Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
International Conference Presentations
Research Publications
Awards and Appreciation Letters
Academic Committees
Certification
References
Co-curricular & Sports Involvement
Timeline
Work Availability
Generic
Pooja Singhal

Pooja Singhal

Academic Associate Lead
Ahmedabad,GJ

Summary

Dynamic professional with a robust academic background and practical expertise in consumer insights, sustainability marketing, and digital communication. Currently serving as a Research Associate at MICA, contributing to research design, academic coordination, and the management of international conferences. Recognized for publishing and presenting research at prestigious global platforms, including the AMA Winter Academic Conference and ICMC 2025. Proficient in SPSS, NVivo, Biblioshiny, and mixed-method research design, with a strong passion for understanding how authenticity, technology, and sustainability influence contemporary consumer behavior.

Overview

3
3
years of professional experience
5
5
Certifications

Work History

Academic Associate Lead, Strategic Marketing

MICA
06.2024 - Current
  • Spearheaded coordination for six or more academic courses and three specialization programs (Digital Strategy, Sales Management, and SCRM), benchmarking curriculum with top global business schools, and developed instructional and research materials.
  • Designed and structured 7+ management courses, including FMCG Branding, Marketing Communications, and Channel & Sales Management, ensuring pedagogical rigor and contemporary industry relevance.
  • Directed the Sales Drive Project 2025, a flagship experiential learning initiative engaging over 200 MBA students across 58 teams and 11 industry partners, enhancing project delivery efficiency by 20%.
  • Led operations for the International Communication Management Conference (ICMC 2025) with over 220 national and international participants.
  • Facilitated the visit and research colloquium of Prof. Werner Kunz (University of Massachusetts, Boston), is promoting cross-border academic collaboration on AI and service management.
  • Managed rural immersion projects across Gujarat, providing on-ground research coordination, logistical support, and field supervision to MBA student teams.
  • Coordinated 25+ workshops, seminars, and academic events, improving operational efficiency, faculty engagement, and student learning outcomes.
  • Collaborated with seven senior visiting faculty members and multiple academic departments to align course frameworks with institutional and accreditation standards.
  • Supported curriculum design, data analysis, and faculty training initiatives to enhance teaching effectiveness, and student engagement.

Research Associate, Consumer Insights

Smytten
11.2022 - 01.2024
  • Executed 15+ consumer studies for leading D2C brands, covering concept testing, usage analysis, and claims validation.
  • Delivered actionable insights, influencing product strategy for personal care and lifestyle brands.
  • Authored weekly research newsletters summarizing emerging D2C, and digital consumer trends.
  • Collaborated cross-functionally with analytics and product teams to integrate insights into strategic decisions.
  • Conducted literature reviews to support ongoing research projects.
  • Assisted in data collection and analysis using statistical software.
  • Collaborated with team members on experimental design and methodology.
  • Maintained accurate records of research findings and protocols.

Researcher

Deepak Tea
08.2022 - 08.2022
  • Conducted over 250 field surveys across 10 villages to study brand perception and packaging differentiation.
  • Delivered actionable insights that guided packaging redesign, improving brand recall, and retailer satisfaction by 20% post-campaign.
  • Field Research Project – In-depth Interviews (Gujarat, India).
  • Analyzed data to support product development and marketing strategies.
  • Conducted market research to identify consumer preferences and trends in tea products.

Education

Master of Business Administration (MBA) - Marketing

GLS University
India
04-2023

Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) - Marketing Specialization

GLS University
India
01.2021

Skills

Project management

International Conference Presentations

  • Singhal, P., & Khatwani, D. (2025, December 5-7). Too fast to notice: Dark patterns in the blink of an eye. Paper presented at the Indian Management Research Conference (IMRC 2025), Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, India.


  • Singhal, P., & Mathur, M. (2025, February 14–16). Decoding the green promise: Sustainability claims and marketing practices in personal care brands through the lens of the triple bottom line. Paper presented at the American Marketing Association (AMA) Winter Academic Conference 2025, United States.


  • Singhal, P., Vinny, V., & Mathur, M. (2025, January). Exploring consumer purchase intent for rental goods through social media influence. Paper presented at the International Communication Management Conference (ICMC 2025), MICA, Ahmedabad, India.


  • Khatwani, D., & Singhal, P. (2023, December). A study on consumer psychology behind the usage of health and fitness consultancy applications. Paper presented at the e-International Conference on Innovation in Digital Transformation, Narayana Business School, Ahmedabad, India.

Research Publications


  • Khatwani, D., & Singhal, P. (2021, April). Impact of cause-related marketing on brand affinity of youth in the FMCG sector.International Journal for Research in Engineering Application & Management (IJREAM), 7(1), 76–83. https://doi.org/10.35291/2454-9150.2021.0161


  • Khatwani, D., & Singhal, P. (2023). A study on consumer psychology behind the usage of health and fitness consultancy applications. Rabindra Bharati Journal of Philosophy.


