Meet the MBA Class of 2022: Kaumudi Tiwari, Indian Institute of Administration Ahmedabad

“A brand marketing professional with expertise in corporate reputation management, program strategy and brand management.”

Hometown: New Delhi, India

Fun fact about yourself: I talk to myself a little … a self-talker!

Basic studies and major: Bachelor of Arts (Hons) Journalism, Kamala Nehru College, Delhi University. Postgraduate Diploma in Advertising and Public Relations, Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi.

Last employer and job title: Business-to-Consumer (B2C) Marketing Manager, India, Lufthansa German Airlines

Apart from your classmates What was the key part of IIM Ahmedabad’s MBA program that made you choose this business school and why was it so important to you? For a social science and marketing student, an MBA program can be a daunting and intimidating experience. When I received my letter of offer from IIMA, I spoke to many alumni from similar fields and shared my fear of doing my thesis. And that’s when I understood one of the main features of the program – the coursework here is designed so that each candidate can make the most of their own skills to navigate through the various course modules. For example, a course in Finance Reporting and Analysis is taught without requiring participants to have any domain understanding. This awareness of the students’ learning needs was a great motivation for me to join the IIMA PGPX cohort. The academic rigor of the program is tough no matter where you are from, but it equips everyone with the tools necessary to ensure that all participants get value from the experience.

What was your favorite class or extracurricular activity at IIM Ahmedabad? What was the most important lesson you learned from it? I really like the courses on marketing and strategy management. The simulation, role play and case studies learning formats really put you in the shoes of a business leader and help you understand how decisions are made under pressure.

The biggest lesson was becoming an adaptable all-rounder and being more confident about your expertise. Each strategist comes from a specific area or domain, but a successful strategist strives to grow, develop, and take on decision-making roles in different areas.

Describe your greatest success in your career so far: As the youngest in the Asia-Pacific region, he joins and heads the Lufthansa Group’s marketing programs in India.

Describe your greatest achievement to date as an MBA student: There are two. You master the first Term 1 at IIMA successfully and at the same time accept the academic rigor – believe me, it is not easy. After all, “the A in IIMA for academics”. Second, I also happen to be the newly elected Secretary of the IIM Ahmedabad PGPX Alumni Committee, 2021-22. As a solid eight-person team, we have the task of ensuring that the bond of being a “WIMWIAN” is carried over to another batch.

What made you decide to do an MBA at that point and what do you want after graduation? My social science education and my expertise in brand marketing have sparked my interest in the matrix of consumers, products, companies and brands in recent years. I find it fascinating that an intangible term such as “brand” can stimulate actions and emotions or, like a well-designed product, can even arouse needs. To me, these are both evidence of the power of creativity and insight.

My work before IIMA allowed me to experiment with the marketing communication principles of the matrix above. It gave me the space to use my strengths and creativity to my heart’s content. With that in mind, I wanted to move on to developing end-to-end business solutions that have the ability to drive business strategies. It was important to me to understand management as a holistic discipline that combines different skills and expertise. With this thought process and a lot of research, I landed on IIM Ahmedabad’s PGPX program, which made me part of a diverse group of professionals from around the world.

With this program, I am now looking to move into a more strategic role where I work with the fundamentals of business governance and brand marketing – an area of ​​work that allows me to study and innovate elements like consumer insights, program development and brand management, product and market development (among other things).

What advice would you give potential applicants in order to gain admission to IIM Ahmedabad? Before you apply, be clear about how exactly this program will help you with your career goals. It’s okay not to be sure about certain areas but still exploring. However, having a strategic vision of your professional life will help you get more value out of the program. In addition, the “Why MBA and why IIMA” questions always arise during the entire process.

As every IIMA student is told, “IIMA is like a buffet – you have a wide choice, the privilege to choose wisely is yours”. The institution offers you many opportunities in almost all areas – but it is your vision and your foresight that can help you use your limited time and energy efficiently.

DON’T MISS: MEET INDIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT AHMEDABAD MBA CLASS OF 2022