Vibha Thusu

Global Leader in Marketing & Communication

The charismatic Vibha Thusu ‘connected the dots’ to emerge as a Global Leader in Marketing & Communications. 

Born in Jammu (India) and raised across many states like Ladakh, Kashmir, Punjab and Delhi as her father worked with a public bank evoked a wanderlust in Vibha. An only child, she was raised very independently and never made to feel that she could not do something because she is a woman. She graduated in Information Science & Systems and obtained a postgraduate diploma in the same field. 

A passionate storyteller, Vibha wanted to become a journalist but found a common ground in Marketing & Communications. She started her career as a content writer and grew from strength to strength. “Drifting to the communications world was a soul led path fueled by the passion to connect the dots between brands, businesses, and people. Evolved into a strategic Marketing Communications Leader, I am a storyteller at large – passionate about content marketing that leverages online and offline demand generation touchpoints, fosters world-class customer experience, and moves all cogs in the channel ecosystem to grow brand awareness, sales, and market share.”

Today, she is the Global Head of Marketing & Communications at Himel International, UAE. With over 17 years of experience in industry segments like Information Technology & Services, Learning & Education, FMCG, Engineering, Energy Management, and Electrical & Industrial Automation, she has gained a unique vantage to see where and how creativity, business goals, and technology merge to bring out the best through marketing and communication. 

As a testimony to the efforts of the marketing team under her leadership, the Brand won 4 awards in 2022:

• Himel Digital Customer Meet won an award for Best-in-Class Hybrid Event in vFairs Eventeer Awards 2022.
• 2 Global Brand Awards ‘Most Reliable Value-Engineered Electrical Products Brand, MENA Region, 2022’ and ‘Most Reliable Electrical Products Brand, South-East Asia, 2022’, under the electrical products category.
• Brand Choice Award in Home & Living Category, Indonesia, 2022.

How did Vibha overcome her challenges, we wonder. “My biggest challenge was not being taken seriously as a woman leader compared to male peers. When I took stand, often it was seen as aggression or stubbornness. What helped in every situation was my faith in myself. The mental strength that I have, allowed me to dig deep and face every challenge. One step at a time.”

Being an empath has also proven to be a weakness at times, but it has allowed Vibha to connect well with others and be a leader with a good EQ. Sharing what women can do to achieve more prominence at work, she adds, “Be the best at what you do, talk about your achievements, claim your wins, network, and walk the talk. Don’t be mundane, be original.”

For Vibha, passion is hard work and ambition—staying focused on the end goal. In her current role, the one key quality she has developed as a woman leader is an entrepreneurial mindset. This mindset has allowed her to successfully set up the marketing function from scratch and build well-oiled machinery that has resulted in bringing incredible growth momentum to the business and brand. “I turn off the noise and just focus on what matters.”

Vibha credits her strength in part to her mother. “She is my role model, a working woman and a homemaker. I learnt from her how to be resilient and strong while being warm, passionate and committed. She has always been the wall protecting unit. She is who I aspire to be. I am also inspired by Jacinda Ardern, New Zealand’s ex-president. She is a true representation of being authentic, a woman building a legacy—strong, successful and leading.”

Vibha is equally grateful for the strong support she has in her husband. “My husband is from the same profession and understands what it takes to succeed. We are raising our daughter to be independent as well, encouraging her choices and trials, to carve her own space that also enables us to have a balanced life. On weekends, you can find me in living room, on the couch with my family enjoying a homemade brunch. We laze around and spend time together, enjoy good food, watch TV, and play UNO. This is my happy place. This is what recharges me.”

Interestingly, Vibha also has a tryst with adventure. Be it zip line, sky dive, offbeat travel or meeting new people – she is a natural risk taker. She is also an avid animal lover and has 12 rescued cats that she takes care of. “It is my adventure lens that sees a challenge as an opportunity. And that is also my message to others – be true to yourself and give everything your best shot. Remember, criticism is the best feedback. You compete with only yourself.”