speaker profiles

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SPEAKER PROFILES – INDIA FASHION FORUM 2009, MUMBAI Gautam Hari Singhania Chairman, IFF '09 and CMD, Raymond: Mr. Gautam Hari Singhania took over the reins of Raymond Limited as Chairman and Managing Director in September 2000. Since then he has steered the destiny of Raymond Limited with a single-minded focus of being the best brand in India. He has been responsible for the strategic decision of the restructuring of the Group, initiating the divestment of the Synthetics, Steel and Cement division. Post divestment, the Group has consolidated its position with a better bottom line and more focussed and market oriented approach. Mr. Gautam Singhania joined the J. K. Group of Companies (Western Zone) in the year 1986. He was appointed the Wholetime Director on the Board of Raymond Ltd. in 1990 and was elevated to the position of Managing Director in mid-1999, in charge of all companies and subsidiaries of the Raymond Group in India and abroad. With a drive for creating new brands, Mr. Singhania has taken active interest in the launch of new services and products. He was instrumental in the successful launch of the brand KamaSutra in 1991. In the year 1996, he launched a new division called Million Air, providing quality charter services. It was under his leadership that the hi-fashion casual wear brand Parx and premium men's wear brand Manzoni were launched in the year 1999 and 2000 respectively. In the year 2001, Mr. Gautam Singhania, introduced the concept of corporatisation of designer wear for the very first time in India with the brand Be:. He also was instrumental in Raymond's acquisition of ColorPlus, a leading menswear brand. Mr. Gautam Singhania's keen foresight and innate business acumen has enabled the Raymond Group to achieve soaring heights in the Indian and international markets. His personal vision for the group is to take the Raymond brand from being the most respected Indian brand to be amongst the best in the global market. Raymond Limited operates in two business segments: textile, and files and tools divisions. Through its textile segment the

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Page 1: Speaker Profiles

SPEAKER PROFILES – INDIA FASHION FORUM 2009, MUMBAI  Gautam Hari Singhania Chairman, IFF '09 and CMD, Raymond:   Mr. Gautam Hari Singhania took over the reins of Raymond Limited as Chairman and Managing Director in September 2000. Since then he has steered the destiny of Raymond Limited with a single-minded focus of being the best brand in India. He has been responsible for the strategic decision of the restructuring of the Group, initiating the divestment of the Synthetics, Steel and Cement division. Post divestment, the Group has consolidated its position with a better bottom line and more focussed and market oriented approach. Mr. Gautam Singhania joined the J. K. Group of Companies (Western Zone) in the year 1986. He was appointed the Wholetime Director on the Board of Raymond Ltd. in 1990 and was elevated to the position of Managing Director in mid-1999, in charge of all companies and subsidiaries of the Raymond Group in India and abroad. With a drive for creating new brands, Mr. Singhania has taken active interest in the launch of new services and products. He was instrumental in the successful launch of the brand KamaSutra in 1991. In the year 1996, he launched a new division called Million Air, providing quality charter services. It was under his leadership that the hi-fashion casual wear brand Parx and premium men's wear brand Manzoni were launched in the year 1999 and 2000 respectively. In the year 2001, Mr. Gautam Singhania, introduced the concept of corporatisation of designer wear for the very first time in India with the brand Be:. He also was instrumental in Raymond's acquisition of ColorPlus, a leading menswear brand. Mr. Gautam Singhania's keen foresight and innate business acumen has enabled the Raymond Group to achieve soaring heights in the Indian and international markets. His personal vision for the group is to take the Raymond brand from being the most respected Indian brand to be amongst the best in the global market.

Raymond Limited operates in two business segments: textile, and files and tools divisions. Through its textile segment the Company manufactures worsted fabrics. Raymond forayed into garmenting through ventures like Silver Spark Apparel Ltd. and Regency Texteis Portuguesa Lda (for fine tailored suits, trousers and jackets), EverBlue Apparel Ltd. (jeanswear) and Celebrations Apparel Ltd. (shirts). Its apparel brands include Raymond, Manzoni, Park Avenue, ColorPlus, Parx, Be:, Zapp! and Notting Hill. The Company also has a retail presence established through the chain of The Raymond Shop and stand-alone brand stores for its brands. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2008, the Company had a total production capacity of 31 million meters of worsted fabric distributed at Thane, Chhindwara, Jalgaon and Vapi.

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  Anish Trivedi, Chairman and MD, Banyan Tree Communications:  

Anish Trivedi is a well known and much sought after compere, theatre personality and socialite. He also runs a successful business as producer of radio and specialized audio programming in India through his company Banyan Tree. Anish can often be spotted with a cigar in his hand (not spotted smoking ever since the smoking ban!)

  Ahsin Rasheed, Sr. Partner, DDG INC.   Ahsin Rasheed has over 25 years of experience in the fields of planning, urban design, retail, mixed-use and architecture. In addition to his responsibilities as the Senior Partner of DDG, where he oversees the firm’s office management, new business development, client relationships, proposal coordination, team scheduling and system advancements, he also heads the DDG’s master planning division. Under his direction, master planning has become a central part of DDG’s work. Taking the broad view, but minding the details, he has integrated a planner’s perspective into the firm’s retail projects - ranging in size from ten acres to tens of thousand acres. Dreamland Shopping Resort and Master Plan in Cairo; Viva City in Mumbai; Vizcaya at Jinqiao in Shanghai, China; and the urban retail revitalization plan for downtown Johannesburg, South Africa

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  Arvind Singhal, Chairman, Technopak :   Arvind Singhal, pioneered Technopak Advisors in 1991, as India’s leading Management Consulting firm, specializing in Retail, FMCG, Healthcare, Food & Processing, Fashion, Education and Hospitality. Technopak offers “concept to commissioning” advisory services to clients globally. Arvind Singhal is acknowledged as one of the foremost experts in Indian and International Retail & Fashion Sectors.  Ajith Dias, Chairman, Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAFF), Sri Lanka :  

JAFF Chairman Ajith Dias is a Chartered Textile Technologist and a fellow member of the Textile Institute, (UK). He is also the a former Director of Brandix, the largest exporter of garments from Sri Lanka. He was also the Chairman of the Free Trade Zone Manufacturers Association (FTZMA) for several years.

