Speakers 2024

Juan is a designer and international motivational speaker from Mexico. His message is to inspire people to follow their dreams focusing on 5 messages: Discover your talent, Dream big, Have faith, Work smart and Give back. He is the founder of Dream big world, a lifestyle brand which includes collaborations with brands like Kleenex, Burj Khalifa and many others. His first PHYGITAL retail shop will open spring of 2023 in the city of Cancun, Mexico. A mix of inspiration, experiences, merchandising and incorporating all of the new digital experiences; NFT, crypto currency, AR, VR. Esports and the DBW Metaverse.

His beachwear collection is launching this July in Florence, Italy. In 2018 he became the first Latin American artist to have his work displayed in the Burj Khalifa. In 2021 he received the Golden Visa from the government of Dubai and today he is continuing to develop projects in the region. His master project is to open the Dream Big World resort in the region as well as to continue to inspire more people. He is also involved in social projects; from painting murals at women jails in Mexico City, to supporting a local youth foundation.

A unique and inspiring design voice and leader. Jo-Black’s career began in the UK & expanded 25 years across the fashion industry with a true passion for Product Development & Design, Creative Branding & Marketing.

Jo-Black’s formative design years began in the eyewear fashion industry, with leading luxury brands such as Balenciaga, Nico Panda, Courrèges & Cartier, bespoke collaboration pieces for Karl Lagerfeld, Viktor & Rolf and Madonna.

She is the CEO and Co-Founder of bbase Design Group, a leading fashion eyewear production and design studio. As CEO, Black brings her expertise across manufacturing and distribution of market-targeted and bespoke eyewear programs for lifestyle, fashion brands and multi-door retailers across more than 65 countries.

Venkatesalu joined Tata Administrative Services, the leadership development program of the Tata Group in 2001. He was with Tata Sons Limited as a part of the group finance team. He thereafter joined Trent Ltd as CFO from May 2008. He was appointed to the Board (Finance) in 2015 taking on additional responsibilities. He has been recently appointed as the CEO of Trent. Trent now has a market capitalization of over USD 4 billion and operates a portfolio of differentiated retail brands / concepts in the fashion and lifestyle space.

Before his current role as CEO he oversaw the accounting, secretarial, legal & strategy functions and anchored the negotiation of defining strategic alliances for Trent, including the JV with Tesco Plc for the Star Bazaar business and the JV with Inditex for Zara stores in India. He has been actively involved in facilitating the growth of the retail business across formats and serves on the Board of several Trent entities including Trent Hypermarket Private Limited (the Star Bazar business – JV with Tesco Plc), an Inditex Trent Private Limited (the JV for Zara stores in India).

Venkat’s academic / related background

– Harvard Business School (Advanced Management Program)

– Tata Administrative Service (TAS)

– Chartered Financial Analyst – CFA (ICFAI)

– Symbiosis, Pune (Masters in International Business)

‘Supermarketwala’ Damodar Mall is the Chief Executive Officer of the Grocery Retail Business at Reliance Retail Ltd. An IIT-Bombay and IIM-Bangalore alumnus, Damodar worked in Sales and brand management roles at Unilever prior to founding and incubating the D-Mart Supermarket Chain in Western India. He was then with Future Group in various leadership roles and was part of Kishore Biyani’s core team. Damodar writes an invitation blog for Forbes India. His bestselling book ‘SupermarketWala – Secrets to Winning Consumer India’ provides sharp business insights for shaping consumer business and modern retail, in an increasingly confident India. Damodar has been a member of Coca-Cola Retail Research Committee of Asia. He also received the Golden Spoon Award for the Most Admired Food & Grocery Professional of the Year at India Food Forum in 2011.

His expertise in running foreign brands is well known to the industry. In a pioneering effort, he started work on bringing international brands to India in the year 2003 which led to successful launch of the German brand Esprit in India. With Tommy Hilfiger, the business that he has been leading since 2006, he has demonstrated how to scale up a premium international brand profitably, with very high-quality execution over a span of 15 years. It Is not easy to remain this consistent in execution over such a long period of time. Many also know of his skills on building brands per se, not just super premium brands. He has helped build several fashion brands in India, including Louis Philippe, Van Heusen, Allen Solly, Arrow, US Polo Association and Flying Machine. But the point that we want to highlight here is his ability as a turnaround expert. In his 30 years’ experience in the industry, he has taken charge of many challenging businesses and has been able to successfully turn them around very quickly. The turnaround of Arvind Fashions Ltd, a listed company of nearly Rs. 4000 cr in size, was noticed by all of us. Arvind Fashions became PBT positive in the first year of operations under his leadership. Before that, he had executed a very sharp turnaround of the Calvin Klein business which he took over in mid – 2017. The way his team glamourize Calvin Klein with better fashion sense, better quality visual merchandising, better retail experience and the very well known tie up with Disha Patani have been all very awe inspiring. His sense of cleaning up fashion businesses has been seen by all at Arvind Fashions as well as with Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein. He has been busy energising brand Arrow since 2019 and the industry has noticed a fantastic turn around in the fortunes of Arrow as well. There is a lot for all of us to learn from these real life examples of successful turnarounds that he has executed.

Nissan Joseph is the CEO of Metro Brands Ltd, one of India’s largest footwear & accessories retailers with over 800 stores in India. He is an experienced global leader with a track record of delivering results in international markets with emphasis in Asia. Prior to joining Metro Brands Ltd, he was the CEO of MAP Active and Planet Sports Inc. Philippines & VP of Crocs Asia where he delivered significant growth over the last five years especially in the SE Asia, S Korea, and India markets.

His experience of over 25 years includes Senior Management roles in wholesale and retail of footwear and accessories in international markets including leadership positions with Accessory Exchange, New York. Hibbett Sports, Hickory Brands and Payless Shoes in Australia. Through his life he has traveled extensively and worked with businesses in Europe, Australia, Asia and Africa. He has also been a featured speaker at various venues across the globe. Nissan was born in India, attended the University of New Delhi and has an MBA from the Sydney Graduate School of Management, Australia.

Mr. B.S.Nagesh is the founder of a Not for Profit organization called TRRAIN (Trust for Retailers and Retail Associates of India). TRRAIN defines its purpose as “Building an equitable and inclusive community” and has a vision of “Empowering people through Retail” with a mission of upgrading the lives of people in retail both at work and home. He has been involved with Shoppers Stop since its inception in 1991 as the first employee. Today Shoppers Stop is the leading department store chain in India with 105 department stores and more than 100 beauty doors across the country. Nagesh has contributed significantly in ushering modern retailing in the country. He stepped out of the role of MD in Shoppers Stop Limited in 2009 at the age of 50 to start TRRAIN to fulfill his personal belief of 25 years of learning, 25 years of earning and 25 years of returning. He is the Non-Executive Chairman of Shoppers Stop Limited. He is also the founding Chairman of Retailers Association of India. RAI was set up in 2004. He stepped out of RAI in 2021. Mr. Nagesh has been recognized as an iconic retailer and was inducted into the World Retail Hall of Fame 2008 at the World Retail Congress 2008 conducted in Barcelona. With his induction in the World Retail Hall of fame 2008, Mr. Nagesh is the only Indian retailer and the first Asian retailer to take a significant place alongside more than 100 stalwarts of the global retail industry. He is the recipient of the Hellen Keller award for being a role model in creating livelihood for Persons with Disability. He is also nominated as an Ashoka Fellow. Mr. Nagesh lives in Mumbai with his wife Shailaja. He has two daughters, Pooja and Pallavi.

Ankur is the Managing Director of The Asbiverse Group and splits his time between the UK and India. Ankur is focused on and passionate about Capability Development of Individuals and Organisations to develop & implement Strategy (Corporate, Customer & Shopper). Ankur N#39;s experience is built on his tenure working with consumer goods, retail, services and Government organisations for more than 20 years. He is an Alumnus of ICI, P&G, Accenture and Kantar/WPP where he held executive roles across the world. During his experience spanning more than 50 countries, Ankur has worked with global organisations and Governments on varying challenges across Strategy, Marketing, Capability, Sales, Technology adoption & Public service. Ankur is the first person of colour and the youngest Mayor ever to be elected to local government in Bracknell Forest, Berkshire, United Kingdom. Ankur holds an MBA from Leicester Business School, United Kingdom, a postgraduate teaching qualification and is pursuing a Master’s degree in Law.

Rama Bijapurkar is sought after business advisor, passionate ‘people’ researcher, prominent independent director on India Inc’s boards and author of widely acclaimed books on the Indian market and Consumer India. Recognised as one of India’s thought leaders on business-market strategy and India’s consumer economy, she has been visiting faculty at Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIMA) for over two decades, teaching second year MBA students and offering executive education programs on customer-based business strategy. She is among India’s most experienced independent directors having served on the boards of several of India’s blue-chip companies. Present boards include Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services Ltd., Cummins India, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd, Gokaldas Exports Ltd. Sun Pharma. Past boards served on include Infosys, ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, Bharat Petroleum, National Payment Corporation of India, CRISIL, Godrej Consumer, Nestle India etc. In addition, she has been on the governing councils of institutions like IIM Ahmedabad, Institute for Human Development and National Institute of Bank Management. Ms. Bijapurkar is the author of “Lilliput Land – How Small is Driving India’s Mega Consumption Story”, “We Are Like That Only – Understanding the Logic of Consumer India”, “A Never-Before World – Tracking the Evolution of Consumer India” and “Customer in the Boardroom – Crafting Customer-Based Business Strategy”.

Biraja Rout Founder Biggies Burger

Biraja Rout is the founder of Biggies Burger. Being an entrepreneur with a passion for global food, Biraja was appalled to see the sordid state of affairs especially in the Indian grilled burger segment. With global chains serving up fried burgers, he took it upon himself to provide customers with healthier, grilled burgers. With the country fed up with the taste of fried burgers, Biggies Burger came up with the grilled burgers. Having over 6 years of experience in automation, Biraja aims to utilize his experience to standardize the systems and processes so as to build India’s very own QSR chain that revolves around standardization and SOPs. He observed that there was a demand for grilled burgers in the QSR market.

Biraja started the first Biggies Burger unit at Electronic City, in the year 2011, with the brand currently operating 120+ stores in 23 cities across 15 states. Biraja has since undertaken constant innovations and product development, ensuring uniformity in quality and taste across all locations. Not only in burger making, Biraja is also striving to ease the burger store franchising process for those that want to explore the QSR business opportunities. Adding to it is that Biggies Burger has enabled its franchisees that come from varied backgrounds, including government officials, army personnel, IT professionals etc. to become successful in QSR business.

With over two decades of experience in the fashion industry, Yanira brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her role as the Country Sales Manager of H&M India. Throughout her career, Yanira has held pivotal positions within H&M, including Global Sales Manager for & Other Stories, a fashion brand under the H&M Group, and Country HR for HM UK & Ireland. As the Country Manager of H&M India, Yanira has been a driving force behind the brand’s success in the region. She has been instrumental in upholding H&M’s core mission, which is to provide fashionable, accessible, and affordable clothing options to customers while prioritizing Sustainability. Originally from Mexico, Yanira embarked on her journey into the fashion industry after graduating with a degree in law in 2005. Her passion for fashion and dedication to excellence have propelled her career forward, making her a highly respected figure within H&M India and the broader H&M Group.

Ashish is a Retail Professional with 18 Years of Experience in Fashion/ Footwear/ Apparels/ Accessories/ Sports/ Consumer Durable Industries. He has been successfully working in Different roles from Country Head/ Business Head/ Buying/ Merchandising/ Ecommerce/ Wholesale / EBO/ Key Accounts /Franchise Store/ Sourcing/ Product Development. He has been associated with Brands like Ipanema, K-Swiss, Palladium, Bata, Power, NorthStar, Skechers, Future Group, Carlton London, Steve & Barrys Stores. He has MBA in Marketing/ Finance from Fore School of Management, Graduate in B.com from Delhi University, other than that he has also studied at FDDI Noida. Ashish is currently working as Country Head with a Dubai Based Company called Brand Folio in India. Brand Folio is a global sport, fashion and lifestyle retail and distribution company that has business interests across the Middle East, Africa, India & Eastern Europe. The Company operates many top international Sports Brands across different Regions. Brand Folio India Office is in Gurugram. Ashish is instrumental in launching Brazilian Brand Ipanema from Grendene Group. Grendene Group has other Flip Flop Brands like Rider, Cartago, Zaxy, Azaléia & Grendha. The Company is planning to open a Retail Store With the name Ipanema Stores which will comprise all the brands of Grendene. The Brands are already available at all the marketplaces & a lot of stores through the Distribution channel.

Over 37 years of experience in building brands, building businesses and creating organisations. Well versed with brands and retail across premier companies in India. Currently involved in creating value within portfolio investments of a leading consumer and retail focused private equity player. Independent Director on the Boards of Mindtree Limited, Brigade Enterprises Ltd, Timex Group India, Suguna Foods, Orange County Resorts, Ziqitza Health Ltd and Lighthouse Learning Pvt Ltd. Chairman of the Retailers Association of India (RAI), Advisory Board of leading Management Education institutions, the World Retail Congress, and Mentor to the FICCI Retail Committee.

Aastha Almast is the Founder of The New Shop, India’s largest tech-enabled convenience retailer. Aastha is a true born entrepreneur and has previously founded 2 technology startups. She was a student of Economics from the prestigious Hindu College of Delhi University after which she studied PGDM in Fashion Marketing from Pearl Academy of Fashion to pursue her passion in retail and branding. She is also an alumni of Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta. She is a serial entrepreneur, who is always looking for solutions to simplify businesses – making them more productive and efficient. 

Prior to launching The New Shop, Aastha spearheaded a series of startups across diverse industries such as mobile gaming, online reputation management and consumer retail. She has previously also worked in Bankof America and Standard and Poor’s Capital IQ. While studying for a Bachelor’s, she joined her father’s stock broking firm making her one of the youngest certified stock-brokers from National Stock Exchange. She has lived an adventurous life and has amassed 15 years of diversified experience in entertainment, finance, branding, and retail. She has also acted in a Bollywood film as a Child actress. Her interests and pursuits are also reflected in her well-rounded personality.

Sandeep Varaganti is the Chief Executive Officer at JioMart – Reliance Retail. He is a sharp and astute professional with demonstrative experience in scaling up businesses and fostering cross-function organisations. He is dedicated to assisting entrepreneurs and businesses, in particular small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), in experiencing multi-fold growth in the burgeoning e-commerce space. In the past, Sandeep has worked with companies like Cognizant, Amazon, and Prione.  Throughout his career, he has donned numerous hats.  His goal is to create the world’s largest and most trustworthy online marketplace by  allowing millions of small and medium businesses to sell their products. At JioMart, he is set out to achieve just that. He aims to make JioMart one of the largest & most  preferred indigenous e-marketplaces for buyers as well as the sellers.  He has an MBA from INSEAD, France and has a degree in Electrical and Electronics  Engineering from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad.  Sandeep is a car and bike enthusiast and a sports aficionado – closely following 

Cricket, Lawn Tennis and Formula One.

Mr. Kavindra Mishra is a seasoned professional with over 25 years of experience in retail, brand management, and business development. Currently serving as Customer Care Associate – Executive Director & CEO at Shoppers Stop, he joined the company in early 2023 as Customer Care Associate & Chief Commercial Officer – External Brands & CEO Home, where he led and revamped the Home Category in the SSL Ecosystem.

With a diverse background spanning men’s and women’s international and national brands, Kavindra is one of the very few individuals who has experience in running e-commerce businesses. Additionally, he is an avid runner, having completed more than 50 Half Marathons, which reflects his determination and discipline in both personal and professional endeavours.

Prior to his role at Shoppers Stop, Kavindra demonstrated his expertise as the Managing Director & CEO at House of Anita Dongre Limited, where he successfully led the company to achieve significant growth milestones. He also served as the CEO of Pepe Jeans London, where he spearheaded a remarkable turnaround, making it one of the most aspirational denim brands in the country.

His extensive experience also includes leadership roles at prestigious brands such as United Colors Of Benetton, Tommy Hilfiger, and Nokia India, where he showcased his prowess in retail operations, business development, and brand management. Kavindra’s entrepreneurial spirit led him to co-found Zovi.Com, India’s first online apparel and lifestyle brand, where he played a pivotal role in its establishment and growth.

Kavindra Mishra’s educational background includes a PGDM in Marketing & Finance from the prestigious Indian Institute of Management Bangalore. He also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Management (BBA) from Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya.