  • Singhal, P., Salunke, P., & Vasavada, F. Consumer envy: Foundation, conceptualization, and future research. Target journal: International Journal of Consumer Studies.(In pipeline)


  • Saikiran, S., Mathur, M., & Singhal, P. (manuscript in preparation). Shopper behaviour towards quick commerce: Understanding the role of personalization. Target Journal: Journal of Creative Communications.(In pipeline)

Awards and Appreciation Letters

  • Appreciation Letter – ICMC 2025 Conference Team, MICA
    Received from the Conference Chairs, Prof. Varsha Jain and Prof. Amit Karamchandani.
    Recognized for exceptional dedication and efficiency in managing the registration process and coordination for the International Communication Management Conference (ICMC 2025), ensuring seamless execution.


  • Exemplary Award – MICA (2025)
    Awarded by the Strategic Marketing Area for exemplary commitment, leadership, and operational excellence during academic projects and throughout the year in work space.


  • Appreciation – Sales Drive Project Coordination (2025)
    Acknowledged for outstanding leadership and end-to-end management of the SCRM Specialization’s Sales Drive Project for 200+ students.


  • Silver Medalist – MBA (Marketing Major, 2023)

Secured Second Position in the MBA batch; recognized for academic excellence.


  • Best Student of the Batch – BBA (2021)
    Honored for consistent academic and co-curricular performance, and institutional contributions.

Academic Committees


  • Lead Coordinator, Sales Drive Project, MICA — Managed 200+ participants and cross-functional academic execution.
  • Core Committee Member, ICMC 2025 — Led the registration team and served as Editorial Member for the Book of Abstracts.
  • Lead Coordinator, Sales Contest Project, MICA — Directed collaboration with 11 industry partners for MBA flagship initiative.
  • Placement Committee Member, GLS University (2022).
  • Class Representative (Merit-Based), GLS University (2018–2021) — Elected consecutively for three academic years.

Certification

Clarivate Web of Science Certification Series – November 2025 Clarivate Analytics. It focused on advanced research discovery, citation analysis, and scholarly publishing using the Web of Science platform.

References

Prof. Santosh Patra

Designation: Associate Dean - Academics and Associate Professor, 

Email: santosh.patra@micamail.in, MICA, India


Parth Salunke

Designation: Editorial Review Board member of Journal of Consumer Behaviour, Journal of Global Marketing, and Assistant Professor of Marketing,Flames School of Business, Flames University, India.

Email: Parth.salunke@flame.edu.in


Prof. Varsha Jain

Designation: Professor of Marketing, ESSCA Paris| Deputy Editor, JCB, UK| Vice Chair, AMA, USMICA, France.

Email: varsha.jain@essca.fr


Prof. Suresh Malodia

Designation: Associate Dean, Knowledge MICA, Ahmedabad; and Visiting faculty at University of Agder, Kristiansand, 

Email: suresh.malodia@micamail.in, India


Prof. Falguni Vasavada

Designation: Professor at MICA, TED x Speaker, India.

Email: falguni.vasavada@micamail.in

Co-curricular & Sports Involvement

Actively engaged in sports with representation at the state level in Powerlifting, Volleyball and district level in Badminton, reflecting a strong sense of teamwork, discipline, and perseverance.

Timeline

Clarivate Web of Science Certification Series – November 2025 Clarivate Analytics. It focused on advanced research discovery, citation analysis, and scholarly publishing using the Web of Science platform.
11-2025

Develop Your SPSS Skills, LinkedIn Learning. Covered data preparation, statistical analysis, and result interpretation using SPSS.

11-2025

Market Research: Qualitative, LinkedIn Learning — November 2025. Covered interviews, focus groups, thematic analysis, and qualitative market-research methods.

11-2025

Faculty Development Programme. Contemporary Research Pathways & Analytical Tools”, Indukaka Ipcowala Institute of Management (CHARUSAT), India, June 2025. Focused on advanced research methodologies, data analytics, and scholarly publishing tools.

06-2025

Increase Sales with ChatGPT, Global Content Learning, November 2024. Covered Artificial Intelligence for Business, ChatGPT Integration, and Sales Effectiveness.

11-2024

Academic Associate Lead, Strategic Marketing

MICA
06.2024 - Current

Research Associate, Consumer Insights

Smytten
11.2022 - 01.2024

Researcher

Deepak Tea
08.2022 - 08.2022

Master of Business Administration (MBA) - Marketing

GLS University

Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) - Marketing Specialization

GLS University

Work Availability

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Pooja SinghalAcademic Associate Lead