    Anchal Jain, Founder Nun:   Anchal Jain, is the founder of lifestyle brand "NUN" for young girls. He is also a consultant and is associated with Promostyl for last 14 years. Jain has been working in the branded clothing space in Europe for over 13 years. His Men’s Beachwear brand "ICU" sells in 19 countries. He also created partnership with the world’s largest holiday brand Club Med in form of an exclusive license for

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resortwear. An MBA from IIM Ahmedabad, Jain started his career with the apparel fabric division of Madura Coats.     Dr. Darlie Koshy, Immediate Past Chairman, IFF and DG (E&T)

AEPC :   Associated with the Indian fashion and design industry for over three decades now, Dr. Koshy started his career with handlooms and textiles - working various state corporations before becoming the first GM of the National Handloom Development Corporation and subsequently rising up to the level of MD with KSHDC and Chairman, Kerala Garments. He joined NIFT in 1988 as the Founding Professor in Fashion Management Studies. In 2000 he joined NID and worked till Oct ‘08 as Director and member of the Governing Council and was involved in a major transformation of NID. He also authored three pioneering books on International Marketing and Design Management.

  Rajive Ranjan, MD, Wehmyer Lifestyle, Germany :   Rajive Ranjan is the owner of Dusseldorf based sourcing and importing company Techno Lifestyle which has a vast sourcing network spanning several countries. Mr. Ranjan recently acquired the German retailer ‘Wehmeyer’ at the brink of the dreaded recession. He aims to make the 23 store chain ‘Wehmeyer’ a King of small towns. Ranjan has thrice been awarded the Pravasi Excellence award and is engaged in social activities in Bihar, his home state.

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  Sudhir Dhingra, CMD, Orient Craft Ltd. (OCL):   A graduate in Law and winner of prestigious Udyog Ranta Award, for his contribution to industry, Sudhir Dhingra has successfully lead OCL to be a top manufacturer and exporter of broad based fashion products, employing nearly 25000 people in 21 factories, producing 1.5 Lac garments spread across 400 styles per day. Today OCL is with a turnover of 800Cr. and design studios in Europe & USA, has leaped into league of preferred global supplier. In 2006, with a vision for the future, he diversified into retail, setting up a separate division with a mission to be among the top retail players in 10 years.

  Kishore Biyani, Founder & CEO, Future Group :   Kishore Biyani holds an iconic status in the Indian retail industry and is considered as the father of modern retailing. He made his foray in modern retailing in 1997 with a single Pantaloon outlet. Today future group employs over 30,000 people and operates around 11 million square feet of retail space, has over 1000 stores across 63 cities and 65 rural locations in India. Biyani is a highly acclaimed figure in the Indian Retail Industry and has won several awards and felicitations. He has also authored a book on Retailing.  P K Gothi, MD Morarjee Textiles :     Pramod Kumar Gothi, heads the Textile division of Ashok Piramal Group as managing director of Morarjee Textiles. Gothi hs more than 36 years of experience in diverse industries. After working in reputed companies such as Hindustan Copper, Hindustan Electro-graphite, Carbon Corporation, he joined Piramal Enterprises in 1985. Gothi holds various positions in many organisations including chairman of Mill Owner’s Association, director on the board of the Cotton Association of India.  Prem Malik, Chairman, BTRA & Immediate Past President, TEXPROCIL :     With over 43 years experience at Top Management level with the companies like Bombay Dyeing and Mafatlal, Malik is currently running a Management Consultancy in Textiles and also

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engaged in Business of Textile Exports. He is also associated with various Textile Associations and Companies.    Premal Udani, Chairman, Institute of Apparel Management & Member, Apparel Exporters Promotion Council :     CMD of Kaytee Corporation, an Indian apparel export company of global repute, Udani has been actively associated with the clothing industry for over 25 years. He was the immediate past President of the Clothing Manufacturers Association of India (CMAI). He has presented several papers at national and international forums. He actively interacts with the Government in formulating policies for the Industry. Under his chairmanship the Institute of Apparel Management, created to encourage designs and managerial talent specific for the apparel industry, has major plans for expansion.  Channa Palansuriya, Chairman, Apparel Exporters Association - 200GFP, Sri Lanka :  

Channa Probodha Palansuriya is the MD & CEO (Sri Lanka) of Orit Apparels, a leading garment manufacturing and exporting company. He also serves as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of GC Lanka Clothing (Pvt) Ltd., which is also involved in the same line of business. Palansuriya holds responsible positions at numerous industry bodies in Sri Lanka and is also an active social worker.  Beauno Fernando, Chairman, Fabric & Apparel Accessory Manufacturers' Association, Sri Lanka :     Beauno Fernando is the Chairman of Shore to Shore, which specializes in brand packaging solutions through manufacturer and supply of tags, labels, merchandise identification and brand packaging products for the garment and retail industry. He is also the Chairman of the Expo Industrial Group and the Fabric & Apparel Accessory Manufacturer’s Association (FAAMA) and an Executive Committee member of the Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF).  Rehan Lakhany, MD, Hela Clothing and representing the Sri Lanka Apparel Exporters

Association :  

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Rehan Lakhany is the Joint Managing Director of Hela Clothing, which is a garment manufacturer that specializes in knitted children’s wear. He also represents the Sri Lanka Apparel Exporters Association, which is a member of the Joint Apparel Association Forum.   Fouzul Hameed, Chairman, Hameedia Group :     With 2 decades of experience in men’s fashion, the only men’s wear consultant in Sri Lanka, Fouzul Hameed has developed four unique brands which cater to men the world over. His clients include the President of Sri Lanka, top cricketers such as Sanath Jayasuriya, and top business personal from Sri Lanka and overseas.

  Shakir Hafeez, MD, Stafford Garments :   Shakir Hafeez is a 34 year young man with a 15 years of hardcore experience in apparel industry. He is the Managing Director of Stafford Garments ,Srilanka which owns the brand REBORN.

