India Retail Forum (IRF) has announced the appointment of V Vaidyanathan, executive director on the board of ICICI Bank, as chairman of IRF 2007. He will present the IRF welcome address on September 4, 2007, in Mumbai.
During late 90s, ICICI group had decided to diversify into consumer banking. Vaidyanathan was a lateral hire and was initially given the assignment of setting up the retail financing business. He was appointed managing director of ICICI Personal Financial Services Limited in 2000, which later merged with ICICI Bank. The businesses managed by him are the 950-strong branch network, the SME business, credit cards, and other lending businesses like mortgages, automobile finance and personal loans.
In the years since 2000, Vaidyanathan’s contribution has been in building a powerful consumer business franchise, building the retail team, working out the credit philosophies, and leading the business-to-market leadership. During this period, the consumer banking business of ICICI Bank has developed an asset base of over USD30 billion (Mar 2007), 20 million customers, and over 8 million credit card customers.
Vaidyanathan has served on the boards of Credit Information Bureau (India) Ltd (CIBIL), India’s first credit bureau, and Small and Medium Enterprises Rating Agency (SMERA) – positions he had given up subsequent to his appointment to the board of ICICI Bank.
Vaidyanathan is an alumnus of Birla Institute of Technology and Harvard Business School.
India Retail Forum represents a congregation of leading retail brands, companies and minds from across the globe, from diverse retail-related verticals – from retail real estate, and design and architecture, to visual merchandising, retail support, and technology.
To be hosted at the Renaissance hotel in the country’s financial hub, Mumbai, the event will take place over three days, from September 4 to 6, 2007. The 2007 agenda is “Laying the foundation RIGHT for INDIA –RETAIL 2010 & Beyond,” while the theme is “Unleashing the Potential of Organised Retail.”
IRF 2007 will be venue to a series of workshops for key industry professionals, conducted with leading global consulting firms, retail support organisations and international retailers. Also on the agenda is an IRF national debate on retail with political leaders and key stakeholders from the retail world.
India Retail Forum plays host to seven strategic sub-forums: Asia Shop – the retail support exposition; The Future Shop – the showcase of cutting-edge retail technologies; Retail Concepts – the innovative retail formats exhibition; L Cube – the retail real estate display; Brand Show – the business gallery linking brands and products with retail; Retail Access – the entrée for support vendors and merchandise suppliers; and Retail Theatre – representing the melting pot of thoughts, discussions and debates.
