Shefali Sagar is a senior media professional with over 25 years of experience in strategic planning, public relations, creative direction, content development, and people management. She is currently the Director of Editorial at MeriNews.com and has previously held roles as Editor-in-Chief of a retail magazine and Director and Editor of a suburban English weekly newspaper. She is seeking a role that leverages her expertise in media, creative direction, content strategy, and insights into Indian culture.

1. Shefali Sagar
Mobile: 99307 21771 ~ E-Mail: shefsagar@gmail.com
SENIOR MEDIA PROFESSIONAL
Media Strategies ~ Public Relations ~ Creative Direction ~ Editorial Operations
PROFESSIONAL PROFILE
Experience Profile
 A versatile and seasoned professional with rich experience in Strategic
Planning, Public Relations, Creative Direction, Editorial Functions, Content
Development, Account Management and People Management with well
known organisations.
 Currently designated as Director Editorial at www.merinews.com, A
Bizsol Advisors Pvt. Ltd. Venture.
Core Competencies Evolved
 Proven abilities in developing a concept from script to screen and
producing effective and compelling media & effective visual
communication.
 Distinction in writing and editing, adhering to set standards regarding
order, clarity, conciseness, style and terminology; and in accordance with
any defined framework.
Notable Career Highlights
 Credited with the unique distinction of specialising in initiation and
understanding every aspect of Content Development from concept to
finished work.
 An Out-of-the-Box Thinker who has the ability to ideate and translate
creative concepts.
 Acknowledged by peers as a professional who has attuned her creative
potential to effectively grasp ‘The Pulse of the People’.
 Strong media contacts and network, both in India and overseas.
 The repertoire of expertise in the Creative Field, command on Editorial
Operations with sound technical knowledge and competence in creativity,
imagination and the ability to visualize the final product has resulted in
outstanding Articles.
 Possess sound business acumen & entrepreneurial skills with
competencies in managing as an independent profit centre.
 Significant experience in writing and editing news, Edit page features and
routine reports for newspapers, magazines.
 Effectively managed complex assignments under aggressive deadlines
and working with relatively large teams.
The Focus
 A globally focussed professional who now wishes to apply the above
experience gained in Media & Creative Direction, the solid
grounding in Indian culture and the ability to come up with ideas
that connect with the masses; in discharging responsibilities as
Creative Director.
 Confident of tapping into and exploiting the unique attributes to deliver
excellence by virtue of its unique combination of defining the right
content mix & innovating constantly. .
 A focussed professional who now wishes to combine the above expertise
along with deep insights into Indian culture and the human pysche for
challenging assignments in the Media Industry.
PROFICIENCY FORTE
Strategic Management
 Conceptualise and implement strategy for establishment of corporate/ group goals in pre-designated
parameters.
 Head operations entailing quality, content and presentation of product as well as coordination with pre- and
post-production teams.
 Play mentoring role for young recruits, handholding them during incubation period.
SUMMARY OF SKILLS
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
- Strategy Planning
- Budgeting
- New Initiatives / Start Ups
- Business Promotion & Support
- Market Study & Analysis
- Creative Direction & Planning
- Content Strategy & Writing
- Content Management
- Journalism
- Editorial Operations
- Presentation Editing
- Reporting
- Content Editing
- Media Planning
- Alliances / Tie Ups
- Research & Development
- Account Management
- Promotional Activities / PR
- Contact Generation
- Relationship Management
- Cost Control Initiatives
- Process Improvements
- CRM
- Communication
- People Management
- Administration
- Team Building /
Mentoring
MANAGEMENT SKILLS
- Excellence in
Strategy Development and
Planning
- Sound Judgment and
Decision Making Skills
- Strong Influencing Skills
- Achievement oriented
Team Builder
- Persuasive Communicator

