MUMBAI: Adfactors PR has named Shilpa Desai as senior vice-president – digital and innovation for its BFSI and capital markets practices, a move that signals the firm’s intent to hardwire digital transformation into its core financial services offering. Working with the founders and senior leadership, Desai will design and execute initiatives that expand digital capabilities, integrate analytics, and build innovation-led systems to deliver sharper impact for clients and future-proof the organisation.
With over 20 years of experience, Desai is no stranger to India’s financial sector. She began her career at ICICI Bank before moving to Standard Chartered, where she built the digital marketing practice for India and South Asia. At IDFC Bank, she was part of the founding team, launching the bank in 2015 and later setting up its digital business and marketing analytics functions. She went on to lead brand and marketing at Fullerton India and, most recently, served as executive vice-president and head of marketing at HDFC Ergo.
In parallel, Desai has also run her own consultancy, Digital by Design, advising institutions on digital-first marketing and transformation. An engineer with an MBA, she is currently pursuing a PhD in management at IIT Bombay, adding academic rigour to her industry experience.
Her appointment comes as Adfactors PR doubles down on its BFSI and capital markets verticals, a cornerstone of its business. The firm said Desai’s remit will be to strengthen its ability to offer integrated, data-rich, innovation-driven communications solutions at a time when fintech disruption, digital adoption and AI-led marketing are rewriting the rules of engagement.
Industry watchers say the hire reflects both client expectations and competitive pressure. As BFSI players accelerate digital adoption, PR firms are under pressure to match pace with insight-driven, technology-enabled campaigns that deliver measurable outcomes.
Adfactors PR, already the largest PR consultancy in India, is betting that Desai’s blend of operational depth, digital vision and sectoral expertise will give it an edge in a market where communications is increasingly inseparable from data and technology.