Tulsi Dharel, CM, Professor at Centennial College, CMA Board Council member and NMA founder, discusses his passion and pursuit to educate marketers through his experiences.

Over 35 Years

I have been teaching marketing since 1987. In 1988, I received an MBA in Business Administration and Marketing from Tribhuvan University in Nepal. Then in 1999, I received my PhD in marketing from the Institute of Management Studies in Devi Ahilya, India. In 2000, I moved to Canada to continue my passion at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, teaching marketing principles as an adjunct faculty.

In 2003, I travelled to Mongolia to accept a position as an International Marketing Consultant for the government of Mongolia. My role was to oversee and lead marketing for some government-owned enterprises like dairy, higher education, urban planning, transportation, and pharmaceuticals, to name a few.

In 2006, I completed my post-graduate from George Brown College. The subject was “Teaching in higher education for foreign-trained educators.” This program focused on foreign degree holders and was the first program to do so in Canada.

In 2007, I started teaching at Centennial and George Brown College in Toronto, focusing on marketing research, global marketing, and business presentation. Since 2011, I have seized the opportunity to teach the next generation of marketers at Centennial College full-time.

A New Plateau

At first, I didn’t know anything about the Chartered Marketer program. After becoming part of the CMA’s Brand Council and reviewing the eligibility criteria, I realized I was more than qualified to apply and acquire my Executive CM designation. In my opinion, the CM designation is more valuable than an MBA or a PhD in marketing. After all, Chartered Marketers use applied learning to address concerns and issues in the profession. Becoming a CM elevated my professional credentials to a new plateau.

Unique and Practical

What makes it unique is that while a university degree focuses mainly on philosophy, the CM program is more practical. The CM program uses applied knowledge and everything is related to marketing. I always encourage my students and colleagues to pursue the CM designation because it helps you understand how to promote your product or service in today’s competitive market.

Inspiring Others

I take advantage of every opportunity to promote the designation to friends and colleagues on all my social media channels, from LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram to Twitter and YouTube. I use the CM alongside my PhD on my business cards at Centennial College. Colleagues have applauded my achievement which has also inspired several of them to pursue the CM designation themselves.

Sparks Curiosity

The CM designation is one of Canada’s highest credentials for marketing professionals. It sparks curiosity when colleagues hear me discuss it or see the CM designation on my social media profile. While on vacation in Nepal in 2021, I explained what the designation meant and what the CMA organization stood for in Canada. I continue to promote the CM program as much as possible because earning this designation is a professional achievement that can open doors in the future.

Credibility and Credentials

The CM designation shapes future marketing leaders by adding credibility to their credentials. When a marketer becomes a Chartered Marketer, it means they are a student of marketing, knowledgeable and highly versatile in the profession. In the years ahead, I think hiring managers will seek out candidates with the CM designation because they stand out.

Establishing the NMA

Although I frequently deliver keynotes and speeches as a marketer and marketing consultant, being part of the CMA community and achieving the CM designation has made me more recognizable than ever. I was given an opportunity to deliver a keynote about the CMA, the Nepalese Marketing Association (NMA) and what a Chartered Marketer meant to over 1500 marketers, students & entrepreneurs. If it weren’t for the CMA and my pursuit of the CM designation, I would never have had the knowledge or ability to help establish the NMA in Nepal.

I was honoured when I was named the International Advisor and a lifetime honorary founding member of the NMA. As an organization, we were extremely proud when John Wiltshire, the former President, and CEO of the CMA, commemorated our achievement in a letter addressing the establishment of the Nepalese Marketing Association (NMA) which celebrated it’s one year anniversary in December of 2022. Being active in the community has earned me awards such as the Outstanding Mentor award in 2012, the Outstanding Asian-Canadian Award in 2017, the Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Award in 2019, and the Asian Heritage Hero in 2020.

In the future, I would love to take my talents to a different sector. My next logical step would be to get involved in marketing planning on a national scale. Canadian brands should be recognized around the globe because we have brands that, if marketed correctly, could be global market leaders.

 

Tulsi Dharel, CM
Professor
Centennial College

 

 

Tags: CM Graduates, Executive Pathway