Saugat Kumar Baanerjee Charting A Dynamic Journey: Strategies, Leadership & Future Visions
Saugat Kumar Baanerjee
Director
During an exclusive interview, Saugat provided us with valuable insights into the genesis and inner workings of the organization.
Can you provide an overview of your career path?
My entry into the corporate world occurred during my MBA summer internship at Hyundai Motors while studying at IBS. This two-month experience provided valuable insights into corporate operations, market data collection, and understanding of car industry dealer networks. I began my professional career at Vodafone as a management trainee, starting with customer relations and corporate sales before being involved in launching products like Blackberries mobile internet & email through distribution channels in the Kolkata market. I got an opportunity to relocate to Mumbai in 2010 in the Vodafone corporate team, and worked for six Vodafone markets for the small & medium enterprise segment, designing GTM strategies that included launching innovative tariff plans in mobile, data, and leased line services along with other marketing strategies. I then joined Reliance Broadcasting, where I learned about the television business. Moving on, I engaged with various television companies in a
media representation capacity, gaining a deeper understanding of the industry and its players, while with Aidem.
Tell us about your academic journey at ICFAI Business School and elaborate on the lessons you gained beyond just classroom learning on campus.
Certainly. During my time at ICFAI, the dynamic teaching methods infused energy into learning, particularly through case study-based approaches that offered insightful perspectives on real-world corporate scenarios. What stood out was how our professors, with their industry backgrounds, shared practical experiences and strategies, fostering a bridge between classroom concepts and actual business situations. This prepped us to seamlessly transition into the corporate realm. My engagement extended beyond academics as I was actively engaged in intra & inter marketing events of IBS. Overall, the experience left a lasting imprint, enhancing my understanding and readiness for the professional world ahead.
Describe ONTRACK as a company and its market standing.
The inception of ONTRACK was motivated by recognizing industry gaps and the desire to support both broadcasters and clients. As a specialized consultancy in TV and digital domains, ONTRACK collaborates with regional and national broadcasters, providing tailored solutions encompassing sales, advertising, marketing, branding, and business visibility. With a dynamic team of 25 professionals across the nation, ONTRACK draws from a combined experience of over thirty years, excelling in media and content solutions. The company's focus lies in enabling clients, primarily television and digital entities, to concentrate on content creation and distribution management while entrusting ONTRACK to handle revenue generation.
What recent strategies have you enacted to expand operations, optimize efficiency, and enhance customer engagement in the market?
We're charting a course towards a future where every brand's story finds its perfect audience, and every partner achieves success with limitless possibilities. In the past year, a substantial amount of effort has been invested in streamlining our processes, culminating in a collaboration that brought us
Tell us about your academic journey at ICFAI Business School and elaborate on the lessons you gained beyond just classroom learning on campus.
Certainly. During my time at ICFAI, the dynamic teaching methods infused energy into learning, particularly through case study-based approaches that offered insightful perspectives on real-world corporate scenarios. What stood out was how our professors, with their industry backgrounds, shared practical experiences and strategies, fostering a bridge between classroom concepts and actual business situations. This prepped us to seamlessly transition into the corporate realm. My engagement extended beyond academics as I was actively engaged in intra & inter marketing events of IBS. Overall, the experience left a lasting imprint, enhancing my understanding and readiness for the professional world ahead.
Being active in the market exposes you to valuable insights about target markets and interconnected challenges
Describe ONTRACK as a company and its market standing.
The inception of ONTRACK was motivated by recognizing industry gaps and the desire to support both broadcasters and clients. As a specialized consultancy in TV and digital domains, ONTRACK collaborates with regional and national broadcasters, providing tailored solutions encompassing sales, advertising, marketing, branding, and business visibility. With a dynamic team of 25 professionals across the nation, ONTRACK draws from a combined experience of over thirty years, excelling in media and content solutions. The company's focus lies in enabling clients, primarily television and digital entities, to concentrate on content creation and distribution management while entrusting ONTRACK to handle revenue generation.
What recent strategies have you enacted to expand operations, optimize efficiency, and enhance customer engagement in the market?
We're charting a course towards a future where every brand's story finds its perfect audience, and every partner achieves success with limitless possibilities. In the past year, a substantial amount of effort has been invested in streamlining our processes, culminating in a collaboration that brought us
valuable insights. This synergy has enabled us to establish robust communication channels. Our objective is to offer integrated marketing solutions through digital content, bridging the gap between brands and media. Our strategy revolves around tailoring solutions to clients and partners, aiming to narrow the distance between brands and their target audience. This entails comprehensive plans combining television and digital mediums, even content creation. Leveraging partnerships, we've developed content that offers sustained market exposure, embedding brands within content to ensure enduring impact.
What methods do you employ to unlock your team's capabilities, and what specific skill sets do you prioritize when assembling your team?
I believe in assembling the right team with diverse backgrounds that collaborates for optimal solutions, drawing insights from market immersion. Our hiring approach spans various industries, fostering a rich organizational culture and infusing industry best practices. We prioritize attributes such as positive work attitude, effective communication, professional appearance, and respect for time.
What is the ultimate direction you are moving towards in the future?
Over the past year, we've been engaged in attending conferences and establishing footprints in all the metros & tier one cities as part of our expansion. As we enter the next phase, we are increasing our presence and engaging with newer assets, focusing on quality partnerships. Notably, we've successfully executed major IPs recently, including in food, education and healthcare. We've also made significant strides by collaborating with prominent properties like south film fare awards and have launched compelling content in the local market such as "Eco Bangla“ in collaboration with international television broadcaster Deutsche Wella, Germany to promote sustainable environment.
At ONTRACK, we are all about bridging the brand audience gap through innovative TV, digital & OOH strategies. We’re firm believers in the power of active engagement to unveil invaluable insights, and look forward to working with brands and broad casters who desire to disrup the status quo."
Saugat Kumar Baanerjee, Director, ONTRACK
An accomplished sales and marketing expert with a proven track record in telecom and advertising, Saugat’s skills encompass business development, sales strategies, CRM, marketing operations, and event management. He holds an MBA in Marketing from IBS KOL, making him a strong business development specialist.
What methods do you employ to unlock your team's capabilities, and what specific skill sets do you prioritize when assembling your team?
I believe in assembling the right team with diverse backgrounds that collaborates for optimal solutions, drawing insights from market immersion. Our hiring approach spans various industries, fostering a rich organizational culture and infusing industry best practices. We prioritize attributes such as positive work attitude, effective communication, professional appearance, and respect for time.
What is the ultimate direction you are moving towards in the future?
Over the past year, we've been engaged in attending conferences and establishing footprints in all the metros & tier one cities as part of our expansion. As we enter the next phase, we are increasing our presence and engaging with newer assets, focusing on quality partnerships. Notably, we've successfully executed major IPs recently, including in food, education and healthcare. We've also made significant strides by collaborating with prominent properties like south film fare awards and have launched compelling content in the local market such as "Eco Bangla“ in collaboration with international television broadcaster Deutsche Wella, Germany to promote sustainable environment.
At ONTRACK, we are all about bridging the brand audience gap through innovative TV, digital & OOH strategies. We’re firm believers in the power of active engagement to unveil invaluable insights, and look forward to working with brands and broad casters who desire to disrup the status quo."
Saugat Kumar Baanerjee, Director, ONTRACK
An accomplished sales and marketing expert with a proven track record in telecom and advertising, Saugat’s skills encompass business development, sales strategies, CRM, marketing operations, and event management. He holds an MBA in Marketing from IBS KOL, making him a strong business development specialist.