There is a quiet steadiness about Sumeet Singh that becomes evident within moments of conversation. It is not the kind of authority that announces itself loudly; rather, it unfolds gradually, through reflection, lived experience and the clarity of someone who has spent years navigating complexity with calm resolve. As the Group Chief Marketing Officer at Info Edge India, Singh embodies a leadership style rooted less in spectacle and more in substance, shaped by curiosity, resilience and a deeply held belief that growth is a continuous, personal pursuit.
Her journey across industries—from sales floors to policy corridors and eventually to marketing leadership—has not followed a conventional script. Instead, it has been defined by an openness to opportunity and a willingness to learn along the way.
“I’ve always been a quick learner,” Singh said, reflecting on the mindset that has anchored her career. “And I’ve always benchmarked myself internally. Every year I’ve told myself that I should do something better than what I did the previous year. I love challenging myself.”
For Singh, ambition has never been about external competition or validation. The real benchmark, she explained, has always been personal progress.
“That mindset isn’t really about being a woman leader or a male leader,” she added thoughtfully. “It’s simply about the kind of person you are.” In many ways, the foundations for that mindset were laid long before she stepped into the corporate world. Growing up in an army family meant a childhood defined by constant movement and shifting landscapes. “I come from an army background and I studied in eleven different schools,” Singh recalled. “Sometimes we were in boarding school, sometimes in very small places in Assam where we lived in huts, and sometimes in bigger cities.”
What might have felt disruptive to many became, for Singh, an early lesson in adaptability. “Adaptability came very naturally because of my upbringing,” she said. “Hard work, sincerity and discipline also came naturally because that’s how you grow up in a defence household.”
Her professional journey began in sales after completing her MBA, when she joined NIIT. Those early years, she said, proved formative not just because of the work itself but because of the leaders she encountered. “Your first one or two bosses leave a deep impression on you,” Singh said. “Both my boss and his boss were extremely ambitious and hardworking.” Watching them closely shaped how she approached her own career. “A lot of these things you subconsciously inculcate into your way of working,” she explained. “You learn by observing people around you.”
A pivotal turn came when Singh moved to the Confederation of Indian Industry. The decision had been prompted by a deeply personal reason, her mother had fallen seriously ill, and Singh wanted to be closer to home. Yet what began as a practical decision soon became one of the most transformative phases of her career. “I was very young and suddenly working on policy issues,” Singh said. “Honestly, I didn’t even understand policy properly then.” But the exposure was unparalleled.
“I had the opportunity to work with people like Bill Gates, Michael Dell, F. C. Kohli and N. R. Narayana Murthy,” she recalled. “Very early in my career I found myself sitting on IT advisory boards and interacting with chief ministers.” The pace was relentless and the expectations high. “I used to work 12 to 14 hours a day,” Singh said. “But it was incredibly exciting because I was learning something new every single day.”
From policy corridors, Singh’s career moved into the entrepreneurial ecosystem when she joined The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE), the global nonprofit founded by Kanwal Rekhi. At the time, India’s startup ecosystem was still nascent. “Back then people didn’t really understand what venture capital or entrepreneurship meant,” Singh said. “Most businesses in India were still family businesses.” As executive director, she helped build the organisation’s footprint in India. “When we started, I was the only employee,” she recalled. “Gradually we built a team and began expanding the ecosystem.” Her work also involved policy advocacy and collaboration with regulators.
“We worked closely with organisations like the Securities and Exchange Board of India to bring foreign venture capital funds into India,” Singh said. “Those were exciting years because you felt like you were helping shape something entirely new.”
After several years, Singh made the conscious decision to step away and spend more time with her young daughter. That pause eventually led her to Info Edge India, initially in a consulting role. “I joined as a retainer in 2005 and was working on strategic alliances and corporate communications,” Singh said. Then came a moment that would reshape the trajectory of her career. “My boss asked if I would like to head marketing,” she recalled. “And I remember telling him that I didn’t know things like CPC or CPM. I only understood traditional marketing.”
The response she received was simple, and transformative. “He said, ‘You’re good with numbers. It’s not rocket science—you’ll learn.’”
Looking back, Singh believes careers often hinge on moments when others recognise potential before you fully see it yourself. “I think I’ve been lucky that people saw potential in me and offered opportunities,” she said. “Sometimes you haven’t done the job before, but someone believes you can do it.” Balancing professional ambition with family life, however, has never been simple. “I don’t think there is any perfect work-life balance,” Singh said candidly. “With phones and laptops you are always connected.”
What makes the difference, she believes, is the support system at home. “I’ve been fortunate to have a partner who respects and understands my ambitions,” she said. “For a working woman, having an understanding spouse and a strong support system makes a huge difference.”
Even then, the journey has involved difficult trade-offs. “There were important moments when my children were growing up that I couldn’t attend,” Singh admitted. “As a mother, you sometimes feel you wish you were there.”
But she remains pragmatic about the realities of leadership. “You can’t have success without sacrifices,” Singh said. “I’m sure men make them too, but women often carry multiple responsibilities.”
Over the years, Singh has drawn inspiration from many women leaders. “I’ve had the opportunity to interact with people like Naina Lal Kidwai,” she said. “And colleagues like Gita Dang have influenced me in subtle ways.”
Yet the most enduring influence, she reflected, has always been personal. “My mother was a very strong and positive woman,” Singh said. “She always told us that every dark cloud has a silver lining. Train your mind to see the silver lining rather than the dark cloud.” She also credits her spiritual practice for shaping her perspective. “I follow Nichiren Buddhism,” she explained. “It teaches you to respect others and focus on happiness.”
When asked what advice she would offer her younger self, Singh paused before answering with disarming honesty. “I would tell myself that life is not so serious,” she said with a soft laugh. “It’s okay to chill a little.” She would also remind herself to let go of perfectionism. “You don’t have to be perfect at everything,” Singh said. “Trying to achieve 100 percent perfection just puts unnecessary pressure on you.”
One book that left a lasting impression on her was Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg. “That book left a big impression on me,” Singh said. “When women see someone who has a family and responsibilities and still succeeds, it gives them confidence.”
Representation, she believes, quietly reshapes what feels possible. “They think, ‘If she can do it, maybe I can too,’” Singh said.
And in that thought lies the legacy she hopes to leave behind. ”If I could do it, the next generation will do it faster,” Singh said. “They’re smarter, they have more access to information. They just need to lean in.”
In Singh’s world, leadership is not defined by dramatic declarations or grand milestones. It is built slowly, through curiosity, through resilience and through the quiet courage to step into opportunities even when the path ahead is uncertain. And perhaps that is the most enduring lesson her journey offers: that sometimes the most meaningful careers are the ones that grow not from certainty, but from the willingness to keep learning.
