Director & Faculty Partner, GlobalGyan|Former Regional Programming Head, Radio Mirchi|6x Published Author
Suman Addepalli is a leadership facilitator, communication specialist and six-time published author who works with managers and senior leaders on Executive Presence, Leadership Communication, Personal Branding, Storytelling and Personal Effectiveness. With 23+ years across media, brand, communication and entrepreneurship — including as Regional Programming Head at Radio Mirchi and Senior Brand Manager at Reliance Infocomm — she brings a practitioner's perspective to how leaders build credibility, communicate with conviction and influence stakeholders.
Leaders from organisations whose managers Suman has worked with
Suman's facilitation is grounded in a career that has taken her from newsrooms and radio studios to brand strategy and the leadership development classroom. That journey gives her a distinctive lens on how leaders communicate ideas, shape perceptions and build credibility — not as theory, but as something she has lived across organisations for over two decades.
Her work today focuses on an important leadership challenge: being competent is not always enough. Leaders must also make their thinking visible, communicate with conviction and build trust in the moments that matter.
Works with corporate leaders and managers on Executive Presence, Leadership Communication, Personal Branding, Storytelling and Personal Effectiveness. Has facilitated leaders from Unilever, Godrej and the Tata Group, among others. Formerly also served as Chief Marketing Officer at GlobalGyan.
Her experience in radio deepened her understanding of audience engagement, storytelling and what makes messages both clear and memorable — skills that now anchor her facilitation approach.
Worked in brand and communication during a formative period in India's telecom industry, bringing together customer communication, brand thinking and business priorities across a fast-growing organisation.
Began her career in media and content, building the storytelling discipline and communication sensibility that defines her approach to leadership development today.
Five interconnected capability areas — each grounded in real leadership situations and adapted to the organisation's own context, culture and the seniority of participants.
Helping leaders show up with credibility, composure and conviction in presentations, stakeholder interactions and high-stakes conversations.
Developing the clarity and intent to communicate with greater influence across levels — from everyday interactions to senior-management presentations.
Helping leaders understand and shape the professional reputation they create through decisions, communication and consistency — not self-promotion.
Drawing on her media background to help leaders turn information into communication that people can understand, remember and act on.
Connecting self-awareness with practical leadership behaviours — confidence, credibility and professional presence in everyday interactions.
Communicating across functions and levels to create alignment and move things forward without formal power.
Making the right impact in important rooms — and building sustained credibility through clarity, composure and consistency.
A selection of engagements where Suman has worked with leaders and managers on Executive Presence, Leadership Communication and Personal Branding.
A one-day intensive for 20+ senior managers covering Executive Presence, Storytelling and Presentation Skills with live video feedback. Suman facilitated sessions on showing up with authenticity and credibility under pressure.
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A one-day transformation for 90+ high-potential interns — helping them discover their strengths, understand their leadership style and build professional confidence. Rated 4/5 by participants.
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A two-day programme for 18+ first-time managers in the M-Band cohort — covering business storytelling, executive presence, personal branding and elevator pitches. Built a shared language for leadership communication across the cohort.
Read case study →Six-time published author — on Executive Presence, business leadership and the stories behind India's enduring institutions.
Author · Notion Press · 2023
Suman is the author of Supercharge Your Executive Presence: A Complete Guide to Mastering the 4 Cs of Success. The book's title is a strong, independent authority signal for the field of Executive Presence — placing the exact subject she teaches squarely under her name. It positions her as not just a facilitator of Executive Presence, but one of its published voices in India.
Recognised on the Dean's List at NMIMS School of Business Management. Also holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism & Mass Communication from Xavier's Institute of Communications, Mumbai — an education that spans business and media.
Certified in Hogan Assessments — one of the world's most widely used leadership assessment frameworks, identifying leadership potential, derailment risks and the values that drive professional behaviour.
Creator of @NotJustAunty, a platform featuring conversations and perspectives from women achievers over 40 — reflecting her sustained commitment to voice, visibility and leadership beyond the corporate classroom.
For Suman, Executive Presence is not about becoming louder, more extroverted or more polished. It begins with a more useful question:
When a leader enters an important room, what makes others listen, trust their judgement and take their ideas seriously?
Her programmes connect presence with real leadership situations — presenting to senior stakeholders, influencing without authority, navigating resistance, communicating difficult messages, building credibility and representing ideas with conviction. The intent is not merely better presentation. It is greater leadership effectiveness when communication influences the business outcome.
Suman writes about Executive Presence, Personal Branding and what it actually takes for leaders to communicate with credibility.
"Glad to be part of ABLBL's Executive Presence Learning Program, facilitated by Suman Addepalli. This training was eye-opening — I came away with practical answers I could immediately apply."
"One powerful lesson: people remember not only what leaders say, but how leaders make others feel and act. Building credibility requires clarity, confidence and consistency. I will focus on communicating with greater purpose and leading with impact."
"Two days of learning, a fresh perspective for life and leadership. A sincere note of gratitude to Suman Addepalli for facilitating such an engaging and insightful journey. I come away with renewed clarity and a commitment to lead with impact."
"Suman brings a wonderful, infectious energy to her sessions."
"We appreciate the space Suman created for reflection, challenge and dialogue, along with her insights and thoughtful facilitation."
As managers move into larger roles, technical competence becomes only part of the equation. Suman works with organisations to develop Executive Presence, Leadership Communication and Personal Branding through contextualised programmes.
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