01Vijay Shekhar Sharma
Founder & CEO
IIM Lucknow · Cohort-Based
Lead thebrandsthatAI is rewriting.
Advanced Programme in Strategic Marketing Excellence
From IIM Lucknow — one of India's premier business schools.
Live + Recorded SessionsWeekend schedule10-month programme
Funnel fluency
TOFU
MOFU
BOFU
GA4 · Looker Studio
ROAS
4.2×
CAC ↓
WEEKLY CAMPAIGNS
IIM Lucknow · Est. 1984NIRF 2025 · #5 ManagementAACSB & AMBA AccreditedLive + Recorded Sessions3-Day Campus ImmersionIIM Lucknow · Est. 1984NIRF 2025 · #5 ManagementAACSB & AMBA AccreditedLive + Recorded Sessions3-Day Campus ImmersionIIM Lucknow · Est. 1984NIRF 2025 · #5 ManagementAACSB & AMBA AccreditedLive + Recorded Sessions3-Day Campus Immersion
01What you get
More than a course - a cohort, a campus, and a network.
CXO Sessions
2–3 live masterclasses with CXOs on the marketing decisions you'll actually face.
Invite only
Reserved for the Exceptional
A selective process keeps every cohort small and serious.
Dedicated Career Coach
Personalised guidance from a coach who understands your goals.
On campus3-Day Campus Immersion
Faculty, peers, and campus - the part a screen can't teach.
Networking Opportunities
Peers, alumni, and faculty - a network that outlasts the program.
02Beyond the classroom
Three flagship experiences you won't find in a video course.
Flagship conference
The Applied AI Conference
Four days on the Goa coast - keynotes, brand labs, and the cohort in one room.
4th to 7th Feb 2027Four-day residency
Taj, GoaBeachfront venue
Free for learners in the top 10 percentile
*Learners outside the top 10 percentile can still attend as a paid opt-in. Additional charges applicable.
Goa · Feb 2027
Immersion
Leadership Residency
Learn how AI marketing bets get made - from the CMOs making them.
Live brand briefGo-to-market planPitch day
Hands-on sprint
Campaign Sprint
One week, one real brand brief - ship a launch-ready AI campaign.
Applied AI ConferenceTaj · GoaFeb 2027Leadership ResidencyCampaign SprintPitch DayApplied AI ConferenceTaj · GoaFeb 2027Leadership ResidencyCampaign SprintPitch Day
03CXO sessions
Masterclasses from the people who built India's biggest companies.
Drag to explore the roster
01
02Amrish Rau
CEO
03Sampad Swain
Co-Founder & CEO
04Ankush Sachdeva
Co-Founder & CEO
05Amit Kumar Agarwal
Founder & CEO
… and a rotating roster of founders, operators and AI leaders across every cohort.
04On campus · Immersion
Learn where India's business leaders are made.
The 3-day on-campus immersion brings the cohort to IIM Lucknow - a premier business-school campus, world-class faculty, and the kind of corridor conversations that turn classmates into a lifelong network.
Faculty-led workshops and live marketing clinics
Networking with peers, alumni and industry leaders
Collaborative capstone work, in person
05Career coaches
Mentored by marketers from the companies you're aiming for.
Manoj Kambadur
Founder, Stoa
7+ yrs experience
Rahul Tripathi
Airtel
8+ yrs experience
Koushik Sen Deka
Google
7+ yrs experience
Kausik R
Stable Money · Ex-Swiggy
9+ yrs experience
Sudhanshu Bhatia
Fibe
9+ yrs experience
Balachandar Ramadurai
IIT Madras
Niti Shekhar
IIM Jammu
Ridhi Arora
IIT Mandi
Milan Hasmukh Modi
Pivotroots
7+ yrs experience
Vivek Shah
25+ yrs experience
06The curriculum
10 months, 8 modules - from marketing foundations to AI-led growth.
The brief
Master the fundamentals every marketing leader builds on — how markets are segmented, consumers understood, and customers retained for long-term growth.
What you'll build
- A complete STP analysis with value proposition and PESTEL/5C framework for a real market.
- Validated buyer personas from primary research and a customer journey map with CLV/CAC models.
- A retention strategy using behavioural triggers, loyalty design, and CX improvements.
Companies hiring for these skills
4Ps / 7PsSTP & PositioningConsumer ResearchBuyer PersonasCLV & CACRetention & Loyalty
Marketing mix (4Ps/7Ps), STP, PESTEL & 5C analysis, value proposition design, and product life cycle implications.
Consumer psychology, qualitative and quantitative research methods, and translating insights into actionable buyer personas.
