Michelle Iyer
Mumbai
Summary
Transformational leader with 22 years of experience driving curation, partnerships, and strategic initiatives across travel-tech, experiential retail, digital-first industries, and financial services.
Overview
25
25
years of professional experience
Work History
Marketing Director
Blinctrip (Mondee)
2024.04 - Current
- Leading strategic initiatives for B2C app launches in India & U.S., including go-to-market strategy, influencer partnerships, and content creation.
- Building conversion tracking mechanisms to optimize marketing impact.
- Advising C-suite on strategic brand positioning and responsible tourism initiatives.
Head – Marketing Operations
Blinctrip (Mondee)
2021.02 - 2024.03
- Built marketing operations from ground up, creating value proposition, brand awareness, and customer acquisition pathways.
- Delivered growth from 0 to 1,500 daily segments, optimized COA, and crafted strategic partnerships with leading travel companies.
- Drove 185%+ increase in content engagement and organically built a 65K+ Instagram community.
- Established Blinctrip as a differentiated brand in the competitive travel-tech landscape.
Head – Marketing
Foodhall – Future Group
2018.01 - 2018.12
- Elevated Foodhall into a luxury experiential retail destination, curating immersive IPs like Maker’s Market.
- Partnered with 90+ chefs to drive 50% growth in engagement and reposition Foodhall as a culinary hub.
- Pioneered a subscription-based revenue model, diversifying income streams.
- Delivered 32% increase in footfalls via targeted events and storytelling campaigns.
Trade Marketing Lead
VServ Digital Services Pvt Ltd
2015.07 - 2017.12
- Spearheaded launch of VMAX app monetization platform, creating value propositions for developers and brands.
- Partnered with 200+ developers, achieving 23% adoption within 2 years.
- Designed roadshows reaching 800+ developers across India & Southeast Asia, scaling VMAX’s market positioning.
Partner Account Manager / Trade Marketing Lead
Microsoft Advertising
2010.02 - 2014.08
- Supported onboarding of major advertisers (L’Oréal, Toyota, GroupM), improving brand spend 4X on MSN.
- Co-led research on women’s digital consumption, unlocking new targeting budgets from leading brands.
- Launched 8 B2C and B2B apps (Sony Music, Kotak Securities, Sodexho) and added 5 ISVs to strengthen Windows app ecosystem.
- Partnered with global teams on innovation showcases to drive adoption of Microsoft platforms.
Chief Manager – Group Digital Marketing
Kotak Mahindra Bank
2008.12 - 2010.02
- Led digital marketing programs for retail & wealth, positioning Kotak as a premium financial services brand.
- Introduced innovative digital-first campaigns to acquire and retain high-value customers.
Senior Manager – Internet Marketing
Kotak Securities
2008.03 - 2008.11
- Championed early adoption of online marketing to scale Kotak Securities’ reach.
- Built consumer engagement initiatives that drove significant adoption of digital trading platforms.
Online Marketing Manager
Cleartrip.com
2006.05 - 2008.03
- Drove early-stage positioning of Cleartrip as an intuitive digital-first OTA.
- Crafted marketing programs and consumer education initiatives to build trust in online travel booking.
Senior Manager – Client Consulting
Mediaturf Worldwide
2002.09 - 2006.04
- Led digital media consulting for key clients, pioneering early digital adoption in India.
- Built integrated campaigns that positioned Mediaturf as an innovation-first agency.
Product Executive
Mediaware Infotech
2001.11 - 2002.08
- Supported product development & marketing strategies for early tech-driven solutions.
Client Servicing Executive
Urja Communication
2000.05 - 2001.08
- Managed client relationships and supported delivery of integrated campaigns.
Education
Brand Marketing -
Northwestern University – Kellogg
01.2011
Marketing -
Kellogg School of Management
01.2010
Post Graduate Diploma - Business Administration
IES Management College
01.2000
B.Com -
MMK College of Commerce & Economics
01.1998
Skills
- Strategic Initiatives
- Business Transformation
- Curation Frameworks
- Content Ecosystems
- Supplier Development
- Partnership Network Development
- AI-Powered Personalization
- Storytelling
- Go-to-Market Strategy
- Consumer Engagement Models
- Creator Engagement Models
- Brand Building
- Repositioning
- Cross-Functional Leadership
- B2B Marketing Strategy
- B2C Marketing Strategy
- Digital-First Innovation
- Ecosystem Impact
Websites
Accomplishments
- Built India’s first AI-powered creator economy platform (Aarna) with integrated curation, fintech, and ecosystem tools.
- Delivered 30%+ B2B sales uplift in North America through integrated marketing.
- Launched experiential IPs including Foodhall’s Maker’s Market and Mondee/Aarna creator programs.
- Achieved 100% team retention at Blinctrip over three years by building a high-performance culture.
Timeline
Marketing Director
Blinctrip (Mondee)
2024.04 - Current
Head – Marketing Operations
Blinctrip (Mondee)
2021.02 - 2024.03
Head – Marketing
Foodhall – Future Group
2018.01 - 2018.12
Trade Marketing Lead
VServ Digital Services Pvt Ltd
2015.07 - 2017.12
Partner Account Manager / Trade Marketing Lead
Microsoft Advertising
2010.02 - 2014.08
Chief Manager – Group Digital Marketing
Kotak Mahindra Bank
2008.12 - 2010.02
Senior Manager – Internet Marketing
Kotak Securities
2008.03 - 2008.11
Online Marketing Manager
Cleartrip.com
2006.05 - 2008.03
Senior Manager – Client Consulting
Mediaturf Worldwide
2002.09 - 2006.04
Product Executive
Mediaware Infotech
2001.11 - 2002.08
Client Servicing Executive
Urja Communication
2000.05 - 2001.08
Brand Marketing -
Northwestern University – Kellogg
Marketing -
Kellogg School of Management
Post Graduate Diploma - Business Administration
IES Management College
B.Com -
MMK College of Commerce & Economics