Malhar Barai Journey – From Software Engineer to Marketing Head

After interviewing Sourabh Rana and Himanshu Sharma, I got this wonderful opportunity to interview Malhar Barai. 

In this interview, let us understand more about his journey and learn from his words.

Who is Malhar Barai?

Malhar Barai is the Head of Marketing for APAC & India at Tech Mahindra. He has more than 17 years of experience.

Currently, Malhar conceptualizes and orchestrates integrated marketing campaigns, inbound marketing, digital media planning and buying, community development and management and much more.

Malhar Barai is a BSc graduate and done PG Diploma in Computer Science from CDAC. He started his career as a software engineer.

Malhar has also written a book on ‘SOA & Java‘. 

From a software engineer to the head of marketing, his journey has been inspiring.

Expert Speaks Interview with Malhar Barai

#1. Your education is in computer science and you started your career as a software engineer. How and when did you decide to move to marketing?

I call myself an ‘accidental‘ marketer. It was not the career of choice but it eventually happened. I did start as a software developer and was always intrigued by technology. I remember getting a huge set of 25 CD containing all the software that Sun Microsystem (the company that owned Java) had shipped to my home as I was one of the avid technologists on their online community.

Over time, I moved career into presales where I interacted with partners, clients and talked about technology. Slowly, I started building pitch-books for my sales team that had flavor of technology and domain. That’s when I got introduced to marketing and this would be somewhere around 2009.

The social media platforms were also making their foray during the same time. As I said earlier, I had this FOMO of technology, so I started looking closely at platforms like Twitter, Facebook and Google+ later on. I wrote about those platforms and some of the campaigns on my blog during those days and I started getting recognized inside and outside of the organization for knowledge about those platforms.

So when the opportunity came by, I started leading the digital marketing for my organization (that was one of the best job I had) and that was my gradual move into the world of marketing.

#2. In the initial days of your marketing career, you worked for Presales. How challenging was it for you to shift from coding to presales?

Moving to presales was a well-thought move. I had finished writing a book on technology and was looking to explore functions beyond core technology.

I was lucky to get an opportunity in the newly formed presales team in erstwhile Satyam Technologies. Given my technology background, I started with project estimation (timeline in which the project would be delivered) and slowly moved to alliance management.

It was a gradual move to business role from hardcore technology, which was challenging but full of learning.

#3. Digital marketing is one of your strengths and passions. When did your love for digital marketing grow?

My love for digital marketing stems from my love for technology. When these platforms came by, I was on a business trip to the US. I constantly heard people talking about Twitter & Facebook there.

Once back, I logged in to Twitter and honestly couldn’t understand what it is. I remember the only tweet I had for almost two years, like a typical techie was – “Hello World”.

But then one day at work, I was challenged to learn about those platforms by my manager as we were making a pitch to a client. And then, there was no looking back.

The constant change in algorithms and the finer nuances of technology in these platforms is still something that I can lose my sleep on. 

#4. You co-founded and co-hosted a very popular twitter chat #SEOTalk a long time, Would you like to tell us a few interesting things about it?

There’s an interesting back story to it too!!

Early on, as I was learning and exploring Twitter, I got hooked to Twitter Chats. During those days, most of the Twitter Chats were run by marketing folks based in the US region and I would be attending most of them.

One fine day it dawned on me that there were no India based Twitter Chat but then the question arose, what should the chat be about because during those days, we had chats for every possible topic and platforms.

In some conversation on G+ one of the day, we were discussing SEO and someone mentioned about India based SEO professionals in not very good light. I thought it was time to change perception and showcase that India does have some very good SEO professionals and they are doing a good amount of ‘ethical’ work.

That’s when I got introduced to my co-founder & co-host Jaydip Parikh. Both of us hit very well and he was a true marketer, while I the tech guy. We started doing #SEOTalk, which is India’s first and oldest Twitter Chat (still running) and then log milte gaye, karwan banta gaya!!!

Thanks to Parth Suba now, who is as passionate as us, to join #SEOTalk and helping us still keep it running. There were times, we had 0 participants, but then like they say, the show must go on…and we are still here, into the 6th year!! 

