The Art Of Standing Apart

Over the years, being in this industry, you come across all sorts of people—on the client side and the agency side. Some people are gentle, some aggressive. As you get to know them better, everyone has their own way of getting things done. But I am particularly fond of those who can get things done without losing their cool, raising their voice, by just being gentle, cool, calm and collected. 

One name that stands out over the years in that aspect is Vandana Sandhir. She has been this beautiful, gentle soldier of ours, tackling every situation with a smile and her cool and calm self. I remember walking in to work and seeing her smiling face. The most serious crisis was handled with unflappable poise.

From her early days, Vandana has always been one to follow her heart, and she has been one of the constants throughout this journey. In any capacity that she was needed. Always up for a challenge, with a smile, she is one person I am grateful to have had with us on this ride. I wish more of us were as kind, caring and gentle as she is. 

Here is a little about Vandana you all may now know about! 

Building leadership on values

Vandana Sandhir, Client Chief Officer, Genesis BCW and Member, BCW India Board.

Vandana succinctly describes being at Genesis BCW as a slice-of-life experience that began in 2002. She had spent 8 years in her previous agency involved in various roles, but was ready to take on new challenges.  

Vandana’s long and enriching voyage with GBCW is summed up by her through powerful experiences at the firm. The first experience was at the interview stage – the HR head at (the then) Genesis PR called Vandana to say that there was an opening at the firm. It was a thunderous and cloudy month of May when her interview happened, which seemed like a premonition of the adventure that lay ahead. What followed was a very pleasant conversation, very unlike a typical interview drill. When she met Prema Sagar, the ‘fauji connection’ sparked a conversation around the thrill of an armed forces upbringing. And Vandana’s journey began as a Partner at the firm, handling corporate clients.

The second experience of note was when Vandana got the opportunity of a fully-paid scholarship for a Master’s programme in Communications in the UK, just a few months after joining Genesis. She found herself in a fix! When she broached her dilemma, Prema said something that has stayed with Vandana for life—“Go where your heart wants to go,” and Vandana went to London to complete her Master’s programme. This gesture underlined the principles and values that Genesis stands for. “People are more important than jobs and positions at the firm.” As a proud member of the Genesis BCW family she says, “Wherever we go, we stand apart… you can spot a GBCW alumni practically everywhere in the communications industry.”

Sure enough, after completing her Master’s programme, Vandana returned to Genesis where she got interesting opportunities across Public Relations, Public Affairs and Digital. The next chapter of her journey took her to Mumbai as the head of the Western region.  

This was different from her comfort zone but she took it on. It was quite an adventure where one evening she was informed about the Mumbai role and the next day she was packing her bags and heading to this bustling city. Heading a market was a very rewarding and challenging experience. “Mumbai was like getting into a washing machine and getting a tumble dry. I liked the professional vibe of the city but like a true Dilliwallah, I had a tough time adjusting to small spaces in Mumbai,” she recalls regarding her 3-year stint in the city. “The Mumbai office was the microcosm of the city—both, in terms of vibrant people and the quality of work.” The highlight of her Mumbai stint was “hands down having the best team in town by my side.” 

 In 2010, Vandana got a call saying that practices were being reorganised at the company—and she was handed over the charge of the Corporate & Financial Practice, which brought her back to Gurgaon. The following years were about giving shape to the practice and partnering with clients to make a difference to their business. It was also an exciting time where new-age media, content, visual media, public affairs, and more, integrated seamlessly with public relations. It didn’t matter where the idea came from; all the communications expertise came together, resulting in some great award-winning work.    

Every day was a new day till the next opportunity came by. Prema discussed the prospect of setting up a new WPP public relations agency to manage conflict brands and PPR South Asia was born. After leading PPR India for four years, in 2020, Vandana joined back Genesis BCW as its Chief Client Officer, and also the board of the newly BCW India Group.  

One of Vandana’s most enduring memories is of Gabbys. At her first Gabbys, singer Abhijeet Sawant came for the awards and the energy in the room was so palpable. “The inclusiveness and the strength of this agency struck me when I saw the mass of people,” she says reliving the exciting time. It is a wonder how Gabbys is put together year after year with the same energy and passion!  

Vandana’s journey with Genesis BCW has been one of discovering herself and of building new relationships—a journey of integrity and trust. As an Armed Forces kid, she firmly believes that nothing is worth one’s self-respect. She saw how this was practiced at GBCW, where employees always have a choice—a choice to stay true to themselves; a choice to never compromise on ethics and values. Vandana has learnt volumes through her career—that one must know how to draw the line between people and processes; that in the face of contradictions, what is often required is an individual call. Pointing out the value of the present, she adds, “In our eagerness to look towards the future, let’s never lose the goodness of what we have today.”