Rajesh Kumar’s new book urges rethink in B2B marketing

At a time when India’s economic ambitions are increasingly tied to global trade, technology and enterprise innovation, marketing veteran Rajesh Kumar has released his latest book, Decoding B2B Marketing, a comprehensive work that seeks to reposition business-to-business (B2B) marketing as a critical driver of corporate growth and global competitiveness.

Authored by Kumar, Fractional Chief Marketing Officer and strategic adviser with over three decades of industry experience, the book argues that B2B marketing remains one of the most under-recognised yet strategically vital disciplines in modern business. Drawing from a career spanning multinational corporations, technology firms and start-up ecosystems across Asia, Kumar presents a strong case for why Indian companies must move beyond product-led growth to build differentiated brands and long-term market positioning.

According to Kumar, nearly two-thirds of global trade by value is driven by B2B transactions, and India’s B2B economy is structurally larger than its consumer retail sector. Digital B2B marketplaces alone are projected to reach approximately $200 billion in gross merchandise value by 2030. Despite this scale, he argues that many Indian enterprises lack clear brand identity or market differentiation, leaving them vulnerable to price competition and replacement by lower-cost suppliers in volatile global trade conditions.

The book highlights how the absence of strong marketing strategy often weakens otherwise capable businesses. Kumar notes that companies relying solely on sales-led or discount-driven approaches struggle to scale sustainably, particularly when technology advantages are quickly replicated, leading to commoditisation and pricing pressure. He contends that integrating marketing and go-to-market strategy at the foundational stage is essential for long-term customer commitment and international expansion.

Kumar also raises concerns about management education in India, observing that MBA and BBA programmes continue to prioritise consumer marketing and advertising while overlooking B2B as a serious career pathway. This, he argues, is paradoxical in a country globally recognised for engineering and technology talent. Many graduates gravitate toward consumer product categories despite stronger global opportunities in sectors such as software, hardware, consulting, engineering and financial markets, industries largely driven by B2B ecosystems.

The book arrives against the backdrop of rapid growth in India’s technology and SaaS sectors. Between 2014 and 2018, the number of B2B tech start-ups in India more than tripled, with their share of the technology start-up ecosystem rising to over 40 per cent. Yet Kumar points out that few Indian SaaS brands have achieved sustained global prominence or major international listings, attributing this gap partly to insufficient focus on brand-building and strategic marketing.

Published by ZebraLearn, Decoding B2B Marketing is designed as an illustrated and interactive compendium. The book integrates real-world interviews with chief marketing officers, QR-code-enabled video content, AI-assisted learning features, quizzes and audio formats to enhance accessibility for modern readers. Advertising veteran Piyush Pandey has written the foreword, emphasising that B2B communication should remain human-centric and engaging rather than purely technical.

The publication builds on Kumar’s earlier book, Breaking into B2B Marketing, which has recorded more than 5,000 engagements and over 1,000 downloads, particularly among students and early-career professionals. Kumar also hosts the podcast Decoding B2B Marketing, launched in 2025, featuring conversations with industry practitioners aimed at simplifying complex marketing concepts.

Currently advising start-ups and social organisations as a Fractional CMO, Kumar has held leadership roles across companies including SAP, Microsoft, UiPath, HCL, Perfetti and Pernod Ricard. An alumnus of IIM Calcutta and NIT Kurukshetra, he has also completed executive programmes at Wharton, Harvard Business School and the Indian School of Business.

Through Decoding B2B Marketing, Kumar aims to mobilise both industry and academia to recognise B2B marketing as a high-impact strategic lever, one he believes will shape the next generation of Indian business leadership and global enterprise growth.