We need more women in decision-making roles: Neena Dasgupta, The Salt Inc

Adgully has consistently celebrated and acknowledged the accomplishments of women entrepreneurs and leaders in various sectors. One of our notable initiatives, W-SUITE, focuses on highlighting extraordinary women achievers in the Media & Entertainment, Advertising, Marketing, PR, and Communications industry. In this updated series, we aim to explore how women leaders adeptly manage their teams and overcome challenges in the dynamic landscape of their respective industries.

In an exclusive interaction with Adgully, Neena Dasgupta, Founder & CEO, The Salt Inc., highlights the revolutionizing brand engagement by blending AI-powered psychometric insights with storytelling, creating deeply personalized and adaptive experiences. Emphasizing authenticity, emotional connection, and adaptability, the company is shaping narratives for industry giants like The Economist and Accenture. With innovations like MindLink and thought leadership through platforms like Journey Unscripted with Chanda Kochhar, The Salt Inc. is driving the future of consumer engagement while championing gender equality and inclusive leadership in the workplace.

The Salt Inc. blends storytelling with AI-powered psychometric insights. How do you see technology shaping the future of brand engagement, and what excites you most about this evolution?

The way brands connect with audiences is evolving rapidly. AI-powered psychometric insights help move beyond broad audience segments to truly understand individual emotion and decision-making patterns. This shift is making brand interactions less about pushing messages and more about creating experiences that feel relevant and deeply personal. What excites me most is how technology is shaping storytelling into a two-way dialogue rather than a one-sided message. Brands are able to adjust their stories in real time based on how their audience is responding and behaving. But the real magic lies in using these insights without losing the humanity of storytelling because no matter how advanced AI gets, the most compelling stories are still those that feel deeply human.

With your extensive experience in digital media, what are the biggest shifts that you have observed in audience behaviour, and how should brands adapt to stay ahead?

The digital landscape has changed fundamentally - audiences now dictate how, when and where they engage with content. They are more selective and vocal than ever before. They seek value, authenticity, and relevance, not just information.  A major shift has been the growing preference for video-first engagement, especially short-form content that is quick, engaging, and easy to consume. To stay ahead, brands must stop thinking about engagement as a one-time transaction and start seeing it as a long term relationship. This means shifting from campaigns to conversations, from generic messaging to storytelling that adapts to real-time audience needs. Understanding behavior is not just about analytics – it’s more about empathy, instinct and the ability to evolve with the audience.

You have championed gender equality in the workplace. What key structural changes do you believe the industry needs to ensure more women rise to leadership positions?

I think there is a fundamental disconnect between the way leadership is traditionally structured and the way many women lead. The industry needs to move away from outdated leadership models that reward visibility over impact and start recognizing performance in ways that are inclusive and adaptable. Companies must invest in policies that support long-term career growth for women, including leadership training, sponsorship, and flexible work models that don’t limit ambition. Most importantly, we need more women in decision-making roles, because real change happens when the people making the rules reflect the diversity of the workforce.

From launching Zirca to founding The Salt Inc., you have led multiple successful ventures. What are the top leadership lessons you’ve learned from scaling businesses?

Scaling businesses has taught me that success comes from adapting to change, building strong teams, and staying committed to a clear vision. The industry moves fast, and the ability to evolve without losing sight of your purpose is what sets apart. Innovation thrives in environments that encourage new ideas and that’s something I’ve always prioritized. But beyond strategy and execution, the real foundation of a successful business is its people. Investing in talent, fostering trust, and creating a culture where people feel empowered makes all the difference. And finally, resilience matters. Not every decision will be perfect, but the ability to learn, adjust, and move forward is what truly drives long-term success.

You earned the nickname ‘The Sixth Sense’ at BBC India for your ability to anticipate industry shifts. Could you share an instance where this foresight helped you make a game-changing decision?

My sixth sense has always been my blessing. It has always helped me spot trends and anticipate the shifts within my area of operation. One of the biggest game-changing moments for me was recognizing the integration of conversations, technology, and customer engagement – a shift that led to the birth of The Salt Inc. I knew that brands needed to move beyond traditional storytelling and start creating deeply personalized, insight-driven experiences. Instead of waiting for the industry to catch up, I went all in, building a 30+ member team designed around this convergence.