Ajoy is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Titan’s Jewellery business that houses iconic brands such as Tanishq, MIA, Zoya and CaratLane. Prior to this role, he was responsible for Strategy & New Business Incubation at Titan for 5 years and was tasked with nurturing and launching Titan’s new businesses Fragrances (Brand SKINN) & Indian Ethnic Women’s Wear (Retail brand TANEIRA). As Strategy head, he supported the MD in developing and managing corporate strategy and provided advisory support to CXOs for Divisional strategies. Ajoy has also led watch business within Titan, responsible for driving P&L of domestic & international businesses (Titan Biz unit). His role included expansion into Asia while profitably growing the business managing a portfolio of product brands: Titan, Raga, Xylys, Zoop, etc and a Retail brand: World of Titan, India’s largest chain of specialty watch stores. He has lived the life of an Intrapreneur: besides launching SKINN and TANEIRA, he has a successful record of incubating new businesses for Titan, including HELIOS, a multi-brand premium retail chain; FASTRACK sunglasses/ TITAN accessories; licensed brands; and Titan EYEPLUS As a leader, Ajoy has led large and diverse teams across geographies, acting as a mentor for many people in his team and for many managers within the Tata group.

M Sadique Ahmed is the Founder & CEO of Pathfinder, a domain leader in AI driven Retail Intelligence Consulting & Solutions headquartered in Dubai, UAE. An engineering graduate from Madras University, Sadique is an Entrepreneur, Product Evangelist, Mentor, a Leader with experience in building innovative platforms from Revenue Assurance to Revenue Maximisation for Airports, Shopping Centres & Retailers and Fiscal intelligence to Inland Revenue department of Governments. In a career spanning almost 30 years with an opportunity to start multiple businesses, leading large projects and evolving into an entrepreneur handling product ideation, business formation, operation, finance to management. His ability to identify and leverage assets in teammates to reach organizational goals has always worked in his favour which resulted in:

Working with a world class product for over 30+ Airports, 150+ Shopping Centres globally, specializing in Revenue Management, Business Process Management, Operational Efficiency, People Performance Management, Marketing Insights, Business Analytics, and Customer engagement platforms for Shopping Centres, Airports, and Retailers. Sadique has built a working relationship for his organization with over 1500+ retailers helping their businesses transform with a knowledge platform powered by AI. Sadique was instrumental in winning the International Airport Review Award 2018 in the Revenue Generation category with Market leadership across multiple markets for his innovative PHYGITAL Data Capital platform.

Launched RAPPO – Phygital Commerce Platform…

Unveiling shortly globally RetailGPT – humanising digital experience!!! ..with your own personal Digital Avatar… Just Prompt & experience the future of retail!

world’s first GenAI platform for Customer Engagement & Phygital Commerce..

Redefining the future of Retail.. 

A strong & dynamic leader, remained steadfast on values and always had an eye for detail on every innovation he conceived.

Kumar Rajagopalan is the CEO of Retailers Association of India (RAI). In his role at RAI, Kumar focuses on creating a positive trade environment for modern retail in India. Over the recent years, Kumar has represented RAI as the voice of retailers in India, working with all levels of government and other industry stakeholders. Kumar is also a Director with Retailers Association’s Skill Council of India (RASCI) and an Independent Director on Board with Aeon Credit Service India Private Limited. Kumar brings with him over 30 years of profound knowledge and business experience, having worked as the Country Head – Retail Solutions at IBM. His responsibility included leading the business and solution development functions as well as closely working across the brand teams of IBM to define and execute the overall sales and thought leadership strategy for IBM India. Kumar has also worked as the Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of ‘Crossword Book Stores’. He started his career in retail with Shoppers Stop Ltd, where he worked for 13 years. During his tenure at Shoppers Stop, he shouldered varied responsibilities including: Head of Finance and Systems, Head of Operations, Head of Buying and Merchandising for Non-apparels, Head of Concessions, and Head of a venture called ‘Bargains’. Kumar is associated with various organisations and industry bodies that help and promote retail. He is also a visiting faculty at various business institutes and a sought-after contributor to leading magazines and newspapers as an authority on all things retail. A Chartered Accountant by qualification, Kumar has specialised in management consulting, taxation, audit and corporate matters at the start of his career. Over the years, he has witnessed success by taking up functions that require start-up or turn-around skills.

A retail virtuoso, Vineet Gautam is currently the Chief Executive officer (CEO) & Country Head of BESTSELLER India; the leading Danish clothing company which operates largely throughout Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Canada. In India, BESTSELLER is present under the brand names: JACK & JONES, VERO MODA, ONLY, SELECTED Homme, JACK & JONES Junior & VERO MODA Girl. He augments his current designation with his expertise in the retail industry, passion for fashion and technology, and a growth mindset. Mr. Gautam joined BESTSELLER in January 2010 and under his stewardship, BESTSELLER India has witnessed an unprecedented expansion and market penetration, solidifying its position as a dominant force in the Indian fashion retail sector. In a span of 14+ years, Vineet has been able to take the company from 15 doors to 1600+ doors. Mr. Gautam's strategic vision has been instrumental in steering the organization through evolving market dynamics, capitalizing on emerging trends, and delivering unparalleled value to customers. Prior to assuming his current role, Mr. Gautam led the team at United Colors of Benetton and handled retail and business development for all brands under UCB. He also headed the retail vertical for Idea Cellular where he had implemented the complete retail strategy for the Telecom giant. He has also worked for Wills Lifestyle, Café Coffee Day, Domino’s Pizza and Nirula’s. A Hotel Management Graduate from IHM-Delhi; he has over 2 decades of

experience in the Retail sector. Mr. Gautam’s profound impact on the retail landscape extends beyond the various organizational roles he has undertaken. He is widely regarded as a thought leader and influencer within the industry, frequently sharing his insights at conferences, seminars, and industry forums. His contributions to retail excellence have earned him numerous accolades and recognition from peers and industry bodies alike. As he continues to steer BESTSELLER India towards new heights of success, his visionary leadership and strategic foresight promise to shape the future of fashion retail in India and beyond.

Manish Kapoor, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer at Pepe Jeans India Limited, is responsible for the growth of the existing business portfolio and is instrumental in designing effective strategies that are aligned with the broader global Strategy. Manish joined Pepe Jeans India in the year 2014 as Vice President Sales. Within a span of two years he was promoted to Sales Director and was heading the sales vertical for the entire business that comprises company and franchisee owned exclusive stores, department stores, e- commerce, distribution and off-price verticals. With his growing understanding and contribution to the growth of the brand, in April 2019, he was elevated to Chief Business Officer and shortly appointed as Chief Executive Officer in September 2019 to head the entire Pepe Jeans business in India. Starting Jan 2022, he was promoted to the position of Managing Director in continuation to his existing role as CEO. Manish Kapoor is a skilled business professional, with overall experience of 20+ years in the world of fashion retail with great exposure to all business functions like product, supply chain, brand management, marketing, brand operations and retail operations. Manish Kapoor has led the brand to win numerous industry accolades and helped the company earn recognition for its consumer focused business strategy. Pepe Jeans was the recipient of the Images Retail Most Admired Retailer: Retail Re-imagined 2021 for its ground-breaking & innovative campaign Pepe HD (Home Delivery) for having converted Pepe Jeans stores into fulfillment centers to cater to its customers and offer same day delivery in the absence of a website. Kapoor has often been awarded for his exemplary leadership and business know-how. In 2021 he was recognized as The Economic Times Inspiring CEO for his efforts in helping steer Pepe Jeans to great heights even during unprecedented times of the Covid 19 aftermath. In the same year Kapoor was also acknowledged for his efforts towards sustaining a high-trust, high-performing culture by Great Place to Work – India’s Best Leaders in Times of Crisis 2021. Manish Kapoor is a strategist & implementer with demonstrated abilities in accomplishing business growth on a consistent basis. He has previously held key leadership roles in brands such as French Connection, Sisley, Benetton India, Pantaloons and Madura Garments to name a few. Kapoor acquired a B-Tech degree from the Technological Institute of Textiles and Science in 2000 and further continued to pursue a diploma degree in Apparel Marketing and Merchandising Management from NIFT in 2002. He was awarded the Gold Medal for Academic Excellence at NIFT and was an All India topper in his PGDAMMM course across all NIFT centers.

Sushant Dash was appointed as the CEO of Tata Starbucks, which is the Indian branch of Starbucks with hundreds of stores opened across the country, in 2021. Sushant was one of the initial Tata employees to be a part of the Starbucks India project, responsible for the entry of the world’s largest coffee company to open its doors in India. As of 2023, Tata Starbucks had over 340 stores in the country. Sushant has been associated with the Tata Group for a very long time, initially being a part of Tata Consumer Products, which is the company that produces Tata Tea, Tata Salt, and Tetley beverages. Starbucks entered the Indian market in 2012 by entering into a 50-50 deal with Tata Group. After opening hundreds of stores across the country, Starbucks India had a revenue of over Rs 683 crore in 2022-23. Starbucks has an overall revenue of Rs 2.60 lakh crore internationally.

Mr. Rahul Agrawal has an experience of over 19 years and is associated with the Company since July 2017. Currently he serves as Chief Executive Officer and Whole Time Director of the Company. He has been instrumental in the growth of the Company from ~80 restaurants to over 200 restaurants currently. At Barbeque Nation, Mr. Agrawal has been responsible for many milestones achieved by the Company such as international expansion, acquisition of Toscano, launch of delivery vertical, UBQ and biryani brand, Dum Safar. He has also successfully executed various funding rounds to support the growth of the Company including PE investment, IPO and a preferential allotment.

A Retail Professional worked as MD/CEO/Footwear Head with 21 years of experience in India , Thailand , Bangladesh, UAE (GCC). Enterprising, extroverted and customer-focused business leader with ability to build new business and forge loyalty with clients, vendors and external business partners. Enterprising leader with a solid record of contributions that streamlined operations, invigorated businesses, heightened productivity & enhanced internal controls. Motivational management style with a proven history of building, guiding and retaining high-performance teams to develop and implement strategies for accelerated growth. Leveraged entrepreneurial ability and skills in emerging business ventures to propel an organization to the top-tier of its industry. Strives to optimize operations, reduce costs and improve service quality while strengthening the bottom-line. Managed brands like Dune London, DSW, designer Hush puppies, Naturalizer, Toms, New balance, Birkenstock, Athlele’s Co, Herschel Supply company , POLO. A Senior International Executive with over 18 years of experience in Business Expansion, Import/Export, Sales Management, Negotiation, Business Development, RETAIL – Profit, Sales, Merchandising and Buying with a Business Management Degree in Marketing. Country experience in India, Thailand and Bangladesh. High performing executive with a proven track record of accomplishments in setting up mutually beneficial international and domestic business units with business value ranging from $60 million to $400 million. Holds distinction of Managing P & L , exploring new markets, standardizing retail operations,Manufacturing ,People Managment, initiating restructuring business activities for escalating turnovers & achieving goals. Attended Retail Specialized course (RETAILCO) at Singapore for higher knowledge of South Asian Countries Experience and best practices used by the other Bata Countries. Undergone the most advanced retail function and National Level responsibilities course (ADVANCO) in Europe for experience of European countries and their best practices.

Aanchal Saini, the CEO of Flyrobe, is a trailblazer who has not only revolutionized the fashion rental industry in India but has also become an influential figure in the shared economy space.

A Remarkable Education and Career Profile:

Aanchal’s journey began with a strong educational foundation, having completed her B.A. LL.B.(Hons.) from Amity Law School and enrolling with the Bar Council of Delhi in 2009 and practiced as litigating lawyer and an expert at Arbitration Law. Her professional trajectory took a dynamic turn when she founded RENT IT BAE in May 2016, one of the pioneers in the luxury fashion rental service. This venture’s success paved the way for Aanchal to acquire Flyrobe, India’s first and largest fashion rental

company and no. one competitor.

As the CEO of Flyrobe, Aanchal has demonstrated exceptional leadership skills insteering the business towards profitability and scale. Her strategic approach includes implementing an Omni channel strategy, combining online and offline avenues for maximum reach. Under her guidance, Flyrobe has achieved pan-India expansion and ventured into the B2B fashion rental business via the Franchise Model.

Aanchal’s success story is highlighted by numerous accolades, including the Ministry of Textile recognizing her contribution to sustainability vis-à-vis rental fashion, Times She Unlimited Award in the Fashion category from The Times of India Group, International Women’s Day Award by Mary Com by Imagine/Apple, Best Omni-channel- Rental Business By IREC Awards, D2C Award-Rental Category by Exchange 4 Media and many more. Notably, Aanchal has been a speaker at various forums, representing the shared economy space and growth in the fashion industry. Aanchal Saini, founder of Flyrobe, showcased her entrepreneurial prowess on Shark Tank India Season 3, where she successfully secured a deal with Shark Aman Gupta.

She highlighted the platform’s ability to provide access to premium fashion at a fraction of the cost, catering to the growing demand for sustainable and budget- friendly clothing options. Aanchal showcased Flyrobe’s robust technology infrastructure, efficient logistics, and strong customer base, underscoring its potential for scalability and profitability. This strategic partnership will propel Flyrobe to new heights, accelerating its expansion and solidifying its position as a leader in the fashion rental industry. Her commitment to sustainability and the growth of the shared economy is evident through her authored articles on topics such as Sustainability, Fashion Waste, and Renting is Trending.

Nitin Chhabra is the Founder & CEO of Ace turtle. He is a retail industry veteran with 25 years of experience. Prior to founding Ace turtle, he worked at Reliance Brands in various leadership roles where he was responsible for forming joint ventures and alliances. He is a retail industry veteran and has been the CEO of Brooks Brothers, Thomas Pink and Iconix Brands at Reliance Brands. He has also held various leadership roles at Reid & Taylor, VF Corporation and Arvind Brands. Nitin’s core responsibilities include setting the organisation & strategy and overseeing execution by the leadership team. The key areas of focus are business growth and profitability. He firmly believes that technology can make retail more efficient and scalable. Under his leadership, Ace turtle has grown to become a profitable company with revenue rising by 20 times in the last 3 years despite the pandemic.

Apeksha Gupta, is the dynamic CEO of John Jacobs since 2021. Holding an Executive MBA from INSEAD and a Master’s degree in Fashion Management from NIFT, Apeksha has transformed the direct-to-consumer (D2C) eyewear brand. Her strategic focus on technology, disruptive pricing, product innovation, and repositioning the product as a stylish and essential accessory has been instrumental in establishing John Jacob’s as the largest premium eyewear brand in India.

Apeksha’s journey to the top of the eyewear industry is marked by her unwavering dedication, strategic acumen, and commitment to customer satisfaction. She has successfully navigated the company through a competitive market, positioning John Jacobs as a pioneering force within the realm of fashion eyewear.

Mohit Khattar is Director and CEO, for Graviss Foods Pvt Ltd (GFPL). GFPL is the master franchisee for

the brand Baskin Robbins in India and the SAARC region. He is responsible for growing and managing

the business and the brand in this geography.

In his previous stint as CEO and MD for Natures Basket (as part of the Godrej group), he played a key

role in establishing and growing the brand and business multi-fold as a differentiated food retail

entity in India.

Mohit has earned his spurs building several successful programs and customer centric initiatives for

leading organisations including Titan Watches, Reckitt Benckiser, T.I Cycles of India, Subhiksha and

Godrej.

He is actively involved as an advisor to New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE), to help New-

Zealand based businesses enter India and scale their business here. He is also on the board for a few

food start-ups in the healthy eating as well as in the gourmet food space apart from being a mentor

to budding entrepreneurs in the food retail space.

Mohit is a Mechanical Engineer and an MBA in Marketing. He is based out of Mumbai.

Samir Srivastav is a distinguished senior thought leader in the Indian beauty industry, renowned for his exceptional leadership in steering the biggest beauty services brands across Indian and international markets. With a career marked by strategic vision and industry expertise, Samir has played a pivotal role in shaping the landscape of the beauty sector in India.

Having held leadership positions in leading beauty service companies, Samir Srivastav’s contributions extend beyond corporate success. He has been a key member of the Beauty skill development mission initiated by the Government of India, showcasing his commitment to empowering the youth of the nation.

Samir’s journey reflects a harmonious blend of business acumen and social responsibility, making him not just a business leader but also a catalyst for positive change within the Indian beauty sector. 

Today Samir Srivastav leads India’s largest luxury salon chain, Looks Salons with 200 salons spanning across 51 cities of India as Chief Executive Officer set to take Looks Salons to 500 Salons by 2029.

