
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.
IMAGES Business of Fashion highlights an icon in India’s thriving fashion and lifestyle industry- Bidyut Bhanjdeo, Chief Business Officer, Ethnix by Raymond, Head Sales, LFS and Ecommerce.
Education: PGDM from XIMB
Career History & Experience: 8 years with Raymond Apparel Ltd., done multiple roles. Currently, the Chief Business Officer for Ethnix by Raymond and head sales, LFS and Ecommerce for Raymond Apparel Ltd.
Current Role & Responsibilities: Complete P&L responsibility for Ethnix by Raymond with all functions, including sourcing and supply chain management. Head of Sales, LFS and Ecommerce for all brands of Raymond Apparel Ltd.
Strengths & Weaknesses
- Strengths: Domain knowledge, can lead large multi-functional teams, hard working; don’t hesitate to roll up my sleeves and get into working on the ground with my teams.
- Weaknesses: Impatient for results.
Aspirations You Want to Fulfil: To grow the Ethnix to a Rs 500 crore business in a couple of years and open 200 stores by the end of next fiscal year.
Your Top 3 Game Changing Retail Technologies
- Omnichannel has helped make a much larger option available to the consumer.
- GMB has helped track physical stores easily for consumers.
- Tracking which options are selling with visuals has helped plan B&M much better.
Skills That Helped You Succeed
- Understanding consumer needs and crafting brand
- Strategy and designs accordingly.
- Always have a sharp eye on profitability.
- Creating great marketing campaigns.
Lessons Learned: A good leader is honest and open with the team and shares his/her vulnerability with them. Keep the shareholders in the centre of every business decision that you make. Consumer understanding is the key to business success.
The Future of the Fashion Retail Industry: The future is bright with the economy on a growth path. An explosion will now happen in tier 2 and 4 cities as the government starts to improve the infrastructure in these cities. Competition will intensify with new brands coming in every day.
If you had to pen down your top 3 learnings from your career
- Work hard; results are bound to happen.
- Consumer is king, therefore understand his needs.
Life Mantra: Enjoy the journey of life; do not worry too much about which destination to reach.
This article first appeared in Images Group’s Business of Fashion Magazine March 2023 issue