Naveen Rajan

About Naveen Rajan

I am a media and marketing professional with over 16 years of experience driving brand growth, media strategy, and integrated communications across India’s most competitive categories. My career spans both agency and client-side leadership, giving me a holistic perspective on brand challenges and consumer behavior.Over the years, I have partnered with marquee brands including ITC, Flipkart, Renault, Nippon Paint, Muthoot Fincorp, among many others, managing portfolios worth ₹100+ Cr and delivering impactful campaigns across FMCG, e-commerce, auto, BFSI and consumer goods.My expertise lies in:• Media strategy & planning – building annual operating plans, marketing calendars, and integrated media mixes.• Business problem solving – translating brand challenges into effective, media-led solutions.• Leadership – managing and mentoring high-performing teams, while engaging with CXOs and senior stakeholders.• Data-driven insights – leveraging analytics, category benchmarking, and competitive intelligence to maximize ROI.

Experience

1. General Manager

   Initiative

   Apr 2023 — Present · Bengaluru, IN

   Currently leading the Staples pod (Aashirvaad portfolio) for ITC, which includes some of the largest and most competitive categories in Indian FMCG. ITC is among the most data-driven advertisers, and this role demands deep category understanding, consumer insights, and strategic problem-solving through media.• Act as the lead media partner for ITC’s Aashirvaad brand teams, driving annual operating plans (AOPs), pre-AOPs, quarterly business reviews (QBRs), and monthly business reviews (MBRs).• Partner with brand custodians to understand marketing challenges and translate them into integrated media strategies that deliver business outcomes.• Manage a high-performing team of planners, ensuring timely delivery, strategic rigor, and innovative thinking across campaigns.• Drive data-led planning across media channels, optimizing spend efficiency and maximizing ROI.• Provide market and competitive intelligence to sharpen ITC’s media positioning in the highly cluttered FMCG space.• Champion media-led problem solving, proactively identifying probe areas and addressing them with creative and effective communication solutions.• Collaborate with senior client leadership, positioning Initiative as a trusted strategic advisor.

Education

• University of Madras

  B.Com, General

  2004 — 2007

• AICAR Business School

  PGDM, Financial Services

  2007 — 2009

Skills

• Integrated Marketing
• Tv Viewership Tipping Point Analysis
• Team Management
• Spot Optimizer
• Market Analysis
• Media Analyzer Package
• Advertising
• Indian Readership Survey
• Client Presentation
• Management
• Marketing
• Tam Express
• Presentation Development
• End to End Solutions
• Media Planning
• Adex
• Analysis
• Target Group Index
• Integrated Marketing Communications Planning
• Viewergraphics
• Analytics
• Brand Management
• Marketing Strategy
• Crm
• Marketing Communications
• Market Research
• Business Development
• Oral & Written Communication Skills
• Interpersonal Skill
• Customer Relationship Management (Crm)