As the founder and CEO of insideFPV – a deep tech drone company revolutionising consumer, agriculture and defence space. His mission is to develop reliable drones that are easy to fly, accessible and safe. He is the first Indian drone company founder to speak on TEDx, also we were seen on shark tank India season 2 and Naya Bharat Show hosted by Sharman Joshi on Zee Tv.

Mr. Madhav Rao, the newly appointed Chief Strategy Officer of Pathfinder brings over 32 years of rich experience in technology leadership across diverse sectors including retail, wholesale and distribution, hospitality, food processing, healthcare, and global remittances. Before joining Pathfinder, Mr. Rao distinguished himself as the Chief Information Officer of Lulu International until 2019, and he is also a proud alumnus of Harvard Business School. His extensive expertise and visionary leadership are set to play a pivotal role in the success of RetailGPT, Pathfinder’s latest innovation. RetailGPT is a state-of-the-art digital platform, revolutionizing retail interactions with a personal digital avatar, making every interaction as simple as a conversation.

A veteran in the retail industry with an experience of over 20 years in Dubai, Oman and other gulf countries. Operating more than 15 brands and 180+ stores across 50+ cities in India. Mr. Ved has completed his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a major in Finance & Marketing from Boston University and is a Questrom School of Business alumni (’94). With 150+ stores spread across nine premium international brands – Victoria’s Secret, Victoria’s Secret PINK, Charles & Keith, Aldo, Aldo Accessories, Bath & Body Works, Tim Hortons, Inglot, Call It Spring, Anne Klein, Herschel Supply Co., R&B, Beverly Hills Polo Club, La Vie En Rose, and Daiso Japan in India; Apparel Group, under Mr. Ved’s able tutelage is on expansion mode. His excellent persuasion skills have enabled the steadfast growth of the organisation boasting premium international brands on its portfolio since its inception. His vision is to give Indian consumers a top-notch experience, backed with plush services and great products, every time they walk into an Apparel Group store. Fostering an environment that allows his team to flourish, Mr. Ved believes in leveraging his people’s strengths while creating a framework for them to simultaneously envision personal ambitions. Empowering his teams with frank conversations, clarity, strong direction, passion and focus – his zest for success is highly infectious and instrumental in realising the goals of the organisation. Mr. Ved sums up his overall philosophy for consistent growth and sustenance as, “I believe that if you show people the problems and you show them the solutions they will be moved to act”.

Priyanka Gupta is the third-generation industry leader of the legacy premium retail chain of India, GKB Opticals. On completion of her graduation in business administration from Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, California, Priyanka joined the family business. She is currently the Director of Brands at GKB and is responsible for the selection of eyewear brands and allocation to the top stores as per the market demand. She oversees the entire product lifecycle, from concept creation to market launch, ensuring that GKB consistently delivers high-quality, stylish, and functional eyewear that meets the diverse needs of its customers.

Throughout her career, she has demonstrated a deep understanding of the market, exceptional leadership skills, and a passionate commitment to innovation. Staying ahead of the curve in the retail sphere by identifying emerging trends and consumer preferences has been her key areas of focus. Collection events such as Wedding Edit which has an exclusive collection of high-end luxury eyewear brands curated for Indian weddings, and private viewing of designer brands for the target customers have been her brainchild. Apart from that, organizing various brand events with eminent fashion houses like Lindberg, Tomford, and DITA for the customers have helped GKB to establish a brand connection with their customers. 

To make the retail experience better, she has come up with the concept of unique store designs that will add to the overall experience of shopping for everyone in GKB stores. An example of that is the Gurusaday store in Kolkata which will have the first lens experience zone with a customization of lens tints according to the customers' preferences of style and functional needs.

She is also the founder of the Home service vertical that caters to the customer base who need eye check-ups and have the option of choosing from 20 plus branded frames and 100 plus different styles in the comfort of their homes.

Besides, cultivating and strengthening GKB's brand identity and ensuring that it resonates with target audiences and stands out within the competitive landscape has also been another area of her focus.

Priyanka is also driven by a genuine passion for the positive impact that eyewear can have on people & lives. It is more than just an eyewear! “My vision is for the optical industry to transform from a purely need based industry to an important component of style and self- expression!” Says Priyanka Gupta. She believes that glasses are more than just a corrective tool; they can be an expression of personal style, a confidence booster, and even a gateway to improved vision and well-being.

Mr  Saurabh Jhingan co-founded Latin Quarters along with Mr Rahul Bhalla in 2006. He has a bachelor’s degree from Hofstra university in the field of Management with over 20 years experience in the field of retail. He heads the entire operations with a focus on expansion as well as business  development. Prior to founding Latin Quarters, he was managing a chain of pharmacies for 6 years in New York.

Sandip is a fervent believer in e-commerce’s potential to reshape the world. Leading PwC India’s Experience & E-commerce division and specializing in crafting ROI-focused solutions across diverse industries, he leverages expertise in various technology platforms to excel in B2B2C and marketplace strategy and implementations. Sandip’s visionary leadership extends to overcoming all technology, and digital marketing + Martech challenges, also integrating cutting-edge logistics & supply chain solutions, reshaping India’s business landscape. His commitment to seamless, personalized customer experiences across digital and physical touchpoints drives innovation, positioning businesses for success in an ever-evolving digital space, while fostering growth and sustainability on a global scale.

A graduate from Mumbai University, Shibu Philips brings with him over 27 years of experience launching international quick service restaurants and state of the art shopping malls. He is one of the pioneers who transformed the retail arena of the country, with a glittering track record that dates back to the year 2000. One of the main driving forces behind the launch of three of India’s best Shopping Malls, Inorbit Malad Mumbai, Oberoi Mall Mumbai and Lulu Mall Kerala, he is a Level 3 certified Shopping centre Manager from International council of shopping centres – ICSC (USA), receiving professional recognition of the body twice during Maxi 2007 and 2014. In 2010, he joined Lulu Group to play a key role in the visionary project headed by the CMD of the group, to bring international shopping experiences to Kerala for the first time. Needless to say, the dream was realised in record time, and Shibu Philips was part of the team that gave life to that vision. As Business Head of Lulu Mall, Kochi, the mall made waves in a market with no prior exposure to international shopping malls, marching ahead by setting one milestone after another. From there, he played a key role in Lulu Mall’s extensive expansion plans to markets like Lucknow, Bangalore, Trivandrum, Hyderabad, Thrissur and other cities in India. Today, he is the Director – Shopping Malls for Lulu Group India. With Lulu Group’s aggressive expansion plan across the country, Shibu Philips will be in charge of launching and running over 12 additional malls in the next 3 years. Real commitment never goes unrecognized, and recognitions came looking for him, wherever he rendered his service. Being adjudged one of the “Most Influential Shopping Centre Professional” in India is just one feather in his cap.

At the dawn of the 21st century, VIP Clothing Ltd. (formerly known as Maxwell Industries Ltd.) welcomed a new era of dynamic leadership with the arrival of Mr. Kapil Jaykumar Pathare to its Board of Directors. Remarkably, Mr. Pathare, at just 21 years old, left an indelible mark on the company, showcasing his adeptness in situational leadership, swift decision-making, and effective communication of management directives. From the outset, Mr. Pathare demonstrated a strong inclination towards operational management, particularly within the realm of manufacturing innerwear products, driven by a steadfast commitment to quality. While acknowledging Maxwell's legacy as a pioneering innerwear manufacturer, he infused the company with a fresh, customer-centric global vision, revolutionizing both its manufacturing and marketing paradigms. Armed with a clear vision and a profound understanding of human dynamics, Mr. Pathare believes that the success of any business hinges upon a deep comprehension of its human resources— their motivations, skills, and values. His academic journey, encompassing a Master's in Business Administration following a degree in Commerce, coupled with continuous professional development through seminars and mentoring, has equipped him with a holistic understanding of business systems and operations. Leading by example, Mr. Pathare has fostered a culture of excellence within his team, setting SMART objectives and instilling a commitment to innovation and continuous improvement across manufacturing and marketing domains. Under his stewardship, VIP Clothing Ltd. has garnered numerous accolades, including the prestigious ABBY Gold Award and recognition from the Clothing Manufacturers Association of India (CMAI) for excellence in both men's and women's innerwear Categories. As an accomplished author, Mr. Pathare has penned two insightful books: "Cricket to Corporate,” which draws parallels between cricketing strategies and corporate leadership, and "A Tall Order,” which celebrates the leadership traits of Indian cricketing legends. His latest book, "Maiden Innings," shines a spotlight on women's cricket, reflecting his unwavering commitment to promoting diversity and inclusivity in sports. Mr. Pathare remains digitally connected, sharing his insights and engaging with a broader audience. His journey from successful businessman to esteemed author exemplifies his multifaceted talents and unwavering passion for cricket and literature alike. In "Maiden Innings," Mr. Kapil Pathare’s profound admiration for cricket shines through, as he explores the captivating rise of women's cricket and endeavours to inspire a new generation of female athletes. His writing is not only compelling but also accessible, appealing to both avid cricket enthusiasts and newcomers to the sport.

Jan 2023 onwards: Director – Transformation, Pepe Jeans India Limited

2020-2022: Chief Supply Chain Officer, More Retail Private Limited

2014 – 2020: Chief Supply Chain Officer, Fonterra Brands Private Limited

2011 – 2014: Sr. Vice President, Planning and Supply Chain

1997-2011: Titan, Madura Garments, Arvind Brands, Infosys Consulting, Mohawk Corporation

Education:

1991: B.Tech Electronics, College of Engineering, Trivandrum

1997: MBA, XLRI – Jamshedpur

An MBA & Economics Graduate with broad experience in Garment Retailing, Real Estate Consulting , Mall Management, Business Restructuring, Sustainable Business Strategy & Business Development.

Specialties: Retail,operations,market research,sales,marketing, finance,Real Estate, Real Estate Consultancy,Retail Consultancy & Analytics.

Brajesh Singh Rawat is a seasoned professional with twenty years of experience in retail, e-commerce, and IT. He currently serves as the Director of Digital at Matahari Department Stores, Indonesia’s largest retail chain, encompassing 156 stores spread across 82 cities. With a focus on digital transformation and omni-channel retail strategies, Brajesh leverages first-party data to tailor loyalty programs and integrates smart store technologies and social commerce to enhance customer engagement. Prior to his tenure at Matahari, he held pivotal positions at Marks and Spencer India, Snapdeal, and Pepperfry. Brajesh holds a Master’s degree in Fashion Technology from NIFT.

India, March 14, 2024: KISNA, a leading diamond and gold jewellery brand established in 2005, has carved a space for itself in the Indian market. The brand’s success story is driven by the vision and leadership of Parag Shah, who joined H. K. Jewels Pvt. Ltd. in 2002 and rose to become its director.

Parag Shah’s dedication and expertise were pivotal in KISNA’s growth. He started his journey within H. K. Jewels, as an assistant production manager, gradually climbed the ranks, bringing a wealth of experience from his past work with international brands. This comprehensive knowledge, spanning from the manufacturing stage to the end product reaching the customer, increased KISNA’s turnover by tenfold in just five years. Parag Shah’s vision extended beyond simply leading the brand. He spearheaded several

key initiatives that have shaped KISNA’s success:

• Establishing Manufacturing: KISNA gained complete control over the production process, ensuring quality and consistency.
• Product Development & Research: Over 1800+ dedicated employees are committed to creating innovative and contemporary designs for the modern market.
• Pan-India Distribution: KISNA became a household name in India by establishing distribution channels across 450 cities & 28 states. Today, KISNA Diamond & Gold jewellery is available in over 3,000 stores nationwide.
• Brand Corner: Under the leadership of Parag Shah, Kisna Diamond and Gold Jewelry has expanded its reach and customer engagement through innovative concepts like brand corners and shop-in-shop experiences.
• Gold Jewellery Business: Diversifying its portfolio, KISNA ventured into the gold jewellery market, catering to a broader customer base.
• Retail Expansion: KISNA opened 25 retail stores within a year and plans to open 75 stores by 2024-25. The company is focusing towards rapid expansion of its franchise operations with a vision to have the widest KISNA Franchised Retail Chain across the country.
• Online Sales Success: Recognising the growing online market, KISNA established a successful online sales platform.
• B2B Division: Launched in 2016, the B2B division provides white-label manufacturing services to large retailers in India and the Gulf region. Significant brands like Senco, Kalyan, Malabar, Reliance, and Tanishq are among H. K. Jewels’ B2B clients.
• Ecommerce Division – KISNA Diamond and Gold Jewellery has embraced the digital era by developing its cutting-edge e-commerce platform, Kisna.com. This strategic initiative has revolutionized the way customers interact with the brand, providing them with a seamless and convenient online shopping experience.

Under Parag Shah’s guidance, these initiatives have not only enhanced KISNA’s visibility and accessibility but have also strengthened its relationships with customers and retail partners. By prioritizing innovation and customer-centricity, KISNA continues to set new standards in the jewelry industry and remains a trusted name synonymous with quality and excellence. Parag Shah’s leadership has propelled KISNA’s growth and earned him recognition within the industry. He has been a spokesperson in industry seminars and had his accomplishments recognised through various awards, such as Brand of the Year, Star Retailer Award, Jewellery Choice Designs, Best Diamond Jewellery Brand of the Year and many more. KISNA also won the prestigious Great Place to Work certification for two consecutive years. This highlights his commitment to fostering a positive work environment alongside exceptional business results. One of Parag Shah’s accomplishments is the significant creation of Sampoorna, patented in India. Sampoorna is a complete system designed to guide users towards achieving desired results in their daily tasks effectively and in less time. It helps users track all their assigned tasks and to-dos, ensuring coordination and completion on or before planned deadlines. By utilising Sampoorna, users can avoid unfinished work due to other commitments, promoting increased productivity and efficiency. KISNA’s journey exemplifies the power of vision, dedication, and strategic planning. With its strong foundation and innovative approach, KISNA is well-positioned to carry on its success story in the years to come, remaining a leading diamond jewellery brand in India and on the world stage.

Raghav Agarwal is the Director at V-Bazaar Retail, a value fashion retail format, currently operating 97 stores pan India. He is currently overlooking the Retail and Supply Chain operations. He pursued a BBA in Finance and Entrepreneurship from the University of San Francisco. He has been an awardee and an active panelist in various retail and fashion events. Raghav is passionate about investing, entrepreneurship and an enthusiast for sports and travelling.

Ayush Aggarwal completed his Bachelors in Petroleum Engineering from University of Alberta, Canada, 2018. With interest in finance he later pursued CFA and joined one of the top investment banks in Canada. While working as an investment banker, Ayush researched the market & found Ayurvedic products in Canada were more regulated, tested, and of better quality than in India, even though India being the roots of Ayurveda. He realized the potential of Ayurveda for India & the world and decided to come back to India to deliver a seamless experience of Ayurveda to India. Now after almost 4 years since inception, Rasayanam is one of the fastest growing Health & Wellness D2C brands in the country with more than 10 Lakh customers served.

Mr. Deepak Chhabra as the Managing Director of Timex Group India Limited, brings with him versatile leadership experience in Retail, Brand management, P&L Management, and strategic business planning. With over two decades of experience and recognition for driving innovation, he is spearheading Timex Group#39;s business transformation in India, focusing on superior brand experiences and customer-centric strategies. Formerly MD of Tupperware India, he orchestrated a transformative shift from direct selling company to a multi-channel strategy, introduced Retail, e-tail and e-commerce to increase consumer access thus elevating the market share and broadening the brand#39;s scope. He was also instrumental in Brand offerings beyond plastics. Previously he also led Crocs India as the MD and was instrumental in ramping up business and improving Brand’s reach and relevance. A Footwear Technologist and Marketeer by qualification, he started his career in 1996 with Phoenix International Limited and since then has held various leadership roles and strategic initiatives for Marquee brands like Reliance Retail, Skechers and Sprandi along with Tupperware and Crocs. He is a highly self-motivated and driven leader who believes in going beyond his comfort zone and taking risks, and he firmly believes that one should accept their failures as much as they celebrate their success.

M.D. of Soulflower, is a trailblazer in India’s natural skincare and haircare industry. He introduced Soulflower to cater to wellness-conscious consumers, specializing in natural oils. His journey from a teenage entrepreneur to an e-commerce pioneer expanded his national presence. On the international front, he digitally launched the brand, achieving Amazon best-seller status and FDA compliance without offshore offices. Beyond Soulflower, he promotes entrepreneurship as President of the ‘Young Entrepreneurs’ Society (YES) and initiated the ‘Shadow the Leader’ program in collaboration with the Bombay Chambers of Commerce and is a board member of prestigious organizations, including the World Trade Center Mumbai.