We developed technology to understand customers in their entirety – not just demographics, but their content affinities, behavioral patterns, and emotional triggers. We built a strategy and content team that crafts content based on data, facts, emotions, and brand love. And we also created a film division that brings together the art of cinema, brand storytelling, and powerful visual conversations. This entire structure was built on the foundation of my sixth sense – the ability to see where the industry is headed before it gets there and take bold steps that shape the future rather than simply keeping up with it.

Balancing innovation and execution is crucial in a fast-evolving digital landscape. How do you ensure The Salt Inc. remains ahead of the curve while maintaining operational excellence?

At The Salt Inc., we believe that innovation without execution is just an idea and execution without innovation is just repetition. The key is to create an environment where experimentation is encouraged but impact is also measured. We continuously test new approaches, ensuring that every strategy aligns with a clear purpose. Does this new approach enhance storytelling? Does it drive deeper audience engagement? If the answer is yes, we refine and scale. If not, we act immediately. Operational excellence comes from building a team that thrives on adaptability. We stay curve with the trends but we also look at how technology, audience behavior, and business goals intersect and that’s how we stay ahead while delivering meaningful impact.

Your new podcast, ‘Journey Unscripted with Chanda Kochhar,’ features thought leaders and change-makers. What has been your biggest takeaway from these conversations?

Working with Chanda Kochhar to bring this podcast series to life has been an incredible experience. This podcast is all about uncovering the raw, unfiltered stories of leaders who have shaped industries, challenged norms and created their own way. Every conversation leaves me with something new to reflect on. One that really stood out was the discussion with Suniel Shetty. Hearing him talk about how his early days in his father’s restaurant shaped his business instincts was truly inspiring. His perspective on resilience, staying grounded, and embracing new opportunities even after decades in the limelight was a reminder that success is as much about reinvention as it is about achievement.

What makes this journey even more meaningful is working with Chanda Kochhar, someone who has redefined leadership and inspired generations, including mine. Leaders like her showed us what was possible when we were just starting out, and it’s a privilege to now engage with her on a platform that brings such powerful stories to life.

The Salt Inc. works with industry giants like The Economist and Accenture. What are the key elements of crafting brand narratives that resonate across diverse audiences?

The most powerful brand narratives are shaped not only by what a company wants to say, but by what the audience needs to hear, feel, and engage with. At The Salt Inc., we focus on authenticity, emotional connection, and adaptability. A brand’s voice should feel true to its identity because people recognize when messaging is forced. A strong emotional connection ensures that a story is not just heard, but remembered – whether through shared values, cultural relevance, or personal resonance. And adaptability is essential in today’s evolving landscape, where content needs to be tailored for different platforms, audiences, and formats.

The goal is not just to share information but to spark action and meaningful conversations that build trust, strengthen loyalty, and shape perception. At The Salt Inc., we take this further with Mindlink, our in-house tech that decodes psychometric insights to truly understand consumer mindsets. This deeper understanding allows us to design narratives that feel natural, intuitive, and aligned with how people think and engage. The brands that leave a lasting impact are those that don’t just tell stories but create experiences that make audiences feel genuinely connected.

You have built a career at the intersection of media, technology, and entrepreneurship. What advice would you give to young professionals, especially women, looking to make an impact in this space?

The best advice I can give is to build your skills, trust your instincts, and speak up. The intersection of media, technology, and entrepreneurship is constantly evolving, and those who succeed are the ones who stay adaptable, challenge the status quo, and never stop learning. Opportunities don’t always come neatly packaged, you have to spot them, create them, and be bold enough to take them. For women, the challenge is often not just breaking in, but being heard. Be relentless. Seek mentors, but also seek allies. Surround yourself with people who push you forward, not just those who agree with you. Take up space in the rooms where decisions are made. Leadership doesn’t have one definition – so define it in a way that’s true to you.

What exciting projects or innovations can we expect from The Salt Inc. in the coming months, and how do they align with your long-term vision for the company?

We are always looking for new ways to push storytelling forward, and one of the most exciting innovations at The Salt Inc. right now is MindLink. It is designed to help brands go beyond basic demographics and truly understand consumer mindsets, turning psychometric intelligence into real, actionable insights. Recently, MindLink was also recognized as the Most Innovative Tech for Consumer Insights at ad:tech India, which is a huge milestone for us. It reinforces our vision of blending technology, psychology, and creativity to create content that feels natural, relevant, and deeply engaging. We are also launching our beta program for brands that want to embrace this shift. However, this is just the start, and we are excited for what’s ahead.