Neha Agarwal’s journey with Percept as a Vice President began at a pivotal point in her career—a moment when she was ready to move beyond executing campaigns and take on the challenge of shaping them. With formative experiences at Hindustan Times and further refinement of her communication skills at ICPAR Planman Marcom, she saw Percept as the ideal platform to blend her passion for storytelling with her evolving leadership vision.
Bringing Ideas to Life
What truly drew Neha to a leadership role at Percept was not just the scale of the projects, but the dynamic people and possibilities that came with them. From high-profile assignments like the Commonwealth Games and International Film Festival of India (IFFI) to the everyday hustle of managing client expectations, her growth was both strategic and personal.
It wasn’t just about delivering impactful campaigns—it was about mentoring teams, navigating real-time challenges, and watching ideas transform into powerful brand narratives. For Neha, leadership at Percept has always been about shared growth: empowering her teams while crafting campaigns that authentically connect with audiences.
Calm Under Pressure
Throughout her career, Neha Agarwal has navigated the complex challenge of managing diverse client expectations across a wide range of industries—all while consistently delivering impactful results. Her experience has been shaped by high-stakes moments, including her work during the Commonwealth Games, where she was required to respond swiftly and strategically in crisis situations to safeguard client reputations.
One of the defining aspects of her leadership journey has been building and nurturing cohesive, high-performing teams. Neha understands that aligning individual goals with an organization’s larger vision requires ongoing effort, intentional mentoring, and a deep commitment to collaboration.
Where Collaboration Meets Results
Neha handles multiple challenges with a blend of clear communication, strategic foresight, and her well-honed expertise in media relations and stakeholder management. In crisis scenarios, she adopted a proactive approach—prioritizing transparency, swift decision-making, and calm leadership under pressure.
Her team-building philosophy centers on empowerment, innovation, and accountability—creating a culture where people are encouraged to lead with purpose. These experiences have equipped Neha with a deep sense of resilience, adaptability, and a belief that true success lies in collective effort. These qualities have been instrumental in driving sustainable growth for both her teams and her clients.
Empowering through Quality and Collaboration
As a Vice President, Neha Agarwal’s leadership philosophy is grounded in clarity, collaboration, and empowerment. She believes in setting clear, achievable goals, providing her teams with the guidance they need, and then trusting them to deliver with creativity, ownership, and accountability. For Neha, leadership isn’t about control—it’s about creating the conditions for others to thrive.
Her approach is shaped by three core qualities: resilience, adaptability, and relationship-building. Resilience has enabled her to navigate complex challenges with composure and focus. Adaptability has kept her open to innovation and emerging industry trends, allowing her to evolve alongside a rapidly changing communications landscape. And through strong relationship-building, she has fostered deep connections with both clients and team members, earning long-term trust and collaboration.
These principles have guided Neha in her role leading the Delhi branch of Percept, where she has played a key role in strengthening the company’s brand communications, cultivating enduring client partnerships across sectors, and spearheading campaigns that align with a strategic, impact-driven vision.
Strategic Leadership in Public Relations
At Percept, Neha Agarwal’s focus has been on shaping a strategic vision for the PR division that aligns with the company’s broader business objectives, all while ensuring the team delivers client-centric and innovative solutions. By setting ambitious yet achievable goals and empowering her team with clear direction, she has enabled them to craft impactful communication strategies that resonate across industries.
A cornerstone of her approach has been building strong client relationships through consistent engagement with top management. By understanding sector-specific needs, she has been able to design tailored strategies that not only ensure client satisfaction but also foster long-term partnerships and repeat business.
Key Achievements and Strategies
- Forging long-term partnerships: Secured the Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board mandate for two consecutive terms, providing over a decade of trusted service.
- Broadening the client portfolio: Successfully expanded into new sectors including Hospitality, FMCG, Real Estate, Health, and Travel, which boosted revenue and market presence.
- Showcasing crisis communication expertise: Led communication strategies during high-stakes events like the Commonwealth Games to protect reputation and stakeholder trust.
