Anand Mugad

Communications professional across corporate, executive, consumer and issues-led communications. Built and headed corporate communications at Axis Bank for over a decade, covering the bank and its investment banking, asset management and broking subsidiaries, then led media relations and internal communications for DBS Bank India. Managed major announcements including the Axis Capital–Enam transaction, the DBS–Lakshmi Vilas Bank amalgamation, quarterly and annual results, and crisis communications during demonetisation.

Long-standing relationships across mainline and financial media, and built the profiles of senior spokespersons, including CXOs. Story writer and producer of Grey Games (2024), an independent Kannada feature film which world-premiered at the 54th International Film Festival of India, Goa.

Co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer at Ayekart (2023-01 – Present)

Founding leadership team member at Ayekart, one of India's leading B2B agri-food commerce networks. Own marketing, brand and communications for the start-up.

• Crafted and disseminated the announcement of a USD 6.5 million Series A led by marquee investors, positioning the company's growth narrative.
• FY26: 29 million+ PR impressions across 60+ publications; organic following grew to 21,000+, up 18% year on year.
• Conducted media training for spokespersons and organised a brand messaging workshop with senior leadership to align on a unified messaging.
• Published impact stories, quarterly newsletters and annual reports; designed the brand guidelines, crisis communication framework and social media usage policy.
• Built consumer brands including O'Delo — identity, packaging and retail launch — and led the end-to-end launch of the in-house tech platform Aantriva. Positioned the brand at industry forums and secured nominations on relevant award platforms.

Vice President, Group Strategic Marketing and Communications at DBS Bank India (2020-01 – 2023-12)

Led brand, marketing communications, PR and internal communications for DBS in India, partnering across geographies, business units and functions.

• Managed communications through the Lakshmi Vilas Bank amalgamation — 120+ internal communications, real-time vernacular social listening on Sprinklr to catch negative chatter before it went viral, and a unified DBIL–LVB townhall rated excellent or good by 96%. Issues management and reputational risk in a live, high-stakes situation.
• Held #1 media share of voice among foreign banks in India with over 30% during the tenure.
• Built and ran DBS's sustainability communications across owned, earned and paid media — positioning the bank on responsible banking, responsible business and social impact, and amplifying the Towards Zero Food Waste advocacy.
• Fortified the awards portfolio — 29 awards in 2021 across corporate, sustainability, HR and brand, including Asiamoney Best International Bank – India (a first) and Forbes World's Best Banks – India. Then amplified each win across press, social and internal channels.
• Landed marquee corporate-announcement coverage — FY22 results across mainline, financial and vernacular media; the Shenzhen Rural Commercial Bank stake with a CEO quote; the CEO's amalgamation interviews with ET, TOI, Business Standard and Forbes.
• Built brand-integrated content in entertainment formats — the Sparks branded miniseries (launch, episode-level performance analysis, business attribution) plus OTT film and TV integrations and podcasts.
• Built the DBS India employee-communications journey — Direct2Surojit, an always-on CEO feedback channel that roughly doubled India submissions; the all-India townhall; the Sachin Tendulkar event.

Deputy Vice President and Head, Corporate Communications; Content Studio — Digital Banking at Axis Bank (2008-01 – 2020-12)

Built the bank's corporate communications department from scratch and headed it for a decade, covering Axis Bank and its group companies — Axis Capital, Axis Mutual Fund, AxisDirect, A-TREDS and Axis Bank Foundation. Owned corporate, consumer, internal and executive communications in one seat: messaging, media handling, social media, reputation management and advisory to senior leadership.

• Led crisis communications through the demonetisation period and managed media for 20+ quarterly results announcements across favourable and adverse cycles. Handled communications for the Axis Capital–Enam transaction and other sensitive and regulated matters.
• Anticipated and managed reputational risk: established the online reputation management function and the bank-wide media and social media policy framework, setting message consistency standards used across the organisation.
• Built the professional communication profiles of 15+ spokespersons — EDs, group heads and CXOs — covering positioning, message discipline, interview preparation and platform presence.
• Directed consumer and brand launch communications including the Burgundy premium banking launch with brand ambassadors Deepika Padukone, India's first Aadhaar-enabled banking service with Nandan Nilekani, and media communication for the master brand campaign Badhti ka Naam Zindagi.
• Organised the press meets. Held direct relationships with editors, bureau chiefs and beat reporters, and managed multiple PR, monitoring and creative agencies.
• Moved into digital banking to set up an in-house content studio, growing audience on axisbank.com and the Progress With Us blog and leading content strategy through the full website migration.

National Program Manager, Retail Liabilities at ICICI Bank (1998-01 – 2008-12)

Consumer marketing and activation across banking and FMCG — national consumer programmes and product campaigns at ICICI Bank across 50+ on-ground events, and brand activation for Nescafé, Maggi, Milo, KitKat and Polo across Karnataka and Goa, holding 45% category share in milk and coffee against 20–25% for competitors.

Regional Marketing Operations Officer; Sales Officer at Nestlé India (1998-01 – 2008-12)

Consumer marketing and activation across banking and FMCG — national consumer programmes and product campaigns at ICICI Bank across 50+ on-ground events, and brand activation for Nescafé, Maggi, Milo, KitKat and Polo across Karnataka and Goa, holding 45% category share in milk and coffee against 20–25% for competitors.

Master of Business Administration in Marketing – SIBER School of Management

Bachelor of Commerce – Karnatak University