Shyam Sunder
Dubai
Summary
Dynamic marketing leader with a proven track record across sectors and regions, now driving growth at TBO.COM, with brand transformation and innovative B2B demand initiatives. Expert in strategic marketing and stakeholder management, successfully launched award-winning campaigns and increased bookings significantly. Passionate about balancing creativity and leveraging data and fostering strategic partnerships to achieve exceptional business growth.
Overview
36
36
years of professional experience
Work History
Vice President, Marketing
TBO.COM
10.2021 - Current
- Building one of the world’s largest travel distributing platforms with path breaking B2B marketing initiatives
- Brought in for Brand and Marketing transformation which includes Playbooks, Research & Diagnostics, Strategy, Identity, Positioning & Purpose defining, Omnichannel marketing including Digital & Social media marketing, Email & Online Platforms Optimisation, SEO, PR, Personalization and Automation, Influencer Marketing along with Planning & Budgeting
- Path-breaking Brand initiatives include humanizing the brand with the award winning global campaigns - Real Stories. Real People- Influencer Video series, setting up TBO Cares - CSR program & creating Brand Engagement properties- TBO Iftars, TBO Cup and TBO Movie Nights.
- Demand initiatives includes many firsts in the B2B travel business- TBO Black Friday SALE, Book n Win Gamified promotion, TBO Travel Business Show amongst many which helped increase searches, look to book ratio, bookings and gross transactional value
- Successfully steered the company to acquisitions and its successful IPO
Chief Growth Officer
DViO Digital MENA
09.2019 - 09.2021
- Drove business development for one of the largest independent digital marketing services provider in the region
- Solutions range from building brand position and narrative to delivering digital experience marketing tools to gamification to lead management to search marketing to collaborations and activations across platforms and channels
- Services and products include Digital & Tech-first Strategy, Creative & Content marketing, AI-driven personalisation at scale and gamification, AR products across platforms for high customer engagement, Search marketing including SEO, SEM and Voice Search for organic traffic, Social media and Social Commerce, VR products for improved customer experience and Performance marketing
- Brought in business worth USD 100,000 over a 18 months period from blue chip clients across Retail, Banking and Finance
Head of Marketing (Omnichannel), Centrepoint
Landmark Group
Dubai
09.2013 - 08.2019
- Marketing leadership role for the USD 6 billion dollar retail and hospitality conglomerate based in the Middle East
- Promoted and made responsible for marketing of Landmark’s Group’s single biggest business, Centrepoint overseeing 6 markets across GCC
- Complete re-branding programme including fresh brand positioning, brand standards and guidelines, transforming the brand communication & VM to ensure maximum visibility
- Successfully created and launched a common Brand Purpose for the 4 brands – Babyshop, Splash, Shoe Mart & Lifestyle
- Developing effective Omnichannel strategies, calenders, budgets for 6 markets which included creation of successful brand properties for Back-to-school, Ramadan, Eid, Autumn/Winter, Spring/Summer & Travel seasons
- Launched the Ecommerce business across markets and created successful Online Exclusive properties – Centrepoint Shopathon, White Wednesday, Ramadan Souk & 4X4 Sale
- Led the development and implementation of the Online & Social Media strategy including programmatic buying and technology innovations including region’s first Chatbot, Store Attribution products with Facebook & Google and Sequential & Bumper ads
- Successfully increased footfall to stores and traffic to site by innovative marketing programs, new shopping events, collaborations and trade promotions
- Leveraged Shukran Loyalty program with advanced analytics and actions which helped increased acquisition, frequency and spend across tiers
Head of Marketing
Oasis Malls & Citymax Hotels
Dubai
05.2010 - 01.2013
- Identified to turnaround the prestigious Oasis Mall and Citymax Hotel of the Landmark Group
- Planned and executed a 52week Promotional plan which increased footfall and sales to the Mall by 20% during key promotions
- Successfully reduced down marketing costs by 40% in the first year, by identifying and bringing on strategic partners including LG Electronics, Singapore Airlines and Atlantis for large-scale promotions
- Increased Citymax Hotel’s F&B revenue by 120% within 3 months by launching key outlets and creating unique promotions and events