#5. You currently head marketing for Tech Mahindra. When you completed your BSc, what was your ambition in life?

I always loved computers, thanks to my parents for introducing it to me very early. I remember doing my first computer course in early 1990 (many of you were not even born).

During BSc I had known about CDAC, which had a 6 month intensive, residential post-graduate program.

The choice I had was to do a 2 year MCA or 6 months rigorous CDAC program. I chose the later as I had heard very good reviews of the course and it was shorter in duration. Trust me, those were some of the best days of my student life.

We spent nearly 15 hours every day for those 6 months, coding our heart out!! Hard but very rewarding.

#6. What were the challenges faced by you in the transition from coding to marketing? How did you overcome them?

I still face them!!! Not being from traditional marketing school of thoughts, sometimes it’s challenging to see the finer points or coming up with creative ideas because folks like me would still look at technology perspective.

But over the years, we all need to learn and unlearn to become 360 degree marketers. And like I say, nothing trumps hard work.

#7. It is said that in order to excel in marketing, one need to do sales early in career. What is your take on this? 

Not really, but I would emphasize to learn about the business your brand is into. Not just superficial knowledge but more in terms of where they are getting the $ from, what are some of the industry nuances, what will move the business in the next 1 to 3 years. build the marketing strategy based on those.

#8. What is the best way to learn digital marketing?

Being hands-on!

Create your own website, Facebook Page, Instagram business account. Read, learn and apply those strategies on your own account and see how it changes.

Doing courses might help but nothing better than doing it practically.

The next option is to approach some of the NGO, not-for-profit organisations and do their digital marketing. It will help both the entities.

#9. What according to Malhar Barai is the future of digital marketing? (Especially in India)

People don’t love to be sold to but they still love to know about various products. They like to research, talk to their friends about it and more. Until all of these are prevalent, marketing will survive.

Now when it comes to digital marketing, we all know that device are the next marketing medium, so digital marketing will evolve from more platform-based marketing to device-based, targeted marketing.

Get ready for the next wave of marketing!!

#10. What is your advice to MBA (Marketing) students who aspire to make a career in digital marketing? Should they first start with sales? As sales role get a decent package in campus placements. Or should they search for a job in an agency externally? 

Don’t get into work just because a certain brand is offering the highest package, get into it if you really want to make a career in.

Analyse if you’re passionate about that area of work, it can be sales or analytics or marketing. I would rather say, money is a by-product of the passion that you put in.

In marketing, I would advise students to get into agency rather than brand. It will give them a chance to explore various industries and over time move to a brand once they are comfortable in a certain industry.

#11. Malhar, what are the top 3 books you would suggest for any person who wants to excel in marketing? You can suggest any number of books 🙂

1. The Curious Marketer – Harish Bhat
2. Take Charge – Gaurav Marya
3. Multipliers – Liz Wiseman

#12. Top 3 digital marketing tools which you love.

1. Buffer
2. Tweetdeck
3. Facebook Creator Studio

#13. On a lighter note, what do you do in your free time? (Provided you get free time)

I am loving Instagram Stories and IGTV. I would be mostly feeding on that these days 🙂

#14. You are inspiration for many engineers who desire to become marketers either by passion or by circumstances. What is your message to them?

I would say, become one by passion rather than circumstances. You folks are too young not to take risks. There are plenty of opportunities today, pick one that you can put your heart in and just make it large!!

#15. Last one. What final message would you like to give to the marketing enthusiasts?

Actually I have 3 – 

1. Everything is possible if you have the will to do it!!
2. Be passionate, money and fame will follow.
3. If you love writing, write more than you did yesterday. If you like doing videos, do more than you did yesterday.
   Be your own biggest critic and competitor!

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Conclusion

Thank you so much Malhar Barai for this wonderful interview.

As discussed with the expert Malhar Barai, passion for digital marketing and hands-on are must for one to excel in this field. He also emphasized on the point that students must focus on agencies and not brands.

In his last answer to the interview, he mentioned that everything is possible if you have the will to do it and that belief took him from a software engineer to a marketing head.

Connect with Malhar Barai:

Blog – malharbarai.com
LinkedIn – www.linkedin.com/in/malharbarai