Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Timeline
Generic
Sonal Verma

Sonal Verma

Senior Vice President - Experiential Marketing
Gurugram

Summary

Senior experiential marketing leader with 25+ years of experience across integrated brand campaigns, brand launches & events, channel engagement, and interdepartmental go-to-market execution. Adept at building and scaling brand experience ecosystems for leading brands including Samsung, IKEA, H&M, Hero Motocorp, TVS and Maruti Suzuki. Proven success managing multimillion-dollar portfolios, leading cross-functional global teams, and crafting omnichannel narratives that drive both emotional engagement and commercial impact.

Overview

25
25
years of professional experience

Work History

Sr. Vice President & Head– Brand Experiences

Cheil India (Samsung Global Partner)
03.2021 - Current
  • Leading Cheil India’s experiential marketing and brand activation strategy for Samsung India, overseeing a diversified (USD 10M+) portfolio across BTL and retail ecosystems.
  • Planned and executed over 850 activations annually, blending physical experiences with digital storytelling and consumer commerce.
  • Developed integrated trade and channel engagement initiatives, driving dealer network motivation, performance tracking, and consumer sell-out via on-ground and digital synergies.
  • Pioneered Samsung’s Live Commerce format for new product launches, bridging in-store storytelling with digital retail to support the brand’s growing D2C vision.
  • Led strategic launches such as the Galaxy S25 and Fold & Flip series, including Guinness record-breaking unboxing events, and global award-winning experiential showcases.
  • Integrated cross-functional teams (ATL, PR, influencer, in-store, and digital) to deliver seamless consumer experiences, and campaign consistency across formats.
  • Built and scaled the agency’s non-Samsung business unit, acquiring marquee mandates from Hero MotoCorp, Maruti Suzuki, IKEA, Virgin Atlantic, and TVS Motors (Dubai launch)—expanding the agency’s experiential footprint beyond tech.
  • Enhanced company performance by implementing new strategies and streamlining operations.
  • Identified opportunities to improve business process flows and productivity.

AVP & Country Lead – Experiential Marketing

Momentum Worldwide (McCann Group)
08.2017 - 07.2020
  • Launched and scaled Momentum’s experiential marketing division in India, creating a robust national footprint for the agency’s global clients, including Coca-Cola, Mastercard, IKEA, JCB, and H&M.
  • Conceptualized and executed high-impact BTL campaigns and immersive brand experiences that drove measurable consumer engagement across metros and PAN India.
  • Led end-to-end delivery of flagship activations, from brand strategy to on-ground execution—covering product unveilings, influencer-led retail experiences, corporate events, and industry trade events.
  • Built and mentored a cross-functional team of professionals across strategy, creative, and operations—ensuring excellence in ideation, visual storytelling, and execution.
  • Collaborated with global account leads and creative hubs to ensure brand activations in India were consistent with international brand language, while being hyper-local in insight and cultural relevance.
  • Introduced tech-enabled engagement platforms and piloted hybrid (virtual and physical) experience models during early-stage digital transformation initiatives.
  • Notable campaigns included:
  • Mastercard CX Summits – A series of curated leadership events across cities, driving B2B visibility.
  • IKEA Hyderabad Pre-Launch Engagement – Retail-tainment journey integrating BTL outreach and localised storytelling.
  • H&M Fashion Installations – Youth-centric brand activations inside and outside retail environments.
  • JCB Excon Pavilion – Award-winning industrial brand showcase fusing immersive design with demo-driven engagement.

North Head – Experiential Marketing

Percept D Mark
10.2015 - 06.2017
  • Led North India business operations and experiential marketing mandates, managing P&L responsibilities, client strategy, and end-to-end delivery across government and private-sector clients.
  • Spearheaded large-format events and brand experiences, integrating multi-agency teams for seamless execution across categories like sports, music, tourism, and retail.
  • Drove business development initiatives to acquire new accounts and strategic partnerships, resulting in increased regional market share, and recurring business from key accounts.
  • Successfully pitched and won high-value government projects, including the Asian Athletics Championship (Odisha)—managing all aspects from planning, to permissions, and execution.
  • Led sponsorship alliances and IP integration for the Sunburn Festival, including brand partnerships, on-ground activations, and co-branded experiences.
  • Built and scaled a regional team across operations, creative, and client servicing to meet diverse event and activation needs for both B2C and B2B mandates.

