In today's highly competitive and hyper digital era, marketing acts as a strategy that allows a brand or organization to gain brand recognition and brand differentiation. A marketer creates campaigns, brings in various fresh ideas & platforms, and strives to set a business apart from the competitors.One such adept marketing professional is Kriti Arora, Vice President- Brand, Product, and Platform Marketing at Max Life Insurance. A role model for many, Kriti brings with her nine years of rich expertise in Telecom, BFSI- Payments, and Life Insurance Sectors and has been rated as Excellent Performer for multiple years.

Since joining Max Life in 2018, Kriti has worked hard to attain lofty goals while consistently lifting the bar. Her ability to balance function vs. enterprise views, as well as her ability to influence without authority and become a 'Go to Leader' in areas outside of her domain expertise, makes her a great people leader.

In an exclusive conversation with the Women Entrepreneur Team Kriti speaks to us about.

Introduce us to Max Life Insurance Company. What are some important features about your expertise as a marketing professional?

Max Life Insurance Company Limited is a joint venture between Axis Bank Limited and Max Financial Services Limited. Max Financial Services Ltd. is a subsidiary of the Max Group, an Indian conglomerate. We are one of the leading and largest non-banking life insurance companies, ranking in the top four among private life insurance companies.

Customer - Strategy, Insights & Marketing life cycle management, growth and digital strategy, customer experience and communication with correct balance of business are my expertise. I also specialize in Channel Marketing- Proprietary & Bancassurance, and have established industry first brand platforms such as India Protection Quotient, Max Life Run via PR & Influencer MarketingTeam management.

Take us through your early educational journey and prior industry experience. What motivated you to venture into the field of marketing?

I received my bachelor's degree in commerce from the University of Allahabad and was a gold medalist there. Later, I earned my MBA from Mumbai's NMIMS School of Business Management. Following that, I started working for Airtel as a management trainee. Initially, I worked in the telecom section, and after two years, I began working for Airtel Payments Bank. I was a founding member of Airtel Payments Bank and worked on numerous product marketing projects. Max Life is my second organization.

In June, I'll be marking ten years of professional work experience. In the past nine years, I've been one of the fastest growing corporate professionals, having begun my career as a management trainee and now serving as Vice President of Marketing at Max Life Insurance.

When it comes to marketing, I've done everything from channel marketing to customer marketing, and now I'm in charge of brand marketing, which is the most critical function for any organization.

At Max Life, I've been a part of and partnered on many strategic platforms. Unlike other marketers who begin with advertising and then move into marketing, I started with Business management, product & operations. This foundation helps me even today to look at the larger business outcomes in whatever we do. That distinguishes me from other marketers in the industry.

What are some of the most challenging aspects of your role? How do you overcome them?

Having worked in the life insurance sector for four years, I have observed that the understanding and need for life insurance is quite latent in India. Life insurance has traditionally been a `push' category, with people being told they need it rather than them seeking it on their own. However, there has been a large shift in the life insurance sector in the last two years as a result of COVID, where individuals have experienced uncertainty and it is now becoming a pull category.

While Max Life has been on a steady growth path, the task is to make Max Life Insurance stand out in the crowd and become a unique brand. We are trying to differentiate the brand via communication and our brand stands on the insight of celebrating the individual.

What have been the most significant milestones that you have achieved so far in your professional journey? What is your guiding leadership philosophy?

One of the most significant and early milestones of my career was the launch of Airtel Payments Bank. Being able to successfully take larger roles and being on a fastrack journey and being one of the youngest VP today is the true achievement. On a personal level, I'm a member of Max Life's top 20 Young Leaders Program, which identifies people and groom them for senior management and executive committees. Max Life has recognized me as a women role model, and I've received multiple awards during my career.

“When it comes to marketing, i've done everything from channel marketing to customer marketing, and now i'm in charge of brand marketing, which is the most critical function for any organization. I have continued to upskill myself to keep up the pace”

Being truthful to myself and my work has been my driving forces. All across my career I have been extremely open with the organizations, and took up many new and challenging projects and have been adding skills all through.I have never stopped myself from learning new things or receiving feedback and I believe setting a goal for oneself is extremely important.

Though I had only worked for two organizations, I was fortunate enough to receive the best mentor assistance and a supportive team. I believe that if you take one step towards the growth of the organization, then it will take two steps towards you.

There are two critical aspects, first being Technical skills which can be learned or unlearned by anyone at any stage and there is always a need to continue to upskill. I am also currently pursuing a Brand Strategy course at the Kellogg School of Management, US. 

Second and even more important aspect is leadership skills. Bringing people along with you, making the team work gladly for you and you in turn working for their success makes one a good leader. Technical skills too play an important role.

My family has been my biggest cheerleader and my biggest support system. My success makes them happy, and that motivates me to keep going.

How do you keep yourself well aligned with the periodic evolutions occurring within your respective industry? What would you advice women aspiring to become business leaders and entrepreneurs?

As marketers, we don't just compare and learn from our competitors' within the industry; we also compare and learn from brands outside our sector so that we can incorporate new trends into our respective business. Today's marketing and technology are extremely intertwined, and we must stay current or our expertise will quickly become obsolete, making it impossible to compete with others. We have to keep upskilling ourselves and continue to learn more and more.

I would advise women to stop treating themselves as superior or inferior to the other gender. When you enter the corporate world, it's an equal battle to be fought. Believe in equality but don't ask for that, let your actions speak for you. The corporate world is waiting for you; do the right things, and everything else will fall into place.

Kriti Arora, Vp - Brand, Product & Platform Marketing, Max Life Insurance

One of Max Life'swomen role model, Kriti Arora, is a marketing professional with nine years of rich expertise in various Sectors and has been rated as Excellent Performer for many years in a row.