  Gopal Iyer, Chairman, SLGBOA :   Chairman of Nitches and Director of Rakshaa and Suriya Shakthi Construction in Sri Lanka, Gopal Iyer is also a committee member of Sri Lanka Chamber of Garment Manufacturers In addition to chairing Sri Lanka Garment Buying Offices (SLGBOA).  Rakhil Hirdaramani, Director, Long Island Clothing Co.:  

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Rakhil Hirdaramani is a Director of the Hirdaramani Group of Companies, one of the oldest and largest apparel manufacturing firms in Sri Lanka, with revenues of over $300 million. Founded in 1890, the company is a one-stop shop, offering design in addition to multi-country manufacturing facilities in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Vietnam as well as sourcing offices throughout Asia. In 2008, he overlooked the launch of the Long Island Clothing Co., the company’s foray into the retail sector.

  Subhinder Singh, MD, Reebok India :   Subhinder Singh joined Reebok in 1995 as the Footwear product manager. And thereafter took charge of marketing as general manager. In 1999, he went for a stint to Reebok International to work on the Reebok International five year strategic plans. In 2000 he took over as director sales and marketing and in October 2003 took charge to head Reebok as MD at the age of 35. Prior to Reebok, he worked in Ranbaxy and Mescos.

  Sanjeev Mohanty, MD, Benetton India:   Sanjeev became the youngest BU head in the Benetton Group at the age of 35 reporting directly to the Worldwide CEO. He has grown his business unit at a CAGR of 50% in the last 4 years making it the fastest growing unit of the Benetton group consecutively in the last 4 years. Starting his career as a merchandising executive in Proline Sportswear 13 years back, he rose rapidly from the ranks in every of his previous assignments, namely Levi’s, Madura Garments across multiple functions like design, merchandising, product management, brand management before joining Benetton as the Head of Retail. His management style is fiercely entrepreneurial and competitive and helikes to empower people and teams and drives excellence in execution while taking very quick decisions. His icons are Luciano Benetton and Steve Jobs.

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  Shyam Sukhramani, Director Marketing, Levi Strauss India :  

Shyam Sukramani heads marketing for the Levis business in India and neighbouring countries. He has been with Levis since 1995 and has been promoted within the organization, to manage a variety of portfolios. He was on the project team that launched the LS&CO. affiliate in Pakistan for which the team was awarded with the Daniel E. Koshland honour, the highest honour within LS&CO. He has also been responsible for developing and launching the very successful Levi’s® Sykes brand in India. Prior to joining Levi Strauss & Co., he worked with Biocon India

  Shankar Subramanian, Director Retail, Nokia India :   Shankar Subramanian is head of Nokia India’s newly formed Retail channel. Shankar joined Nokia as Director CDMA in Jan 2006 and in Aug 2006 he was appointed Director Operator Accounts in which role he was responsible for building strategic partnerships with telecom operators. An alumnus of the Asian Institute of Management, Manila, Shankar has over two decades experience in sales, marketing and business development. Before joining Nokia, Shankar worked with Kodak for several years.  Nitin Passi, Director, Marketing and Business Development, Lotus Herbal :  

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Involved in Strategic Planning as well as Administering and Improving Marketing Operations, Nitin has been instrumental in increasing the revenues of Lotus Herbals five folds within a span of 5 years and making it one of the most respected beauty brands not only in India but also in 16 other countries. Nitin holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) specializing in Strategy and Finance and a Master of Science (MS) in Information Systems from the Katz Graduate School of Business at University of Pittsburgh, USA.

  Vandana Luthra, Founder, VLCC :   The most recognized and admired name in the beauty and slimming business, Vandana Luthra’s VLCC group has grown exponentially since it started in 1989. Spanning across nearly 150 locations in 70 cities across India, one in Nepal & eight locations in the Middle East, VLCC is widely recognized for its scientific weight loss solutions and its therapeutic beauty approach. Having served over a million customers since inception, VLCC, today, has achieved iconic status and is India’s largest and most preferred Slimming, Beauty & Health brand with a strong global vision offering advanced and effective personalised solutions.

  Anil Chopra, Advisor, Lakme :   A Graduate in Economics (Hons.) from Delhi University and Advanced Management Programme (AMP) from INSEAD, France. Anil has had a 34 year career in the cosmetics industry in India. He joined Lakme Limited in 1974 and rose to the position of CEO of the Company in 1996. Seeing the opportunity of extending beauty products into services, Anil led the extension of the Lakme brand into beauty salons. Anil is a keen marketer with several awards to his credit in the area of advertising and communication, along with fashion.

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  Dinesh Dayal, L'Oreal India :   Dinesh dayal is currently Chief Operating Officer, Director – Luxury Products Division & member of Company Board of Directors at L’Oréal India. He Has 20 Years of experience with L’ORÉAL S.A. France and he is a MBA from INSEAD and a Physics (Honors) from St. Stephens College, New Delhi

  Ajay Girotra, Floriana Group :   A Hotel Management Graduate and a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, London with Over 23 years in the integrated marketing solutions, across various industry segments : ranging from hotels, travel , science & tech, IT, automobiles, medical, Wellness & healthcare, international resettlement, golf with 15 years as CEO and has provided marketing solutions and executed over 5000 BTL project for large no. of Fortune 500 companies.  Murali Sundar, Country Manager, Schwarkopf Professional :  

Murali Sundar is the Country Manager of Schwarzkopf Professional India. He was previously associated with the Cholayil Pvt. Ltd as their General Manager , Marketing.He has a Masters in Management and graduated with a degree in engineering from the prestigious Anna University

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  Jayant Kochar, MD, Go Fish Retail Solutions :   Jayant kochar is one of the pioneers of organised retailing in India, having successfully launched the French lifestyle brand Lacoste in India over 15 years ago. He went on to conceptualise and create the iconic chain of Espresso Bars - BARISTA, following that with a Juice Bars concept. He now heads GO FISH, the country’s leading specialised retail consultancy. Jayant is a prolific presenter and public speaker and is popularly invited to compere retail industry events.  Harmeet Pental, CEO, Personal Care & Group Marketing Officer, VLCC :  

23 years + experience in marketing, sales & general management in the beauty & personal care industry in India & Vietnam with Lakme, Reckitt & Colman & Avon. Currently working as CEO – VLCC Personal Care , Education & Group Marketing Officer.

