1 The job: As the CMO and head of direct sales and e-commerce at Max Life Insurance, I have direct functional responsibility of varied verticals comprising brand and marketing, media, direct sales, e-commerce, research, corporate communication and end-to-end customer value management.
With such a diverse portfolio, there is never a dull moment in my day. I am privileged to have a very committed, passionate and a stable team who has been with me since the time I joined Max Life. Together, we have achieved some wonderful milestones including many industry firsts.
2 The weekdays: They are hectic but exciting. I try and hit the gym at least thrice a week and those days are the most satisfying. I end up feeling light and easy and most guilt free on my gym days. The energy is of a very different order. The habitual relaxed newspaper reading over a steaming cup of tea does end up getting compromised on these days. However, my hour-long commute to work gives me enough time to catch up on the news in the car. I have recently started meditating for 15 minutes, \preferably in the morning and this has now become an integral part of my life. It has a very calming effect and when I enter office, I am ready to start the day with positive energy and work without biases or any kind of stress. I prefer to be at home with my family after work and avoid any social engagements on weekdays, except for occasional official engagements.
3 The weekend: Saturday is a day of outings, socialising, shopping, household chores, movies, plays, live shows, etc. Since I plan my Saturdays well in advance, I can pack in a lot. This is the day I live for. After my gym and meditation, I catch up with friends for a relaxed lunch at Delhi Gymkhana. At least once a month my lunch date is with my son and it’s great to hear his teenage stories and catch up on all that?s happening in his life. Our gym interests are common and we exchange notes on fitness. Evening outings are with my husband as he works through the day. We enjoy watching movies, plays and all kinds of musical live shows. A gig in town is booked in advance and at least three out of four Saturdays we manage to unwind in different ways.
Sunday is exactly the opposite. Except for the morning yoga session, it is all relaxed. Managing kitchen and home, afternoon siesta and a recorded English movie on TV completes the day. I spend at least an hour or so in the evening searching and reading interesting stuff, mostly latest trends on the net. I enjoy writing articles on consumer and business trends and this keeps me abreast of the latest in the world. I am basically a ‘life-aholic’ and as much as I enjoy my weekends, I do look forward to getting at my desk come Monday morning.
4 The toys: My iPad is a constant companion, whether I am at home or I am travelling on work. Not only do I do my work on it, but I watch movies and play around with apps and am active on social networks. Between my Samsung S4 and Apple iPad, my communication channels are active all through my waking hours. I research a lot and am also fairly active on Facebook, Twitter and my blog and, of course, e-mails. Having worked in the auto industry before joining Max Life, I enjoy my Audi and all the comfort it offers. I have a huge collection of Sufi music from around the world and I love to unwind by listening to my favourite Sufi music on the Bose AirPlay.
5 The logos: I am not very brand conscious and can wear even street fashion, but I do like a few brands. Anita Dongre is my favorite for Indian wear. My favourite casual brand is the Japanese brand UniGlo. It is yet to enter India but I do manage to stock up from my various visits to Bangkok, Kuala Lampur, etc. I also wear a lot of Zara and Marks & Spencer. For accessories, it’s Gucci, Michael Kor and Movado and for glasses, bags and watches, it’s Calvin Klein. When it comes to perfumes there are many but my favourite is Davidoff Cool Water..