MBA students interact face-to-face with ABG, Amazon, Flipkart, ITC, RPG Group, Reckitt, L'Oréal, Marico, and many more

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Like most other things, though, finding the right guidance is easier said than done. Unless, of course, all the resources are handed to you. And D2C IGNITE Season 3 did exactly that! 

To make sure that you don’t spend days and weeks searching for what to learn and how to learn during your MBA life, Unstop (formerly Dare2Compete)conducted a series of online sessions with leaders, HRs, and student achievers from Amazon, Flipkart, Reckitt, Aditya Birla Group, RPG Group, Reliance Industries, ITC, Marico, Kepler Cannon, L'Oréal, Asian Paints, Bain & Company, BCG, and HUL. 

Whether you’re interested in understanding the career prospects of your dream company, work-life balance, leadership programs, how to make the most of your MBA life, which competitions to participate in, or interview policies, there’s bound to be a session just for you. So, with no further ado, here is a quick recap of D2C IGNITE Season 3. (Note: Do not forget to grab a copy of FORBES June issue)

Come, fasten your seatbelts,

Hit the ignition and

Give spark to your dreams!

And the show begins…

Designed to give the bright minds deep insights into what some of the best recruiters want from a fresh graduate, D2C IGNITE Season 3 was hosted on June 14, 2021. The curtains of the annual extravaganza raised with a welcoming speech by Ankit Aggarwal, CEO & Founder, Unstop (formerly Dare2Compete)followed by a series of interactive sessions, a treasure hunt, and a lot of fun!

PS: The announcement of contest winners and the revelation of treasure hunt answers after each session, kept the students on the edge of their seats! 

Session 1: All about Leadership & General Management Job Profiles & How to bag one? In conversation with Amazon, Flipkart, Aditya Birla Group, Reliance & RPG Group

The very first session walked students through the general management profiles and leadership programs of diversified business houses. The live discussion was hosted with distinguished leaders like Venkatraman Prabhu, AVP & Head- IT Strategy & Planning, Jio Platforms Limited, Reliance; Mitranjan Bhaduri, Head of Category, Sales and Marketing for Amazon Business Marketplace, Amazon; Aakriti Agrawal, Associate Director, Growth, Marketing and Planning, Flipkart; Mohamed Irfan, Portfolio Manager & Credit Analyst - Fixed Income Investments, Aditya Birla Group; and Milind Apte, CHRO, CEAT Ltd., RPG Group.

The discussion embarked the students on a journey of analysis and talked about,

• Different leadership programs available for MBA students
• Why are they treated as the best stepping stones for your career?
• What skills are required for getting into such programs?
• What do the recruiters look at in the student’s resume?
• What are the differences in a similar role working with the new-age companies vs the traditional conglomerates?
• Why aspiring marketers have started preferring new-age companies over traditional companies?
• What is the career growth trajectory for an MBA student in the e-commerce industry? and much more.

If you have missed the session, watch what the recruiters said, here.

Session 2: How to build a Sales & Marketing career in FMCGs & FMCDs? In conversation with ITC, L'Oréal, Marico, Asian Paints & Reckitt

With thought leaders from prominent industries, the panel was graced by Ashwin Shukla, Head Business HR - Operations and Technology, Marico; Zeenia Shroff, General Manager, Granier India, L'Oréal; Mohit Agrawal, Chief Manager, Asian paints; Gautam Rishi, Marketing Manager, Healthcare, Reckitt; and Akshay Moorthy, Brand Manager, Aashirvaad, ITC.

The panelists deciphered the intricate facts and figures of the Sales & Marketing career in FMCGs & FMCDs. The students gained insights into,

• The importance of understanding the sales cycle
• How important it is to tread the sales path before moving to a marketing role?
• How a student should identify if Marketing & Sales is for them?
• What are the key distinguishing factors in FMCG and FMCD?
• How do the recruiters identify the skill required to be in FMCG/FMCD in a potential candidate?
• What are some common experiences that an employee will get irrespective of the product line?
• How the roles differ in a B2C and B2B brand in the FMCG sector?
• How much is diversity critical for FMCGs - Gender, Background, Education, etc.?
• What are the initiatives taken to groom people from diverse backgrounds for leadership positions?
• Is it easy to shift industries as a Sales and Marketing professional?
• What are the exit options for an FMCG/FMCD employee? and more.

In case, you want to get back to what the HRs and leaders said once again, watch the recording here.

Session 3: Opportunities in consulting

Moving along with the Gen man and FMCG profile, the session dived into the BFSI Consulting sector. This being the most sought-after sector on campus along with FMCG as per the D2C Campus Employer Branding Survey 2021, students often have juggling thoughts to pursue a career in this sector. To clear the cobwebs, Brian Updike, Partner, Management Consulting, PwC shared comprehensive insights with the budding leaders.

• What is it like for a fresher to join a consulting firm?
• Is consulting really a fit for everyone?
• How should one identify, if they are a consultant at heart?
• How has the pandemic changed the dynamics of the consulting process?
• Do consultants have the most lucrative exit options?
• What is work-life balance for a consultant like?

Catch Brian, pour his valuable insights into the consulting sector here.

Session 4: Learn what to learn and how to learn in your MBA life with Rahul Subramanian, HUL, Kepler Cannon, Bain&Co., BCG, Finshots and Ditto Insurance

The last session aimed at digging into the life of a B-Schooler. The panel had Ashutosh Gupta, HUL, (alumni of IMT Ghaziabad); Akansha kashyap, Kepler Cannon, (alumni of IIM Ahmedabad); Ambar Laad, Bain&Co., (alumni of XLRI Jamshedpur), Samarth Gubrele, BCG, (alumni of IIM Bangalore); Bhanu Gurram, Co-founder, Ditto Insurance & Finshots (alumni of IIM Ahmedabad); and Tushar Jain, the winner of #HelloHappiness Challnege by the RPG Group.

Fun Fact: The amazing session was hosted by Rahul Subramanian, a Brand Manager turned stand-up comedian. 

Contrasting everyone's stories together, Rahul helped the students in the audience understand the life that awaits them in B-School in the next two years and made them believe that everything is possible if they are up for it. 

The D2C IGNITE Season 3 witnessed an amazing participation of 11,000+ students, distinguished panelists, and an energetic ambiance. A well put together event from top to bottom, IGNITE brought the freshman face-to-face with the industry leaders, showed them the clear understanding of their next 2 years and most importantly, gave them the right resources to make the best use of their MBA life! 

Also, one cannot forget the exciting gift hampers and prizes bagged by 100+ students by competing with thousands of participants in D2C IGNITE Hunt and social media contest hosted by Aditya Birla Group, ITC, L'Oréal, Reckitt and RPG Group. A big congratulations to all!

Dare2Compete wishes the best to all the incoming MBA students! Ignite the spirit of competitiveness!