Ajay Upadhyay brings over 36 years of rich work experience across multiple domains and geographies. He kick-started his career as a Marketing Executive in 1986 with Eureka Forbes Ltd. (a Tata Enterprise) specializing in Direct-to-Consumer sales in Kolkata. He later worked with multiple leading firms in the areas of Consumer Banking, Medical Equipment, Advertising, Media Services, Public Relations, Experiential Marketing, Digital Marketing and Integrated Marketing. He has a wealth of experience in diverse sectors spanning BFSI, Mobile, Aviation, Hospitality, Housing and Infrastructure, Two-Wheelers, Commercial Vehicles, FMCG and Media domains.

Ajay joined Percept in the Client Servicing arena in 1993 and steadily grew through the ranks to become Sr. Account Director handling an independent Strategic Business Unit which handled key agency accounts including Bharti Telecom - India’s largest private telecom operator, Sahara - India’s second largest private Airline operator and India’s largest Housing & Infrastructure group, and Force Motors Ltd. - a company operating under license with Daimler Chrysler. He was selected to join the Group Corporate Office as Vice President, Strategic Planning and MIS in 2001 and was later promoted to Vice President, Corporate Affairs in 2004. He was promoted to President, Corporate Affairs in 2006 and was also inducted as a member of the Board of Directors of Percept Limited in 2007. In 2011 Ajay rose to the position of Chief Operating Officer, Percept Limited.

Having spent over 29 years at Percept, Ajay has displayed brilliant acumen in the areas of Strategic Business Planning, MIS, Corporate Affairs, managing Mergers & Acquisitions, raising Private Equity Funding, Strategic Business Planning and Key Stakeholder Relationship Management. He has been responsible for overseeing and closing more than 20 M&A transactions - both overseas investments in the group and also domestic acquisitions.

As a representative of the JV between domestic and Multinational companies Ajay has worked closely with Regional Offices of MNCs across Singapore and Hong Kong in areas of MIS reporting, relationship management and growth management. He has successfully built and managed long term stakeholder and shareholder relationships with European and Japanese partners.

Ajay has also served as a Member of Board of Directors across multiple companies for over 16 years inclusive of 100% domestic promoter owned companies, domestic joint ventures, JVs between Indian and Multi-National companies, and a Global Media Services firm based in the United Kingdom. His extensive experience in building rapport and relationship with Directors representing companies from countries as diverse as USA, UK, Sweden, Germany, France, Spain, China, Japan and Australia has been invaluable.

Along with an MBA in Marketing Ajay has also completed a certificate courses in Strategic Alliance Management and Private Equity Management at the ISB. He is also a qualified member of the Independent Directors Database which is an initiative of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs along with the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA).

Ajay enjoys reading, travelling and swimming, and is a keen animal lover having an African Grey Parrot and an English Cocker Spaniel at home. Ajay also plays the Piano and is an avid music enthusiast across genres.