  Kai Bendix, MD, Nivea India:   NIVEA is the biggest skin care brand in the world and a name that epitomized care for generations. The brand owned by Beiersdorf AG, Germany launched a wholly owned subsidiary in India in 2006 known as NIVEA India Pvt. Ltd. The affiliate is headquartered in Mumbai and is responsible for all critical functions such as Marketing, Finance, Supply Chain and Sales to Key Accounts. The parent company Beiersdorf AG, Germany is a Rs. 30,000 Crores (Euro 5,120

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Million) Beauty and Skin care MNC. It has affiliates in more than 169 countries, enjoys market shares of up to 30% and has more than 200 No. 1 positions in cosmetics categories all over the world. NIVEA India has a clear focus: To meet consumer’s skin and beauty care needs. Every day. For everyone.

  Craig Goldblatt, Motivational Business Speaker:   The United Kingdom’s Top Sales Speaker and Coach, Craig Goldblatt personally works with more than 15 thousand top executives each year, and they emerge stronger, more fulfilled and focused both in themselves and what they bring to their careers. Craig has spoken extensively within the fashion and retail industry and in 2007 opened The UK Retail Forum Conference. He will enthrall fashion and retail captains at India Fashion Forum (IFF) with his motivational address and insights into new-age ‘Motivation Techniques & Attitude’ for impacting change among employees and associates, to ultimately enrich work/business/ brand/consumer/retail experience.  Karl Schwitzke, Managing Partner, Schwitzke & Partner GmbH:  

Karl Schwitzke is responsible for the overall management of the company. Upon completion of his studies at the University of Applied Sciences in Kaiserslautern, Karl Schwitzke went on to accumulate extensive professional experience as a designer and interior architect in Germany and abroad. After stints at Associated Space Design in Atlanta, where he worked on projects for clients such as the U.S. State Department, Black & Decker, and the Prudential Life Insurance Company, and the architecture firm of Hentrich, Petschnigg & Partner KG, in Düsseldorf, he joined the international group of companies Esprit as a department manager. He spent five years there, playing a critical role in determining the lifestyle and fashion brand’s image at the point of sale. In 1989 Karl Schwitzke founded the design firm of Schwitzke & Partner GmbH. Mr. Schwitzke lives near Düsseldorf, is married, and has three sons.

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  Indranil Goswami, GM, Philips (GPI):   With over 13 years experience in different functions in Lighting Design, Application Engineering, Sales Management and Product Management in different parts of India and Europe, Indranil Goswami heads the Philips Lighting Design and Application Centre (LiDAC) in India. Indranil was awarded the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America Award of Merit in the year 2000 for lighting design. Till recently he worked as senior application specialist for Philips Lighting at their international competence centre for lighting design in Lyon, France and was responsible for international projects. Since September 2007, he is heading a team of design and application specialists for Philips Lighting India, based in NOIDA, India.

  Mark Fox, Chairman & CEO, Novator :   Mark Fox, a noted Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence pioneer, is an industry leader in the creation of online retail software and services. Mark founded Novator in 1994 and under his direction, the company has successfully created online retail and customer care solutions for companies like FTD, New Line Cinema, and Sony. Working with the Novator team, he continues to develop the innovative strategies and proprietary technologies that help clients prosper. Before starting Novator, Mark co-founded Carnegie Group Inc., a publicly owned software company that creates intelligent systems for solving engineering, manufacturing, and telecommunications challenges.

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  Sian Hession:   With over 20 years experience in retailing, working with some of the top International fashion brands such as Gap, Top Shop/Top Man, Coast, Karen Millen and Oasis - Sian Hession last worked as CEO of Long Tall Sally, a multi channelled niche retailer, before starting as an independent Retail Consultant and also working as an Ambassador for the charity Opportunity International. As Long Tall Sally, Hession built and led a team to turn around the balance sheet from a loss making position to break even in just 18 months. At Coast, Hession's six year stint as Retail Director saw sales grow from 4 million to 125 million, the opening of 35 stores and 125 department store concessions . As an independent Retail Consultant, last year Hession worked with the Mosaic Group (Karen Millen and Oasis) and the successful boutique brand Fenn Wright Manson. All three brands exceeded the expectations and profits increased.

  Pradeep Hirani, Chairman, Kimaya Fashions :   Pradeep Hirani, heads, Kimaya Fashion and is a core entrepreneur. He entered the business of fashion at age of 16. After three retailing ventures in short succession he started ‘Gimmicks’ in Mumbai - an exclusive women’s wear store housing fresh and upcoming designers which was a runaway success. Subsequently, he set up another store named IXTAPA, which retailed party wear. Pradeep Hirani identified designer couture as a high-potential area and took the plunge into this field and founded Kimaya in 2002.

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  Salil Chaturvedi, Director, Provogue :   Salil Chaturvedi has been at the fore front of the brand creation process at Provogue and is a guiding force for the Design, Product, Sourcing and Brand Marketing teams. With a inimitable hands-on approach he plays an active role in development of new businesses & fund mobilization. With 15 years of wide experience, his expertise extends from textiles to retail and real estate.

  Manish Saksena, COO, Tommy Hilfiger India :   In the Fashion Industry for last 15 years starting with Design and then branching into related areas such as Visual Merchandising , Creative Marketing , Range Planning and Buying. Worked with Varied Products & Formats such as Menswear Brands ( Madura Garments) , Womens Ethnic (W) and Department Stores(Lifestyle International) and now with International Lifestyle Brand (Tommy Hilfiger) - overseeing areas of Buying, Planning, Warehousing, Marketing, New Store Developments & Visual Merchandising.

