A seasoned marketer by profession, Ritu hails from Kashmir. She completed MBA from Pune University with dual specialization in areas of Marketing and Human Resources. She breathes Content, Creativity and Communication.

Ritu is currently the Chief Marketing Officer at Raheja QBE General Insurance Co. Ltd. and has been associated with the company since May 2019. Prior to joining Raheja QBE, she was Vice President at Liberty General Insurance. There as well she was spearheading the Marketing and Corporate communication function and played an instrumental role in bringing Liberty from a completely unawareness zone to 'Top of the mind recall' space.

She comes with a rich experience in domains including Brand Building and strategy formulation, Corporate Communication and Public Relations, Website Development, Digital and Channel Marketing. With a flair for working with start-ups and being a part of their transformational journeys, Ritu has been instrumental in setting up organisations and seeing the transformation of Brands.

To know more about her and Raheja QBE General Insurance, read this exclusive interview between her and Women Entrepreneur magazine.

Give us a brief overview of Raheja QBE.

Raheja QBE is a joint venture between Rajan Raheja Group and QBE Insurance, Australia's second largest global insurer. Raheja QBE has been established to help and create the most conducive environment for consumers and partners in the insurance sector. While Rajan Raheja Group brings in its extensive knowledge across various business sectors in India, QBE insurance offers global expertise in insurance that together results in innovative insurance solutions for diverse consumers.

We are India's 21st General Insurance Company, headquartered in Mumbai with presence in nine cities, expanding to 23 locations by end of FY 21-22. Our business model is Multi Channel, Multi Geography and Multi products with focus on Innovation.

From the standpoint of an experienced professional, how has the marketing industry evolved over the past few years?

For most of the twentieth century, television was the preferred channel for advertisers to promote their goods and services to the masses. A formula was created ­ the 30-second tv commercial, backed by press, poster and radio adverts. But today, the advertising landscape has changed. Today consumers are in control of the media they consume and how they consume it.

“Try to be happy and keep that spark inside you alive- because it will be the same spark that will help you take the big leap”

Current trends in advertising are showing a distinct shift away from this traditional 'above-the-line' advertising approach and a move towards more integrated brand communications that are closer to the sale and often more accountable. The arrival of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and many other social media channels has altered the media landscape irrevocably. People of all demographics can now create and share opinions, videos, photos and any other information with more other people than ever before. Brands are now embedded into our lives quite spontaneously rather than being demarcated into a commercial slot in a predetermined way.

Tell us your views on women representation in the top leadership roles.

It's no secret that women have historically faced greater barriers than men when it comes to fully participating in the economy. Across geographies and income levels, disparities between men and women persist in the form of pay gaps, uneven opportunities for advancement, and unbalanced representation in important decision-making.

Steps must be taken to maintain regular metrics of success and failure regarding female employees' attrition rates, with an attempt to understand what the problem areas are and how to resolve them. Organisations must also have more training programmes regarding unconscious bias across all levels. We are culturally conditioned, and it is not just men but women also, who have to be self-aware about their inherent biases against women and their leadership capabilities.

Given the demanding nature of your role as a business leader and entrepreneur, how do you strike a balance between work and personal life?

Working women are encouraged to recognize that the perfect balance between work and home life is an unattainable myth. Instead, consider work among the multiple life roles that you manage along with other roles. Each role may require more effort or time than others across the course of the year and throughout your life. Seek help from others in your work and life environments to share the load. Prioritizing your roles can help you decide how best to manage your time across your various roles and responsibilities.

What would your words of advice be for women aspiring to be foray into the field of marketing?

The next generation of female marketers have a huge opportunity. The momentum is shifting in their favor. My advice is to take advantage of this change in our culture, but do not take it for granted. No matter what the mainstream narrative around equality for women, you are the person responsible for your own career.

Always maintain your integrity and values. How you treat people and how you support others will ultimately matter more than the latest corporate `win' that you get. Your career is a marathon, not a sprint. Lift as you rise. Every step leads to the next and there is value to every experience, whether you see it immediately or not. Trust the process and be true to your values.

Lastly, while you build your career, build your life. I see too many people so focused on their careers that they become unhealthy, lose touch with important relationships. Plus having a wide range of interests makes you a more interesting and happy person which reflects well in the workplace. Try to be happy and keep that spark inside you alive- because it will be the same spark that will help you take the BIG LEAP.