Colonel Chandhoke is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Victorinox India. A Chartered Accountant by qualification, Mr. Chandhoke has been associated with Victorinox India since the inception of the subsidiary in 2006. Equipped with a robust background of over 17 years across diverse sectors such as education, banking, and retail, Mr. Chandhoke has been instrumental in growing brands and setting up base for diversified channels and product categories. He has played a key role in establishing and growing the Victorinox India team from just 10 team members at the outset, to the present number of 200 plus. With a definitive goal of attaining Rs.200 crores for the organization by 2025, Mr Chandhoke aims to create and sustain a stronghold position for the brand, as it enjoys global visibility over the last several decades across all its diversified product categories. 

With over two decades of rich experience in the F&B industry, Tarak Bhattacharya serves as the Executive Director and CEO of Mad Over Donuts. Under his leadership, the acclaimed donut brand has grown from a 12-store set-up in Mumbai to a chain of 150+ stores across 6 cities in India, serving over 10 million delighted patrons.

Over his illustrious career, Tarak has worked with several renowned F&B companies. He headed Operations for Barista, one of India’s first and most successful coffee brands, and was later appointed as the COO for MGH Restaurants Pvt. Ltd. to lead two of their popular brands- Nando’s and Barista for their markets in Bangladesh and Nepal. Having worked across continents with diverse cultures, Tarak has a keen understanding of local sensibilities that he uses to inform business strategies.

In 2011, Tarak was named COO at Himesh Foods Pvt. Ltd. for their Singaporean gourmet brand Mad Over Donuts. He was promoted to Executive Director and CEO in 2019. A multi-faceted leader, Tarak currently manages diverse aspects of operations, planning and human resources at Mad Over Donuts India.

Rajneet is CEO & Executive Director of Britannia Industries, one of India’s largest FMCG company with turnover of >USD $2 Billion; market cap of $13+ Bn. As part of the company’s vision to become a responsible ‘Global Total Foods Company’, Rajneet is leading the expansion into new food and beverage categories by driving product innovation and building trusted brands. Rajneet is also building agility in the organisation to respond faster to rapidly evolving market needs, while building capabilities in Data, Digital and People. He chairs the company’s Digital Council; leading Britannia’s Transformation journey. Under Rajneet’s leadership, the company is also accelerating its sustainability initiatives across every facet of the business. 

Rajneet has served in senior leadership roles with 26 years of experience in consumer goods and retail sectors. Prior to Britannia, Rajneet worked with Jubilant FoodWorks as President; Chief Business Officer Domino’s (4+ yrs), Coca-Cola (14 yrs) as Senior Vice President, Asian Paints (5.5 yrs) as Regional Manager Color Steels in UK. He has a track record of scaling up businesses and building highly engaged teams, while delivering high performance and profitable growth.

Rajneet is thought leader & holds several leadership positions as:

•  Chairman of CII Retail; Omnichannel 2023
•  Member of CII & FICCI FMCG & Food Processing National Committees
•  Board member of Britannia Bel Foods Private Limited

Rajneet is an MBA from University of Wales, UK and has completed senior leadership programs from Columbia Business School, NY and Indian School of Business (ISB).

RADHA AS HE IS POPULARLY KNOWN HAS BEEN A CORPORATE CITIZEN FOR 4 DECADES.

His experience covers a significantly diverse field of work.A start-up expert in various businesses small and big. Currently, he is the Director Tata Starquik.com, the Omni-channel partner of StarBazaar, of Tata Trent. He started this as a start up in 2017, it is a prominent player in the grocery business. He was founder of Grocermax, a startup in online grocery business in Gurgaon in 2014, which was later acquired by Tata. Radha also was the President of the KB’s FairPrice format and Future Fresh Foods (the F&V play) in Future Group of Kishore Biyani. His previous experiences as the CEO of the Reliance Retail as a start-up in 2005 for 6 years, embellishes his career. Interesting past businesses include Tea Tasting, Aqua Culture, launching TopRamen and CupNoodles (IndoNissin Foods Limited) and frozen food brand Sumeru, making his career very admirable.

SOCIETAL WORK

Was the first member to Head the Skill Development Council of India. 

Trustee of Sankalp Special School, Chennai for Autism learning disability. 

Driving the ONDC grocery launch, from ideation to business development.

Sagar Daryani serves as CEO & Co-Founder of Wow! Momo Foods Pvt. Ltd.  Having done his schooling from St. James School, Kolkata & Graduation from St. Xaviers Kolkata, Sagar Daryani & his college friend, Binod Homagai started Wow! Momo immediately after completion of 3rd Year Final Exams (Even before the results were Out) at the age of 21 in 2008 with an initial Investment of only Rs. 30,000. Headquartered in Kolkata, today WOW! Momo is a chain of fast food restaurants  specializing in different varieties of momos. The initial stores were kiosks inside hypermarkets of Big Bazaar and Spencer’s in Kolkata, which paved a way of opening food outlets in malls, tech parks and other commercial locations. WOW! Momo has expanded from Kolkata to Mumbai, Delhi, Noida, Gurgaon, Bengaluru, Chennai, Lucknow, Kochi, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Puri and Kanpur. With a recent Company valuation of over INR 450 crores, and the journey from small kiosks in Kolkata to India’s largest home grown Quick Service Restaurant Chain, today Wow! Momo is India’s largest chain of Momos both in terms of Volumes & Turnovers with over 200 Outlets across 13 cities. Sagar & his team have literally “played with momos” & now their menu caters to 13 different flavours of momos available in Steamed, Fried & Pan fried variants. They have smartly Innovated & Invented to create Sizzler Momos, Momo Burgers, Momo Chats, Tandoori momos to name a few. Even their dessert is a Chocolate momo. Currently Wow! Momo produces over 2 Lac pieces of momos per day. Sagar is an enthusiast who is highly passionate about brand building. He dreams of an India where employment is 100%. The company currently employs over 1800 staff of which about 100 are especially able or from various NGOs which the company has partnered with.  Under his leadership Wow! Momo has earned many awards & accolades including National Entrepreneurship Award 2016 from Ministry of Skills Development and Entrepreneurship, Govt of India & The Images Most Admired Indian origin Quick Service Restaurant chain of the year 2018. The brand, under his leadership aspires to be the McDonalds of India and aims to become one of the World’s fastest growing QSR Chains, thereby creating employment & adding value to the economy & society as a whole. With the focus on increasing and enhancing its customer base and service respectively, a 1000 Wow! Momo outlets in the near future are a definite possibility.

Vinod Naik co-founded NEWME with Sumit Jasoria, Himanshu Chaudhary, and Shivam Tripathi in July 2022. He is a seasoned retail professional with 20+ years of experience in Planning, Buying, merchandising, and vendor management across Brands, large format stores, hypermarkets & e-

commerce both at Domestic as well as international Levels. He is a Textile Engineer & has done his Post-Graduation in Marketing from Symbiosis Institute of Management Studies. In the past, he has managed Key Senior portfolios across companies like Shoppers Stop, Future Group, Landmark Retail (GCC), Limeroad.com, etc. He started his entrepreneurial journey with Vivinkaa, an e-commerce startup offering trendy ladies’ bags and accessories. In a short span of 3 years, he was able to build it as one of the leading bag brands in terms of popularity across almost all the leading channels like Myntra, Amazon, Flipkart, Limeroad, Meesho, LBB, etc. The brand has won several excellence awards for

its outstanding performance across leading sites. Currently, at NEWME he is focusing on building the next-generation Fashion Tech for India & South East Asia and is responsible for building the entire assortment & supply chain. He finds his passion in identifying a retail need & coming up with a solution that is effective for the customer and profitable & scalable for the Stakeholders. In the past, he has won various industry recognitions for his excellence including the “Top Retail Minds” by Asia Africa GCC Retail Congress consecutively in 2021 & 2022.

Sanjay Vakharia is the CEO of Spykar Lifestyle Private Ltd. and has been part of the original team that founded Spykar in 1992. His sharp business acumen saw him rise from overseeing product development and Marketing to being the CEO. He has played a key role in the overall Marketing & Brand Communication strategies at Spykar. Under his astute direction, Spykar has set up a robust distribution platform across the length and breadth of the country spanning EBOs, LFRs, MBOs, and online sales.

A passionate workaholic and troubleshooter is the CEO and Founder of Snitch – the fastest-growing fast-fashion brand for men. With a lively nature and kind demeanor, Siddharth is known for his tenacity and relentless pursuit of success. Born and brought up in Bangalore, Siddharth’s journey into the world of fashion began over a decade ago.

Education and Early Ventures:

Siddharth is a graduate of Bhagwan Mahavir Jain College in Bangalore, where he completed his Bachelor of Commerce degree. At the young age of 18, driven by his passion for clothes, started a small 400-square-foot retail store named 4EVER in Frazer Town, Bangalore. The success of his retail venture attracted the attention of other retailers who wanted to purchase merchandise for their stores. This led Siddharth to venture into the B2B business on a small scale.

Trials and Triumphs:

In mid-February 2012, Siddharth struck a deal with a large manufacturing company to sell their leftover fabrics. However, a sudden audit by the company resulted in a delay in dispatching the stocks. The buyer, unable to wait, cancelled the deal, leaving Siddharth in a challenging situation.

With limited savings and a loan from a friend, Siddharth found himself with a surplus of fabric that others were offering to buy at significantly lower prices. Determined to overcome this setback, Siddharth decided to convert the fabric into shirts. Despite having no prior knowledge of production, patterns, or materials, he managed to find a factory in Bangalore willing to do a trial order of 500 shirts. This marked the turning point in Siddharth’s journey, as the shirts were well-received by a retailer in Mumbai, who subsequently placed additional orders.

Building Snitch:

Siddharth’s ability to source high-quality fabric and design standout products became Snitch’s unique selling proposition (USP). Starting with just one retailer, Snitch quickly expanded its customer base to include over 100 retailers and large brands across India. Over the years, Snitch garnered a reputation for its manufacturing capabilities and expertise, serving as a trusted partner for 12+ years before the launch of the Snitch brand.

Navigating Challenges and Expanding Horizons:

Like many businesses, Snitch faced significant challenges during the pandemic. However, Siddharth’s entrepreneurial spirit and determination propelled him forward. Despite limited resources and knowledge in e-commerce, Siddharth took a chance and launched snitch.co. on July 4, 2020.

With a team of just four members and 39 products on the website, Snitch made its first sale within one hour of going live.

Siddharth’s Approach to Operations and Finance:

As the CEO, Siddharth takes a hands-on approach to managing Snitch’s operations and finance. His experience in the industry has honed his expertise in production, design, and operations, ensuring the brand consistently delivers high-quality products. Siddharth’s astute financial management has played a crucial role in Snitch’s growth and sustainability.

Personal Values and Leadership Style:

Siddharth upholds core values such as integrity, dedication, and resilience. His leadership style is marked by a strong focus on teamwork, collaboration, and fostering an environment where employees can thrive. Siddharth’s unwavering commitment to his team’s growth and well-being has contributed to the vibrant and cohesive work culture at Snitch.

Future Growth and Expansion:

Snitch’s primary vision is to become the fastest-growing fast-fashion brand in India. With Siddharth’s guidance and the collective efforts of the Snitch team, the brand has already made significant strides in achieving this goal.

Snitch is India’s only D2C brand that touched 150Cr ARR within 2 years of inception, being bootstrapped. Siddharth’s achievements have also earned him recognition as a young entrepreneur, as well as accolades such as being listed in “40 under 40” and receiving the Indian Achievers Award.

Siddharth Dungarwal’s entrepreneurial journey, marked by resilience, innovation, and a commitment to quality, has positioned Snitch as a formidable force in the fast-fashion industry. With his visionary leadership and unwavering dedication, he is poised to lead Snitch to even greater heights in the

years to come.

Neha Kant is the Founder and Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) of Clovia, a premier fashion, lingerie, and personal care brand for the urban millennial woman. After a decade-long career in corporate India, working with FCB Ulka and India Today Group, Neha identified a gap in the lingerie market in India and decided to address it by launching a solution-oriented brand.

With Clovia, Neha meant to redefine the Indian lingerie market and help customers choose beyond standard cuts, shapes and colours. Clovia is all about finding the unique size and fit for every girl and woman and providing solutions to a whole host of wardrobe problems. Last year, Neha took Clovia to one of the biggest exits in the Indian apparel space thereby raising the brand’s profile globally.

Since inception, till today, Neha’s mantra is that lingerie is a critical part of one’s wardrobe and it doesn’t need to be drab and boring. She aims to occupy the “most-favorite brand” space in the minds of her consumers.

Neha has also been instrumental in building  the brand ethos of ‘Joy’ at Clovia which is meant not just for customers but also the team thereby creating a cheerful work-environment which promotes job-satisfaction despite high-pressure situations common at start-ups. Clovia is today well-known for being a happy work-place, with people who are satisfied and fulfilled in their work.

Neha has been recognized by renowned industry bodies for her entrepreneurship, including being named Best Woman Entrepreneur by RBL Bank at its SME Business Excellence Awards 2017 and D2C Icon of India 2022 by the Images Group.

Interests: In her free time, Neha is passionate about sports and played basketball at state & university levels in her student years. Today, she dabbles in chess and Rubik’s Cube that allow her to take mini-breaks during the day. She believes that sports and hobbies are essential for a well-rounded and fulfilling life.

About Clovia:

Clovia’s design and production process is based on an amalgamation of fashion and technology. The company has patent-pending algorithms that help them gauge customer purchase patterns and track post-purchase/usage feedback. Clovia is close to 600 people strong but generates indirect employment for 10,000 more. As a mark of milestone the brand has 70 EBOs and 250 other retail touch points with 140 factories manufacturing different product lines in India, shipping close to 15L pieces a month and selling a piece every 2 seconds, with a customer base of 4 million. Clovia aims to fit 50 mn women in the next 4 years. 

Brand recognition by reputed publications and industry bodies 

• TiE-CREST Knights of Supply Chain 2023 
• One of the leading promising brands by The Economic Times as part of ET Promising Brand 2022
• Technology Excellence Awards 2023 for Best Consumer Service Technology of the Year.
• IAMAI’s 13th India Digital Awards- Silver in the Best SEO Marketing for Happy is my superpower campaign

Vishal Mahajan is a MBA , Graduate from LONDON..Year 2000 BATCH After more than a decade working in the retail and real estate industry I saw the need for a fresh and progressive approach to the Indian Retail Industry. I also saw the necessity for an agency to stand out from the rest of the crowd that could redefine Indian Retail Industry as we know it. From this OPTIMAL RETAIL was born. OPTIMAL RETAIL has grown from a one man operation to an organization of 180 staff members over 12 Stores, India with the professionally managed team. In fact the organization has been quoted as being ‘The fastest growing Retail Industry In India.’

“Food is not just about eating. it’s an experience.” With this vision, Santosh Tyagi plans for Ghoomar to be a world class and unique experience chain spreading the culture of India across all major cities around the globe.

Venkat Nott is a seasoned entrepreneur, passionate about creating disruptive SaaS products & business models. In Vinculum, he is the CEO and takes care of corporate strategy, Global Sales, Investor relations, and fundraising. Through Vinculum, Venkat aims to help 4000+ brands to scale globally by 2024. Venkat has lived and worked in multiple countries in Asia including New Zealand, Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore, and India.  He speaks English and 6 Indian languages and is an alumnus of REC Calicut and IIM Bangalore.

At a young age, all of 21 years old, Muskaan Arora embraced the world of entrepreneurship as the founder and CEO of 11 Ouest, a creative branding and marketing agency offering bespoke services for

brands across different industries. Ms. Arora has a distinct understanding of the retail real estate industry, owing to her Bachelors in Fashion Business Management & Economics, at Fashion Institute of Technology, New York. Her understanding of the new emergence in Indian Retail, which is culturally and digitally on-the-move, can be very well attributed to herself and the team at 11 Ouest having first-hand knowledge of the digital landscape, being GenZs and Millennials themselves. Ms. Arora and her team specialize in building immersive, new-age and relevant experiences for consumers of brands such as PVR and House of Liberty and shopping centres including the likes of Nexus Malls, Phoenix Palladium and Unison Centrio amongst others. With a special acumen of focusing on acquiring and retaining the future consumers – the Gen Zs, the agency has proven to have an edge amongst its peers. This strength comes from having worked for significant retail brands such as Reliance Brands Limited and agencies such as Havas Group and Spike Brand and Content Studio in the past. Now that 11 Ouest has a strong foothold amongst the shopping malls and retail centres, Ms. Arora aims to expand and establish a significant presence in other real-estate spaces such as hospitality as well. The ambition is to enable and nurture the relationship between brands and their customers by building meaningful consumer journeys with 11 Ouest being the bridge that closes the gap between the two.