  Zeena Freeman, CEO, Peter England People :   Zeena Freeman is responsible for all aspects of Peter England from the creation and evolution of the brand, to the growth and management of the business and organization. She brings

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substantial experience in launching and managing apparel businesses internationally. Her most recent prior position was as Senior Vice President, Aéropostale, Inc., where she oversaw lifestyle brand JimmyZ. Previously, Freeman enjoyed nearly a decade with Gap Inc. Freeman has a Bachelor of Arts in Japanese and Chinese History from Hamilton College.

  Arun Gupta CTO, Shoppers Stop :   Arun Gupta heads Technology spanning the Shoppers Stop Department Stores, HyperCity, Crossword Bookstores and other specialty retail formats. He has over 25 years of multi - industry experience, and has worked with leading companies. He is often invited as speaker in India and internationally on varied subjects. Gupta is the recipient of CIO 100 awards in 2006 and 2008 from IDG Media and is on the advisory board of various CIO forums and associations.

  Vijay Jain, CEO, Orra :   Responsible for the conceptualization and launch of ORRA in India Vijay forayed into the organised retail sector in year 2002. Post his MBA, Vijay Jain has over 10 years of advisory, M&A and Private Equity experience. He has worked with several investment banks that include Kotak Mahindra, Peregrine, SSKI and Rabo Bank. His first love however remains retailing which he has been closely following for the last decade and has advised Companies such as Barista & Café Coffee Day. Vijay Jain is an integral member of the Rosy Blue Group’s worldwide retail operations. He has spoken at various Forums including at the Havard Business School.

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  Nikhil Chaturvedi, MD, Provogue :   Nikhil Chaturvedi is one of the most respected first generation Retail and Retail infrastructure entrepreneurs. He is the Managing Director of Provogue. Nikhil is a hands on leader who is relentlessly driving the strategic growth of the company and inspires the entire team at Provogue with passion and single mindedness to create share holder value which is his driving force.

  Shreyas Joshi, President, Raymond Apparel :   Shreyas Joshi is presently the president, Group Apparel, Raymond. Prior to that, he held the position of executive director for a year and half with Ashima Group and before that holding senior position for 23 years with Arvind Mills. He has launched the Manzoni shop-in-shop in Raymond Shop in Mumbai.  Inder Musafir, Director, M&B Footwear : inder-musafir  

Inder Dev S. Musafir is a qualified footwear technologist from UK and has been instrumental in taking his single store family run shoe retail business to a Pan India network of footwear distribution for various International and National Brands, such as Lee Cooper, ID, Provogue, Geox, Merrell & Firangi.. He is leading the company to achieve ambitious targets in the coming years.

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  Vipin Kapoor, MD, Kapsons Retail :   Vipin Kapoor spearheads the retailing, marketing, distribution and franchising division of Kapsons. Established in 1989, with a retail area of 1000 sq.ft, Kapsons has reached to a total of 14 stores covering the area of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and J&K. The total retail space at present is 1 lac sq. ft. The group promises Fashion, Quality and the finest services for every generation.

  Shital Mehta, COO, Van Heusen :   Shital Kumar Mehta is the dynamic COO of Van Heusen in India. He joined Madura Garments in the year 2000 from Godrej consumer group where he was responsible for the marketing of the processed foods division.   Anurag Rajpal, Business Head, Apparel, Spencer's Retail :  

Anurag Rajpal is responsible for the overall apparel business of Spencer’s Retail which involves managing apparel operations for various retail formats. He is also working on the creation of apparel vertical for the group to venture into lifestyle retail through stand alone retail (EBO) & department store (MBO) formats. Prior to joining Spencer’s, he was working as head Trouser

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Town, Madura Garments. In his last assignment, Anurag Rajpal spearheaded the re-launch of Trouser Town with a new retail identity.

  Sanjay Bindra, Director, Biba :   Sanjay Bindra has spearheaded BIBA, Indian ethnic wear women's brand, now for 14 years. Picking up the threads from his mother who started making clothes as a hobby in 1988, Sanjay identified the huge lacuna in the emerging 'ready-to-wear' women's clothing industry in the country and thus was born 'BIBA', a word for endearing, well loved woman of Punjab. Today BIBA is available at 100 retail outlets across 20 cities across top MBOs and department stores and through its own stores. BIBA has netted several awards and recognition. A pioneer in in-film merchandising; BIBA has identified unique marketing opportunities and expressed itself via merchandising for films starring prominent leading ladies like Kareena Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra and Esha Deol.  Hagen Decker, Global Strategic Planner, Germany, Mustang Jeans Gmbh:  

Hagen Decker (born in 1975) is working as Global Strategic Planner for MUSTANG Jeans GmbH in Kuenzelsau, Germany. After finishing his studies at the Technical University Brunswig (TU Braunschweig), he started to work as consultant and project manager at Kurt Salmon Associates with a focus on strategy and supply management in the retail and consumer goods industries. Five years later, he joined Roland Berger Strategy Consultants GmbH as Senior Consultant in the consumer goods and retail practice. In 2007 Hagen Decker joined MUSTANG Jeans GmbH and is leading the Global Strategic Planning since then.

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  Suresh Singaravelu, President & Head - Infrastructure, Reliance Retail :  

Singaravelu is a management professional with over 30 years of work experience in diverse fields. He has been involved with several of the leading property developers of South India and is one of the founder members of the Foundation for Fair Practices in Property Development. He is currently President & Head-Infrastructure with Reliance Industries new retail venture. Prior to this he was the Chief Executive of The Forum, the mall and retail infrastructure creation initiative of the prestige Group, Bangalore.

  D P S Kohli, Chairman, Koutons :   Kohli, is the founding pillar of Koutons. His personal vision of has taken Koutons from a relatively small beginning to becoming a dominant player in the menswear market. Mr Kohli has been an entrepreneur throughout his career and has earlier been involved in retailing bicycles, Electronic goods, televisions and denims. His success with Koutons has widely been recognized by the retail fraternity and has been awarded the title of “Most Admired Fashion Face” at Images Lycra Fashion Awards, 2008.

