IndiaRetailing brings you a series in which we highlight the brand icons in India’s thriving fashion and lifestyle industry. Today, the spotlight is on Suresh Seerna
New Delhi: 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, IndiaRetailing highlights the brand icons in India’s thriving fashion and lifestyle industry. Today, the spotlight is on…
Suresh Seerna
Director Marketing & Sourcing, RS Brothers (South India Shopping Mall, Kanchipuram Narayani Silks & De-Royal)
Education
MBA (Marketing) Coventry University, London
Career history and experience
Started the journey from managing, understanding product sales and requirement from customer point of view, understanding the store front management sales and administration. With this experience, I moved on to the sourcing/purchase department involved with the team and presently heading the sourcing team of men’s department and involved in data analytics to understand the sales/ purchase patterns and formed structure of reporting to get the clearer picture of data.
After that, I am involved in the marketing strategies of the company, changed the company’s traditional approach of marketing to digitalization. Presently, heading the department with overall experience of a decade.
Role and responsibilities
Heading marketing, sourcing and front-end operations.
Strengths:
• Positive
• Passionate
• Able to lead
Weakness
Not a weakness, I say, involving in lot of roles or tasks at the same time.
Aspiration you want to fulfill
Want to build a world class brand of ethnic wear and be a leader in the textiles and garments industry.
Game changing retail technologies according to you
• AI in data analytics
• Omnichannel approach
• Voice commerce
Skills that helped you succeed in this industry
• Understanding the customer needs.
• Requirements from front end and understanding the same with the data.
• Right approach at the right time.
• Fostering and building a culture of continuous innovation.
Lessons learned over the years
• Involve people to understand their needs and concerns.
• Involve the team in management decisions and adapt quickly to any new trends/innovations and keep updated with the market.
• Cut down stumbling blocks.
Your take on the future of industry
Future will always be bright. Supply chain efficiency will increase. Approach to customers will become more efficient, targeting the right consumer at the right time.
If you had to pen down your top 3 learnings from your career
• Take initiative.
• Right communication.
• Learn to adapt quickly.
Life mantra
Adapt as per the changing workplace dynamics and trends; innovation leads to progress.
This article first appeared in IMAGES Group’s Business of Fashion Magazine March 2023 issue.
