Brand Management

A not-for-profit initiative to empower skilled workers and small businesses in Goa

Founder

Bachelor of Arts - BA

Masters in Information Technology

- Delivered strategic digital marketing consulting, driving significant improvements in ad sales performance and engagement metrics for clients.

- Cultivated relationships with 50+ clients across BFSI, Fintech, and Consumer Tech sectors, boosting digital ad revenue by up to 30% for top-tier e-commerce and media companies.

External Advisor (Consumer Tech Practice)

- Developed a comprehensive DTC strategy, scaling e-commerce, marketplaces, and hyperlocal deliveries, distributing across 100+ premium outlets in Goa and metro cities.

- Garnered recognition as “Best New Mocktail Mixer of 2021” by Alcobuzz and a feature in YourStory’s "Top 100 Challenger DTC Brands", attracting significant VC interest.

Co-Founder - J.A.B Rocktails

- Pioneered the product and launch strategy for Window2india.com, an NRI portal, overseeing content, user interface, and CMS development. Orchestrated key content partnerships and collaborated closely with marketing, technical, and UI teams.

- Managed a Rs. 60 lakh budget for online media buys on Remit2india.com, handling a range of strategies including CPM, CPC, and fixed buys, and executed comprehensive campaign ROI analysis.

- Directed SEM campaigns on Google worth Rs. 30 lakhs, leveraging search network, content network, site targeting, and PPA campaigns.

- Executed below-the-line marketing in the US, including agency management and organizing marketing events in the Bay area and Tri-state in mid-2006.

Chief Manager

- Led the award-winning redesign of www.ICICIPrulife.com, using benchmarking and user experience analysis to enhance site functionality and user engagement significantly.

- Launched the online sales channel for term insurance and unit-linked plans, collaborating effectively with multidisciplinary teams and senior management.

- Oversaw the online marketing team, generating over 20,000 insurance leads monthly through portals, SEM, SEO, and aggregator partnerships, thereby bolstering the Direct marketing sales channel.

- Recognized with the ‘Award for Excellence’ at the Asia Star Club, Bangkok, in 2009, and awarded the ‘Direct Marketing Top Gun’ in 2010 for outstanding achievements in online sales targets and lead generation campaigns.

Senior Manager - Direct Marketing (Internet Marketing & E-Commerce initiatives)

- Led marketing for DBS Consumer Bank in India, scaling Digibank to 3M+ users, one of the first digital banks in India, through innovative integrated marketing strategies.

- Championed large-scale performance marketing campaigns, leveraging Google, Facebook, and programmatic ad networks to drive customer engagement and acquisition while reducing CAC by 50%+.

- Directed product marketing for Mutual Funds, digital payments, and CASA, achieving a 75% increase in cross-sell revenue through data-driven strategies and unique customer insights.

- Developed targeted value propositions for the DBS Treasures affluent segment, driving lead generation and enhancing customer acquisition and retention.

SVP & Head of Marketing – Consumer Banking Group

- Spearheaded the redesign of www.idfcmf.com, significantly enhancing user experience and increasing online transactions and user engagement.

- Recognized with an Honoree Award at the 17th Annual Webby Awards in New York and a Gold at the W3 Awards in 2012 for the financial services/banking category of the website.

- Pioneered online marketing and lead generation initiatives, including SEO, SEM campaigns, and mobile marketing efforts, significantly boosting engagement and distributor network productivity.

- Led groundbreaking innovations, including the implementation of one of India's first AI-based chatbots on the website, and developed a tablet-based web-app for the sales team, enhancing customer interaction, process efficiency, and distributor engagement.

VP - Digital Marketing

- Managed the launch and maintenance of a global B2C hotel reservation portal, leading internet sales and PPC campaigns.

- Conducted competitor analysis, identifying opportunities that led to a successful Athens Olympics promotion, generating significant online sales.

- Forged strategic partnerships, significantly boosting website traffic and revenue growth.
Spearheaded the group's expansion in Asia, promoting outbound travel to the UK through local travel trade marketing.

Business Development Manager - E-Commerce

- Generated 30K+ monthly leads through targeted digital campaigns, doubling online customer acquisition for CASA, NRI, Credit Cards, and Digital Wallets.

- Redesigned YES Bank’s website and mobile app, setting new industry benchmarks in UX and earning multiple awards for innovation and design. Achieved a 150% increase in digital channel adoption through user-centric strategies.

- Launched Facebook@Work for 10,000 employees, NFC-based hyperlocal messaging, and AI-powered tools for social media monitoring and content generation, enhancing operational efficiency and engagement.

- Led a transformative social media strategy, growing the bank’s following to 20M+, making YES Bank one of the world’s most-followed banks and significantly enhancing brand engagement.

EVP - Marketing & Corporate Communications (Digital Marketing)

- Spearheaded retail marketing’s digital transformation, achieving 3M+ annual customer growth and boosting transaction rates.

- Partnered with leading MarTech platforms, including Insider and CleverTap, to implement AI-driven customer engagement, delivering hyper-personalized experiences and boosting retention.

- Led the award-winning “VPBank Apple Pay: Pay in a Beat” campaign, driving a 70% increase in unaided brand awareness and earning accolades at MMA Vietnam and APAC.

- Executed performance marketing campaigns across Google, Meta, TikTok, and networks, driving acquisition and measurable growth.

- Core member of the Retail Banking leadership team, overseeing a team of digital marketing professionals across acquisition, engagement, and MarTech initiatives to drive strategic growth.

Head of Digital Marketing - Retail Banking

Driving growth and marketing transformation through generative AI, automation, and AI agents -reimagining how organizations acquire, engage, and retain customers while unlocking operational efficiency.

Focus areas:
– Generative AI for growth marketing and customer experience
– Cross-channel marketing automation and orchestration
– AI agents for voice, video, and workflow design
– AI-first strategy for SaaS platforms and product innovation
– Domain-specific AI assistants tailored to high-impact consumer use cases

Collaborating with forward-thinking teams, platforms and leaders shaping the next frontier of marketing and CX in an AI-native world.

SVP - Digital Marketing

AI-Driven Growth Leader | Building Scalable Marketing Solutions with GenAI, Automation & AI Agents

Know about Varun Krishna's work experience, education, bootcamps, certifications, and much more. Varun Krishna