PUMA, one of the world’s leading Sports Brands, designing, developing, selling and marketing footwear, apparel and accessories has appointed Smita Balram as the Head of Corporate Communications for the India business. As per the appointment, Smita will be building PUMA’s communication strategy and efforts further while driving the PR narrative for the brand.
Commenting on the appointment, Abhishek Ganguly, Managing Director-PUMA India and Southeast Asia said, “Smita brings with her a wealth of rich and diverse experience in the field of media. Her creative vision and strategic bent of mind coupled with her strong background in business and lifestyle journalism will add a fresh perspective to PUMA India’s brand story. We are thrilled to have her on board as the Head of Corporate Communications.”
Smita has more than 16 years of extensive experience in broadcast and print journalism. In her previous role with the renowned financial daily, The Economic Times, Smita covered the retail ecosystem and tracked large Indian conglomerates and multinationals. In the past, Smita has contributed to prominent media houses such as Deccan Chronicle Holdings Ltd., TV Today Network, and Deccan Herald where she primarily reported on lifestyle and fashion.
Talking about her new role, Smita Balram said, “As a former journalist with experience in tracking lifestyle consumption, PUMA is the perfect brand fit for me with its narrative around fashion and sports. The team has laid a strong foundation for the company in India which I hope to build on and deliver on our business objectives. I look forward to working with the teams, our business partners, stakeholders and the media to strategise and tap into the growth opportunities in order to strengthen our presence in India, which has emerged as a key market for our company globally. I am stoked to join PUMA India and looking forward to long and exciting innings here.”
