Alumni Spotlight: How Neha Jain is building on her brand and communication expertise to improve organisational outcomes

Neha Jain is an award-winning strategic communication professional who, over her decade and a half long career, has empowered several organisations by helping them narrate their stories and value propositions effectively. As a visionary, she is always looking to transform and scale the impact she makes to add more value to the organisation.

Jain enrolled in the INSEAD Leadership Programme for Senior Executives (ILPSE) — India to learn how to reshape the intersection of Brand & Communication with corporate and business strategy. ILPSE's in-depth focus on key functional management areas, strategic thinking and entrepreneurship made it the ideal choice for her.

"My professional journey had already led me to become an expert in brand, marketing and communication, so this learning was a natural next step for me,” says Jain. “I did not see it as an option but rather an imperative to grow personally and professionally."

We got in touch with Jain to explore her career journey and how the programme helped broaden her business lens.

Please tell us a little bit about your educational background and career journey.

I am an economics graduate of Miranda House, a top-ranking college for women at the University of Delhi. Following my graduation, I completed an MBA and secured a promising job as an investment advisor at ABN Amro. However, soon after, I realised my passion lay in storytelling. I embarked on a path in that direction and put a strong foundation in place, going on to drive branding, positioning, and storytelling for various Fortune 500 firms during my career.

At a very early stage in my career, I worked in HCL’s corporate strategy office which equipped me to work closely with senior leadership and boards to build a deeper understanding of the challenges, goals and drivers of businesses and stakeholders. It also exposed me to the life cycle of a business from conception, incubation, launch and then sustenance. At Deloitte, I dove into a completely new sphere of marketing, strategy, operations and automation to amplify the impact of the Brand & Communication team, build efficiencies and add greater strategic value to the firm.

All these experiences, especially the ones outside the vanilla public relations and communication portfolio, gave me a glimpse of the potential value I could unlock in organisations by transforming the way Brand & Communication functions intersect with businesses and the wider enterprise.

What were you looking for when you discovered ILPSE?

I have had a very clear vision to transform the scale and impact of Brand & Communication and make it central to an organisation’s strategic portfolio. The first requirement to realise this vision was to build a solid understanding of various business practices, functions, and their drivers in order to make holistic strategic interventions that would go beyond the realm of communication. This is when I enrolled in ILPSE.

Tell us about aspects of the programme that appealed to you?

The construct of the programme, the world-renowned faculty, and my cohort of accomplished peers from diverse functions, industries, and cultures made my ILPSE journey extremely fulfilling. The programme provided a fantastic ecosystem to develop a comprehensive understanding of the underlying principles of general management and strengthen my leadership skills.

Did the programme meet your expectations?

The programme deepened my understanding of the key drivers of success across functions, people and the organisation. This understanding has allowed me to build more compelling and holistic strategic interventions that can successfully influence outcomes across stakeholder groups. I have also witnessed visible changes in myself as a leader through the journey of the program. Today, I feel I am far more self-aware and better equipped to influence a diverse stakeholder universe to come together and realise a shared vision.

How has ILPSE helped with or influenced your career goals?

The defining moment of the program was the final module where we were given personal coaching. The conversations with my coach were instrumental in identifying my strengths and defining the path ahead. Also, I had never thought about wealth creation from the perspective of an investor. I am now actively investing in start-ups as part of a start-up angel network (an early-stage fund and community that supports innovative young entrepreneurs) and through Grip Invest (A platform that is democratising access to alternative investment across real-estate, angel investments, lease finance, and working capital).

What advice would you give others considering ILPSE?

I strongly believe that learning and upskilling are not defined by age and should continue for life. ILPSE, at this juncture in my life, has been the best investment I have made in myself.

If you have achieved functional excellence and are looking to define your path to greater success – whether through widening your scope, making a larger impact, or starting something new – this programme is your route to get there.

ILPSE is a comprehensive one-year, part-time general management and leadership programme featuring experiential learning, world-class faculty and peers, immersions across INSEAD’s global campuses and tailored career support.

Find out more information about ILPSE by visiting our programme home page.