Mumbai: Hindustan Pencils, the company behind some of India’s most iconic stationery brands including Apsara and Nataraj, has announced the appointment of Aishwarya Shinod as its new Head of Marketing. In her new role, Shinod will spearhead brand, marketing and consumer strategy across the company’s portfolio, with a focus on driving relevance, emotional connection and purpose-led growth among new-age consumers.
With nearly two decades of experience across leading FMCG organisations, Shinod brings deep expertise in building and scaling consumer brands. She has held senior leadership roles at Unilever, Nestlé, Kellogg’s and Freudenberg Gala Household Products, where she led integrated marketing initiatives rooted in consumer insights, purposeful storytelling and innovation.
Commenting on her appointment, Aishwarya Shinod said, “It’s a privilege to join Hindustan Pencils – a brand that has been a part of every Indian’s school memories. I’m excited to take forward this incredible legacy and reimagine its relevance for the next generation. My focus will be on unlocking insight-led marketing that inspires loyalty, drives innovation, and creates meaningful emotional connections with consumers.”
In her previous roles, Shinod has led several award-winning brand transformations. These include the repositioning of Pepsodent across South Asia during her tenure at Unilever and the widely recognised #WhyJustCleanHome campaign at Gala, which contributed to doubling the brand’s topline over four years. She has also served on prominent advertising and marketing juries such as the EFFIEs, EMVIEs and the Indian Content Marketing Awards, and is known within the industry for her strategic clarity and depth.
Shinod holds an MBA in Marketing from Pune University. Beyond her professional pursuits, she is a passionate trekker and recently completed the Everest Base Camp trek, reflecting her spirit of adventure and perseverance.
Her appointment underscores Hindustan Pencils’ continued emphasis on insight-led, purpose-driven marketing, aimed at building future-ready brands that retain their nostalgic equity while remaining culturally relevant in a rapidly evolving consumer landscape.
