Picture this: You're handed a project to boost sales for a sexual wellness brand in West Bengal, a market where cultural taboos run deep and retailers hesitate even to display the products openly. For most MBA interns, this might seem like a nightmare assignment. For Arpit Sahai from IIM Kozhikode, it was exactly the kind of real-world challenge he'd been hoping for.
From Operations to Strategy
Arpit's path to Reckitt wasn't typical. With a background in Sales & Operations, he was drawn to the FMCG industry's "fast-paced, execution-driven nature, where even small decisions can create outsized impact." When he heard about Reckitt Career Compass through campus channels, it wasn't just another internship opportunity; it was a chance to work with "purpose-led brands with strong consumer connect."
The selection process tested more than academic knowledge. Teams faced an online case brief requiring sharp problem-solving and a deep understanding of traditional trade channels. Arpit's team didn't just craft a solution; they built a story around fieldforce pain points, execution strategy, and ROI. "We didn't just pitch a solution," he recalls, "we built a story around fieldforce pain points, execution strategy, and ROI."
Diving Deep into Durex
Landing at Reckitt as a Trade Marketing Intern under the Health category, Arpit was assigned to one of the company's boldest brands: Durex. His mission? Accelerate sales and visibility in West Bengal's challenging market landscape.
The scope was extensive; conducting market visits across urban and semi-urban trade channels, interacting with over 200 retailers and distributors, and identifying growth barriers. But the real learning came from bridging the gap between data and reality. "While the data suggested decent penetration, my market visits painted a different picture: lack of visibility, outdated POSM, and limited retailer push."
Mentorship That Mattered
Under the guidance of Akshat Jain and Pranay Shah, Arpit learned to balance big-picture thinking with ground-level execution. Akshat pushed him to think boldly and connect trade strategies with brand philosophy, while Pranay helped navigate the on-ground realities of general trade. Their complementary styles created a learning environment where strategic thinking met practical implementation.
"The overall support system at Reckitt was empowering," Arpit notes. "I had regular check-ins with the team, access to cross-functional stakeholders, and complete ownership of my project."
Turning Obstacles into Opportunities
The biggest challenge wasn't just about marketing, it was about changing mindsets. Navigating cultural sensitivity around sexual wellness required delicate stakeholder management. Retailers' hesitation to stock or display Durex openly created visibility roadblocks that demanded creative solutions.
Time pressure added another layer of complexity. With just eight weeks to learn the category, identify issues, and execute solutions, Arpit had to prioritize sharply. The experience taught him invaluable skills: stakeholder management, market research, data triangulation, and most importantly, "the ability to work with agility under ambiguity."
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Culture of Empowerment
What surprised Arpit most about Reckitt was its accessibility. "Despite being a global FMCG giant, Reckitt fosters a startup-like mindset, people are accessible, decisions are quick, and your ideas are genuinely heard, even as an intern."
The culture of "freedom to succeed" encouraged bold decisions and rapid experimentation. "Reckitt encourages you to act fast, experiment, and take bold decisions even if it means failing and learning along the way."
Real Impact, Real Recognition
Arpit's work didn't just stay on paper. He created a region-specific visibility playbook with cost-effective, retail-friendly POSM solutions and designed a commission-based incentive structure for the field force. His solutions were acknowledged for being implementable and high-ROI, aligning Reckitt's brand purpose with trade-level execution.
The Bigger Picture
The internship transformed Arpit's career perspective entirely. "Experiencing firsthand how FMCG brands like Reckitt shape consumer behavior, challenge cultural taboos, and drive real impact at the grassroots level was eye-opening."
He discovered that strategy and execution go hand in hand, and how powerful a simple, well-executed idea can be when grounded in local insights. "The Sales & Marketing function excites me because it combines data, psychology, fieldwork, and storytelling, all while keeping the consumer at the center."
Beyond Business: Building Bonds
Perhaps what made the experience truly special wasn't just the challenging work; it was the community. The dedicated intern bay became a space for hard work and shared laughs. Reckitt's intern dinner and the genuine sense of inclusion made everyone feel like "part of the Reckitt family, not as temporary interns, but as valuable team members with ideas worth listening to."
The Takeaway
For future applicants, Arpit's advice is clear: "Treat the competition like a real-world business problem, not just an academic case." Reckitt values creativity, but what really stands out are solutions that can be implemented in the real market.
His journey proves that the most challenging assignments often lead to the most rewarding outcomes, especially when you have the courage to tackle cultural barriers head-on and turn them into business opportunities.
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