In 2016, I walked into the Forbes Marshall – CII Affirmative Action Training Programme with nothing more than curiosity, ambition and the hope of finding the right direction. Getting selected itself was a milestone – after a rigorous multi-stage screening process, technical rounds, interviews and personality assessments, I earned a seat among the most promising candidates of the batch.
That moment changed my life!
The ecosystem Forbes Marshall created for us was special. I got the rare opportunity to work across Project Engineering, R&D, Marketing, Sales, Supply Chain, and Production. Each department experience gave me a new lens to understand industry, discipline and customer needs. But more importantly, the programme helped me discover my own strengths – problem-solving, communication, storytelling and strategic thinking. This clarity eventually guided me into the world of marketing.
What started inside the training rooms of Forbes Marshall grew into a career I had never imagined. Over a decade of experience now, I have been fortunate to work across leading Advertising and Media agencies, AdTech and brand-side roles. I have worked with 75+ brands across India and globally – from building digital strategy at Publicis and Jio Creative Labs, to driving national-scale marketing for Flipkart, where I led India’s biggest mobile launches and festive sale strategies. Today, I work as a Marketing Consultant for a global AdTech firm while also advising organisations like Nayara Energy, BPCL, Political, PMO and multiple Government of India initiatives.
Along the journey, I have been humbled to receive recognitions like:
- Young Achiever of the Year – ET Brand Equity
- Top 30 Under 30 from multiple publications
- Digital Marketing Professional of the Year – SAMMIE
- Global Rising Star Award – Festival of Media
- Multiple performance awards from Flipkart including Mission Impossible, WOW, Value Champion, and more
But behind every accomplishment lies the foundation laid by FM–CII.
It taught me discipline.
It taught me humility.
It taught me how to work with people.
And most importantly – it taught me to believe in the possibilities ahead of me.
To anyone considering the Forbes Marshall CII Training Programme:
This programme doesn’t just prepare you for a job – it prepares you for life.
It changes the way you think, the way you solve problems, and the way you approach your career.
I am proud to say that my journey from campus to corporate began here. And even today, every milestone I achieve carries a small imprint of what I learned in that classroom in 2016.
Grateful to Forbes Marshall, CII, my mentors and the entire Batch. Special mention to Dhamankar Sir and Milind Kadam Sir. Onwards and Upwards!
Sharan Pillai
CII – FM Affirmative Action Batch – 16
