IndiaRetailing brings you a series in which we highlight the brand icons in India’s thriving fashion and lifestyle industry. This week, the spotlight is on Abhishek Bajpai
Mumbai: No business can survive for long without a vision; even if it does, it would be susceptible to every disruption and upheaval that generally comes in its business cycle. It needs a leader who has the capacity to translate, create that vision, or make it clearer and turn it into reality. The very essence of leadership is having a vision in the first place. Moreover, as you can’t blow an uncertain trumpet, it should be clearly articulated so that they can manage and lead people. A team led by a visionary leader with a clear direction knows what it can achieve and how far it can go.
In this special feature, India Retailing highlights the brand icons in India’s thriving fashion and lifestyle industry. This week, the spotlight is on….
Abhishek Bajpai
CEO, Apparel Group India Pvt. Ltd.
Education
MBA
Career history and experience
Total experience of 23 years in retail.
- Liwa Enterprises – United Arab Emirates, 2000 to 2008 – Management Trainee , Area Manager, Retail Manager
- Al Tayer Group, UAE , 2008 – 2011 – Business Development Manager
- Liwa Enterprises, UAE , 2011 – 2015 – GM and Chief Operating Officer
- Apparel Group, UAE, 2015 – 2018 – General Manager
- Apparel Group, India, 2018 – 2021 – Vice – President
- Apparel Group, India, 2022 – Current – CEO
Role and responsibilities
Managing the entire India business as the CEO. Key responsibilities include:
- P/L management of Apparel Group India business
- Strategic growth
- Business operations
- Partner management
Strengths
- Business operations
- Brand growth
- Talent management
Aspirations you want to fulfill
Creating a high performance organisation which provides growth opportunities for teams and individuals to progress.
Game changing retail technologies according to you
- Data-led personalization
- Open Ai
- Metaverse
Skills that helped you succeed in this industry
- Continuous desire to learn
- Talent management and growth
- Creating high performance culture
Lessons learned over the years
- Focus on sustainable growth.
- Inventory management is key to business operations.
- Customer experience will define the longevity of any retail business.
Your take on the future of industry
In retail, brands with omnichannel set up will continue to grow. Customer Experience is going to be an important diȮ erentiating factor for brands, and talent is going to be critical for any retail business to sustain.
Role model
Martin Waters
Learning from your career
- Talent and high performance culture is key to success for any business.
- Scalability is critical for profitability of business.
- Customer experience defines the growth of brands.
Life mantra
Surround yourself with people that push you to do better.
This article first appeared in Images Group’s Business of Fashion Magazine Issue March 2023.
