In today’s day and age, any CIO worth his salt must know how to leverage technology to create value for the business. No longer are CIOs department heads of a support function. Instead, they are in the driver’s seat and need to be more than just subject-matter experts. According to International Data Group (IDG)’s “State of the CIO Study 2022,” 58 percent of workers outside of IT describe their company’s CIO as a “strategic advisor who proactively identifies business opportunities and makes recommendations.”
In this special feature, IMAGES Business of Fashion showcases the torchbearers of retail technology. This week, the spotlight is on…. Amit Arora, CIO, SHR Lifestyles Pvt Ltd
An innovative and forward-thinking creative professional with more than two decades of experience, particularly in leadership roles, 41-year-old Amit Arora has been instrumental in propelling brands onto a path of success, Shree being the latest. Arora is constantly focused on creating strategies that drive organic and steady growth through simplifying operations, aligning IT with organizational goals and eventually leading to customer satisfaction. He has an entrepreneurial mindset with global expertise and in-depth knowledge in Retail Tech, Enterprise-Level Automation and Digital Transformation.
Amit Arora has worked with international and cross-cultural environments and has helped companies increase their turnover by the multifold. He has also started up profitable e-commerce portals in India. In 2005, Arora co-founded an IT company and hit the million-dollar mark within its first few years.
Education
- Indian Institute of Management, Indore
Business Analytics - Symbiosis Institute of Management Studies
MBA – Marketing
Roles & Responsibilities
Automation and Digital Transformation in India & UAE. Expertise in ERP Implementation, Application Security Policies/Procedures, Retail Tech, Web/E-Com, Omni-Channel, IT policies, and controls.
Expertise
- ERP Implementation
- Security Policies/Procedures
- Retail Tech
- Web/E-com
- Omnichannel
- IT policies and controls
Career History & Experience
SHR Lifestyles Pvt Ltd
CIO
Nov 2014 – Present
Indiaemporium.com (AR Emporium Pvt. Ltd.)
Director & CEO
Apr 2015 – Mar 2019
Virka Infotech Pvt. Ltd.
Founder Director
May 2011 – Mar 2015
Co-founder and Vice President
Aug 2006 – May 2011
Netcradle
Lead Business Developer and Product Manager
Oct 2000 – Jul 2006
Strengths
- Exploring technologies and phygital innovations
- Strong sense of leadership
- Good at delegating tasks
- Multi-tasking
- Decisive when needed
Weaknesses: Being overly connected and micromanaging
Aspirations to Fulfill
Self-awareness, empathy, courage to take risks, and focus on positively influencing the capacity of people to flourish in their professional and personal life.
Game Changing Retail Tech
- Mobile/Voice Commerce
- Artificial Intelligence
- Augmented Reality
Skills
- Strategic thinking
- Employee management
- Industry experience
- Data analytics
- Change management
- Agility to adapt the change
Lessons & Learnings Over the Years
- Attentiveness, active listening is the key
- To be empathetic
- Calculative risk ability
- Strong presentation skills
Future of Industry: The future is very bright, and the global spending will increase the usage of technologies such as Internet of Things, advancement in Artificial Intelligence, ML and digital commerce.
Industry Role Model: Shiv Nadar, Jeff Bezos & Ratan Tata
Tech mantra for life: Be in the know
