Previously, Shagun worked for international advertising agency J. Walter Thompson, where she led digital marketing campaigns for drinks brand Pepsi in India.
After moving to France for her MBA, she worked in marketing for cosmetics group L’Oréal before returning to India to join luxury goods conglomerate LVMH as operational and marketing manager for Dior Timepieces.
The ambitious entrepreneur recently moved on from her role at Dior. She plans to in future set up her own luxury consulting company. The aim: to bring luxury to the growing Indian market.
Why did you decide to pursue an MBA?
I was looking for a triple switch in my career - geography, sector and job profile - and I was passionate about entering the world of luxury.
I wanted to move from consumer products and work with luxury brands and I wanted to broaden my skill set from brand communications to overall brand management.
What was the hardest thing about the MBA application process?
Writing several essays! That’s always hard, especially because essays can be so subjective.
Plus every school has separate essay questions. You need to sound intelligent, ambitious, focused, disciplined and on a great career track while at the same time convincing each school that you need an MBA from them in particular!
Why did you choose to study at HEC Paris in particular?
An MBA in Paris, at the heart of the luxury industry, was a no brainer!
HEC stood out for me for its top marketing program, strong careers reputation and excellent academic immersion in luxury.
How have you profited from your experience studying for an MBA?
An MBA prepares you to lead a successful life, not just a successful business.
You become well-versed in the 360 degree aspects of managing a global business. Yet an MBA stands out by developing one’s soft skills, teaching you how to become more resilient, to see the larger picture and to adapt to and manage multicultural teams. It enables you to run twenty-hour work days while still maintaining a good work-life balance.
Why did you decide to pursue a career in the luxury industry?
There was a time during my advertising days when I simply fell in love with luxury! I started following luxury trends, luxury advertising, luxury blogs, global luxury brand events and fell more and more in love with the way these brands were doing things.
Luxury brands have unique legacies; they carry with them centuries of history, crafts, anecdotes, stories and symbols which are so singularly unique to them and yet these brands remain so relevant and aspirational to customers, generation after generation.
What challenges do you face working in the sector?
Bringing luxury to growing markets is one of the most interesting yet challenging aspects of the industry. Embracing new trends in marketing like e-commerce and social media is another challenge for luxury brands whose ethos is about being exclusive and slightly out-of-reach.
What are your plans for the future?
I want to set up a consulting service to provide go-to-market and brand launch strategies for luxury brands looking to enter India.
I’m also working with some cool start-ups in the luxury e-commerce space; something I would like to pursue for some time.
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