reactquicklytochange,andstandoutinthe crowdeddigitalecosystem.
Thewinnersinthiserawillbethebrandsthatthink creatively,actstrategically,andkeepcustomerexperienceat thecoreofeverydecision.Modernmarketingisnolonger justachoice;itistheroadmaptosucceedinaworldwhere technology,ethics,andengagementcometogether.
nthecurrentcompetitivebusiness Ienvironment,consumerattentiongoesbeyond theflashylogoandthein-depthfeaturesofthe product.Thecapabilityofabrandtotellastoryis whatmakesitreallyspecial.BrandStrategyStoryfirstapproachputshumanexperiences,values,and emotionsatthecenterofbusinessdecision-making. Establishingrelationshipsthatareauthenticand durable.Brandsarenolongersellingaproductbut ratheraskingpeopletogoonajourney,andthisis redefininghowcompaniesdevelopandprosper.
Thestrengthofstoriesisthattheycreateemotion andhelptorememberabstractconcepts.Agood storycanevokeaction,loyalty,andmakeabrand memorable.Oncebusinessesstartusingastory-first approachtobrandstrategy,theydonotsimply providealistofthingstheyoffer,butalsoclarify whytheyarearoundandwhattheyrepresent.
Thistypeofstorytellingisn’tlimitedtorecountinga founder’sjourneyorcompanyhistory.It’sabout presentinganongoingbrandnarrativewhere productsandservicesplayaroleinpeople’s everydaylives.Whetherhighlightingresilience, diversity,orinnovation,thestoriesmustfeelreal, relatable,andmeaningfultotheaudience.
Astory-firstbrandstrategybeginswithaclearmissionand values.Therearefourquestionsthatcompaniesshouldask themselves:
• Whydoweexist?
• Whatsetsusapart?
• Whodoweserve?
• Whatchangedowewanttocreate?
Theanswerstothesequestionsassistincreatinganarrative thatguideseveryformofcommunication,whetherit’sa socialmediapost,apressrelease,oramarketingcampaign.
Equallyimportantiscustomer-centricstorytelling.Instead ofonlyhighlightingproducts,brandsshowhowtheir solutionsimprovepeople’slives.Thereal-lifestories,such astestimonials,user-createdcontent,orbehind-the-scenes, arewhatdemonstratetherelevanceandeffectofthebrand inafamiliarmanner
Consistencyisoneofthebiggeststrengthsofastory-first approach.Tomakeastoryofabrandwork,ithastobe consistentinallitschannels:websites,socialmedia, packaging,retailoutlets,andevencustomerservice.The fonts,images,words,andtonemustbeconsistenttosupport thestory
Consistencymakestheaudienceappreciateandhave confidenceinthebrandwhereveritappears.Thisconstant exposureenhancesthebondandthenarrative,andthe valuesofthestorygetstuckinthemindsofcustomers.
Today’sconsumerscaredeeplyaboutvalues.Theydesireto learnnotonlywhatacompanyisselling,butalsowhatit believesin.Therobustbrandstrategyfocusesonlikemindedvalues,includingsustainability,inclusivity,and socialresponsibility,andincorporatesthesameintothe biggernarrative.
Indicatively,brandcontributions,collaborationwith nonprofits,ormakingcommitmentstoenvironmental objectivesaresomeofthewaysbrandscaninclude valuablechapterstothestory.Whencustomersbelievethat thevaluesofthebrandareclosetotheirown,theyaremore likelytobeloyal.
Thestoryofabrandshouldneverbethesame.Narrative mustchangeaspeoplechangeandcultureschange. Customerfeedback,newmarkettrends,andculturalshifts allplayaroleinshapingthenextchapter
Brandscankeeptheirstoryfreshbycelebratingmilestones, respondingtoconsumerneeds,andsharingupdatesabout growthorchallenges.Suchopennessshowsauthenticity andguaranteesthestorytoberelevantinanever-changing world.
Thisstrategydoesnotnecessarilyneedtobecomplex.The brandscanstartbytakingthesimplesteps:
• Establishastrongmissionandsetofvalues.
• Hearthestoriesofcustomersandusethemin campaigns.
• Applycommonmessagesinallplatforms.
• Publishrealstoriesofemployees,customers,and communities.
• Periodicallyreviewandupdatethenarrativewiththe changingtrends.
Storytellingcanenablecompaniestogetbeyondthe transactionalrelationshipandbuildarelationshipthatleads totrustandloyalty.
Astory-firstapproachtobrandstrategyisnotmerelya marketingtrend;itisaclassicwaytomakeauthentic relationshipsandcreateanimpression.Integrating storytellingintothebackgroundofthebrandcanhelpany companytocomeoutofthenoise,generatesignificant connections,andcreateaformofloyaltythatgoesbeyond theinitialpurchase.
Withconsumersdemandingauthenticityandmeaning, brandswhosecorestrategyisbasedontheroleof storytellingwillnotjustbememorable,butwillalso succeed.Anarratedstoryisnotmerelyaboutthepast,butit isaboutcreatingacommonfutureinwhichcustomersfeel partoftheprocess.