Open to opportunities

Hemant Mandaliya

@hemantmandaliya

Message

Senior Creative Director and Brand Strategist shaping culturally resonant brands through strategy and storytelling.

India

Message

What I'm looking for

I’m looking to lead brand strategy and creative direction end-to-end—partnering with leadership while staying hands-on—to build culturally resonant, platform-native campaigns for D2C and consumer brands.

I’m a Senior Creative Director and Brand Strategist with 18+ years of experience building culturally resonant brands across D2C, FMCG, food and beverage, and lifestyle categories across India and Asia. I combine creative vision with strategic rigour, comfortable both at the leadership table and getting hands-on to execute.

I’ve co-founded two ventures and led multi-disciplinary creative teams of 8–15, building creative processes and quality benchmarks from scratch. My content campaigns have generated 29.8M+ organic views, backed by integrated 360° campaign thinking and platform-native storytelling.

In my recent roles, I’ve shaped creative identities and content strategies for brands like HyugaLife, Wagh Bakri Tea, Zouk, EdAMamma, and Fireball Whisky India—building distinctive brand voices that cut through competitive categories. Highlights include a Wagh Bakri Spiced Tea single Instagram Reel generating 14.8M+ views and a HyugaLife Digital Film Campaign generating 6.5M+ views.

I also bring emerging-tech fluency, using AI-driven creative workflows, generative AI for marketing, prompt engineering, and AI content tools to accelerate and elevate creative output. I’m excited to lead brand direction, craft compelling narratives, and deliver measurable engagement for consumer brands.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Creative Consultant

Current

Hybrid Communication

Jan 2024 - Present (2 years 3 months)

Led select high-priority creative projects for key D2C and consumer brand clients, providing executive-level brand strategy within an agency retainer model.

Brand Strategy Brand Architecture Consumer Insights D2C Content Strategy Creative Direction Stakeholder Management

Senior Creative Director

Hybrid Communication

Jan 2022 - Jan 2024 (2 years)

Shaped creative identity and content strategy for multiple D2C and consumer brands including HyugaLife, Wagh Bakri Tea, Zouk, EdAMamma, and Fireball Whisky India. Drove standout campaigns such as a Wagh Bakri Spiced Tea Instagram Reel (14.8M+ views) and a HyugaLife digital film campaign (6.5M+ views), while building and mentoring creative teams of 8–15 and establishing creative processes and quali

Brand Identity Content Strategy Platform Native Storytelling Organic Growth Digital Film Campaigns Cross Functional Collaboration

Freelance Senior Creative Consultant

Independent

Jan 2020 - Jan 2022 (2 years)

Partnered with D2C brands, startups, and agencies to deliver brand strategy, content direction, and campaign conceptualisation across FMCG, lifestyle, and BFSI categories.

Brand Strategy D2C Marketing Creative Strategy

Creative Director - Copy

Kaleido Communications

Jan 2019 - Jan 2020 (1 year)

Oversaw all creative output for a full-service agency, leading integrated brand communication across digital, print, and outdoor. Delivered the Reliance Jewels Digital Film Campaign for Reliance Industries, achieving 29.8M+ cumulative views and setting a category engagement benchmark in jewellery retail.

Brand Communications Digital Film Campaigns Creative Strategy Creative Leadership

Co-Founder

Indian Food Trail

Jan 2016 - Jan 2019 (3 years)

Built a food-tech startup from zero, owning brand identity, content strategy, audience development, and go-to-market. Earned national recognition, selected among the Top 50 Startups Transforming India (from 15,000+ applicants) by the Department of Science & Technology and IIM Calcutta Innovation Park.

Startup Building Brand Identity Content Strategy Audience Development Go To Market Strategy Creative Direction Growth Marketing

Co-Founder & CMO

Sportify Me

Jan 2015 - Jan 2018 (3 years)

Co-founded a sports-tech startup in Singapore and led branding, marketing strategy, and creative direction. Built brand identity and digital presence from scratch to support early growth and positioning.

Brand Strategy Marketing Strategy Creative Direction Brand Identity Go To Market Planning Positioning

Copy Head & Senior Copywriter

Publicis, Network18, Mirum, Kaleido

Jan 2007 - Jan 2015 (8 years)

Built creative craft and brand communication expertise across leading Indian media, broadcast, and digital agencies for 8 years. Developed brand voice, consumer storytelling, and integrated campaigns to support multi-channel marketing goals.

Copywriting Integrated Campaigns Digital Content Broadcast Media Messaging Creative Strategy

Senior Creative Director

Buffalo Soldiers

Jan 2024 - Present (2 years 3 months)

Directed end-to-end creative strategy for a competitive multi-agency pitch for Paytm (300M+ registered users), from consumer insight through to pitch presentation—securing the win.

Creative Direction Consumer Insights Brand storytelling