Abhijeet Anand is the Founder and CEO of abcoffee. Ardently passionate about coffee, he aims to bring the best of Indian coffees to Indians. Prior to starting abCoffee, he worked in the energy industry for 9 years, during which time he travelled 22 countries and worked in 7 different cities across the world. He holds a bachelor’s degree from IIT Dhanbad, a Diploma in Law from NUJS Kolkata and a Master’s in Political Marketing from Rome Business School, Italy. Abhijeet also runs a foundation called Sarthak Mentoring Foundation which enables exchange of knowledge and guidance from adults to vulnerable students from highly exposed sections of society. This is the first of its kind remotely operated mentorship program in the world.

Karan Tanna is the Founder & CEO at Ghost Kitchens India. He is a serial restauranteur with two successful exits before founding Ghost Kitchens India. He is well known in the Food Industry having won many accolades.

Career Span:

A graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Automobile Engineering, he embarked on his professional career as the Assistant Manager at General Motors and later as a Research Analyst at McKinsey and Company.

Goodies: Karan launched and successfully ran a 180 seater Bistro in Ahmedabad.

Kutchi King: Karan partnered with Kutchi King in mid – 2014, a QSR chain and influenced its growth to 300+ plus stores in 3 years.

Yellow Tie Hospitality (YTH): YTH was founded by Karan in December 2015 as India’s first organized food and beverage franchise management company which had a portfolio of 10 brands with 100+ stores across Pan India.

Ghost Kitchens India:

Ghost Kitchens was founded in October 2019 which has 25+ specialized food delivery brands and its proprietary tech platform which could be leveraged by restaurants to become profitable by generating incremental food delivery orders. Ghost Kitchens has grown to have expanded to 150 Fulfilment Partners and 30 Brands throughout India in 40 cities with 1100 Internet Restaurants.

Ghost Kitchen has made three significant milestone acquisitions:

1. Goila Butter Chicken: Ghost Kitchens took Advisory Equity in the brand by Celebrity Chef Saransh Goila and was pivotal in its growth till exit to one of the leading Food Tech Companies.
2. Where’s the Food: A Tech Company led by IIM Alumina Backed by 500 Start-ups Mr. Harshender Reddy

III. Speak Burger: A Gourmet Burger Brand by Celebrity Chef Vicky Ratnani

Ghost Kitchens has raised over 5 Million over 3 rounds of FundRaising.

Industry Positions:

A Founding member and First National Head of NRAI Youth Committee, he served at the apex organization to give back to the Industry.

Start Up Investment:

Karan being a start-up enthusiast, loves giving back to the start-up ecosystem. He has been a mentor, advisor and investor to various start-up companies. Some of his investments are:

Actipass, Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters, The New Shop, Truly Madly, Cheelizza, Language Curry, Dukaan, Insane AI, Salt AI, Supply Note and

others.

Awards & Recognitions:

Karan has been recognized by Forbes 30 under 30. He also made it to the list of GQ’s 50 Most Influential Young Indian as well as the Entrepreneur 35 under 35.

Gautam Saraogi is the co-founder and CEO of the national retail brand, Go Colors. He brings over 10 years of experience in multiple segments of consumer retail, marketing, brand building and garment manufacturing. His stint in the garment exports business has facilitated an end-to-end understanding of the fashion category. He has played a key and vital role in expansion of the brand, Go Colors, nationally. He has been recently awarded the “Entrepreneur of The Year, 2022” by TiE, Chennai. In a short span of 8 years, Gautam has played a key role in raising multiple PE funding for Go Colors, right from series A funding by Sequoia Capital to series B by ICICI ventures. Gautam has been instrumental in taking the brand Go Colors to a successful IPO in November, 2021. Under his leadership, Go Colors has also been recognized as the “Brand transforming the Indian Retail” by Ministry of Textiles, India and amongst many

More. Gautam lives in Chennai with his parents and wife, Nidhi Saraogi. They have a four-and- a-half-year old son, Samar and have recently been blessed with a daughter, Manvi. He is also an active member of the EO (Entrepreneurs Organization) that connects him with various entrepreneurs and allows him to share his learnings on a global platform.

Prabhkiran Singh is the co-founder of Bewakoof, a leading Indian apparel brand. Launched in 2012, Singh’s innovative approach in fashion and direct-to-consumer sales has made Bewakoof a popular choice among the youth. Under his leadership, the brand has recently partnered with Aditya Birla Fashion’s TMRW, enhancing its market reach and strengthening its presence in the trendy, affordable fashion segment.

Raghunandan Saraf, hails from a small town named Sardarshahar, in Rajasthan.He is an MBA professional from Shree Ram College of Commerce, Delhi. After completing his studies in 2009, he joined his family business- Saraf Furniture. 

By nature, he is a technology enthusiast and explorer of new opportunities. He believed in turning the tables in whatever he does. His passion to capture new market trends on e-commerce turned him into an entrepreneur of the e-commerce business. In 2014, he started Insaraf.com with a vision to make every home a beautiful place to dwell. It was inaugurated with limited designs and a small team. Raghu realized that people like their homes to be unique with individual furniture choices. This concept extended the possibilities of creating customized handcrafted Sheesham wood furniture on a big scale. 

His passion and dedication revived the family business and gave it a new foundation in six years. He believed in giving a brand new identity to this legacy of wooden furniture business with ethics. He framed new concepts like termite resistance warranty for a lifetime, PAN India delivery, best prices, and quality in each product making it a global brand in three years. 

He is on a mission to help everyone excited; to create, renovate, and adore the beauty of Sheesham wood. Other than devoting his time making business strategies, he relishes spending quality time with his family, encourages reading and being fit and holds the views that his team is also an essential part of this family.

Raghav Somani is the Founder & CEO at Headphone Zone, founded in 2011 as India’s first retail destination for audiophiles and headphone enthusiasts. A 9th generation entrepreneur from Chennai, Raghav completed his business studies from Singapore Management University. A passionate airline baggage tag collector with a Guinness World Record, Raghav enjoys playing the Piano and Guitars.

Anant Tanted, CEO of The Indian Garage Co., hails from Kolkata and brings over 17 years of fashion industry experience. Inspired by his family’s garment manufacturing background, he founded TIGC in 2012 to fill a gap in India’s menswear market. With a vision to democratize fashion, TIGC offers inclusive, affordable, and internationally competitive fast-fashion.

Born and brought up in Sydney, Australia – Shannon D’souza moved to India 15 years ago. It was

during his maiden trip to India that he noƟced a gap in the specialty coffee culture which was yet to

take a foothold in a country that is known for its coffee exports! Intrigued, Shannon decided to

bridge this gap and went to complete Diploma in Roasting & Cupping from Specialty Coffee

Association, Europe. He also spent a lot of Ɵme at his family owned Kelagur estate one of the

presƟgious Indian coffee estates to inƟmately understand the disproportionate coffee consumpƟon

habits in India. Drawing inspiration from Australia’s rich specialty coffee scene and fueled by three generations of family experience in coffee cultivation, Shannon embarked on a mission to elevate India’s coffee experience. In 2016, this vision came into reality with the launch of KCROASTERS By Koinonia –

Bandra’s first specialty coffee roastery. To him, KCROASTERS is the first step in inspiring Indians to

celebrate craŌ Indian coffee.

Jugal is a D2C veteran who founded Bombay Trooper in 2013 after having worked as a eCommerce developer in early 2010s that helped shape some legacy online businesses back when D2C wasn’t even a term.

He’s a techie at heart but a brand builder by passion. Jugal currently runs 5 successful D2C brands across various consumer verticals, Bombay Trooper being his first and primary venture. Bombay Trooper is a fashion and accessories brand focused on sustainable and eco-conscious lifestyle. They have pioneered some trend-setting designs and concepts that attained international acclaim over the years. Jugal loves to talk about brand building, performance marketing, eCommerce tech, photography, hiking and skiing.

With over 17 years of experience in the world of luxury children’s fashion, Vin Sharma has established himself as a visionary and dedicated professional. As the founder of Junior’s Brand Private Limited, he has played a pivotal role in transforming the industry through his mastery of digital strategy and market research. Building upon this expertise, he expanded the visionary offerings of JBPL by establishing Kidsup, an innovative e-commerce platform that brings the epitome of luxury brands like Emporio Armani Kids, Sonia Rykiel Kids, Stella McCarteny Kids, Guess Kids & more exclusively to India.  As an integral part of JBPL’s family, Kidsup seamlessly inherits his profound understanding of luxury brand marketing, creating a remarkable destination for discerning parents seeking the finest in children’s fashion. As a mentor, he firmly believes that the key to success is discipline, which is why he encourages his teams to approach their work with a structured and methodical mindset. This approach has allowed his teams to consistently push boundaries, bounce back from setbacks, and perform at the highest level, leading to the growth and success of the organization. With a degree in luxury business management from the esteemed IIM Ahmedabad and an award for excellence in project management at London Fashion Week, Vin is an inspiration to those who value talent, discipline, innovation, and a steadfast commitment to excellence.

Harpreet Singh Tibb is a man who truly represents the spirit of invention and business. In addition to becoming well-known in the corporate sector, he is a leader who has been instrumental in the success of his family’s company, Tibbs Frankie. With an education from esteemed institutions such as BITS Pilani, IIM Calcutta, and Cambridge University, he has over 19 years of experience in the FMCG industry, where he has played a key role in building great brands and the success of companies like Hindustan Unilever and Kellogg’s India. He is also the founder of Solaron Homes, a company working towards a sustainable future. He is passionate about sustainability and has rolled out a campaign called LiteAHome that provides solar kits to households without electricity in rural districts of India.

Ankur Amin is the CEO and co-founder of Extra Butter, a globally renowned streetwear and sneaker boutique from New York Extra Butter recently launched their first India flagship store in Mumbai and aims to add more locations domestically in the coming years. Ankur and his family have been in the athletic footwear industry for over 4 decades. His background is in advertising and PR and enjoys golf and travel in his free time.

Avnish is a Co-Founder and CEO at CaratLane. Business passionate about building new businesses and has spent more than 13 years in the consumer internet space. In one of his previous roles at Times Internet, he built Code Gladiators, which is now the largest coding competition in the world.

He is a graduate of IIM Lucknow and Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata. Outside of work, he loves to read a wide range of topics and actively follows a lot of different sports. He writes about his interests from time to time.

Abhishek Ramanathan is the Co-founder and COO of Nua. He has over 20 years of experience in E-commerce, D2C, Technology and Consulting. Abhishek currently heads the digital and D2C charter at Nua. Prior to this, Abhishek led the relaunch of Flipkart’s Furniture category and also led their C2C logistics business. Abhishek was previously a management consultant with Booz & Co. where he advised CXOs across Australia and India. He also spent six years with SAP, where he built their core Enterprise products and provided technology advice to SAP’s clients in Australia. Abhishek graduated with an MBA from London Business School and the Australian School of Business, and a Bachelors (Honours) in Computer Science and Business from the University of Warwick, UK.

Dhiraj is the Co-Founder and CEO at Campus Sutra, the biggest bootstrapped D2C fashion brand in the country. In a world where funding is the norm, Campus Sutra challenged the playbook to build the D2C brand in India. Campus Sutra has laid out the path to build profitable business and is on track to achieving a run rate of 1000 cr in the next 3 years.

Campus Sutra has shipped  > 8 Million orders since inception. First and Only Digitally Native brand to be present in 500 stores across all top 5 departmental stores in the country – Lifestyle, Shopper Stop, Central, Brand Factory, Reliance Trends.  Also, Present in  more than 22 countries across the world.

Harsh Hari Modi, Co-Founder and CEO of Mulmul, epitomises the modern Indian entrepreneur. Blessed with a keen eye for opportunities and his mantra of manifesting abundance, his tireless efforts over the years have given shape to his calculated career curve. While his commendable academic background culminated in a Masters’ in Business Administration, it’s his zeal for growth that led him to set up his first business while he was still in business school. In existence for over two decades now, his foundational brain-child Public Clothing Private Limited currently caters to some of the biggest designer houses in the

world, including the likes of Zara and H&M. His desire to take India to the world continues to thrive in the form of his most recent success story- Mulmul. His careful reading of the erstwhile market gap was all the push he needed to launch his contemporary Indian ethnic wear brand- Mulmul. With a commitment to quality, innovation and creating happiness, the label has established itself as a leading player in the industry in just under 5 years of existence. Churning out impressive numbers month on

month across both channels- Online and Offline, the cash flow positive position of the bootstrapped company is nothing short of enviable. Their most recent campaign, Namaste London, is a testament to its global presence yet unwavering respect for their roots- principles that echo his sentiment. A regular presence at some of the most prestigious events in town, some of his recent talks include gripping sessions with Google and Meta, as well as candid chats with Pushpa Bector organised by DLF malls, to name a few. His passport and his phone are always by his side- allowing him to spearhead his businesses

while being on the move and following his passion for travel. Making it a point to spend quality time with his loving family, he’s always advocated for a healthy work-life balance. The weekends are for the tennis courts and his routine visits to the Barnyard, a New Delhi-based animal shelter his companies contribute to, as responsible entities of society. In regular touch with his spiritual side, he’s a devoted practitioner of the Vedanta School of Philosophy. His fondness for yoga can be gauged by his meticulous daily morning routine. An absolute gentleman through and through, his witty one-liners and years of experience make him a connoisseur of conversations.

Sujata is the co-founder and polestar of the beloved artisanal brand, Suta. An alumnus of CET Bhubaneswar and IIFT Delhi, Sujata was engaged with Essar Group, Jindal Group, and IIT Bombay for seven years, before co-founding Suta with her sister Taniya. To do so, she quit her PhD and dove headfirst into the weaver-centric fashion D2C e-commerce industry.  Su’s pioneering vision for the brand led to her being recognised by the IEDRA for her organisation’s untiring contributions towards national development. Her inspiring leadership has earned her several accolades, including being named ‘40 under 40’ by Business World, the Indian Achievers Award for Young Entrepreneur, the Indian MSME Women Entrepreneur – Small Business award, as well as the Women Entrepreneurs Award. As a TEDx speaker and a prominent voice in the Indian entrepreneurial community, she believes in being the change she wants to see in the world around her. Further, Su (as she is fondly known) has been recognised by leading platforms including Social Samosa, Mad Over Marketing and Inkspell for creating a profound impact on the communities she serves and is a part of. From starting out with only two weavers, Su has engaged more than 17,000 weavers with Suta, and is relentless in her efforts to support the artisanal community and conserve indigenous art forms.

Pradeep is the Co-Founder of Zouk, a modern Indian lifestyle brand. All Zouk products are Proudly Indian and PeTA approved Vegan. Zouk has over 700,000 happy customers and over 500,000 followers on social media. Their products have organically appeared in many popular movies and series.

Prior to Zouk, Pradeep has worked at Deutsche Bank, McKinsey, Guild Capital and BrowserStack. He did his MBA from IIM Ahmedabad and his engineering from IIT Madras.

A second-generation entrepreneur and alumni of the prestigious IIM Calcutta, Harshil Salot is the co-founder of The Sleep Company – a home-grown omnichannel brand that is now revolutionising the comfort tech industry with a 400% YoY growth. A young startup, The Sleep Company led by Harshil and his wife, has raised a total of INR 375 CR (184 CR in Series C , Rs Rs 177 CR in Series B, 13.4 CR in Series A) till date. At The Sleep Company, Harshil has leveraged the rich experience he has across business verticals to drive the brand’s overall go-to￾market strategy and help create a company that is disrupting the Indian market with its patented SmartGRID technology. Before co-founding The Sleep Company, Harshil accumulated more than a decade of experience in sales, operations, business planning, and strategy while at the helm of his family-run business. He was also a Corporate Strategy Manager at Axis Bank where he worked right after completing his Master’s from IIM Calcutta in 2009. At The Sleep Company, Harshil, along with his wife Priyanka, were instrumental in putting in place an R&D team that developed India’s first revolutionary mattress built using their patented SmartGRID technology. Today, The Sleep Company is disrupting the comfort tech industry one mattress at a time! What’s more, is that the company has now diversified their product offerings and forayed into newer comfort-tech categories through their Elev8 Smart Adjustable Bed, SmartGRID Chairs, and Smart Sleep Accessories. The Sleep Company’s remarkable growth since its inception has been largely due to Harshil’s visionary leadership. In the three years since inception, Harshil has overseen the Sleep Company’s growth strategy and helped build its global image with a strong presence in Japan and UAE. Also, most importantly, from being a purely digital brand, the company now has an omnichannel model and has opened 65+ stores in 23 cities as of 2023 and aims for 100 stores  by March 24. Harshil has been at the forefront of the business’s growth and expansion plans throughout. During COVID it was his business acumen and leadership that navigated the path to The Sleep Company growing 100X. He also spearheaded the organisation’s expansion in terms of employees. From a 2 member company to an organisation of 750 people, the company has grown by leaps and bounds; with each and every employee having ESOPs in the company. Harshil and his wife Priyanka are now eyeing on making The Sleep Company a 500cr brand by 2024 and become the world’s leading comfort-technology company. Their efforts in this direction have been appreciated, which is also reflected in the awards and accolades they have received. The Sleep Company recently won Retail Start-up of the year at the Entrepreneur Awards 2022, they were awarded IMAGES Most Admired D2C Brand of the year and the brand is also part of the Inc42’s FAST42 List as well as India’s Most Coveted List For D2C Brands.