- Developed and launched ‘The Huddle Sports Bar & Grill’ with a unique public name-voting social media competition and F&B strategy to become recognised as one of the top 5 Sports Bars in Dubai
General Manager, Marketing
ETA Star Property Developers
12.2005 - 04.2010
- Recruited from India to build a successful B2C brand for ETA Star Properties for the USD 600 million ETA Ascon Group
- Marketing driven successes on mixed-use, residential & commercial projects such as Grandeur Residences (Palm Jumeirah), Centrium (IMPZ), Al Manara (Business Bay), The Summit (DMC), Verde (Dubai Maritime City)
- Created and executed Star Select – channel management program for top performing brokers and agents with a year-long incentive and loyalty
- Launched Home for the Homeless CSR initiative in partnership with Habitat for Humanity
Vice President (Country Head)
Fountainhead Communications/Eventus Integrated
01.1995 - 11.2005
- Joined the most progressive independent communications agency to drive their most prestigious accounts
- Played a crucial Business transformation role and managed 70% of the business (which grew by almost 200% in billing over the 3 years) before heading the operations of the activation agency across 6 cities
- Joined the most progressive independent communications agency to drive their most prestigious accounts
Account Director
DDB Mudra India
01.1990 - 01.1995
- Career defining start to manage India’s most recognised and awarded destination marketing brand – Kerala Tourism
- Moved to FMCG experience launching and managing Packaged Tea, Edible Oils and Detergents (Henkel)
- Successfully launched Apple in India during this stint
- Career defining start to manage India’s most recognised and awarded destination marketing brand – Kerala Tourism
Education
Postgraduate Diploma - Marketing Management
Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan Educational Trust
01.1991
Graduation - Commerce
Madras University
01.1990
Strategy - Business Administration and Management
The Open University
UKStrategic Brand Management -
Indian Institute of Management
Omnichannel Digital Marketing certification -
Facebook
Skills
- Strategic marketing
- Board & C level stakeholder management
- PR
- Content Management
- Business development
- Large team & project management
- Budgeting & ROI reports
- Personalization & Automation
- Customer relationship management
- Data Analytics
- Digital marketing
- Customer research
- Strategic partnerships
- Tactical collaborations
Other Passions And Interests
- Family – Born out of a illustrious and creative family of musicians, artists and academics. Blessed with wife & daughter
- Movies – Obsessive follower, fan and critic of world cinema with a home library of over a 100 classic titles
- Music – Hailing from a musical family, enjoy classical, rock, pop, folk and film music
- Travelling – Experienced 45 of the finest countries and over 100 cities across 5 continents
- Writing – Regular columnist for marketing and communications topics in leading magazines. Also on Food & Movies
- Teaching – Industry tutor on Brand Management and Communications topics
- Speaking – Regular speaker, moderator, interviewer in leading marketing events
References
Excellent references are available on request
Selected Achievements
- Driven growth of brands across sectors and regions with creative strategies & innovative initiatives
- Led successful marketing initiatives and innovation that have won numerous awards, regionally and across the globe., Brand of the Year, World Branding Forum, London, 12/01/18, Multiple Gold Category Winner, London International Awards, New York, 12/01/18, Gold Category Winner, Retail ME Awards, 12/01/18, Gold Category Winner, ICSC MENA Awards, 12/01/18, Gold Category Winner, Digital MENA Digital awards, 12/01/18, PR campaign of the year, MEPRA, 12/01/18
- Listed as a ‘Top GCC Marketers’ by the Gulf Marketing Review, ‘Powerlist 2018’ Martech Vibe and in the Top 20 Clients by the B & W Report
Timeline
Vice President, Marketing
TBO.COM
10.2021 - Current
Chief Growth Officer
DViO Digital MENA
09.2019 - 09.2021
Head of Marketing (Omnichannel), Centrepoint
Landmark Group
09.2013 - 08.2019
Head of Marketing
Oasis Malls & Citymax Hotels
05.2010 - 01.2013
General Manager, Marketing
ETA Star Property Developers
12.2005 - 04.2010
Vice President (Country Head)
Fountainhead Communications/Eventus Integrated
01.1995 - 11.2005
Account Director
DDB Mudra India
01.1990 - 01.1995
Postgraduate Diploma - Marketing Management
Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan Educational Trust
Graduation - Commerce
Madras University
Strategy - Business Administration and Management
The Open University
Strategic Brand Management -
Indian Institute of Management
Omnichannel Digital Marketing certification -
Facebook