MAM
Marketing whiz Shunu Sen no more
MUMBAI: Corporate India is that much poorer today with the passing away of ace marketer Shunu Sen. The CEO of marketing consultancy Quadra Advisory passed away early this morning (3 January) following heart failure. Sen has been a guiding hand to many a senior marketing and sales professional during his 35-year plus career.
Born in 1940, Sen started his career as a management trainee in 1960 with Hindustan Lever when the concept of professional marketing was still new to India. Shunu, as he was known to all, handled assignments of various products like detergents, personal products and foods. He later graduated to become the Head of the Personal Products business and Marketing Director-Detergents. He was responsible for the legendary Lalitaji and Liril advertising campaigns.
In 1990, he was appointed vice-chairman – Lipton India. His last assignment with Hindustan Lever was as group marketing advisor for the Unilever Group of Companies in India. Later, he did an international assignment for Unilever plc., London.
Subsequent to his retirement from Hindustan Lever, he worked as president, marketing services, RPG Enterprises and group marketing advisor.
In 1998, Shunu set up Quadra Advisory in partnership with advertising professional Suhel Seth and one of the world’s largest ad and marketing conglomerates WPP Group to provide consultancy in marketing and sales in the areas of marketing strategy, distribution and sales, branding and positioning and marketing training. Speaking to agencyfaqs.com a couple of years ago, he had said he had done this reluctantly: “I had taken retirement and I just wanted to sit at home, read books and listen to music. But Sir Sorrel got me quite interested and so I decided to invest in it. Both Suhel and I also invested as original investors,” he had said.
But there was no looking back after that. Some of the clients he consulted include: Reckitt & Colman, Dabur, Wrigley’s, Kimberly Clark, Henkel, Ranbaxy, Parle Agro, Rasna, AP Diary, TetraPak, Royal, Enfield, Eicher Tractors, JK Tyres, Castrol, HPCL, Philips Domestic Appliances, Godrej GE, Borosil, Usha International, Baron Electronics, ICI, Max Health Care, Sun F&C, Lifespring, Nirulas, CII, Indbazaar.com, Gottaswitch.com, shaadionline.com, everythingaboutwater.com.
And even the government. When the information and broadcasting ministry wanted to inject some marketing savvy into its moribund DD and All India Radio it turned to Shunu. He was appointed chairman of a high power committee recommend the best practices in the marketing of airtime.
Sen was also a member and officer bearer of various professional institutions such as Advertising Club-Bombay, ABC, ISA, AND MRSI.
For Sen’s views on the history of branding, click here
Can ‘Made in India’ become a brand?
For a Shunu Sen interview with ‘The Week’ which appeared in www.agencyfaqs.com in October 2001, click here
“Companies often do not have a consumer focus”
To view the website of Quadra Advisory, click here http://www.quadraadvisory.com/index.htm
Brands
Flipkart elevates Ravi Rajani to director after six-year compliance run
Anti-corruption specialist steps up to strengthen governance framework
MUMBAI: Flipkart has promoted Ravi Rajani to director, marking a key milestone in his six-year tenure with the company as it continues to sharpen its governance and compliance focus.
Rajani, who joined Flipkart in 2020, has steadily risen through the ranks within the organisation’s anti-corruption compliance function. He most recently served as associate director, anti-corruption compliance, a role he held from September 2022 to April 2026. Prior to that, he was senior manager in the same vertical, playing a key role in strengthening internal controls and regulatory adherence.
In his new role as director, Rajani is expected to further bolster Flipkart’s governance framework, drawing on his experience in managing compliance risks and navigating evolving regulatory landscapes.
Before joining Flipkart, Rajani worked as a consultant at AZB & Partners, where he gained exposure to corporate law and regulatory advisory. He began his career at EY, progressing from article assistant to consultant over nearly four years, building a strong foundation in audit and compliance practices.
Academically, he is a chartered accountant from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and also holds a law degree from V. T. Choksi Sarvajanik Law College, equipping him with a dual lens on finance and legal frameworks.
Rajani’s elevation reflects Flipkart’s continued emphasis on strengthening internal governance as the ecommerce sector faces increasing regulatory scrutiny. As compliance moves from a backend function to a strategic priority, leadership roles such as his are becoming central to how companies build trust and scale responsibly.
