Virendrasingh Ghunawat
Communication Strategist
Mira Road
Summary
A seasoned PR and media professional with an accomplished 27-year career, including 23 years in mainstream journalism across print, television, and digital platforms. Currently leading the Public Relations team at AU Small Finance Bank, India's largest Small Finance Bank (SFB), overseeing national-level PR strategy and communications.
Overview
2025
2025
years of professional experience
4017
4017
years of post-secondary education
Work History
Senior Vice President I – Media Relations
AU SMALL FINANCE BANK LTD
8 2023 - Current
- Leading a PR Team to design PR strategies for positively leveraging notable developments / announcements within organizations
- Develop and manage AU SFB’s national and regional external communications strategy in sync with overall marketing plan
- Play the role of a C-suite advisor to AU SFB leaders for their external thought leadership and media visibility agenda
- Content Management: Craft and oversee implementation of an engaging and effective people communications strategy
- Crisis communications: Providing timely support and counsel to management, to frame an accurate and relevant crisis communication strategy, in alignment with internal stakeholders
- Manage and monitor the PR agency responsible for creating and maintaining brand reputation, conducting press releases/events, content creation etc., for AU SFB
- Maintain proactive, high-level professional relationship with key editorial leaders in India, across national and regional media (including Jaipur and Bangalore media, especially)
Senior Group Head – StratComm
ADFACTORS PR PVT LTD
01.2023 - 07.2023
- Crucial member of StratComm Team to devise strategies and key messages for engaging with (and countering, if required) the external/internal stakeholders to maintain reputational credibility
- Work across all verticals, regional offices to deliver a broad range of strategic objectives
- Media Relations: Cultivate and maintain meaningful relationships with media houses, influential professionals, celebrities and community leaders
- Gather business intelligence and facilitate meetings with key decision-makers in the Central/State Governments, Authorities and Regulatory Bodies
- Clients: Responsible for Special Projects i.e Adani Enterprises (Crisis/Reputation Mandate), Lake Shore India Advisory (Corporate PR)
Sr Vice President & Head – Media Relations (Strategy)
CONCEPT PUBLIC RELATIONS INDIA LTD.
01.2021 - 01.2023
- Among the senior leadership team of Concept; Leading a team of media relations
- Mitigate crisis situations with pro-active crisis strategies for all clients, across verticals
- Plan/execute media strategy, media supervision and media analysis to offer data-backed recommendations to all clients (including prominent IPO clients)
- Cultivate and maintain meaningful relationships with media houses, influential media professionals, celebrities and community leaders
- Work closely with Business Development (BD)/IPO & Brands teams to identify potential clients in India Inc and build strategic pitches/decks
- Content Strategy: From conceptualization to formulation and quality check of all content to drive positive narrative
- Digital Amplification: Plan, coordinate and amplify strategic content/narratives on digital/social media platforms in coordination with Concept’s digital team
- Working with PSUs team to strategize and crack the larger mandates of State Governments
Content Head – Digital & Delhi Bureau Chief
RAJASTHAN PATRIKA PVT LTD
02.2020 - 10.2020
- Content Development of Real-Time/Trending news, Short & Long-Form articles, Short-Videos, Infographics, LIVE Interviews, etc
- Led the team of content writers/editors, video editors, content strategists, creative/tech team for developing high-quality content for UP, MP, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and New Delhi
- Supervise the Website Management, Quality-Control, implementation of Editorial/ SEO guidelines, No-Plagiarism Rules, Man-Management and Crisis Management
- Ideation/Execution of Social Media Content (FB, Twitter, Insta, YouTube), Social Media Campaigns, Brand Positioning and Advertorials in coordination with SEO/SMOs team
- Content Direction for Patrika’s exclusive video property (Digital Shows with Anchors)
Senior Executive Editor (Input Head)
TV9 MARATHI
09.2018 - 11.2019
- Head of Input Team for timely & quality news /information coming - from all over Maharashtra
- Led a team of senior editors, reporters, bureau chiefs, assignment team, stringers and cameramen spread across Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat and Delhi
- Supervised the Newsroom Team with strategic goals to provide compelling content
- Led a Special Investigation Team (SIT) for exclusive unseen content (including sting operations)
- Additional responsibility to support TV9 Bharatvarsh (National Hindi Channel-based at Noida) for its regular inputs/guests’ lineups/ technical support etc.