  Rakesh Biyani, Director, Future Group :  

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Rakesh Biyani, is part of the Biyani family that owns the Future Group. He is a commerce graduate and has been actively involved in category management; retail stores operations, IT and exports at various Future Group companies. He has personally been instrumental in the implementation of the various new retail formats for the company.  Sanjay Verma, Executive MD, South Asia, Cushman & Wakefield :  

As the Executive Managing Director, South Asia, Sanjay Verma holds the responsibility of managing the group’s operations in South Asia, including New Zealand and Australia. As part of the senior Asian leadership team, he plays an important role in increasing the company's market share within the region and is responsible for assessing expansion opportunities in other emerging markets. Sanjay’s association with a number of Indian and Multinational Corporations, funds and developers, also helped him gain knowledge about real estate requirements and related dynamics.

  Kedar Apshankar, COO, Peter England :   Kedar Apshankar heads Peter England Menswear and previously has a rich experience of 10 years with the FMCG sector. Peter England emerged as the most trusted RTW menswear brand as per Brand Equity – ET survey of trusted brands 2008. Apshankar has witnessed a series of postings in Sales and Brand Management positions and has impressive experience of launching new brands, and developing flagship brands.

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  Chetan Shah, MD, Pepe India :   Chetan Shah is the youngest ever Pepe employee to take over the reigns of the company. His foresight and insightful strategy has enabled Pepe Jeans to become the market leader in the premium jeans and casual wear segment. He has previously worked in a consultancy firm, after which he joined the International Business Division at the Pepe global headquarters in London managing business in various Pepe markets across the globe.

  Devangshu Dutta, Founder, Third Eyesight :   Devangshu Dutta heads a specialist consulting firm focused on the consumer products and retail sector. Devangshu is frequently invited tospeak at premier industry events internationally, and his articles are also referenced widely. Devangshu also contributes to professional education, serves on advisory boards of institutions in the USA and in India, and is associated as an industry advisor with Prime Source Forum - Hong Kong.

  Shailesh Chaturvedi, CEO, Tommy Hilfiger India :   Shailesh Chaturvedi is currently working as CEO of Arvind Murjani Brands, and handles the Tommy Hilfiger Apparel business in India. Before joining this, he was with Benetton PLC; Italy based at Hong Kong and managed the business of all four brands of Benetton Group in 12

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countries including Australia, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam & Philippines. Prior to Benetton PLC, he had worked for 13 years with Madura Group.   George Santacroce, President, Madura Garments Retail Lifestyle :     George started his career 38 years ago as a Buyer for two major NY Department Stores, and in a span of 12 years rose to the level of President, Yves St.Laurent Menswear Post that he became President of Burberry’s Menswear; CEO of Aquascutum of London for North America, and spearheaded the Luxury Men’s Business at Bergdorf Goodman. In 1997 he joined Tommy Hilfiger Inc, as President, Men's & Women's Collections & Flagship Retail. In 2002, he moved to Tommy Bahama as President of Retail In August 2007, he moved to Bangalore, India, as CEO of “The Collective” the Super Premium Men’s Lifestyle Retail concept for Madura Garments.

  Thorstein Allenstein, Country Head, Triumph India :   Thorsten Allenstein has been part of the fashion business for the last 18 years. After starting his career in the family business in Germany, he travelled extensively through Asia and learned to love it. And when the opportunity came up he decided to leave his home country for more exciting shores and ended up riding the Chinese dragon for nearly 6 years. Having joined Triumph International, he moved to India in 2005 as its Country Head. In 2007 he took up the additional reponsibility for Sri Lanka. In 2008 he got promoted to Managing Director.

  Suresh D. Bhatia, CEO, Emaar Retail :   With over two decades of experience in the fashion retail sector in the Middle East and India, Suresh Bhatia joined the Emaar Malls Group in 2008. He oversees all operations, merchandising, advertising and marketing of world-class international brands and spearheads the Retail operations as well as all Leisure & Entertainment assets of the roup Group, including Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo, Dubai Ice Rink, KidZania®, SEGA Republic indoor theme park, Reel Cinemas, ARMANI/CASA and works on strategic plans for leveraging on their optimum potential. Suresh holds a post-graduation in Business Administration from Bangalore University, India.

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  Michael Pike, Creative Director, Pike Brand Ltd. UK :   With twenty years of experience in fashion and retail, Pike for the last 12 years has been running his own London based design agency, working for major brands and retailers, as well as niche players in Europe, USA and India. Areas of expertise; clothing, beauty and lifestyle. Also the founder of the unique men’s grooming retail store the G.room, on London’s Carnaby street - voted top 100 most inspirational global retailer. Representing British Men’s Brands, UK.

  Vijay Mishra, CEO, W :   Vijay K Misra is at the helm of one of the most successful retail fashion brands in the country today. Mishra studied fashion & textile management at Esmod, Paris and has several years of experience with European brands. Thereafter he moved to TCNS, a reputed garment export company servicing the US market. In later years he was instrumental in launching the womens wear brand W with a singular vision to bring global designs and clothing to the Indian masses.

  Puneet Nanda, Creative Head, Satya Paul :   Puneet Nanda is the man behind the ‘Satya Paul’brand after taking over the design reins of the brand in his hands in 1982. He is successfully carrying forward his father, Satya Paul’s legacy of creativity and avante garde design. Puneet Nanda has also trained in classical music from the

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renowned Ustad Zahir - ud – Din Dagar and is involved in a gamut of activities in the field of arts.  Mohit Tikmany, CEO, Vedant Fashions :     Mohit Tikamany is a dynamic head of Vedant Fashions and has played a crucial role in elevating the brand Manyavar to the highest echelons of retail and branding. He has steered the company from 2 Outlets and 5 MBOs to 31 Exclusive Outlets, 39 shop in shops and 400 multi brand outlets. Tikamany with a rich and varied experience of 2 decades is spearheading the company into new horizons

  Mahender Bajaj, Director, Haseeja:   Mahendra Prabhudas Bajaj started his business operation in 1988 in a 70 Sq. Ft. shop. He is one of the pioneers for retail customer presentation. His some of the grass root innovations in folding & packing material of Ladies Ethnic wear enhanced the looks for retail customer presentation. He also developed the basic infrastructure setup of modern textile culture in Ahmedabad and India for Ethnic wear industry. Today, Ahmedabad has become one of the largest manufacturing & wholesale centre for Ladies Un-stitched Cotton dress materials. This has given the shape to manufacturing industry to grow faster. His acumen in developing Retail Business Policies has been accepted and his ideas have been followed by many other entrepreneurs as well.

