Saugata Gupta credits Piyush Pandey, Sam Balsara & Prasoon Joshi for inspiring him

Saugata Gupta, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer of Marico, was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 12th edition of the Indian Marketing Awards (IMA), held on February 11 in Mumbai. The recognition celebrated Gupta’s three-decade-long contribution to India’s marketing and FMCG landscape, drawing applause from industry leaders and peers present at the ceremony.

Expressing gratitude while accepting the award, Gupta described the moment as “deeply humbling,” thanking the jury and the e4m Indian Marketing Awards (IMA) team for the honour.

Reflecting on his journey, he noted that while the recognition marked a significant milestone, it had also energised him to keep pushing boundaries. Emphasising Marico’s forward momentum, Gupta highlighted the company’s recent strategic moves, revealing that Marico completed three acquisitions within three weeks. He added that the organisation remains focused on an unfinished agenda, transforming a traditional FMCG company into a scaled, digital-first consumer entity.

Gupta credited his sustained professional drive to what he called “100% happiness at home and work,” underscoring the importance of loving one’s role and being good at it to play a marathon innings.

Recounting his early career, he shared that his marketing foundations were built during his nine-year tenure at Cadbury (now Mondelez), where he developed a deep appreciation for advertising while working alongside the Ogilvy team and industry stalwart Piyush Pandey.

At Marico, Gupta acknowledged the influence of founder Harsh Mariwala, praising the culture of trust, empowerment and accountability that shaped the company’s growth over the past two decades. He also extended thanks to colleagues, partners, including Prasoon Joshi and Sam Balsara, and his family, whom he described as his constant “cheerleaders.” Concluding on an optimistic note, Gupta said the honour belonged equally to his family, team and mentors, adding, “God willing, I have miles to go.”

"During my long stint at Marico, I had the privilege of working with Harsh Mariwala, who is one of the most progressive and enlightened promoters and founders in the Indian ecosystem. The trust, respect and empowerment, which he has placed in the professional management has ensured a high degree of accountability and ownership, which have contributed to the amazing growth of Marico over the last 20-25 years. I would like to thank my fellow Mariconians for their contribution and support at Marico. I also had the opportunity to work with some great partners, like Prasoon, Sam Balsara from Madison and the Madison team, and for the last few years with Ogilvy and back to Piyush", he said.