MUMBAI: Financial services giant Motilal Oswal has promoted Varun Mundra to group head of media and innovations, capping the digital-first marketer's swift rise through the company's marketing ranks.
Mundra, who joined the firm less than three years ago, steps up from his previous role as senior vice president of marketing for the wealth management division, where he spearheaded brand growth and product excellence initiatives for India's seventh-largest broking house.
"The journey has been nothing short of amazing—filled with learnings, challenges, and some big wins along the way," Mundra said of his time at Motilal Oswal. He credited senior leadership, including Sandeep Walunj, for their "trust and support" in his ascent.
The ET Brand Equity Shark 2024 "Rising Star" winner brings a distinctive pedigree to the role, having cut his teeth at several top-flight advertising agencies. Before joining Motilal Oswal in 2022, Mundra served as director of business and client relations at The Glitch, where he managed campaigns for CoinSwitch, Kuber, SleepyCat and Netflix India.
His résumé includes stints at White Rivers Media, Isobar, Jack in the Box Worldwide and Dentsu Webchutney, where he honed his craft working with blue-chip clients like Hindustan Unilever, Visa India, CEAT Tyres and Godrej.
Industry observers note that Mundra's promotion coincides with Motilal Oswal's aggressive push to modernise its marketing approach and capture India's digitally-savvy retail investor community.
The marketing executive's previous initiatives at the firm included securing branding rights to Mumbai's Malad Metro Station—establishing "Motilal Oswal Malad West"—and creating branded studio partnerships with financial news channels CNBCTV18, CNBC Awaaz and CNBC Bajar.
Mundra's entrepreneurial spirit emerged early when, as a 17-year-old college student, he founded a digital agency that landed him features on CNBCTV18's Young Turks and in The Times of India. He holds degrees from the University of Westminster and Coventry University London.
