Priyanka Chatterjee, Infor India, receives “Young Achiever of the Year” award

Nita Kapoor, director, Muskaan Social Consulting (Left); Priyanka Chatterjee, marketing manager, Infor (Center); Anisha Motwani, managing partner, StN Ventures (Right)

Priyanka, marketing manager for Infor India, recently was named “Young Achiever of the Year” in India’s “Stars of the Industry” awards for excellence in branding and marketing. The award, presented by ET NOW NEWS in New Delhi, recognizes the young marketer who has demonstrated marketing flair, along with professionalism, depth of skills, and effectiveness.

Priyanka’s accomplishments, on behalf of Infor India marketing, prove this award is well-deserved. Priyanka has more than 11 years of marketing experience in the IT industry. She joined Infor in 2018, heading up the marketing efforts for the region. In this role, she is responsible for lead generation, regional product campaigns, customer events, sales support, and regional social media. Priyanka also spends considerable time on case studies, webinars, press releases, and articles about successful customers.

“Congratulations to Priyanka on her award and for being recognized for her marketing talent. Priyanka is a valued team member with a passion and determination for success, a thirst to learn, and a focus on results. Well done, Priyanka,” said Sharon Jackson, VP of marketing, APAC.

Priyanka’s skills and enthusiasm for her job—and marketing—show in her work. She keeps a practical focus but isn’t afraid to think big and set stretch goals. “I am a dreamer, there is no denying it. I think that is one of the reasons I love marketing--because I can see a vision for the future. This is one of the most important skills you need in marketing. Just as an architect can visualize exactly what a building will look like…a marketer needs to be able to visualize a future state for a brand or a business,” she said.

Remaining optimistic is part of Priyanka’s strategy for success. “You can’t keep it too real or be focused on the troubles of the here and now when you are trying to grow, build, and create. It’s like a relationship really, you’ve got to keep the passion alive,” she added. “You must stay enthusiastic, and that comes by believing in your own self and through knowing how good things could be, even when they’re not.”

From a very young age, Priyanka was focused on self-discipline and education. Because her family lived in a very remote region, six hours to the nearest school, her parents made the difficult decision to enroll her in a boarding school. “I still remember those 4:30 am morning wake-up screams from the warden of my boarding school. I started there at five years of age,” she said. While most children that age are only concerned about toys and treats, Priyanka was largely independent, teaching herself how to tie her shoes, and packing her own lunch tin.

When she turned 11, another culture shock hit. Her family moved to a small town called Durgapur in West Bengal. Now, she was able to stay with family, but she had to bicycle 3-4 km back and forth, even in cold winters as there was no public transportation. “My family had a lot of financial issues, but my education was always a priority. No matter the odds, my father was very clear on prioritizing all his earnings for educational expenses—even over his own medical expense. This was not easy, and the pressure was beyond words to repay back on his struggle.”

Priyanka moved to Bangalore in 2004 where she graduated from MS Ramaiah College. Although it was a major city with many opportunities, the competition for jobs was also fierce. “Nothing came easy and the 12 years in Bangalore were the toughest, too hard to even explain in words,” she said.

Her education and commitment, though, pulled her through.

After finishing her MBA, from Presidency Business School she worked at Invensys Operation Management. With a full-time job she was able to pay for her father’s heart operation, repaying him for his sacrifices. Priyanka also held jobs at NICE Systems and took the front-end marketing role managing India and SAARC as a market. She also worked at Informatica before joining Infor.

“One thing was constant-I never gave up on myself. With high spirits, I kept going.”

Priyanka says she is enjoying her role with Infor. Receiving the Young Achiever Award was affirmation that her years of hard work had paid off. “Now I can connect all the dots when I look backwards. Every experience in life is enriching and it all circles back,” she said.

“The happiness of winning with a team is also important. It just makes your experience richer. This is what I have the privilege to experiencing every year,” she added “Setting the go-to-market goals, ensuring the entire team is aligned, and celebrating the success as when we win—this is what it is all about. We win together.”