Govinda Seshan

Marketing Head | Brand, Media, Digital Head | Content Creation | Brand Growth | Digital Transformation ▪ Results-driven marketing professional with 17+ years of experience across insurance, media, publishing sectors. ▪ Proven track record in brand development, digital transformation, product marketing, campaign execution. ▪ Currently heading Brand & Product Marketing at HDFC Life, India's leading private life insurance firm. ▪ Passionate about building strong, insight-led brand narratives that drive business growth and consumer trust. ▪ Adept at managing high-performing teams, media investments, global agencies, & stakeholder communications.

Professional experience HDFC LIFE INSURANCE | Vice President – Marketing | June 2015 – Present | Lead Brand, Media & Product Marketing Creative Strategy & Development | Media Planning & Buying | Digital Transformation | Product Selling One of India's largest and most valuable private life insurance companies in Mumbai, India. 

Brand Management ▪ Grew HDFC Life to the #1 private life insurer in brand awareness and consideration as per syndicated research. ▪ Led the planning and execution of annual brand strategy and marketing calendar across business verticals. ▪ Launched brand guidelines and a formal audit process to ensure consistency across all communications. ▪ Conceptualized and executed award-winning brand campaigns such as 'BounceBack', 'Memories for Life', 'My Child My Pride', and 'My Moment of Pride', consistently achieving and exceeding brand KPIs. 

Product & Category Marketing: ▪ Led marketing for 45+ insurance products across diverse categories: Term, Savings, Retirement, Health, and Riders. ▪ Designed and launched full-funnel campaigns supporting both new product introductions and ongoing category growth. ▪ Developed insight-led communication that contributed to growth in focus categories aligned with business goals. 

Media Strategy & Planning: ▪ Designed and executed 360-degree media plans covering TV, print, digital, cinema, radio, OOH and activations. ▪ Managed negotiations, annual tie-ups with media partners to ensure year-round brand presence & optimized investment. ▪ Spearheaded efficient planning, buying, and ROI analysis of large-scale media campaigns. 

Agency & Stakeholder Management: ▪ Managed relationships with agencies including Leo Burnett, Zenith ROI, Wavemaker, Imageo Media, among others. ▪ Negotiated retainers & performance contracts; oversaw creative development, production, campaign execution. Digital Marketing, Activation & Ecommerce Operations: ▪ Championed successful digital & activation-led initiatives that drove product-specific growth and consumer engagement. 

Won multiple awards (EFFIEs, EMVIEs, etc.) for campaigns leveraging digital storytelling, social media, influencer, and performance marketing. ▪ Drove the digital marketing efforts for the launch of HDFC Life International, pitching dollar denominated products. ▪ Set up the digital marketing operations for HDFC Pension. Consumer Insights & Research: ▪ Conducted regular FGDs, IDIs, branch visits, and mystery audits to tap into consumer sentiment. ▪ Analyzed key marketing research such as brand equity studies, barrier analysis, and script testing to fine-tune messaging. 

Recognition & Awards: ▪ Campaigns launched by me have won multiple reputed national and International awards like Effie’s, DMAI’s Echo, India & Asia, Abbys, Prime Time and others. ▪ During my tenure the brand grew to be the No. 1 private life insurance brand on key health parameters for the first time. ▪ Ensured the brand is always among the top 2 Private life insurers with a significant lead, as measured by the syndicated market research track. ▪ Brand ranked among India’s Most Trusted Brands, Superbrands, and Most Valuable Brands. ▪ Consistently top-rated in annual performance reviews, winner of internal awards and gained multiple promotions. ▪ Selected for elite training programs like Stride, Data Tech Verse, etc. 

SONY ENTERTAINMENT TELEVISION (SET), INDIA | Senior Manager – Marketing | June 2010 – June 2015 Content Marketing | Celebrity Partnerships | Creative Development | Consumer Research, Mumbai. 

Managed end-to-end marketing for iconic shows like Kaun Banega Crorepati, Indian Idol, CID, Comedy Circus (Indian Versions of Who wants to be a Millionaire, American Idol). Managed High Media Budgets to launch these shows. 

Developed high-impact ATL, digital and BTL campaigns to drive TRPs and build long-term viewership. ▪ Planned celebrity associations, media spectacles, & promotional tours to maximize media coverage. ▪ Planned Media across Television, Print, Digital, Outdoor and BTL activations. ▪ Led digital promotion strategies across social platforms and video streaming channels. ▪ Responsible for driving managing public relations initiatives for all my shows. Planned innovative press conferences and media spectacles to generate interest and positive PR for shows managed. ▪ Analyzed TAM data and led market research to shape future content and campaign strategy. 

BUSINESS STANDARD (THE STRATEGIST), INDIA | Senior Features Writer – Strategy & Marketing | 2005 – 2008 ▪ Authored 100+ published features on brand management, organizational strategy, and HR innovations. ▪ Articles recognized and republished in leading MBA curricula and industry forums.

MBA – Marketing Mudra Institute of Communications, Ahmedabad (MICA) | 2008 – 2010 ▪ Bachelors in Management Studies Mumbai University | 2003