  Jitendra Chauhan, MD, Jade Blue :   Jitendra Chauhan has a rich and diverse experience of over three decades in men's fashion & lifestyle retailing. He founded ‘JadeBlue’ a premium lifestyle store brand popular for its breadth and depth of exclusive menswear and fashion merchandise. It is one of India's largest exclusive menswear chain with 5 outlets across major cities of Gujarat.

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  Manoj Jethwani, Director, Mebaz :   With a Degree in Finance & Retail Management from the University of Indiana, USA, and work experience as a retail analyst, Manoj returned to India in 2003 and launched a small ethnic store for men and women call ‘Mebaz’. Today he operates five stores and has also launched a private label called ‘Mark Collins’ which he plans to launch through multiple formats pan India.

  Jagdeep Chabbra, MD, Chabbra555 :   Chhabra has played a significant role over the last few years in expanding his retail presence from a single store in Chandni Chowk to 30 stores across India as of now. He carries with him generations of rich expertise in the manufacturing and marketing of indigenous fashion. With his contemporary outlook, he has reinvented Chhabra 555 to fit into the modern Indian retail landscape, and aims to make his company the Indian ethnic apparel brand of top recall across the globe.

  Hemchandra Javeri, Chairman, Fashion Alliance :   Hemchandra Javeri is one of India’s to captains leading in brand creation and retail and a pioneer with several innovations. His experience includes working as the CEO for Home Solutions Retail, a part of the Future Group in 2007-08 and as the President in Madura Garments where he

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led the company to success in the market and in turnaround financials. Prior to that Javeri worked with Nike Inc. as the Country Manager, South Asia.  Bijou Kurien, President & Chief Executive - Life Style, Reliance Retail :  

An XLRI MBA, Bijou Kurien has about 27 years of experience – including 6 years with Hindustan Lever and about 19 years with Titan Industries where he was part of the team which set up Titan. Here he held various positions in Sales, Marketing, International operations, Manufacturing etc. When he left in April 2006, he was the COO of the Watch & Clock division of Titan. He joined Reliance Industries in their newly created Retail division and heads the Lifestyle vertical. Reliance has embarked on a transformational initiative in the Indian retail industry and has already created a significant impact in the market. Bijou is also on the advisory board of the World Retail Congress, President of the Bangalore chapter of the XLRI Alumni association, member of the FICCI Retail committee and managing committee of the Bangalore Management Association.  Ashish Dikshit, President , Madura Garments (Lifestyle Brands) :  

Ashish Dikshit has a rich experience in the retail industry having worked in diverse roles across industries and functions of sales,marketing, supply chain and strategy over the last 15 years. In his current responsibility, he is in charge of Louis Philippe, Van Heusen, Allen Solly & Esprit and retail concept of Planet Fashion.

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  Reetika Mehra Dalal, Executive Head-India,Savile Row Company London:  

Reetika Mehra Dalal has the distinction of holding dual portfolios as Executive In- charge of the Up market Brands Division, Forbes Gokak & CEO India – DAKS Simpson. Reetika is one of the youngest women CEO’s in retail heading an International brand in the Country. She handles a diverse portfolio that includes Merchandising, Retailing and Marketing of DAKS in India. She also heads both Savile Row and Trussardi along with DAKS under the umbrella of the Forbes Group.

  Vishal Mirchandani, CEO, Wadhawan Lifestyle :     Vishal Mirchandani has over twenty years of experience in the lifestyle and retail industry. Mirchandani joined the Wadhawan group as the CEO of Wadhawan Lifestyle Retail. Prior to this, he was the CEO of Piramyd Retail for a brief period until the company’s acquisition. He has also worked as brand Head of Allen Solly with Madura Garments and as part of the management team at Shoppers’ Stop.  Manoj Chakravarti, Senior Advisor-Corporate, Titan Industries :  

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Manoj Chakravarti, currently serves as COO at the Centre for Corporate Governance and Citizenship, IIM Bangalore, and also retains his Chair at Titan Industries as Senior Advisor-Corporate, where he, is involved with Corporate Sustainability, Governance and Leadership Development. Manoj started his career with India Foils and then joined The Bahwan Group in the Middle East,. Manoj joined Titan as GM, Retailing, and then moved into heading Corporate Affairs and Europe operations and soon became Vice-President.   Akhil Chaturvedi, Director, Provogue :     Akhil Chaturvedi is the founder member of Provogue Limited and is currently looking after corporate planning, technology and supply chain function of the company. Chaturvedi also plays a key role in all HR and legal matter related to the business of the company. He has varied experiences in the field of marketing FMCG products and has worked with leading MNCs and Indian companies, such as Wimco, Balsara and Ion Exchange India. He has also worked with UK based Coopers & Lybrands Consulting Group on brand strategies.  Manoj Chandra, VP, Marketing & Customer Service, Bata  

Manoj is responsible for the complete Marketing and Customer Service operations of Bata India, directly impacting Business Development and retaining Bata as the leading brand in its geographical market. Manoj is a senior marketing professional with over 18 years of experience and has previously worked with some of the biggest brands, in various industries such as FMCG, Consumer Durables, Retail, Advertising and Supply Chain.

  Prasad Pabrekar, MD, Spykar Lifestyles   An electrical engineer from VJTI by qualification, Prasad Pabrekar entered the world of fashion joining his father’s laundry business in 1992, with a single aim of providing fashion to the u:th and with this unwaivered intent on providing the latest fashion and great product quality, he has today created a 225 crore brand “Spykar” - India’s favorite jeans wear brand for the u:th and now is on the path to recreate it for the kidswear segment with OYO – Jeanswear for Smart Kids.