Director – Experiential Marketing

Blockkbuster Events & Entertainment Pvt. Ltd.
04.2014 - 10.2015
  • Co-founded and led Blockkbuster Events as a strategic experiential marketing boutique, building the agency’s foundation, creative philosophy, and delivery capability from the ground up.
  • Won and delivered high-impact mandates from leading clients including Abbott, PR agencies, and premium social & networking platforms, establishing the firm’s reputation for creativity and reliability.
  • Led concept development and execution of large-format BTL events, brand showcases, leadership summits, and curated experiences tailored for urban, affluent audiences.
  • Developed agency positioning, service verticals, and GTM approach while personally overseeing key client relationships, budgeting, and strategic planning.
  • Built and mentored a nimble team to manage pan-India executions with a focus on speed, storytelling, and strategic alignment with client objectives.

Associate Vice President – Client Relations

Showtime Events India Pvt. Ltd.
02.2012 - 03.2014
  • Led business development and client relationship management for strategic accounts, driving growth through winning competitive pitches and delivering experiential excellence.
  • Successfully secured and expanded marquee accounts such as Microsoft, Toshiba, LG, and Samsung, positioning Showtime as a preferred partner for tech and innovation-driven events.
  • Spearheaded concept development, budgeting, and execution of high-impact product launches, corporate conferences, and large-format consumer events.
  • Collaborated closely with client marketing and leadership teams to align brand vision with experiential formats, resulting in deeper engagement, and year-on-year account growth.
  • Played a key role in growing the agency’s top line by introducing customized, insight-led event solutions, and driving repeat business across tech and corporate clients.

North Head – Activation & Partnerships

Radio City Connect
08.2009 - 06.2011
  • Led sales and activation operations for North India, driving revenue through strategic brand partnerships, turnkey BTL solutions, and integrated campaigns.
  • Collaborated with clients and media agencies to design 360-degree on-ground brand experiences, aligned with radio content, influencer tie-ins, and urban reach strategies.
  • Built and monetized sponsorship platforms for in-house IPs and marquee events, delivering brand visibility through radio and activation synergy.
  • Ensured consistent, positive EBITA performance for the region by optimizing budgets, scaling repeat business, and implementing efficient delivery frameworks.
  • Played a key role in bridging traditional radio with experiential marketing, making RC Connect a preferred partner for urban BTL campaigns.

Manager – Business Development

NIS Sparta Ltd. (Reliance ADA Group)
09.2006 - 06.2007
  • Led new business acquisition in the auto and ancillary sector, offering customized learning and performance solutions for leading Indian corporates.
  • Consistently exceeded sales targets, earning recognition as a top-performing business development leader within the learning and development vertical.
  • Worked closely with client HR and L&D teams to map organizational training needs and deliver bespoke skill development programs across functions.
  • Designed and executed business strategies to position NIS Sparta as a value-driven partner for behavioral, leadership, and soft skills training.

Account Manager – Corporate Training

Evolv Services (later acquired by NIIT)
12.2000 - 09.2006
  • Played a pivotal role in growing the corporate training business through new client acquisition and strategic account management.
  • Designed and delivered language and communication skills programs for top BPOs and corporates, contributing to measurable improvements in team performance.
  • Successfully scaled multiple accounts from pilot to national rollout by demonstrating strong outcomes in soft skills and customer experience enablement.
  • Promoted through successive roles from executive to manager, based on consistent performance, contribution to the firm’s revenue, and training impact goals.

Education

PGDBM -

Wigan & Leigh College
01.1999

Advanced Certificate in Marketing - undefined

Chartered Institute of Marketing

BA (Hons) - Economics

Shri Ram College of Commerce, Delhi University
01.1997

Skills

  • Global Brand Experience Strategy

  • Consumer Engagement & Insight-led Activations

  • Trade & Channel Marketing Integration

  • Stakeholder & C-Suite Collaboration

  • Creative Direction & Brand Storytelling

Timeline

Sr. Vice President & Head– Brand Experiences

Cheil India (Samsung Global Partner)
03.2021 - Current

AVP & Country Lead – Experiential Marketing

Momentum Worldwide (McCann Group)
08.2017 - 07.2020

North Head – Experiential Marketing

Percept D Mark
10.2015 - 06.2017

Director – Experiential Marketing

Blockkbuster Events & Entertainment Pvt. Ltd.
04.2014 - 10.2015

Associate Vice President – Client Relations

Showtime Events India Pvt. Ltd.
02.2012 - 03.2014

North Head – Activation & Partnerships

Radio City Connect
08.2009 - 06.2011

Manager – Business Development

NIS Sparta Ltd. (Reliance ADA Group)
09.2006 - 06.2007

Account Manager – Corporate Training

Evolv Services (later acquired by NIIT)
12.2000 - 09.2006

Advanced Certificate in Marketing - undefined

Chartered Institute of Marketing

BA (Hons) - Economics

Shri Ram College of Commerce, Delhi University

PGDBM -

Wigan & Leigh College

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Sonal VermaSenior Vice President - Experiential Marketing