Taniya is co-founder of and the bedrock upon which Suta rests. She holds an engineering degree in ceramics from the National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, and an MBA from IIM, Lucknow. Prior to creating Suta with her sister, Sujata, Ta (as we fondly call her) was associated with IBM as strategy consultant, worked as a production manager at Tata Refractories, and was a marketing consultant with Seed Fund’s investee firm. Today, she wears several hats as an entrepreneur, TEDx speaker and change-maker, and is a vocal advocate for mindful fashion. Tapping into her innate inclination towards art and design, Ta converted her passion into a full-time venture when Suta was born. She now plans to expand Suta’s vast weaver community to 2,00,000 weavers in the next five years, while experimenting with even more diverse indigenous crafts to make Suta’s catalogue even more inclusive and awe-inspiring. Her passion for Indian crafts and entrepreneurship was recently recognised with the Indian Affairs Co-Founder 's Innovations Award in the Luxury Fashion Brand category. She has also been named as an Impact Crater in Handcrafted Fashion at the ET Inspiring Women Awards and has won the BW marketing world 40 under 40. When she’s not envisioning, formulating and working on Suta’s strategy and future-bound plans, Ta dabbles in photography and enjoys spending time with animals.

Rajesh Jain is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer for Sports And Leisure Apparel Limited – Lacoste Licensee in India. He has been constantly nurturing the brand since October 2009. With his persistent efforts and focused vision, he has built and propagated Lacoste in India as a complete Lifestyle brand, offering unique and original universes for different verticals including clothing for women, men and children, shoes, leather goods, watches etc. His strong belief in his own quote, “Top Line, Bottom Line, Growth, Customer Delight and Human Resource Development – Everything else is merely incidental” has cultivated the brand with firm establishments reaching out to every major city/ metro of the country today.

From a financial background analyzing and evaluating company strategies to details, Rajesh’s inclination for retail industry was not a mere milestone but an opportunity to adapt to an industry which is characterized by ever changing demands and varied preferences. A persona of high esteemed spirit, Rajesh embraced the retail industry justifying his position as an ethical and process-oriented leader always open to experimentation and taking calculated risks. He possesses wide ranging knowledge

and unique perspective on the retail industry having worked for leading organizations across the spectrum.

Prior to his position as CEO, Rajesh served Sports and Leisure Apparel Limited (Lacoste Licensee in India) as CFO for three years wherein with his steep prophecy, He directed and motivated the company to achieve desired results. Managing responsibilities that included supervising the financial risks of the corporation, designing and implementing systems and processes across the board and empowering people to execute them, Supply Chain, IT, Sourcing and Legal functions, Rajesh has imbibed the essential values of authenticity, performance and elegance from the brand. As a gregarious socialite, team cohesive professional, process-oriented entrepreneur, he has fostered the brand with remarkably positive sales growth, strategically implemented marketing campaigns and pioneering media and

financial planning.

Rajesh is a Master of Commerce from the University of Delhi and a Chartered Accountant from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. He obtained his company Secretary degree from the Institute of Company Secretaries of India. Born and brought up in Delhi, Rajesh follows an ethical and aesthetic attitude towards life.

Mukesh Kumar has almost three and half decades of rich experience across Retail and Hospitality business. A seasoned hospitality and retail professional he has worked across cities at various levels and brings an extensive background of the end to end project coordination, pre-opening, leasing, fit-out and launch of the mall business.

Currently, he is working as Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer of Quest Properties India Limited heading Quest Mall, Kolkata and other real estate businesses of the company. Quest mall was established as a luxury mall catering to the needs of the entire East Zone, North-Eastern states and neighboring countries. The mall is owned by RPSG group which owns CESC, Philips Carbon Black, Spencer’s Retail, First Source and many other businesses across the country.

Earlier, he was employed as Chief Executive Officer of K Raheja Realty Group owned Infiniti Mall, leading both its malls into an admirable retail model. He was responsible for overseeing the entire Operation, Leasing and Marketing of Infiniti Mall, Andheri with a built-up area of 2,75,000 sq ft and Infiniti Mall, Malad having a built -up area of 1.20 million sq ft. Mukesh Kumar

Before Infiniti Mall, he was mentoring Ramada Plaza Palm Grove, a five-star business hotel as Vice President. He has worked with various prestigious Hospitality companies at numerous locations managing Operations, Sales & Marketing, Pre-Opening team and Projects. His stint at American Embassy as General Manager for their Recreation, F&B and Commissary division exposed him to the international community. He is an economics graduate with a degree in hotel management from a premier Hotel Management School. He is also a Certified General Manager by Ramada International University, Geneva.

Mr. Mohan returned to India in 2007, after pursuing his higher education in the US and working as a strategy consultant with Deloitte for several years. On his return Mr. Mohan decided to join his family M business, Mohanlal Sons. He used his strategy consulting background and a keen foresight to foray the business from a Multi Brand Outlet to a Specialized Celebration Wear Retailer. He also decided to foray into tier 2 & tier 3 towns, where the real India Growth story resides. Mohanlal Sons is now spread across Labels 20 different cities in North India. All their stores are Company Owned & Operated.

Sanil Sachar is a founding partner of Huddle Ventures, a pre-seed and seed fund backing early-stage startups across India. An avid angel investor having started his investment journey through early-stage angel investments in 2016, as part of his expertise, he works closely with ventures across revenue strategy, marketing, business development and distribution, partnerships, team building and capital raising, investing from Huddle’s second fund. The former product and revenue strategist from Star Sports India, Sachar is a national best-selling author with four books that have been critically acclaimed and received by readers around the world. After beginning his professional career at Star Sports, Sanil has been an entrepreneur and promoter of a global sport-tech wear brand, Tru and has been largely involved as an operator building ventures where he plays the role of an advisor to companies across scale as an independent advisor or on the board of firms backed by Huddle. Sanil is a frequent columnist and motivational speaker with sessions around the world and across multiple TEDx talks. With over 200 works published, Sachar is one of the few Indian authors to be published in all forms of literature. Sanil is a co-producer, with his film Mantra which obtained great critical acclaim and won the best film at the South Asian Film Festival in New York. 

Abhishek is a partner based in our Mumbai office. His primary focus is in marketing and sales, but he also uses data and analytics to solve key business problems, often positioning a digital transformation at the center of his strategies. Abhishek’s expertise lies in helping companies drive growth by improving sales and channel management processes and improving use of their marketing budgets. He joined the firm in 2020, bringing more than 20 years of consulting experience within the consumer packaged goods, retail, and industrial sectors across Asia and North America.

Examples of Abhishek’s recent work include:

• Creating a sales transformation program for a leading Indian edible oil and packaged food company.
• Transforming the marketing and trade spend at an Indian food and personal care company to improve return on investment.
• Creating customer value proposition, design, and growth strategy for a leading Indian grocery retailer.

An ardent believer in using progressive measures and technologies to largely impact the global societal community in a ‘greener’ manner, Sumit’s keen interest lies in agriculture & environmental-related business ventures. His work for the brand revolves around the plant sciences team, ensuring they have the best crop grown, and making sure that the plant is turned into the best possible product and put on the shelf for consumers’ use. As COO, Sumit ensures seamless operations for our raw material and products, from farm to urban markets. Meticulous as he is, Sumit works hours on end to perfect the progressive technology and measures that keep BOHECO at the top of its game. His love for nature and vision to create BOHECO as a platform that stands for change and rides this through his work of moulding the supply chain to increase accessibility of BOHECO products.

With an impeccable experience of A2 Milk and Dairy Industry having background experience of

Masters in Management from EADA Business School, Barcelona, Spain and technical background of electronics and telecommunication in engineering.

Mr. Mohit has 3 years of experience of Business Consultancy and 6 years of experience in FMCG and Dairy Industry availing spaces to be a speaker into various forums and summits of D2C and retailer conclaves.

Yash has always directed his efforts toward socially relevant causes. From being an active participant in social setups to heading multiple campaigns on behalf of BOHECO, Yash has been instrumental in setting up BOHECO’s direct-to consumer Health & Wellness narrative. Today, Yash works intently on creating a brand that is value driven that gives back to the society, from farmers to patients. Yash started his career as a media & advertising professional at leading global agencies and now, as CMO of BOHECO, Yash opens the wings of business development and places the company’s central communication strategy, marketing initiatives, sales, and conventional media planning in the center of his workday. Yash proactively also carves BOHECO’s office culture to ensure it’s a great place to work at. Driven by a holistic perspective, he strategizes BOHECO’s positioning in the hemp industry with an incisive business sense to create impact at the grassroots.

Tusheet holds a Bachelor’s degree from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur. He has more than 11 years of experience building Machine Learning capabilities and end-to-end data product development. At GeoIQ he heads Technology, Innovation, and product development for solving the expansion challenges in Retail.

Mr. Anish Patel, Co – founder & Director of The Connplex Smart Theatres is a visionary entrepreneur with a fervent determination and passion for transforming the movie theatre experience in India. With a keen understanding of consumer behavior and expertise in the Franchising domain, he helped the Brand grow exponentially post its inception in India. His robust foundation in Finance and Legal also played a discerning role in the overall business expansion. Anish Patel, Co-founder, Connplex believes that the moviegoers are in the constant look out for innovation, new offerings and “value for money” preposition. He always envisioned an alternative to the traditional multiplex model, which offers “value for money” and creates a luxurious yet personalized movie watching experience for the Patrons. Connplex outperforms by delivering the ‘freedom of choice’ to the customers. It can be your choice for private movie screenings, whether you’re planning a business event or just a night out with friends and family” – we have custom made solutions for our movie buffs. With advanced technology integration, Connplex offers viewers not just movies but an entire sensory journey.

Pramod Arora has been associated with Cinemas, Real Estate, Retail and the larger investment ecosystem in the industry for the last 3 decades. Since 1996, with the advent of cinema multiplex development in India, he has been playing a pivotal role in development and growth of shopping centres and cinemas. An astute, accomplished and seasoned professional, he presently leads, guides & enables growth, expansion and development strategy at PVR INOX alongside all other facets of the business. From a very humble beginning with a 4 screen multiplex cinema in Delhi in 1996 to now operates the largest multiplex network with 1,732 screens across 363 properties in 113 cities (India and Sri Lanka). He is widely regarded as the brain behind the growth of modern age cinema theatres & shopping centres in the country. Designing and developing the best in class, hospitality led cinemas spaces to mergers, acquisitions and financial structuring of complex deals, he has been actively involved in helping unleash the India consumption story in modern retail and cinemas.

Ex CEO Smaaash, COO Big Cinemas, CMO PVR Cinemas, Tushar has been building a Multiplex startup Dhishoom Cinemas for the last 5 years. Before this he served as the Chief Operating Officer of Big Cinemas. a pioneer having introduced many innovative movie concepts like IMAX, Gold class, 3D & 6D cinemas in India. He previously served as Partner with the world-leading executive search firm DHR International and prior to that was the brand Architect for PVR Cinemas and has been an early evangelist/builder of  Cinema Advertising Industry in India. He also led PVR’s IPO branding and communication strategy. Earlier in his career, he established Concierge service for Taj Group and was the youngest and one of the first to adorn golden keys in India. Tushar is a Bachelor of Arts, Hospitality Management and Post Graduate in Management from IMT Ghaziabad. He has been recognized with several awards including the 2008 “Exhibitor of the year in Asia by Hollywood reporter and three-time Retailer of the year in entertainment Industry by the India Retail Forum etc.

Neeman’s is focused on redefining the shoe industry in India using natural materials to create super comfortable shoes for all day wear. Our Shoes are comfy , Lightweight , Flexible , Socks Free , Odour Resistant , Cool in Summer and Warm in Winter. We are bringing truly revolutionary and unheard of features to footwear in India.

Mr. Aakash Kandoi is the visionary Managing Director of Jagdish Farshan Pvt Ltd, a renowned name in the culinary industry. As a fourth-generation leader, Aakash carries forward a rich legacy established in 1938 by his great grandfather. Aakash is not only a qualified chef but also a passionate connoisseur of flavors, blending his expertise with a deep love for culinary arts. With a decade of experience in the food and beverage industry and retail sector, Aakash is known for his relentless pursuit of excellence and commitment to driving profitable growth. Under Aakash’s leadership, Jagdish Farshan has not only maintained its legacy of uncompromised quality and freshness but has also expanded globally with multiple retail outlets in Vadodara, Gujarat, New Jersey, USA, and an upcoming outlet in Toronto, Canada. Beyond his professional endeavors, Aakash enjoys playing golf, finding inspiration and relaxation on the greens. Aakash epitomizes innovation, passion, and dedication, ensuring that Jagdish Farshan remains a beacon of culinary excellence.

Abhishek Raj is the Chief Operating Officer for Sports and Leisure Apparel Limited – Lacoste Licensee in India. As an integral team member, he has been instrumental in Lacoste’s growth journey in India for the last 16 years. In his 18 years of corporate journey, Abhishek has worked around most stimulating areas of modern retail, starting from Apparel Production, Merchandising & Buying, Retail Planning, Visual Merchandising, Project Management, New Business Development, Retail Operations, Travel Retail, E-Commerce, CRM, Marketing, T&D and Supply Chain Management. Abhishek has completed his Post Graduation in ‘Garment Manufacturing Technology’ from NIIFT and has also completed his Chief Operating Officer Programme from the prestigious Indian Institute of Lucknow.

Vivek is the Chief Operating Officer at Being Human Clothing, a leading apparel brand that combines fashion with social cause. An Alumnus of NIFT and IIMC, he has been a part of leading success journeys spanning over 24 years across brands like Levi’s, Flying Machine, U.S. Polo Assn. Converse, ColorPlus, Park Avenue, Raymond. Through his career he has been passionate about creating value for customers, stakeholders, and society and driven revenue growth, market share expansion, product portfolio diversification, and operational excellence at leading organisations in India.

Proven Executive Board Director with P&L responsibility. Product expert with experience in strategic leadership and brand transformation across Design, Buying, Merchandising for International Companies. Understand the power of Brand to deliver growth and improve profit through strong leadership and passion. I am a calm, positive and energetic leader who can disrupt, build and steer large teams to deliver results through confident decision making combined with clear direction and excellent product experience. Womenswear, Menswear, Accessories, Childrenswear, home and beauty.

Sandip joined AstorMueller India in August 2022 as the Chief Operating Officer to Build and Manage its Retail Subsidiary in the Indian Subcontinent. With over 20 years of Omnichannel experience in building Robust Brands, Accomplished Teams and Developing Businesses across Retail & Sports Industry in India & South Asia, He is a Business Leader, Value Creator & Motivator. He has been helping Indian & Multinational companies across multiple channels such as E-commerce, Retail and Wholesale to get on an exponential growth path to achieve company-wide objectives. In Leadership positions for over a decade with Brands|Organizations such as Adidas, Reebok, Aldo, Florsheim, Reliance Retail and presently AstorMueller; he has helped them in finding unique ways of achieving multi million dollars revenue growth in highly competitive markets across India & South Asia. He is also an avid traveller, ardent foodie and a music buff.

