My guest on this, the 36th episode of The Master’s Voice podcast series from MediaBrief.com is a distinguished expert, Abbas Akhtar, Chief General Manager Brand & PR at Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), where he has held and shone in the position for the past two years. However, Abbas brings a total of 34 years’ experience to his complex, demanding, and what he describes as ‘very fulfilling responsibility’ of leading Corporate Communications at BPCL – one of India’s biggest Maharatna giants.
In his current role, Abbas is responsible for building the communication strategy and planning and executing it across platforms while maintaining integrity across all marketing and communication initiatives of the company.
Apart from handling Corporate Public Relations & Brand, Abbas has also had experience in heading marketing activities of Highway retailing and leading brand initiatives in the Retail Business Unit encompassing retail fuel stations pan India.
Abbas Akhtar has also worked extensively in the Aviation Fuel Industry, representing Bharat Petroleum, and has developed command over almost all the facets pertaining to Jet Fuel Marketing and Operations.
In this episode of The Master’s Voice, Abbas speaks of the size and scale of BPCL and the purpose that it drives, and which drives it, in the service of India.
He speaks of how the BPCL brand promise of ‘Innovation, Care & Reliability’ is ingrained in the company’s DNA, and how the team has been gearing up to take it to new levels.
Abbas shares BPCL‘s Comms philosophy and beliefs during COVID, and the company’s campaigns and initiatives to communicate its mission, commitment and purpose – all of which have helped BPCL keep literally fuelled and powered, the nation’s ‘wheels’ to keep it growing.
Abbas also shares insights from the company’s purpose-driven campaigns. He also speaks of the kind of media and marketing mix BPCL uses to reach out to both — its massive consumer base across India, as also to its associates and the businesses that partner it across the length and breadth of the country.
Abbas, who handles a mandate that is as complex as it is crucial, also shares how he organizes and manages teams working across a large number of complex verticals, and how BPCL is well served by its Umbrella Branding Strategy. Young marketers seeking to arm themselves for the fast evolving digital marketing space, will find helpful insights on what Abbas believes they need to brush up on to remain relevant and grow.
All this, and more, from the soft-spoken, passionate and accomplished Abbas Akhtar, Chief General Manager – Brand & PR at BPCL. What you will hear in the episode is a truly inspiring Aatmanirbhar Bharat story that BPCL has been scripting a
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