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  Tarun Joshi, MD & CEO, Brand House Retail :   Tarun Joshi has over 20 years experience in the fields of marketing, communication and retail. Joshi has been associated with leading multinationals & well-known Indian business houses. He has traveled across the world and is very familiar with the international working environment. Joshi has been involved in the building of many brands across various categories. He heads the brand-building initiative at SKNL where he has been instrumental in building brands like Reid & Taylor, Carmichael House, Belmonte & Stephens Brothers.

  Mehul Choksi, CMD Gitanjali Group :   Mehul Choksi is known for his keen sense of business excellence, charismatic leadership initiative, and exceptional vision. Choksi joined the group in 1981 and later formed Gitanjali Gems Ltd, the flagship company of the group and has been responsible for the group’s expansion and diversification. Mehul Choksi’s vision, passion for excellence, perseverance and excellent foresight led him to craft the Gili brand almost a decade ago when branded jewellery was still unheard of in India.

  Kabir Lumba, Executive Director, Lifestyle:  

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Kabir Lumba heads the leading retail chain Lifestyle in India along with Home Centre, a leading household and furniture retailer chain. He will also be captain of the Splash and Bossini business in India. Lumba played a key role in the strategic planning and expansion of the Lifestyle business in India. Kabir has previously served as COO - Proline India and Pantaloon. He was also actively involved in the launch of Fila in India.

  Sanjeev Agrawal, CEO, Pantaloons :   Sanjeev Agarwal heads the Pantaloons business and carries an impressive in depth experience in FMCG marketing and sales. He has been associated with Pantaloon Retail since 2003 and was initially looking after the marketing function of the company. In took over the reins of the company as CEO in 2007 and has sence been passionately involved in the aggressive growth at pantaloon Retail.   Anuj Puri, Chairman & Country Head, Jones Lang LaSalle Meghraj:  

As Chairman & Country Head of Jones Lang LaSalle Meghraj, India’s largest premier real estate service providers, Anuj Puri oversees a team of over 3000 staff in 10 cities across India. Anuj is responsible for overall direction, strategy and growth of the firm. With over 19 years of experience ranging from feasibility studies and program requirement derivation to fund and investor sourcing, Anuj has expertise in planning, undertaking demand assessment studies and transactional services including marketing strategies based on technical real estate market analysis. He is one of the most admired leaders in the Indian real estate industry.

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  Vinay Nadkarni, CEO, Globus:   Vinay Nadkarni heads the store brand chain Globus and earlier worked with multinationals and large Indian corporates like Boots Pharmaceuticals, BASF and Lon exchange- Finance Ltd. Prior to joining Globus Stores as one of the founding members in 1998 he held the position of CFO till 2003 after which took over as CEO.

  Ashesh Amin, Head, ColorPlus :   Ashesh Amin has been part of the international retail apparel and fashion industry for over 16 years working in various capacities for large global fashion houses all over the world. Having been based in the United States until this year, his career has spanned various aspects of the industry including Design, Product Development, Production, Sourcing, IT Retail Operations and Integrated Supply Chain.

  Prakash Lakhani, Gini & Jony : Prakash Lakhani is a first generation Entrepreneur and a pioneer in creating the kids brands in India. He has more than 28 years of experience in the kids wear and has been instrumental in building and developing the “Gini & Jony” brand as number one kidsweatr player in India. .

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Under his able guidance Gini & Jony has created a pan India presence with more than 1000 stores.  Shishir Baijal, MD & CEO, Future Capital Real Estate :  

Shishir Baijal heads FCRE, the real estate platform of Future Capital Holdings Limited which advises on the deployment of approximately USD 1 Billion across several real estate asset classes. Shishir brings with him over 28 years of senior management work experience spanning diversified industries such as hospitality, education and entertainment.

  Dharmesh Jain, Chairman & MD, Nirmal Group :   Dharmesh Jain is the multifaceted head of Nirmal Group, engaged in construction and real estate development. He holds important positions in many State Government and other Industry bodies in the sphere of housing and construction and is also involved with several charities. Jain has been awarded the Jain Ratna Award, he is an Ex-State level Champion in table Tennis and has also authored a motivational book.

  Pradeep Jain, Chairman, Parsvnath :   Pradeep Jain, heads Parsvnath Developers Ltd a leading real estate player in the country with over 1000 employees. Jain’s expertise in the realty sector has helped the group to move from

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being a real estate developer company to a leading infrastructure developer. Jain is also chairman, Delhi Stock Exchange and heads various eminent industry bodies.  Samir Sahni, Director, Ritu Wears     Samir Sahini is the key protagonist of the Ritu Wears success story, the leading fashion retailer of North India. His motto of creating 'fashion for the entire family' and passionate working with a well planned merchandise strategy made Ritu Wears a 'Darling' of the middle class. With a strong loyal customer base, today, Ritu Wears operates 10 large format stores.  M S M Rizal, Chairman, Fashion Bug     With over 15 years in the business of fashion M S M Rizal operates Fashion Bug with 12 stores in Srilanka  Other Speakers (Profiles and pictures not received)     Hon. Kumar Welgama, Minister of Industrial Development, Govt. of Sri Lanka   Aloke Malik, President, Peter England Fashions & Retail   For The India Beauty Forum CEOs Conclave     Kapil Kumar, Brushman India   Werner Robert, Wella India   Rohan Vaziralli, Estee Lauder   Xavier Bertrand, Chanel   Zoeb Kanorwalla, Gujarat Glass   Fayyaz Semi, Beautishape Corporation   Nitin Kalwani, Headrush Mktg   Naresh Purohit, Sun Cosmeceuticals   F. J. Singh, Spa Elemants           For The Salon Meet     Sanjay Dutta, Looks Salon   Shibani Vasindharan, Anoushka Salon   Mukesh, Enrich Salon   Adhuna Akhtar, B-Blunt   Nayana Karunaratne, Nayana’s, Sri Lanka, President