Associate Editor
INDIA TODAY GROUP
08.2007 - 08.2018
- Supervision / Bureau Coordination of Reporters & Stringers in Mumbai/Maharashtra
- Ground Reporting for Major Events/Incidents/Calamities/Blasts/Terror Attack
- Investigative Journalist (Financial Crimes) – Filed and Exposed Exclusive Stories / Scams within Corporate India.
- Business Journalist to cover Corporate India/Business Events etc., in the Western Region
- MOJO: Work-on experiences of Mobile Journalism (MOJO) during Mumbai floods/political events/special interviews etc
- Social Media Journalism: Filed inputs for Aajtak’s social media platforms i.e Mumbai Tak (YouTube Channel) plus Facebook LIVE during crucial events/incidents
Special Correspondent
IBN 7 (Network18 Group)
05.2006 - 08.2007
- News Reporting (Business, Investigations and Major Incidents)
Senior Reporter
SAHARA SAMAY (Sahara India Network Ltd)
04.2004 - 04.2006
- News Reporting (across all beats), Desk/Feed Coordination, Handling PCR during Live Bulletins, Making Rundowns, Editing News Packages & Headlines, Planning Business Bulletin etc
Assistant Editor
FORTUNE INDIA MAGAZINE
05.2001 - 03.2004
- Filed Cover Stories, Profiling PSUs/State Governments, Large Form Interviews, Advertorial, News Gathering and Reporting, Attending Press Conferences/Events etc
Principal Correspondent
INDIAN EXPRESS NEWSPAPERS LTD
08.1997 - 04.2001
- Worked for Express Computers, Express Business Avenues – Weekly Business Tabloids)
- News Reporting on Information Technology, Energy, Infrastructure, Oil & Gas and Engineering Sectors, Writing Feature Stories, Exclusive Interviews, Attending Press Conferences, etc
Education
Certification -
Digital Journalism Course (Facebook/Reuters Training Course)
Completion - undefined
Basic Internet Understanding Course
Diploma - undefined
Comm. & Journalism
Graduate - Chemistry
R D National College
Passed - undefined
SSC (10TH Std)
Skills
Internal and External Communications
Corporate Communications
Public Relations
Media Relations
Crisis Communications
Strategic Communications
Business Intelligence
Data Analysis
Digital Content
News Coordination
Investigative Journalism
Ground Reporting
Awards/Recognitions
- Ruchi Soya FPO, Excellence in Financial Communication – CorpComm Awards 2022
- SREI Group, Excellence in Crisis Management – CorpComm Awards 2022
- Ruchi Soya FPO, GOLD Award in Adgully ImageXX 2022
- SREI Group, SILVER Award in Adgully ImageXX 2022
- TV9 MARATHI, Two National Awards (ENBA – 2018) in Western Region Category - for its BEST Spot-Reporting and BEST Investigative shows.
Family
Wife & Daughter
Timeline
Senior Group Head – StratComm
ADFACTORS PR PVT LTD
01.2023 - 07.2023
Sr Vice President & Head – Media Relations (Strategy)
CONCEPT PUBLIC RELATIONS INDIA LTD.
01.2021 - 01.2023
Content Head – Digital & Delhi Bureau Chief
RAJASTHAN PATRIKA PVT LTD
02.2020 - 10.2020
Senior Executive Editor (Input Head)
TV9 MARATHI
09.2018 - 11.2019
Associate Editor
INDIA TODAY GROUP
08.2007 - 08.2018
Special Correspondent
IBN 7 (Network18 Group)
05.2006 - 08.2007
Senior Reporter
SAHARA SAMAY (Sahara India Network Ltd)
04.2004 - 04.2006
Assistant Editor
FORTUNE INDIA MAGAZINE
05.2001 - 03.2004
Principal Correspondent
INDIAN EXPRESS NEWSPAPERS LTD
08.1997 - 04.2001
Completion - undefined
Basic Internet Understanding Course
Diploma - undefined
Comm. & Journalism
Passed - undefined
SSC (10TH Std)
Senior Vice President I – Media Relations
AU SMALL FINANCE BANK LTD
8 2023 - Current
Certification -
Digital Journalism Course (Facebook/Reuters Training Course)
Graduate - Chemistry
R D National College
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