Apeksha Gupta, the dynamic CEO of eyewear brand John Jacobs, has announced her departure after a transformative seven-year journey with the brand. While she has not disclosed her next move, Neha Bansal, co-founder and promoter at Lenskart, will now oversee the John Jacobs business. Bansal also serves on the board of John Jacobs Eyewear and plays a central role in the group’s broader growth strategy.
Performance Recap: John Jacobs & Apeksha Gupta’s Tenure
Reflecting on her journey, Apeksha Gupta said: “John Jacobs closed FY25 with ₹1,100 crore in revenue and 3.3 million customers, reflecting rapid scaling since the post‑COVID period. After that initial year, growth accelerated significantly.” She added that with Lenskart’s impending IPO, brand‑level figures are consolidated under the group entity and are not routinely disclosed.
Gupta also reflected on her leadership philosophy: “Experience is valuable, but it is not a prerequisite for making good decisions, building bold ideas, or creating lasting impact… what matters most is conviction, courage, and leading with kindness.” She is currently in active discussions on her next move and is expected to take up a new mandate in the coming months.
Her tenure saw John Jacobs evolve from an emerging challenger to one of India’s leading premium eyewear brands, with strong offline expansion and a distinctive design-led positioning. Gupta emphasized the importance of conviction, courage, and kindness in leadership, highlighting how the brand grew into a community of style-conscious consumers and collaborators.
Lenskart Group FY25 & Strategic Overview
At the group level, Lenskart continues to scale aggressively:
- Revenue (FY25): Between ₹6,625 crore and ₹6,653 crore, marking ~22% YoY growth from ₹5,428 crore in FY24.
- Net Profit: ₹297 crore, marking a turnaround after years of narrowing losses.
- Store Footprint: Over 2,700 globally, spanning India, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.
- IPO Plans: Filed DRHP; aiming to raise ₹2,150 crore via fresh issue, with total IPO size projected between ₹7,500–8,000 crore.
- Valuation: Estimated at $6.1 billion as of April 2025.
What’s Next for John Jacobs
As Neha Bansal steps in to guide John Jacobs, the brand is expected to build on the strong foundation laid during Gupta’s tenure, while harnessing the group’s scale and digital-first DNA. Gupta leaves behind a legacy of rapid growth and distinctive brand-building that firmly positioned John Jacobs in India’s premium eyewear space.
Bansal’s remit aligns seamlessly with her group-level role at Lenskart. As co-founder and promoter, she brings deep expertise in merchandising and supply chain—capabilities that have underpinned Lenskart’s scale-up in India and overseas.
With Lenskart’s IPO on the horizon and its international expansion gathering momentum, both the group and John Jacobs are well-placed to ride the next wave of consumer demand in eyewear retail.
