Ashish Sagar - I Look forward to Mondays (Vice President Marketing at HDFC Bank)


Marketing will be the new sales. Digital & Analytics will be key drivers for business in the future. Digitalisation has made services more convenient, faster and experiences seamless for customers. It is important for companies to build capabilities – both in terms of skilled team as well as tech to be present and to be relevant.  Through tech capabilities, we built strong AI capabilities leading to stronger analytical outcomes. 


Tell us about your upbringing, and early career days. 

I have been born and brought up in Mumbai. I did my schooling and graduation here. Got the opportunity to do my MBA from IIM Lucknow graduating in 2004. My first job was with State Bank of India in the International Banking Group. This was the first year that SBI was hiring laterally and not through the conventional PO route. 

It gave me a great learning experience and was in midst of all the action. Started my career in pure finance (Mergers & Acquisitions) and moved internally to Marketing in SBI. Post a stint of two and half years there, I moved to HDFC Bank in 2006. I was involved in various product management profiles and finally found my mojo in Marketing. My values are based on the fundamentals of commitment and hard work instilled in me by my parents.


How did you rise to the highest echelons in your career and what advice do you have for our readers?

I think it is very important to love your work. Only once you love what you are doing, you can rise and grow. I Look forward to Mondays. This has to be coupled with hard work, patience and passion. Be passionate into whatever you do and success will follow.  Also it was very early that I realized the fact that it is never a one-person game but always team work that succeeds and that has been my credo ever since.


How do you analyse whether your marketing activities reached your intended TG and communicated the right messages? 

We at HDFC Bank constantly keep taking customer feedback and aligning our activations / campaigns accordingly. It is very important to listen to customers and be relevant at all points. We understand their needs and preferences & keep adapting.


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How do you think marketing will evolve in the future and how are you preparing for that leap? 

Marketing will be the new sales. Digital & Analytics will be key drivers for business in the future. Digitalisation has made services more convenient, faster and experiences seamless for customers. It is important for companies to build capabilities – both in terms of skilled team as well as tech to be present and to be relevant.  Through tech capabilities, we built strong AI capabilities leading to stronger analytical outcomes. 

Analytics helps target the right customer with the right product at the right time. A strong analytics platform is the key. With personalised omni-channel experiences at scale, seamless online journeys, leveraging technology for innovative solutions / tracking, HDFC Bank continuously looks to improve the digital journeys for customers.


What would be that one thing that you would do differently now than before? 

Usage of the data for more relevant customer insights. Decisions are made easier and simpler.


What are your future plans? 

The aim is too continuously keep learning and adapting.  In today's world adaptation is the key. There is a need to constantly upskill yourself. I would not only utilize my competencies I have perfected over the years but also challenge them and develop new ones.


Which is your favourite book and why?

One of my current favorites is How brands become Icons by Douglas Holt. It explains what marketers need to understand if they want to communicate an authentic brand that truly resonates with customers over period of time. It builds a meaningful brand connect with customers.


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Brief bio

Ashish is working as a Vice President Marketing for HDFC Bank. He has a diversified experience of more than 17 years across Marketing, Product management, Customer Engagement and Business Processes. A persistent innovator known for building strategies focussed on brand awareness & lead generation through BTL / Digital Activations in HDFC Bank.