Shamitha Raj
Verified Expert in Marketing
Marketing Expert
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Toptal member since March 21, 2024
Shamitha is a seasoned marketing and communications professional with over 15 years of experience. Her journey has been marked by the successful implementation of cutting-edge marketing strategies, building over 20 brands across 17 sectors in multiple geographies and elevating them to unprecedented recognition and success. Shamitha excels in brand building, communications strategy and planning, digital marketing, media relations, leadership, and stakeholder management.
Project Highlights
Expertise
- Brand Building
- Brand Strategy
- Communication Strategy
- Corporate Communications
- Digital Marketing Strategy
- Marketing Leadership
- Public Relations (PR)
- Social Media Strategy
Work Experience
Brand Strategy Consultant
Brand Strategy Consultant for Art Gallery eCommerce
- Worked with the founder to build a brand strategy plan.
- Strategized with the founder to help articulate brand value and the USP and leverage social media marketing for brand visibility, engagement, and online sales.
- Structured the brand ideology into tangible and measurable goals.
Director | Marketing, PR, and Communications
UniHawk
- Positioned UniHawk as the premier brand in the UAE's study abroad market. Spearheaded new market entry and growth hacking strategies across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) within 6-months of launch.
- Developed and oversaw the execution of unique advertising and lead generation campaigns. Managed an ad budget of approximately $500,000 and generated 20,000+ leads through online and offline marketing initiatives.
- Directed a comprehensive marketing strategy for UniHawk, positioning the brand and its leaders as educational trailblazers through content marketing, events, PR, and CRM. Launched the pioneering podcast series "Unravel with UniHawk."
- Launched an additional revenue generation department called Learning Lab with industry-first programs, including the Harvard Youth Leadership program, Virtual Internships, and Wellness Program, leading to a 15% boost in monthly sales.
- Cultivated 260,000+ minutes of offline engagement and achieved over 40 million online impressions. Curated and participated in 200+ events. Boosted brand visibility by 400% through targeted SEO strategies.
- Secured 80+ press coverage reports, including features on Dubai Eye, Khaleej Times, Gulf News, and Talk 100.3 FM.
- Expanded, managed, and mentored a multicultural team of 20 professionals.
Assistant Vice President | Corporate Marketing and Social Governance
Kinara Capital
- Headed a fintech company's external communications nationally and internationally across various media. Enhanced the CXO's visibility through events, awards, podcasts, radio, and authored article programs.
- Led a monthly thought leadership series in partnership with Forbes Advisor and executed a targeted awards program.
- Ideated, curated, and executed 12 multilingual monthly workshop series called Grow with Kinara for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
- Conceptualized, scripted, directed, and edited the corporate film. Oversaw the ad campaigns featuring brand ambassador, Indian cricketer Ravindra Jadeja.
- Drove specific PR campaigns to build visibility for myKinara mobile app and women entrepreneur-focused HerVikas program.
- Partnered with multiple entities for ESG and CSR initiatives. Conducted research projects alongside the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation and the Indian Institute of Management in Bangalore.
- Secured 1,000+ media coverage reports, got featured in 60+ industry events, and received 45+ industry awards, with features in Forbes, Business World, Mint, Business Today, The Financial Times, and The Economic Times.
- Enhanced visibility in English and vernacular media. Got featured thrice in The Financial Times and The Economic Times's top 100 high-growth companies on the Asia-Pacific lists.
- Won Inclusive Finance India Awards 2021 and ranked among the Top 75 Women Transforming India by the NITI Aayog and the Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP).
Manager | PR and Communications
BRS Ventures
- Developed and executed internal and external communications strategy for eight verticals of the investment company and multiple businesses across GCC, UK, India, USA, and South-East Asian markets.
- Curated and alleviated visibility for leadership and built the business house as a premium brand through a variety of earned, shared, and owned media, including print, online, broadcast, blog posts, podcasts, social media, YouTube, and website.
- Secured features in Forbes, Fortune, The National, Khaleej Times, and Bloomberg TV. Crafted the IPO communications strategy for LSE-listed Finablr. Brokered sponsorships for EXPO 2020 and the 2019 Special Olympics. Initiated the Shetty Speaks series.
Public Relations Consultant
Aim High Consulting
- Headed the national PR strategy for top Indian startups like Swiggy, Livspace, and LittleApp.
- Drove media visibility for established corporations like TTK Prestige Limited, Teleradiology Solutions, Hippocampus Learning Centres, and Seek.
- Delivered significant impact on investors, customers, merchants, and key stakeholders.
- Led and mentored a 10-member team spread across India.
