Brands
Instamart promotes Dhanya Hemanth Raj to director marketing
Marketing leader behind several award-winning campaigns steps up after nearly three years
BENGALURU: Quick commerce platform Instamart has elevated Dhanya Hemanth Raj to the role of director marketing, recognising a career spanning nearly 15 years across brand strategy, consumer insights, digital marketing and integrated communications.
Raj announced the promotion on LinkedIn, describing it as a significant milestone in a journey shaped by strong teams and leadership support. “Excited to share that I’ve been promoted to Director, Marketing at Swiggy Instamart,” she wrote, thanking colleagues and mentors who supported her growth.
The appointment comes after nearly three years at Instamart, where she most recently served as general manager marketing. In that role, she oversaw annual marketing budgets, media strategy and brand-building initiatives for Instamart and its private-label business, Noice.
During her tenure, Raj led several high-profile campaigns that helped strengthen the brand’s position in India’s increasingly competitive quick commerce market. Among the most notable were the viral “Chawal/Chawla” campaign and the Rohit Sharma-led “Yeh Se Leke Woh Tak” campaign, which collectively earned more than 30 industry awards within a year.
Her work also contributed to improvements in brand awareness, top-of-mind recall and consumer consideration while supporting sustained organic traffic growth. Internally, she was recognised with multiple Swiggstar team awards and an annual individual Swiggstar award.
Before joining Instamart, Raj served as head of brand marketing at TenderCuts, where she helped double consideration and revenue through large-scale brand campaigns. Earlier, as brand manager at Licious, she was part of the team that drove a fivefold increase in revenue and significantly boosted brand awareness and consideration in the online meat category.
Her career also includes agency-side leadership roles. At MullenLowe Lintas Group, she worked on strategy for brands including Tanishq, Swiggy, PhonePe and Britannia. Prior to that, she held a senior brand strategy role at R K SWAMY BBDO, handling accounts such as Mercedes-Benz, Isuzu Motors, P&G Olay and LIC.
An engineering graduate from Anna University and a marketing postgraduate from the Zicklin School of Business in New York, Raj brings a blend of analytical and creative expertise to the role.
Her elevation comes at a crucial time for Instamart as competition in India’s quick commerce sector intensifies, placing an even greater emphasis on distinctive brand building and customer engagement. With a track record of creating culturally resonant campaigns and driving measurable business outcomes, Raj is set to play a key role in shaping the next chapter of Instamart’s growth story.
