After Hours: Pawan Sarda, group CMO – Digital, Marketing and E-commerce, Future Group

While one creates a strategy for a year or so, one has to breathe life into it daily, says Sarda

The Job

Retail is all about being close to your customer. You can see your customers react to your idea instantly. While one creates a strategy for a year or so, one has to breathe life into it daily. It’s a dynamic industry where decisions have to be made every day. That’s what I love the most about my job. One is always a student here. What has worked for you today, may not work for you tomorrow. It brings out a childlike curiosity in me.

I would like to see more players and more penetration of retail in India. It is still very small compared to many other countries.

The Weekdays

My day starts with taking a look at reports: seeing what was done right and what can be improved. I typically spend half an hour doing that. I also look forward to brainstorming with my team; there is a lot of exchange of ideas at work. I love to interact with my young teammates. There is so much to learn from them and their perspectives. They don’t come with any biases or history.

Coffee breaks are the best to recharge. That’s my time to catch up with my team, and talk about travel, movies, food, etc, and exchange notes. I ensure I don’t talk work at that time. It’s my way of getting an update on ‘what’s trending’ in the city.

The Weekend

The weekends are all about going out with friends and family. I like to go to all the happening places in town (I don’t miss any!). I also like to watch something interesting on Netflix. An afternoon nap is a must; it energises me for the week ahead.

The Toys

I am not much of a gadget person. The phone is enough for me. I love to read and prefer to catch up with the real world instead.

The Logos

I love shopping, and I do almost all the shopping for my entire family (including groceries). Zara is my favourite brand. I can spend an entire day at the store. Some of the other brands that I admire are Zomato and Durex (for its moment marketing).

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