Project History
Launch of UniHawk
http://www.unihawk.comLaunched the brand UniHawk in the UAE and expanded across the GCC. Gained a leadership position within one year.
UniHawk is an education consulting company that helps students secure admission into their dream universities worldwide. Services offered include test prep, tutoring, visa assistance, counseling, scholarships, and creating a statement of purpose (SOP).
International and National PR for Kinara Capital
http://www.kinaracapital.comGenerated 1,000+ media coverage reports, got featured in 60+ industry events, and won 45+ industry awards.
I managed external and investor communications for the fintech company across multiple media formats, nationally and internationally. Also, I built visibility for the leadership team through events, awards, podcasts, radio, and authored article programs.
Livspace
http://www.livspace.comManaged the first-of-its-kind home design platform in the world.
I launched and oversaw the growth of Livspace, enabling the democratization of home design. Also, I managed the national PR mandate from Series A to Series D funding, encompassing new lines of business and expansion.
Launch of Prestige Clean Home
Spearheaded the launch of home cleaning solutions, a new vertical of TTK Prestige, India's largest cookware brand.
I conducted press meetings, engaged with bloggers, and had one-on-one media interactions, leading to steep growth for the new line of the home cleaning solutions brand. This helped create a clear brand identity for this new line of business.
Swiggy | Delivering Food to Your Doorstep
Headed the national PR mandate for Swiggy, India's leading food delivery platform.
I generated 1,000+ media coverage reports in English and vernacular media for Swiggy. Also, I conducted consumer surveys, featured merchants, and worked with food bloggers to build brand authenticity, acceptance, and adoption.
Lead Generation Campaign
Created and managed the execution of unique advertising and lead generation campaigns. Oversaw an ad budget of about $500,000 and generated 20,000+ leads through online and offline marketing initiatives. Curated and participated in 200+ events.
UniHawk is an education consulting startup operating in the study abroad market. I ran many activities, including offline school functions, such as education fairs, international education expos, and walk-in events, as well as online events like Google, Meta (Facebook and Instagram), and YouTube ad campaigns and webinars.
Education
Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Marketing
SDM Institute for Management Development (SDMIMD) - Mysore, India
Bachelor's Degree in Finance
Mount Carmel College - Bangalore, India
Certifications
Post Graduate Program in Digital Marketing
Simplilearn
Skills
Core
Brand Strategy, Social Media Strategy, Public Relations (PR), Marketing Leadership, Digital Marketing Strategy, Marketing Mix, Marketing, Social Media, Social Media Marketing (SMM), Branding, B2C Marketing, Accounts, Growth Model, Content, Print Advertising, Social Media Content, Social Media Management, Content Strategy, Social Media Design, Social Media Posting, Brand Marketing, Content Marketing, Go-to-market (GTM) Strategy, Marketing Analytics, Marketing Strategy, Digital Marketing, Marketing Campaigns, Omnichannel Marketing, SEO Tools, Lead Generation, Search Engine Marketing (SEM), Google Ads, Email Marketing, Copywriting, Performance Marketing, Blogging, LinkedIn Marketing, Online Marketing, Content Marketing Strategy
Business Models
Business to Business (B2B), B2B, Software as a Service (SaaS), SaaS, Business to Consumer (B2C)
Platforms & Tools
Canva, CRM Systems, Meta Platform
Other
Microsoft Office, Print Media, Media Relations, Stakeholder Management, Corporate Communications, Brand Building, Communication Planning, Marketing Plans, Digital PR, Growth Strategy, Communication Strategy, Media, Entrepreneurship, Thought Leadership, Team Management, Digital Strategy, Personal Branding, Corporate Branding, International Marketing, B2B Marketing, Commerce, Strategy, International Projects, TV, Radio Advertising, Blogs, YouTube, Corporate Videos, Team Leadership, B2B Lead Generation, Brochure Design, Consumer Services, Publicity, Press Releases, Press Kit Design, Consulting, Startup Consulting, Business Consulting, Sponsorship, Go-to-market Plans, Growth Marketing, Reputation Management, D2C Branding Strategy, Customer Journey, Value Proposition, Human Resources (HR), Startups, Business Development, Design Thinking, Workshops, Pitch Decks, Fintech, Education, FMCG, Retail Strategy, Advertising, Lead Marketing, Website Traffic, Radio, Finance, Digital, Websites, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Corporate Websites, Online Course Design, Healthcare, Hospitality, AI Social Media Content Creation, Paid Media, Google, Instagram, Facebook, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Research, Market Research, Webinars, Event Marketing, Brand Positioning, Facebook Posts
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