Santosh Desai is a columnist, media critic and best-selling author. He is also the Managing Director and CEO of Future Brands Ltd, a brand and consumer consultancy company that creates and manages a portfolio of brands, and offers consulting services in the brand and consumer space. Prior to joining... Read more
Santosh Desai is a columnist, media critic and best-selling author. He is also the Managing Director and CEO of Future Brands Ltd, a brand and consumer consultancy company that creates and manages a portfolio of brands, and offers consulting services in the brand and consumer space.
Prior to joining Future Brands, Desai was the President of McCann-Erickson, one of India’s premier advertising agencies. A post-graduate from IIM Ahmedabad, he spent 21 years in advertising, and has been strategically involved in building key brands for a range of local and multinational clients.
Santosh Desai has the ability to explain the most complex concepts through the simplest, everyday references. Connecting culture and marketing, he is the very definition of ‘brand guru’. A lively speaker, he enjoys connecting and sharing ideas with a variety of audiences across a multitude of platforms. He has addressed several national and international seminars, and has been a keynote speaker at advertising forums in India, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Colombo, Lebanon and Bali. He has also been a guest lecturer at various national & international universities and has addressed the global management boards of several multinationals including; Microsoft, Philips, Hershey’s, Unilever, Coca Cola and Reckitt Benckiser.
Santosh Desai writes regularly on contemporary Indian society and on subjects related to marketing. His popular, weekly column, ‘City City Bang Bang’, published in The Times of India, looks at contemporary Indian society from an everyday vantage point. He also has columns in Mint, Media International & Tehelka.
In 2010, he published his book on India titled ‘Mother Pious Lady: Making Sense of Everyday India’. A review by Outlook magazine of this bestselling book, calls Desai, “the nearest thing we have to R K Laxman in prose”.
He is a member of the Advisory Council on Communication (ACSAC), a member of the NACO sub-committee on communications, and a trustee at the Centre for Media Advocacy. He is on the boards of ING Vysya Bank, Mumbai Business School and Future Consumer Products limited, and on the Governing Councils of Mudra Institute of Communication, Ahmedabad & Praxis Business School, Kolkata.
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You can book Santosh Desai through London Speaker Bureau by submitting the enquiry form on this page or calling our team. One of our consultants will respond promptly with Santosh's current availability, speaking fees and any specific requirements for your event.
Santosh Desai's speaking fees depend on the event format (in-person or virtual), the location, the length of the engagement and the level of customisation required. Please contact London Speaker Bureau for an up-to-date fee quote for Santosh tailored to your event.
Santosh Desai speaks on a range of business, leadership and industry subjects. Talks can be shaped around your audience, industry and strategic objectives - share your event brief with London Speaker Bureau and we will work with Santosh to align the content with your delegates and goals.
London Speaker Bureau can book Santosh Desai for events worldwide, subject to Santosh's schedule. Please send us your event date, location and format and we will confirm availability and handle travel and logistics on your behalf.
Virtual and hybrid keynotes are now a standard part of the speaking industry. Please contact London Speaker Bureau to confirm whether Santosh Desai is available to deliver a virtual session for your event and on which platform (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, a bespoke studio or your own).
Most keynote speeches run between 45 and 60 minutes, often followed by a 15-30 minute Q&A. Other formats - shorter conference slots, panel appearances or longer workshop sessions - may also be possible. Share your agenda with London Speaker Bureau and we will confirm what Santosh can accommodate.
London Speaker Bureau will brief Santosh Desai on your audience profile, sector and objectives so the keynote can be shaped around your event. The level of customisation possible depends on the speaker and the lead time - contact us with your brief and we will confirm what Santosh can offer.
Santosh Desai delivers keynotes in Hindi. This profile may not list every language available; ask London Speaker Bureau to confirm. If you require simultaneous interpretation or a multilingual format, please mention this in your enquiry and London Speaker Bureau will arrange it for you.
Santosh Desai's areas of expertise include a range of business, leadership and industry subjects. To get a clear sense of Santosh's style, credentials and how they engage an audience, please review the biography, popular talks and any videos or testimonials shown on this page, or request a detailed speaker brief from London Speaker Bureau.
Santosh Desai can be booked through London Speaker Bureau for corporate conferences, leadership events, internal team meetings, association gatherings and private client engagements where expertise in a range of business, leadership and industry subjects is relevant. Details of Santosh's background and previous engagements are included in the biography above; contact us if you would like a more detailed list of past clients or case studies.
Beyond keynote speeches, many of the speakers on our roster also take part in workshops, executive masterclasses, panel discussions and fireside chats. Contact London Speaker Bureau with your preferred format and we will confirm what Santosh Desai is able to offer alongside or instead of a keynote.
We generally recommend enquiring at least three to twelve months in advance to secure your preferred date with Santosh Desai, particularly during peak conference seasons. Where possible we also accommodate shorter lead times - please contact London Speaker Bureau to check Santosh's current availability for your dates.