With over 16 years of experience in the automotive and food-tech industries, Mr. Karan Singla, Chief Operating Officer, The Sleep Company will spearhead the creation of seamless online-offline experiences through advanced centres, robust supply chains, and nationwide product accessibility. Prior to joining The Sleep Company, Singla was associated with global brands like Audi, Volkswagen, and Maruti, where he excelled in regional sales, network expansion, and innovative distribution strategies. This expertise led him to pivotal roles at Rebel Foods, first as VP – Head of Operations & Expansion for India and subsequently as Country Manager in Indonesia, driving growth through cloud kitchen establishment, strategic partnerships, and brand expansion. Now, at The Sleep Company, Singla will leverage his exceptional track record to fuel operational excellence, guide market expansion, omnichannel presence, and substantial offline growth. His impressive record positions him perfectly to lead The Sleep Company towards market dominance, utilising his strategic insights and operational acumen to reinforce its industry standing.

Debdeep Sinha is the Chief Business Officer of Raymond Apparel. He manages 4 marquee brands under his portfolio in the apparel division,  – Raymond Ready to Wear, Park Avenue, Color Plus and Parx. He has over 30 years of work experience having worked in diversified industries like retail, textiles & garments, energy, petrochemicals, and IT services. He is a retail industry veteran with more than 2 decades of experience during which he has launched new brands, new concepts, set up factories and ran pan India operations under diverse market dynamics. He has been awarded with the “Top 50 retail professionals” in India by Asia Congress. He has a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Jadavpur University, Calcutta and MBA from IIM, Bangalore.

Neha is a versatile financial journalist, and her wide-ranging reportage includes impactful undercover investigations, multi-billion-dollar deal breaks, and incisive coverage of key corporate and policy developments. She focuses on markets and economy, and interviews influential industry leaders to get you the latest news, views and analysis of the stories that matter. She also curates and anchors Forbes India Pathbreakers and Money Talks.

David Chelladurai brings over 25 years of extensive experience in the retail sector, having worked across diverse industries including garments, footwear, electronics, furniture, FMCG, and grocery. With a robust background David has honed his skills in strategic business management, brand development, and market expansion. Currently serving as the Business Head at Khimji Ramdas Retail in Oman, David spearheads initiatives to drive growth, enhance customer experience, and establish KR Retail as a leading retail destination in the region. His wealth of experience and dynamic leadership make him a valuable asset in navigating the ever-evolving landscape of the retail industry.

CIO with extensive expertise, determined to apply my skills set and knowledge to spearhead technology ventures. Demonstrated proficiency in propelling digital transformation & streamlining IT operations, with cutting-edge technological solutions. Expertise in strategic planning, IT governance, project management, and cybersecurity. Passionate about exploring distant lands, getting lost in a good book, capturing moments, feeling the music, and engaging in various sports. Seeking a challenging position as a CIO/HEAD IT to utilize skills and drive organizational success.

An award winning and dynamic leader, Meheriar Patel has proven success in managing a wide range of leadership roles in Information Technology, Digital Transformation. He has spent the majority of his working years with Industry Background of Retail and eCommerce, Supply Chain & Logistics, Pharma, Banking and Finance. His career spanned 25 years of Core IT Leadership roles in various capacities of CIO, CTO and Head IT in diverse functions across both consumer and enterprise domains. He has worked in Global Geographies for Technology Strategy and Project Management of Large Projects.

In his present assignment, Meheriar is the Group Chief Information Officer – Digital Solutions of Jeena & Company, India’s leading Supply Chain and Logistics provider. As a member of the Global Leadership Team, Meheriar led Digital Transformation across all functions for the organization and drove the strategy, course and communication of Jeena – the Oldest and most trusted brand in the Indian Logistics industry. He is the driving force behind Jeena.

He has a strong track record of building some of the Large Global Technology Projects across domains. His areas of expertise include Setting up large projects in Manufacturing, Finance, Sales & marketing, digital, retail, pricing, product management, channel and customer operations. He also has implementation expertise in SAP, Oracle, JDA, SUN Systems and with the Big4 on various external and Internal projects.

His talent and success has been acknowledged at several prestigious forums of Technology – Indian Express, CXO AXIS, StrategINK, CIO & Leader, Eminent CIO, and many more.

Meheriar is an MBA in Information Technology, Post Graduation in Human Resources, and has also a Certified Director from IOD and completed Digital Innovation & Transformation for Enterprise Program from All India Management Association.

Ranjan Sharma has been working with Bestseller India since August 2012 as CIO and Head of Supply Chain and has over 27 years of experience. He started his career in June 1996 with Futurecom as Product Manager and was responsible for handling sales of IT Infrastructure to Corporate Houses of Brands like IBM, Compaq and HCL. He was also responsible for developing a team for sales and support. After having worked for about 5 years, in July 2001 he moved to Vishal Retail Ltd. as Store Manager and went on to become Zonal Operation head and subsequently Head of IT. Here he was responsible for setting up long term IT and Supply chain strategy. In his last stint before joining Bestseller, he was working with Future Group. Here he has worked at various profiles like Head of SAP Practice, Head of Packaged applications and Head of IT and was responsible for – Building SAP Retail team.  He also worked on a whole bunch of strategic and tactical initiatives. He worked extensively on warehouse automation to achieve higher efficiency. Academically, he’s an alumni from American International University of Management & Technology and IIM Kozhikode.

Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Limited is a part of the leading Indian conglomerate, The

Aditya Birla Group, and has a portfolio of 25+ most-loved apparel brands in India. ABFRL has

made significant strides in expanding its digital commerce capabilities with D2C

websites/apps and building leading presence on marketplaces.

Praveen Shrikhande is the Chief Digital & Information Officer (CDIO) at Aditya Birla Fashion

and Retail Limited and is responsible for building an integrated portfolio of digital assets to

provide an immersive customer experience and engagement across emerging consumer

segments. He drives various strategic digital and technology initiatives across the

organization, which includes building various e-commerce platforms, digital and analytics

solutions and managing Enterprise IT applications, IT infrastructure and Information

Security.

In his earlier role as Joint President – IT, at Aditya Birla Group, he spearheaded strategic

partner engagement, technology transformation and information security agenda across the

group.

He holds a B Tech in CSE from IIT Bombay and an MBA from IIM Bangalore.

Sandeep Jabbal joined Shoppers Stop as customer care associate and chief digital transformation and information officer (CDTIO) with effect from 23 May 2022. He is responsible for providing strong leadership and support in digital transformation initiatives led by the brand. Jabbal has more than 18 years of extensive experience in developing IT strategies and designing & delivering the IT roadmap for large organisations with a focus on digital transformation for enhancing customer experience. His expertise lies in Strategic IT Leadership, IT Operations, Program Management and Digital Transformation. Prior to joining Shoppers Stop, Jabbal has served as vice-president-IT at Jubilant Foodworks and as Head of IT at Marks & Spencer Reliance India. He has also worked as a project manager with Birlasoft and has delivered large IT projects in diversified domains including FMCG, retail, finance and manufacturing, in his earlier stint. An alumnus of Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Pune, he also holds a degree in mechanical engineering from Visvesvaraya National Institute Of Technology (VNIT), Nagpur.

Anil Menon is an IT professional with 19 plus years of experience across Information Technology, Retail, Ecommerce, Real Estate, Logistics & Hospitality organizations. In his previous capacity as General Manager – IT innovation at Tata Starbucks &  Head –IT, Trent Hypermarket Pvt. Ltd. 

Anil worked extensively on the company’s digital transformational projects, Cloud & Mobility Platforms, Retail Analytics, Enterprise systems and Security & Information management systems.

His previous professional roles at companies such as Future Group,  Wadhawan Retail and Zensar Technologies have also given Anil vast techno-functional experience.  The areas that pique his interests are Artificial Intelligence, ML, Blockchain and robotics and he has always been keen to enhance processes to up customer experience.

An IT professional with over two decades of experience in strategic and visionary leadership. Throughout my career, I’ve consistently delivered operational excellence and driven value by harnessing technology to meet market demands, increase revenue, and expand profit margins. I’ve led cross-functional teams in designing and integrating solutions and have a track record of launching technology programs that enhance data security, streamline operations, foster innovation, and advance overall business strategy.

My passion lies in constantly exploring new and innovative ways to implement cutting-edge technologies and processes that drive performance improvements and stimulate business growth. I specialize in developing programs that not only fuel business expansion but also attract new users to our offerings. As a visionary partner to fellow C-suite executives, I collaborate closely to craft a strategic vision for our organization and demonstrate how IT can empower us to achieve our current and future goals. I plan and execute the utilization of both existing and emerging technologies to transform our company into a digitally forward entity, enabling us to remain competitive in today’s ever-evolving digital economy. In a world where technology permeates all aspects of business and consumer life, my role has become increasingly critical. I’ve earned the trust of my colleagues as a reliable business partner responsible for driving innovation and business growth, especially in times of digital disruption. I’ve had the privilege of achieving some remarkable milestones in my career, and I’m currently applying my expertise in the dynamic retail sector at the prestigious Anita Dongre House. My journey in the retail industry has further solidified my skills and knowledge.

Amit,  the  CIO  of  SHR  Lifestyles  Pvt  Ltd,  is  a  visionary  in  retail  tech,  boasting  over  two  decades  of leadership in Retail Technology, Enterprise-Scale Automation, and Digital Transformation. His pioneering strategies  have  not  only  optimized  operations  but  also  aligned  technology  with  business  goals,  elevating Shree’s presence with more than 150 outlets worldwide. He also spearheads E-commerce, Omni Channel, the  Franchise  with  Shree  Program,  and  a  spectrum  of  other  digital  initiatives,  including  AI  and cybersecurity. Amit  has  received  prestigious  awards,  including  the  “Retail  Tech  Icon”  and  “Eminent  CIOs  of  India”  in 2023, and was recognized among the ‘Top 20 Tech Leaders of India’. A respected influencer in the retail tech  landscape,  his  insights  have  been  prominently  featured  in  various  prestigious  publications.  As  a sought-after  speaker,  he  has  graced  stages  at  events  such  as  the  Retail  India  Summit  by  ‘RAI’,  Phygital Retail Convention, IFF, Retail Summit at PHDCCI, CII, Indo-Canadian Cyber Security Summit, Innovative CIOs Symposium, CIO & CTO Leadership Summit, India Retail Summit by ET and more. With  an  entrepreneurial  mindset  and  global  acumen,  his  stellar  accomplishments  make  him  a  truly inspiring and transformative leader in today’s rapidly evolving retail and technology sectors.

Dynamic, creative, industrious Technology Leader with 17 years of experience in delivering products & platforms from 0 to 1 and scaling to millions for B2B enterprises and B2C consumers. Building Fast Fashion, Lifestyle, Beauty Brands and leading Omni Channel at Reliance Retail as CTPO. Hands-on PMF, PDE leader with expertise in product strategy, product management, development, design, pricing, gtm, program management, customer success, and growing revenue. He delivered a series of successes by growing product-led businesses to billion-dollar revenue and adoption by 30x. Suman has led digital transformation(Tesco, Cisco and Teradata), built habit forming digital products(Jio, Red Hat and Motuto) for Fortune 500 and Startups that won 36 awards. He has built cloud scale, distributed products & platforms, which supports high availability, multi-tenancy, resiliency, scale and delivered at high quality. He has built world-class teams in the USA, UK, Europe, India and UAE and established world-class practices globally. He is an active investor and serves in advisory and open for board of director roles. Suman is a best-selling author, keynote speaker, visionary, and thought leader.

Mr. Nitin Bir possesses a vast experience of three decades in overseeing overall operations in the retail and hospitality businesses for various prestigious organisations in the Country. In the capacity of a Vice President, Infiniti Mall, Mr. Bir is responsible for managing the Overall operations of the mall. Nitin offers an exhaustive expertise in managing operational units in domains including retail, leasing, F & B, sales, HR facilities, administration, and finance. Under his leadership multiple brands and businesses have excelled, ensuring high quality of operating standards. Before his current stint with Infiniti Malls, Mr. Nitin Bir was associated with Mantri Developers in Bengaluru, heading Mall management & Hotel Operation, managing the finance, operations, marketing, design and leasing. He has gained recognition within the industry as a multitasker who has proven mettle in driving revenues and managing rapid growth profitability with a focus on building a strong corporate culture in the organisation. Mr. Bir has earned his MBA from the Institute of Management Technology in Ghaziabad (IMT), one of India’s finest management institutions Established and recognised as a people person, Nitin leads by example when it comes to motivating, mentoring and leading talented professionals with his exuberant interpersonal skills.

I am a seasoned technology and business leader with a rich background in spearheading business transformations through cutting-edge digital technologies, currently working at Forever New – Melbourne-based global women’s fashion brand. 

I have a proven track record of pioneering industry-first solutions within the retail sector and possess substantial expertise in collaborating with global consumer-facing brands across various industries such as Retail, QSR, FMCG, and Hospitality over the past 20 years.

My skills as a strategic planner encompass a wide range of areas, including IT and business strategies, planning, policy formulation, procedural development, and guideline implementation. My passion lies in delivering innovative technological solutions that drive business growth and success.

I’ve received some of the most prominent accolades in the field including the ‘Tech Icon of the Year’ award consecutively for two years, and I’ve been highlighted in renowned publications and journals related to fashion and technology. 

I’m an expert level 𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐋 𝐂𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐫 & Microsoft Certified Professional

𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 & 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 – 

– Digital Transformation Innovator of the Year – Retail by India DevOps Show 2023

– Featured in the Spotlight by Images Business of Fashion Oct’23 edition

– Special coverage by Apparel Resources – print & digital edition of Aug’23

– Tech Icon of the Week by India Retailing in Aug’23 edition

– Winner – Tech Enabler in Retail & E-Commerce 2023 by UBS Forum 

– India’s Top 100 CX professional at World CX Summit, Delhi 2023

– Images Retail Tech Icon 2022 award at Phygital Retail Convention 2022

– Enterprise IT World Asia Pacific CIO1000 Award 2021 for digital transformation 

– Images Retail Tech Icon 2021 award at India Fashion Forum

– eLets Trendsetter CIO Awards 2021

– Dyson Year End Award 2020 for SAP Hana implementation

– eLets Certificate of Excellence for Innovation at Digital Transformation Summit 2019

– Dyson Special Recognition of the Year 2019

– Dyson Special Recognition of the Year 2018

Experienced both on Technical and Commercial & Contractual fronts, promoted through a variety of Technical & Management positions and raised up to ranks in my current role heading up the Business Development & Operational strategy portfolios. I have a proven track record of leading successful delivery & administration of multi-million ££ projects across many countries. As the Vice President at Tejas Software, an international company that has organically grown over two decades to provide cutting-edge Supply Chain technology solutions. I strongly believe successful business is all about building and strengthening good long-term relationships which I strive for everyday and committed to provide the very best to our customers to bring about a meaningful change both inside & outside the business.

Chief Technology Officer at Metro Brands Limited, Rajgopal Nayak is a seasoned and accomplished IT professional with over 20 years of diverse experience in strategic planning, business solutions, digital adoption, and customer relationship management across retail, FMCG, paint and heavy engineering industries. He has successfully delivered transformation projects at Metro Brands Ltd, Asian Paints Ltd, Marico Limited and Larsen & Toubro. An avid runner and fitness enthusiast, he says his curiosity always drives him to learn more. He is a motivated leader & communicator who inspires and promotes trust, cohesion & project engagement across all the levels of stakeholders including executives, team members, vendors & key decision makers. His roles & responsibilities at the company include Strategic planning, Business analysis, Project management, IT governance, Systems development, Application development, Vendor management, Customer relationship management and Team management.

Sandiip is a visionary leader and innovator in driving digital transformation across pan India and UAE locations for Retail industries like F&B, Fashion, Gems & Jewellery.

With a proven track record in developing complex digital transformation solutions, he excels in operations, resulting in 3% customer retention improvement, increased revenue per customer, and reduced turnaround time in meeting customer requirements.

His expertise encompasses strategy consulting, delivery management, practice building, transformation design, and execution, as well as innovation incubation and deployment.

Mr. Kiran Komatla, currently serving as the Group CTO at Restaurant Brands Asia, is a distinguished technology professional with over two decades of experience spanning various domains. Mr. Komatla’s impressive list of accolades includes the Retail Icon Award 2023, multiple Best CIO of the Year titles, and IT Genius Awards for Digital Transformation and Artificial Intelligence. With a background in QSR, Retail Business, Information Technology, and Digital Technologies, Mr. Komatla possesses extensive expertise in areas such as customer experience innovations, digital transformation, business intelligence, and supply chain management. His career is defined by successful project management, team leadership, and the ability to engage stakeholders in leveraging technology for sustainable business growth and achieving organizational KPIs.