- Championing niche sectors: Partnered with ATTA to bring AdventureNEXT to India, significantly increasing visibility within adventure tourism.
- Empowering internal teams: Led the Delhi branch by fostering a collaborative, innovation-driven culture that cultivated high-performing teams.
- Bolstering brand reputation: Directed corporate communications that fueled Percept’s expansion and solidified its market position.
Together, these initiatives demonstrate a leadership style that combines strategy, creativity, and adaptability, establishing Percept as a reliable and forward-thinking communications partner in a highly competitive industry.
Future of Communications
In 2025, Neha Agarwal believes that digital-first communication, AI-driven content strategies, and data-led storytelling will become even more central to the PR and communications sector. As audiences increasingly consume news and narratives on digital platforms, she sees personalization, real-time engagement, and measurable impact as key differentiators. At Percept, she is spearheading investments in digital media capabilities, upskilling teams in emerging tools, and leveraging AI and analytics to craft more targeted, impactful campaigns. Her focus is on blending creativity with technology to ensure brands not only stay relevant but also build deeper, more authentic connections with their stakeholders.
Trusted Communications Partner
- Secured the Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board’s (MPTB) mandate for two consecutive terms, providing 10 years of service.
- Partnered with the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) to bring AdventureNEXT to Bhopal, boosting adventure tourism in India.
- Led public relations for the 22nd Asian Athletics Championships in Bhubaneswar.
- Coordinated PR for the 46th International Film Festival of India, enhancing its visibility in Goa.
- Managed crisis communications for the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
The Cornerstone of Success
Neha Agarwal’s advice for those in the industry is simple: embrace curiosity, stay authentic, and never stop learning. She emphasizes that in public relations and communications, credibility and trust are the strongest assets, so it’s essential to lead with integrity and empathy. Adaptability is equally critical, she notes, as the industry evolves rapidly with new technology and shifting audience expectations.
If she were to write an open letter, it would be a reminder that success in this field isn’t about quick wins, but about building long-term relationships and creating meaningful impact.
A Journey of Resilience
Like many working women, Neha Agarwal has faced her share of challenges—managing expectations, breaking stereotypes, and proving herself in male-dominated spaces. As a young mother, her choices were often questioned, but she turned that scrutiny into motivation to work harder and stay focused.
She has been fortunate to have the support of family, mentors, and colleagues who trusted her abilities. Over time, she has learned to take both criticism and encouragement in stride, which has made her more resilient and grounded. To maintain balance, she relies on simple habits: starting her day early, planning priorities, and making time for exercise or reflection. These routines help her stay productive while ensuring she is present in both her personal and professional life.
A Legacy of Impact
Neha Agarwal hopes her legacy will be about making communications more authentic, innovative, and impactful. For the industry, her goal is to show how public relations can go beyond traditional boundaries by embracing digital transformation and data-driven storytelling while still keeping creativity at its core.
For her team, she wants to leave behind a culture of confidence and collaboration where people feel empowered to think differently, take ownership, and grow as leaders in their own right. And for the larger business community, she hopes her work reinforces that communications is not just about visibility, but about building trust, relationships, and long-term value.
Award-Winning PR & Communications Professional
- Feathers Touch – Women Super Achievers Category (Media and Public Relations)
- MadX Summit & Awards – Best PR and Corporate Communication (Agency award)
- Agency Reporter 5th Edition – SHE Awards
- Indian Television – Wonder Women Awards
- Power Moms in Comms – Power Woman Awards
- BW Marketing World – Comms 40 Under 40 Award
- Campaign India – PR Professional of the Year (Agency)
- E4M Women Achievers Award – Emerging Leader in PR category
- National Feather Award – Women Super Achiever in Media and Public Relations
- E4M PR & Corporate Communication – 40 Under 40 Award
- Percept Profile Wins the Stakes 2023 – PR and Communications Excellence Award
- Agency Reporter’s – 40 Under 40 (2023)
- Fortune India – 40 Under 40 Women Award
