Exclusive: Voltas' Deba Ghoshal Steps Down As Head Of Marketing

Having entered his 14th year at Voltas, Deba Ghoshal has decided to step down from his role as Head of Marketing at Voltas in order to pursue new opportunities. He confirmed the development to BW Marketing World exclusively.

Ghoshal will continue in his role until 31 March 2025 to ensure a smooth transition.

He joined Voltas in 2011 and under his leadership, the company secured its leadership position in 2012-13 and maintained it consistently thereafter. His focus on brand equity accelerated the company’s trajectory, resulting in Voltas achieving and maintaining the highest Brand Equity Index in the air conditioning category space for over a decade. 

During his tenure, the company's market capitalisation grew 15x, driven by robust growth, market share, channel reach and brand equity while the overall topline increased by 2.5 times. The Unitary Cooling Products division saw 4.5x growth.

Beyond marketing, Ghoshal’s role extended to various business verticals including key accounts, modern trade, commercial refrigeration and air coolers. He played a crucial role in Voltas' expansion into new categories, leading the cross-functional team responsible for launching Voltas Beko Home Appliances. His strategic approach towards driving brand choice at the counters helped Voltas achieve and maintain the highest counter share across all channels. 

Ghoshal spearheaded marketing initiatives with new product introductions including India's first All Weather AC, Adjustable AC, PureAir AC and the recent SmartAir AC. Under his guidance, Voltas became the most searched AC brand in the digital ecosystem while maintaining the highest share of voice in the cooling space.

His industry expertise earned him recognition in the ‘BW Top 100 Marketers’ for two consecutive years.

Ghoshal introduced 'Mr Murthy,' the brand's storytelling protagonist through a campaign in 2012. The character remains impactful and relevant even in 2024.

An alumnus of IMI New Delhi, Ghoshal's career spans back to the mid-nineties, with stints at Honda Siel, LG Electronics and Hero Electric, prior to joining Voltas. He is still serving as Secretary & EC member of CEAMA.

Reema Bhaduri

BW Reporters The author is the Editorial Lead at BW Businessworld. Majorly writes on marketing, advertising, experiential marketing and retail. She closely looks upon the vertical of BW Marketing World and BW Retail World.