2.  Key strength in writing skills – a writer who puts a premium on style and substance at same time thrive in
keeping daily deadlines.
Operations (News Reportage)
 Cover news on diverse spectrum of developments on national and international political and economic affairs
 Write in-depth analysis for nationwide audience on new developments and trends followed by public, corporate,
and special interest groups.
 Investigate stories behind the news, thus rendering a value-added product for the consumer.
 Work at foreign locations to cover special/ specific events, as required.
 Write weekly column for Edit Page.
Copy Editing / Writing
 Explore articles of national and international significance as well as on Corporate Government sectors.
 Select, edit and rewrite news reports and features, vetting the entire page and special stories, rewriting copy
and writing catchy headlines and captions.
 Plan and design the style, using appropriate pictures and suggest graphics or illustration possibilities for
stories.
 Ensure that the text is grammatically, factually correct and free from spelling mistakes as well as check for
repetition, inconsistency and contradiction, keeping in mind globally-accepted style.
Content Development & Editing
 Understanding the main objectives of the story and deciding its scope and requirements.
 Working out budgets & time lines and ensure work is kept within budget and deadlines are met.
 Ensuring that the text follows guidelines for publication & checking for spellings, grammar and length of text.
 Handling editing of periodicals related to general, academic, literary, managerial or religious subjects.
 Reading and assessing the write-ups and essays prepared.
 Updating and adding linkages wherever necessary and making the drafts full and comprehensive.
 Overseeing a team of writers to create informative & reader friendly articles.
 Making proficient use of Graphics, visual representations, layouts, etc.
 Building a network of correspondents for wider coverage.
 Coordinating between authors, designers, illustrators, photographers, translators, printers, distributors and
other editors.
Presentation Editing
 Explaining wherever necessary essential terminologies and jargons.
 Synthesizing the chapters and presentations to facilitate easy, interesting, whole and meaningful intellectual
journey of the reader. Fine-tuning the power and force of expressions.
 Looking for circuitousness, haphazardness, ambiguity, overemphasis and irrelevance in communication and
removing them.
 Checking up and if necessary widening and well defining the reference aids.
 Perfecting graphic illustrations, photos etc., and deciding on their numbers, sizes and placements.
 Adding notes / instructions to artists and designers to make sure that their work is in harmony of the overall
scheme of things.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
www.merinews.com, A BIZSOL ADVISORS PVT. LTD. VENTURE Since Jul’06
Director Editorial
 Steering initiatives towards accomplishment of organisational goals and vision with chief responsibilities
pertaining to Strategy Planning, Content Strategy, Account Management and Team Management.
 Instrumental in developing and launching India’s First Award Winning Citizen Journalism Website.
 Pivotal in formulating content strategy, research, sourcing content, analysis, creative planning and
implementation of ideas and editing.
 Hiring journalists and freelancers from all parts of India and overseas & addressing audience needs analysis,
usability focus, content labeling and identification.
K10R – RETAIL REVOLUTION, A PAN INDIA MONTHLY RETAIL MAGAZINE Since Jan’07
Editor-in-Chief
 Directed launch of K10R, a retail magazine, a publication devoted to the booming Retail Industry.
 Distinction of growing the publication to over 20,000 subscribers with sold out advertising for several
contiguous months.
 Conducted several high profile interviews.

3. ONTRACK SUBURBS, A SUBURBAN ENGLISH WEEKLY NEWSPAPER (Tabloid) Apr’00 – Dec ’06
Director and Editor
 Introduced the concept of a free-of-cost local newspaper in Mumbai.
 Established ‘Ontrack Media Pvt. Ltd.’ in the year 2000. OS is a weekly local newspaper which has 2 editions,
namely, Andheri to Bandra and Kandivali / Malad.
 The circulation figures rose from 5,000 copies to now 50,000 copies per week.
 Spearheading direct media-relation activities related to new introductions in the newspaper; initiating other
media contacts viz. television; responding to press and agency inquiries; coordinating and conducting
interviews with affluent people as well as the common man; also develop press materials.
 Developed and directed advertising and promotional literature activities, oversee all publications, including sales
materials, and customer and employee newsletters.
 Developed, directed and implemented media, public relations, and internal-communications programs in
support of sales objectives.
 Handled recruiting personnel, regular administrative issues and interaction with various Govt., Political and
Social Bodies.
 Organized regular stage shows and award citizens with ‘OS Appreciation Awards’ in diverse fields in order to
gain popularity and creative edge over competitors.
 Wrote and implemented strategic public relations plans, including positioning messages to effect a positive
direction of growth in the newspaper market.
 Developed a push-pull communications strategy that enabled the company to gain a leadership role with their
customers.
 Writing editorials, providing leads, assigning stories, collating news from journalists, editing reports, layout of
the newspaper and creative packaging of the content was an important aspect of the job.
PREVIOUS ASSIGNMENTS
Mar’98 – Mar’2000 Ernst & Young Consulting India Pvt. Ltd. Manager - Administration & HR
Nov’93 - Feb’98 Seven Star Satellite Television Manager – Customer Services
Aug’90 – Nov’93 Quadrant Services Senior Manager
Mar’89 – Jul’90 Cathay Pacific Airways Flight Attendant
Nov’86 – Dec’88 Hind Musafir Travel Agency Assistant
EDUCATION & CREDENTIALS
‘Executive Course in Project Management’
IIT, Delhi in 2006
B.Sc
I.T. College, Lucknow University in 1986
Advanced Courses:
Diploma in Journalism from NM, Mumbai in 2003
Diploma in Travel & Tourism from Radio Bhavan, Mumbai in 1986
Initiation Course and Level 1 in French from Alliance Francaise, Mumbai
Extensive exposure to Programs like MS Office in 1996
OTHER INITIATIVES
Founding Member of ‘Kreevaishik Foundation’
Unique organization that felicitates people from all professions
Compere for shows – successfully hosted game shows and voice over for advertisements
Creative Coordinator for a game show named ‘Paheli
The game show’ which completed 56 successful episodes on air on Sahara TV.

4. PERSONAL DETAILS
Date of Birth : 30th
July, 1966
Address : A – 702, Om Apartments, Sundervan Complex, Andheri (West)
Mumbai - 400 053
Languages Known : English, Hindi, Marathi & Gujarati.