Customer journey mapping, CLV/CAC optimisation, design thinking, and behavioural nudges for retention and loyalty.
The brief
Build the commercial engine - how products reach markets profitably, how sales forces are led, and how strategy beats competition at the P&L and board level.
What you'll build
- A go-to-market plan with channel mix, distributor economics, and ROI model for a real product.
- A competitive strategy applying Porter's Generic Strategies and Blue Ocean with profitability pricing.
- A strategic marketing plan with KPIs, budget allocation, and AI-assisted sales management.
Companies hiring for these skills
Go-to-MarketChannel ROISales Force ManagementB2B SellingPorter's StrategiesBlue Ocean
Go-to-market design, channel economics, distribution management, sales force leadership, B2B/HNI selling, and AI in sales.
Strategic plan formulation, value-based pricing, Porter's and Blue Ocean frameworks, and a long-term marketing plan with KPIs.
The brief
Move into full digital execution - own search, social, paid media and omnichannel communications to drive measurable reach, engagement and brand impact.
What you'll build
- A cross-platform social strategy for Meta and LinkedIn with SEO/SEM campaigns and analytics.
- An IMC plan across omnichannel touchpoints with Marketing Mix Modelling and attribution.
- A content strategy with storytelling, creative design, and brand reputation management.
Companies hiring for these skills
SEO & SEMSocial Media StrategyContent MarketingProgrammatic AdsIMC & AttributionBrand PR
SEO, SEM, cross-platform social strategy, content marketing, programmatic advertising, and performance measurement with Google Analytics.
IMC across omnichannel touchpoints, storytelling, Marketing Mix Modelling, attribution, personalisation-privacy paradox, and brand reputation in social media.
The brief
Where the programme earns its edge - leverage generative AI, predictive analytics, chatbots and agents to automate, personalise and lead the AI-powered marketing function.
What you'll build
- AI content workflows using GenAI tools for automated, on-brand creative production at scale.
- Predictive models to forecast demand, churn and customer behaviour with hyper-personalised segments.
- AI chatbots and agents in the sales-marketing funnel with ethical guardrails and bias evaluation.
Companies hiring for these skills
Generative AIPredictive AnalyticsAI SegmentationHyper-PersonalisationAI Agents & ChatbotsAlgorithmic Ethics
GenAI tools for content creation, predictive analytics for demand/churn forecasting, AI-driven segmentation, chatbots and agents in the funnel, and algorithmic ethics.
The capstone
End-to-End Marketing Strategy & Digital Campaign Prototype
A multi-phase project built across the programme - from consumer research to AI-integrated execution. Develop a comprehensive marketing strategy for a real-world business challenge: STP and positioning, a competitive plan, a full digital campaign, and a functional AI-driven prototype. Delivered as a strategic pitch deck presented to an IIM Lucknow faculty panel.
Brands you could be assigned
SessionSundays · 10:00 AM - 1:15 PM3 hours per week
EligibilityGraduates & post-graduatesWith 4+ years of work experience.
Note:- Modules/ topics are indicative only, and the suggested time and sequence may be dropped/ modified/ adapted to fit the participant profile & programme hours
07Learn from the instructors
Taught by IIM Lucknow's most decorated marketing faculty.
9 time “Best Faculty” winnerProf. Rajeev Kumra
Professor of Marketing, IIM Lucknow
IIM Lucknow's most awarded faculty - 9-time "Best Faculty" winner and 21-time "Best Course Taught" awardee. Former Director of TAPMI and Dean at IIM-L. Consulted 26+ clients including Mahindra Finance, Abbott Pharma, and Lafarge; trained 10,000+ managers and published 11+ case studies at Harvard Business School.
Dr. Ashish Dubey
Professor of Marketing, IIM Lucknow
Prof. Ashish Dubey is a Professor in the Marketing Area of IIM Lucknow and is currently the Faculty-in-Charge of IIML-Enterprise Incubation Centre. He has 20+ years of academic, industry, and research experience in Retail Management, Digital and Omnichannel Marketing, Sales and Distribution Channels, and Supply Chain Management. Prior to academics he worked in the corporate world in India and the Middle East across Retail, Telecom, and Chemical. Ph.D. in Management from SJMSOM, IIT Bombay, with publications in reputed international journals and conferences. He has lived and worked in different states and cultures across India and Middle East.
08
Your credential A certificate that opens doors.
Earn a verifiable certificate in the Advanced Programme in Strategic Marketing Excellence from IIM Lucknow - built to stand out.
Verifiable, shareable digital certificate
Add it to LinkedIn and your résumé in one click
Backed by the program's industry & faculty network
Sample Certificate
09
After the programme Join the IIM Lucknow alumni network.
