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Kavitha Vijeyavelan - Most Inspiring Women Leaders 2025
Leader at a Glance
As Director of Education, Kavitha Vijeyavelan is shaping the future of international education during the COVID chaos. She uses empathetic storytelling and flexibility to turn uncertainty into confidence, keep borders closed while preserving aspirations, and convert the crisis into a worldwide opportunity for learners.
Name: Kavitha Vijeyavelan
Designation: Director - Education, South Asia
Company: Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade)
Industry: International Trade and Development
Country: Australia
Designation: Director - Education, South Asia
Company: Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade)
Industry: International Trade and Development
Country: Australia
Kavitha Vijeyavelan - Most Inspiring Women Leaders 2025
The first story Kavitha Vijeyavelan ever told wasn’t on a stage or in a boardroom, it was in a classroom. As a young student moving across countries and cultures, she quickly learnt that communication was never just about words. It was about listening intently, observing nuances, and finding common ground. Those early lessons became the foundation of her journey as a global marketing leader. For Kavitha, marketing has always been about clarity, connection, and meaningful impact. As Director, Education – South Asia at the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) today, she continues to champion future-focused approaches that inspire confidence and open opportunities worldwide. We sat down with her to explore the mindset, challenges, and philosophies that shape her journey
How has living and working across cultures shaped your approach to communication, marketing, and leadership?
Global exposure gave me an amazing superpower, adaptive intelligence. Being in new environments taught me that to communicate and lead effectively, you sometimes have to unlearn what you thought you knew. To tell my story well, I need to listen first. Learning cultural nuances, trying new things, and even picking up new languages showed me that trust is the universal connector. Marketing may look different across regions, but the psychology that drives people is the same everywhere. And beyond titles, leadership is about empathy, openness, and creating an environment that enables others to thrive.
Many leaders discuss resilience, but it manifests differently for each individual. Could you share a challenge that truly tested your limits?
My biggest test came during COVID. Almost overnight, international education was disrupted, borders closed, campuses shut, and students who had dreamt of studying abroad suddenly had only online options. In that moment, resilience meant reframing the narrative. I worked with institutions to adjust their communications, deciding what to emphasise, what to hold back, and how to keep students engaged. The focus shifted from recruitment to reassurance, from numbers to trust. It taught me that resilience in marketing is about leadership under pressure, bringing clarity when uncertainty is high, and always keeping the audience at the centre.
“Many leaders mistake personal branding for self-promotion. But, as Jeff Bezos once said, your brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room.”
What’s one project you’re working on now that excites you most?
International education marketing has and will always hold a special place in my heart. At its core, it’s about inspiring millions of students worldwide and helping them pursue ambitions that can change their lives. This is deeply personal for me. At the age of 10, I experienced the benefits of international education firsthand. Today, I’m pursuing a Global MBA with the University of Western Australia, alongside already having completed executive programmes by Northwestern University (Kellogg School of Management), USA and Rutgers University, USA. I know first-hand how education builds confidence and opens doors. Having worked in this space for over 15 years, it’s meaningful to know my work helps create those same opportunities for others.
“Marketing is like a spell, magically turning clicks into customers – when done right”
What do leaders often get wrong about personal branding, and what’s your golden rule?
Many leaders mistake personal branding for self-promotion. But, as Jeff Bezos once said, your brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room. In today’s digital-first world, it often speaks before you do. A strong brand builds trust, humanises leadership, and extends influence far beyond any corporate channel. Done right, it amplifies the organisation’s message and even drives ROI. Studies show employee-shared content earns up to ten times more engagement than brand channels, which proves how powerful authentic voices can be. My golden rule is to make your brand both authentic and intentional. Show the values you stand for, the expertise you bring, and the vision you’re driving. When leaders get personal branding right, they don’t just shine, they bring their whole organisation into the spotlight.
What are the biggest gaps you see in how organisations approach marketing today?
Marketing is like a spell, magically turning clicks into customers – when done right. But gaps break the spell. Often, operations are siloed, creating fragmented experiences instead of cohesive brand stories, while historical data sits unused instead of guiding smarter decisions. AI, too, is often misunderstood; its real power lies in enhancing what makes brands human: empathy, storytelling, and creativity. Organisations also mistake volume for impact, focusing on noise rather than smarter, faster, and more relevant content. Many still measure success through vanity metrics instead of real long-term value. Bridging these gaps means breaking silos, grounding decisions in data, using AI responsibly, and keeping human connection at the core. That is the difference between marketing that survives and marketing that truly thrives.
What drives you to keep innovating in your field?
What drives me is simple. Impact. Marketing is about shaping futures. Whether it’s a student finding their path, a leader discovering their voice, or an organisation connecting with its audience, I want my work to spark progress. For me, it’s always been about meaning.
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