Vipin is currently serving as CTO for Starbucks India. He comes with 20+ years of professional experiences in management consulting, IT services and technology leadership. His experiences span across multiple industry verticals including retail, QSR, healthcare, banking and telecom, and multiple geographies including North America, South Africa, India, Malaysia, Vietnam and Australia.  At Starbucks, he is responsible for leading the technology and digital transformation agenda for the organization including end to end technology stack upgrade and driving the business leveraging new-age technologies. Prior to joining Starbucks, he was head of digital and technology for KFC India, where he led the digital transformation including new app launch, POS upgrade and automating the delivery business. During his tenure in consulting, he worked with organizations such as Kearney and Accenture, where he helped multiple clients in defining IT strategies, enterprise architecture, IT operating and governance models and facilitating large outsourcing deals.

Ritu has over 20 years of experience in Digital Transformation and has been in the Ecommerce industry since early 2012 starting with Amazon. Since then she has arranged into digital Entrepreneurship and led many E-commerce teams for multiple small and large organizations across various industries ranging over apparels, furnishing, telecom to name a few. She has been in the ever evolving and exciting Ecommerce Fashion industry for the last 4 years.

Prashant Prakash, having 25 years rich experience (15 years in Retail) in delivering optimal results & business value in high-growth environments in Project Management, ERP Implementation, IT Infrastructure, Security Management, Digital Transformation, Cloud Migration in the various domains like Retail, Manufacturing, etc. Handled compliance management, budgeting and process enhancement. Successfully Handled Compliance with Top 5 Auditors. An Award Winning Profile, won Best CIO Award for consecutive 4 years.

As the CTO at Chaayos, I am at the forefront of driving technological advancements and spearheading innovation within the organization. With over 16 years of experience, I am a passionate tech enthusiast dedicated to building robust and scalable data systems that empower businesses to thrive. Throughout my career, I have played a pivotal role in designing and constructing large-scale applications that enhance efficiency in business operations and processes through the strategic implementation of technology. From developing intricate ad networks to architecting warehouses for financial reporting and ERP systems specifically tailored for the food and beverages industry, including CRM functionalities, I have a proven track record of delivering impactful solutions. As a tech architect, I am deeply committed to understanding the unique needs and goals of organizations, and I excel at translating complex requirements into practical and scalable solutions. I thrive in collaborative and dynamic environments, working closely with cross-functional teams to drive efficiency and achieve transformative results. Continual learning and staying up-to-date with emerging technologies are my top priorities. By keeping a finger on the pulse of the ever-evolving tech landscape, I ensure that I can leverage the latest advancements to deliver innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of businesses. My expertise lies in backend technologies, and I have honed my skills in Java and Python, leveraging their power to build sophisticated and high-performance applications. Working extensively with databases like MySQL, Sybase IQ, and MongoDB, I have mastered the art of efficient data management and retrieval, ensuring seamless operations for businesses. Additionally, I have successfully built and deployed multiple products using React and React Native frameworks. These cutting-edge technologies have allowed me to create intuitive and user-friendly applications that bridge the gap between web and mobile platforms, providing exceptional experiences for users. Feel free to reach out to me here on LinkedIn or via email at [email protected]. I look forward to connecting with you and discussing potential synergies.

Vasco Santos is the Global Leasing Director at Ingka Centres, part of Ingka Group, which also includes IKEA Retail. Vasco holds a 28-years’ experience in the Retail and Real Estate industries, having worked for a decade for European retailers like Decathlon, Intersport or Parfois. Vasco moved to Ingka Group in 2006 where he has been performing different roles within Asset Management and Leasing. Since December 2018, Vasco has led the global leasing department, with teams spreading from Shanghai to San Francisco.

Sandeep, a seasoned IT professional with over 27 years in Commerce, Internet, and Data Science technologies, currently leads Consulting and GTM for India and ASIA at Ayata Commerce. With pivotal roles at SAP, Oracle, IBM, and TCS, he guides global Retail, FMCG, and Manufacturing brands in CxM and SCM excellence. Recognized with the ‘Retail TOP Minds’ award by the ASIA Retail Congress for his innovative contributions, Sandeep strategically crafts the most relevant technology stack, to drive sustained growth and profitability in operating margins for Indian Retailers.

Niraj Jaipuria drives thought leadership in the space of Retail Analytics and Process Reengineering, and serves on the boards of Consultants to global Retailers. With over 30 years of varied industry experience, he is also the Founder & CEO of BIRetail Solutions, a niche Retail Analytics company. As a BI Evangelist, he has been instrumental in leading business transformation for Indian and International Retailers. Honoured twice among the “Top Retail Minds in India”, he regularly features at industry and technology conferences as a speaker, moderator and chair as a seasoned Retail expert.

Siddhant has spent 10 years in the skilling and job access industry and helped over 2 million people upskill or get access to their next job. He leads Product Marketing and Strategy at apna. In another life he was an investment banker. He has studied finance at Delhi University.

An experienced business leader, Ajay is a seasoned veteran with over 20 years of experience of which 15 years have been dedicated hands-on experience in driving a variety of logistic businesses from cash logistics, global relocations, freight forwarding and 3PL. While enjoying a long career at the helm of various companies, Ajay noticed several white spaces in the industry across multiple MNCs and trade organisations. Shortly after crossing the age of 40, Ajay decided to take the plunge and follow his entrepreneurial desire and find ways to implement to fill these gaps using innovative ideas and solutions.

Ajay founded Emiza with a vision to create a seamless supply chain platform and cater to the growing needs of SMB enterprises in India, both online and offline using scalable supply chain solutions that are driven by advanced and intelligent logistics capabilities. Emiza began operations in 2016 with a single warehouse in Delhi and only two clients. With determination and drive, Ajay increased Emiza’s network to a fleet of 26+ warehouses in India and to more than 180 brands across five industry segments (with the majority being D2C brands). Today through Ajay’s vision and fortitude has been instrumental in leading Emiza’s team of 2500 people from different domains in servicing over 150000 D2C orders and over 300,000 B2B units per day. Ajay is a strong believer of using green and renewable energy in business operations and envisages a network of warehouses and logistics operations that rely completely on green and renewable energy. Associated with the world of logistics, warehousing, and supply chain since 2004 when he held multiple leaderships positions with the Writer Group starting with being the CEO of Writer Safeguard Private Limited for four years followed by CEO for Writer Relocations where he spearheaded the entire global operations of Writer Relocations in 5 countries across India and the GCC.

After an 8-year stint with the Writer Group, Ajay joined Allcargo Global Logistics Limited where he served as President for approximately 3 years from 2012-2015. Ajay was also the President of the Indo-Belgian-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce & Industry in Mumbai, India where he was responsible for promoting trade between India, Belgium and Luxembourg. A proud graduate, Ajay holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management from William & Mary, USA.

Dhaval with his 25+ years of diverse experience in telecom, enterprise security & AI has spearheaded AIVID’s AI Based In-Store Retail Analytics Platform which empowers Large Retail Enterprises to Improve visitors conversion, derive Marketing Campaign Impact, Staff utilisation & outlet business performance.

Farooq is a Co-Founder at Fynd. An IIT Bombay graduate, he leads the product and engineering teams with a keen eye on strategic direction. Farooq’s visionary approach has been instrumental in shaping Fynd’s growth and its innovative contributions to the retail landscape. When he’s not shaping the future of Retail and Commerce, Farooq enjoys traveling, playing sports, trekking, scuba diving, and photography.

Karan Goyal is a multifaceted entrepreneur with a remarkable track record in the digital marketing industry. He specializes in growth strategies and online sales funnels, helping businesses to scale their digital presence and generate revenue online. He has worked with several leading brands in the Indian Startup Ecosystem to help them achieve their marketing goals. Under his leadership, his agency has helped its clients generate more than 500 crores in sales, establishing him as one of top players in the industry.

Vikas Anand is responsible for running DHL’s Supply Chain business in India, which includes all warehousing and distribution operations. DHL Supply Chain India has over 17,000 employees based in 146 locations spread across 39 cities in India. He is also a member of the Asia Pacific Board of Management for DHL Supply Chain.

Pioneer in the field of RFID & IoT, Ashim is leading Infotek Software & Systems (i-TEK) for the last two decades. He is a well-known technocrat and respected entrepreneur. He has founded several technology companies and is deeply involved in all of them. It was his passion for RFID & NFC technology that paved the path for i-TEK, where he endeavours to develop and deliver innovative RFID-NFC based automation and IoT solutions. Tech Mahindra, the global digital changemaker, invested in i-TEK in 2019.

Under his leadership, i-TEK has successfully implemented solutions across verticals like Retail, Logistics and Manufacturing. He has played a vital role in the conception and success of the Indian National Electronic Toll Collection Program, now known as FASTag. Every second vehicle in India has i-TEK FASTag and around 3,000 toll plaza lanes operate on i-TEK RFID infrastructure. Ashim also manufactured the first RFID Electronic Seal for Containers, mandated by the Central Board of Indirect Tax, Ministry of Finance, Government of India. More than 3,500 reputed manufacturing brands in India use the self-sealing solution of i-TEK across 100+ Ports / ICDs.

In Fashion Retail, Ashim’s contribution in conceptualising and developing Inventory Visibility and Supply Chain Traceability solutions is commendable. Many Retail Brands of National and International repute are benefitting from this solution offered by i-TEK.

Boni Satani is the Co-Founder of Zestard Technologies – eCommerce & Digital Marketing Agency. With an extraordinary track record, Boni has spearheaded 20X business growth for eCommerce brands through the power of organic SEO. With over 12 years of experience, Boni has been invited to share his expertise at marketing events such as BrightonSEO (UK), SEMRush, Internet Commerce Summit, D2C Insider, WordCamp India, eChai, and numerous other local and global gatherings.

Evgeny is in charge of Yango Tech’s operations and business development. His experience includes running a complex technological and heavy operational business in the UK and Central Asia. Well-versed in cross-border implementation and business development projects.

Ragini Varma is the Chief Business Officer for India at Fynd, bringing with her seven years of invaluable experience in growth, marketing, and leadership within the retail industry. With her strategic vision and leadership skills, Ragini has played a crucial role in driving revenue growth and broadening Fynd’s operational horizons. She has been instrumental in scaling several retail brands and is known for building strong relationships with entrepreneurs, leading to groundbreaking developments that have established new standards in the industry.

Dheeraj Dogra an Indian American Real Estate and Retail veteran with over 30 years of experience in business development with global retail chains like Macy’s, Bloomingdales and Bed Bath & Beyond in the US. He has also held leadership roles with developers like DLF, Ansals Api, Omaxe, Srei Infra ,M3M and Express Avenue. Dheeraj was also associated with BNP PARIBAS Real Estate as their National Director of Retail and Shopping Centre Advisory Services for India. Dheeraj is a Chartered Surveyor and an MRICS. He graduated from Emeritus (MIT, Columbia & Tufts) as a global ivy scholar and has a Masters certificate in CRM from The City University of New York. He also holds an Advanced Certificate in Marketing Strategy from Cornell University. A Bharat Gaurav Award for his efforts in advocacy of sustainable development by the Govt. of India, Dheeraj has been nominated and won several awards including Employee of the year award at Macy’s. He has been adjudged “Best Retail Minds in Asia” eight years in a row by Asia Retail Congress. Dheeraj was recently conferred with one of the most admired global Indians award in Asia by Asia Africa Chambers of Commerce & Industry. Dheeraj was the only

practicing real estate professional finalists for the position of Chairman Haryana RERA. A keen believer in giving back to the society and community, Dheeraj a 9/11 veteran of the auxiliary police department for the city of New York is on the mentor board of NEXUS, US Dept. of State sponsored startup incubator in India. He is also an Assessor board of RICS London, world’s largest and oldest professional body that sets professional standards for the built environment. Dheeraj is also a member of the “World Smart City Council”.

Nandini Taneja, a trailblazer in the real estate industry, thrives on adaptability and innovation. With over 17 years of experience, she currently serves as Vice President at Reach Group, where she oversees lease management systems, mall management, and leasing strategy. Prior to this, she excelled at Cushman and Wakefield, managing the retail division across North and East India. Her journey began at Chesterton Meghraj, now Jones LaSalle, where she handled luxury residential projects. Nandini’s leadership is marked by introducing new strategies, platforms, technologies, and designs, propelling Reach Group to the top league in high street models. Her focus on execution and maintaining quality has driven profits while setting new industry benchmarks. Inspired by adaptability and innovation, she holds a degree in Entrepreneurship and Business Management from the University of Delhi, guiding both her own success and that of her teams.

Mr. Frankline is an accomplished and award-winning Retail Leasing and Business Development professional with over 2 decades plus of experience in retail business development and expansion role Pan India. Currently, he leads the retail leasing and business development portfolio for luxury retail at PARAS BuildTech India Private Limited, one of the leading premium real estate developers of North India. Mr. Frankline have opened over 4000 offline stores pan India, have created benchmark in the retail industry and he is being recognized amongst the top & popular faces for BD’s in the country for Retail Expansions. His mission is to propel business development expansion to the next level for various retail categories, such as fashion, QSR, F&B, jewelry, shoes, home decor, furniture, electronics, and many more.

An electrical engineer by training, Vaskar started his career as a production planning & control engineer with an Indian heavy engineering major in the mid ‘90s. With a career spanning over 27 years, primarily with enterprise software product companies, in various capacities including product marketing, business operations management, he has had extended exposure to markets in India, South East Asia, Middle East & Africa. A post-graduate with specialization in marketing operations, he has been associated as a branding consultant to technology companies and as a guest faculty with a few private universities in West Bengal. Currently heading the zonal business operations of Ginesys, he also follows his passion for media, entertainment, and literature and is a published author.

Ankit Chhabra is a seasoned professional with a rich 20-year background in the Retail Industry. Throughout this tenure, Ankit has been a pivotal figure in the business development efforts of prominent retailers, including Shoppers Stop and Marks & Spencer in India. His professional journey also includes collaborations with esteemed developers such as Shapoorji Pallonji, and was also affiliated with Runwal & Warburg Pincus for their retail ventures in India. Ankit’s remarkable achievements encompass the successful establishment of multiple shopping centres in diverse cities across India. At present, he leads the Retail vertical at SPR India.

An innovative leader and second-generation entrepreneur in real estate, Jatin Goel is a driving force behind transformative projects at Omaxe Ltd. With a keen eye for emerging trends and a commitment to operational excellence, he navigates the industry’s evolution with agility and foresight. As India strides towards a $5 trillion economy, Jatin recognizes real estate’s pivotal role, advocating for stronger ethics and customer-centric approaches. His dedication to shaping modern living experiences underscores his vision for the future of the industry. Connect with Jatin and explore the dynamic landscape of new-age real estate today.

Executive Director of one of India’s leading retail conglomerates the Pacific Group has over 20 years of experience in acquisition, development, finance, operations & marketing of retail real estate. Under his leadership the Pacific Group has grown to expand to about 3 million sq. ft. of retail space & about 1.5 million under development to be released by 2023. Born in the business family he has worked hard and together taken the family business from 50 crores revenue to about 500 crores. Mr. Bansal has been a visionary & a pioneer in his field of work. His investments that started off as a stand-alone opportunity have now been deemed imminent landmarks. One such example is that of his retail mall in West Delhi,

which was the first of its kind that brought brands like Zara, Mac, Mango, Reliance & many  others to this part of Delhi. This investment has turned out to be the largest stand-alone contributor to the group’s top line. Mr. Bansal has spent his early years at India’s most prestigious all boys’ boarding school, Mayo College Ajmer. He has done his under graduation in commerce from Delhi University & has studied business while aggressively expanding his retail presence in the country. While Mr. Bansal works as a full time director at the group he also is an active member of various prominent institutions in India such as:

Member of the Board of DPS Indirapuram

Member of the Board of DPS Raj Nagar Extension

Member of the Board of Pacific world school Greater Noida

Member of the Board of SCAI

Member of IFCCI Retail Committee

Member of FICCI Arise

Key milestones for the Pacific group:

2003 Pacific Ghaziabad

2004 Pacific North Pitampura

2010 Pacific Tagore garden

2012 Pacific Dehradun

2015 Pacific Agra and Mathura

2019 Pacific Dwarka

2021 Pacific Netaji Subhash Place

2022 Pacific Jasola

2023 Pacific Faridabad

Aman Trehan, is the third-generation staunch entrepreneur in the realm of real estate. He began his career at a very young age as he joined his family business to understand the nuances of the industry, while completing his college degree. He learnt the basics of this industry from his father and looked up to him as his guiding light and mentor in business and life. He also gained the fundamental knowledge & skills of engineering from his father. With an experience of more than 18+ years in the realty industry, and the recipient of “40under40” award recently, he further aims to expand the business into different segments in the future.