Alumni Status
OptionalUpon completion of the programme, participants can register with a one-time registration fee of ₹10,000 + GST to receive the prestigious IIM Lucknow Executive Alumni Status.
The benefits include
- Executive Alumni Status of the Indian Institute of Management Lucknow.
- Receipt of all IIM Lucknow programme brochures and newsletters, along with details of souvenirs available with the MDP Office.
- Lifelong access to a network of distinguished IIM Lucknow Executive Alumni.
- Access to the IIM Lucknow Campus Library (on-site access only).
3-Day Campus Immersion
Three days at IIM Lucknow - the part a screen can't teach.
What's included
- Surprise merchandise kit from IIM Lucknow
- Networking event
- Networking dinner
- Meals
- Hands-on session
10
The path in Rolling admissions. Seats fill in order .
Step 01
Submit application
Who you are, what you'll build.
Step 02
Selection call
Shortlisted candidates only.
Step 03
Offer & enrolment
Accept your seat, secure financing.
Then · Classes start
11th Oct 2026 - your first live session.
11
Apply Priced as an investment . Built to be reachable.
Limited cohort of up to 90 students
Admission is selective and the cohort is small. Everything you need is included — no hidden add-ons.
Cohort 01 · Program Fee
Start with the two one-time fees below. Part payment is available on the program fee.
1 · SOP Fee
Non-refundable
₹100
2 · Application Fee
₹2,500 refundable if not shortlisted by IIM Lucknow
₹4,900
Program Fee ₹2,72,500
+ GST
+ GST
EMI starting from ₹31,706/month
Everything included
10-month IIM Lucknow certification
Live online classes + recordings
CXO masterclasses · Masai network
Dedicated career coach
Campaign Sprint + AI-integrated capstone
Access to executive alumni benefits
EMI plan
Spread the cost over 12 months.
₹31,706 /
12 months
incl. 18% GST
Pay your program fee in two parts
First Instalment
Part 1 · 30%Due within 7 days of selection.
₹96,000
30% of program fee, incl. 18% GST
Second Instalment
Due at least 15 days before the batch starts.
₹2,25,550
Remaining 70% of program fee, incl. 18% GST
Prefer to pay in parts? The 30 / 70 plan above lets you confirm your seat first and settle the balance before the batch starts.
12
FAQS Questions, answered.
What is the duration of the program? +
The program runs for 10 months across 8 modules, with 3 hours of live lectures per week plus assignments and a capstone project — designed so you can learn alongside a full-time job.
What is the mode of delivery? +
Live online classes form the core, held on Sundays from 10:00 AM to 1:15 PM — 3 hours per week — combined with 3 days of hands-on projects and an on-campus immersion at IIM Lucknow.
Who will be teaching the classes? +
IIM Lucknow's marketing faculty — Prof. Rajeev Kumra — leads the programme, supported by other IIM Lucknow faculty in live sessions.
Who is eligible to apply? +
Graduates (10+2+3) / Diploma Holders (10+2+3) / Post-Graduates with a minimum of 4 years of experience as on the programme start date. Candidates should have scored a minimum of 50% marks in Graduation / Diploma / Post-Graduation and should currently be working.
How does the admissions process work? +
The program fee is ₹2,72,500 (plus 18% GST). You can apply for the program with an SOP fee of ₹100 plus an application fee of ₹4,900 (₹2,500 refundable if your profile is not shortlisted by IIM Lucknow). On selection, you confirm your seat with the remaining payment. A dedicated coach guides you through each stage.
What is the program fee? +
The program fee is ₹2,72,500 (plus 18% GST). You can apply with an application Fee of ₹100 followed by ₹4900 registration fee out of which ₹2,500 is refundable (if your profile is not shortlisted). On selection, you confirm your seat with the remaining payment. A dedicated coach guides you through each stage.
Are EMI or instalment options available? +
Yes. You can pay upfront, or spread the fee over an EMI plan from ₹31,706 × 12 months (plus applicable GST).
What is the fee for the campus immersion? +
The campus immersion fee is included in the overall program fee. Campus immersion is mandatory. Your coach will walk you through what's included before you decide.
What if I miss a live session? +
On completion you earn a verifiable certificate, issued after your modules and capstone are evaluated.
Will I receive a certificate, and when? +
On completion you earn a verifiable certificate in the Advanced Programme in Strategic Marketing Excellence from IIM Lucknow, issued after your modules and capstone are evaluated.
IIM Lucknow · Cohort 01
Lead the brands that AI is rewriting.
Advanced Programme in Strategic Marketing Excellence — rolling admissions, seats fill in order. Your first live session is 11th Oct 2026.