Women to Watch: Shruti Ramanujam of Esko’s Artwork Flow

Shruti Ramanujam, manager of content marketing at Artwork Flow, a division of Esko, has been with her team since 2022. Her entry into the print and packaging industry was an unexpected turn. She said, “My content marketing career has spanned industries from IT security to social media, but packaging turned out to be the most surprisingly complex one.”

Joining Artwork Flow without prior industry experience, she quickly grasped the intricate nature of packaging. Ramanujam said, “I quickly realised how many moving parts exist behind what most people think of as ‘just a label.’” She emphasised the dynamic environment and its appeal, highlighting, “The pace, the stakes, and the sheer number of stakeholders make it a fascinating space to build content in.”

Ramanujam attributes her career advancement to curiosity and active listening. To produce credible content, she immerses herself in the industry's language and challenges. She explained, “I constantly look for insights from client conversations, the sales team’s frontline feedback, and relentless reading (from regulatory updates to even packaging Reddit threads!).”

Artwork Flow and Esko are preparing for significant product launches. Ramanujam announced, “We’re gearing up to launch WebCenter Go, a more streamlined packaging management tool built for emerging brands that need to move fast without compromising on control.” She also mentioned a key feature's integration, saying, “One of our most powerful features, Comply, is being integrated into the Esko cloud ecosystem. It's an exciting time.”

For aspiring professionals, Ramanujam’s daily responsibilities involve extensive industry analysis. Her work focuses on understanding industry trends and the needs of packaging professionals. She said, “While I may not be on the production floor, I do spend my day looking into industry trends, understanding the needs of packaging professionals, and translating that into actionable content.”

Addressing the challenges women face in a male-dominated field, Ramanujam observed an underrepresentation of women in decision-making roles within the packaging industry. She advocated for increased visibility for women in leadership. She said, “The more visibility we give to women shaping the narrative, through features like this one! The more we normalise seeing them in leadership.”