Page 34 - Images Retail January 2018

COVER STORY

Parul Bajaj Sohrab Sitaram Suraj Shantakumar Shubham Anand Naveen Pishe Siddarth Menon Shibu Philips
Veena Kumaravel, Founder THE IDEAL CUSTOMER Parul Bajaj, Principal, The how to thrive through tough
and Director, Naturals Salon JOURNEY WEAVES Boston Consulting Group economic cycles, through
& Spa. A BRAND INTO THE (BCG), moderated the post- downturns in the economy,
Th e panel discussed the lunch session on ‘Creating managing lean sales periods,
rise and impact of the South ENTIRE EXPERIENCE, Lasting Legacies & Making succession changes and
Indian retail market and its PROVIDING VALUE Your Businesses Last promoter-professional
top retailers, comprising BEFORE, DURING, Generations: How To Build harmony. Since South India
of brands like VR, Prestige AND AFTER THE Businesses Which Retain is legendary for businesses
Group, Nalli, Pothy’s, Lifestyle, PURCHASE. SHOPPING Th e Ethos Of Th eir Founders that have been around –
Chennai Silks, Nilgiri’s, MTR, REINVENTED And Still Set Timeless Trends successfully – for decades,
Sangeetha Mobiles to name Even Decades After’. panelists thought it relevant
a few. Th ey also talked about WILL PROVIDE A Shubham Anand, Head to share experiences of legacy
the plethora of technology FRAMEWORK TO Retail - CPG, RedSeer and timelessness. Th ey
innovations that were being UNDERSTAND SOME Consulting, was the lead talked about fourth and fi fth
witnessed in the South Indian OF THE SUCCESSFUL context presenter. Th e other generation scions who are
Retail sector and which were STRATEGIES, OF panel members included carrying businesses forward
playing an impactful role in INCORPORATING A Naveen Pishe, Partner and with great innovativeness,
supporting retail in the digital BRAND INTO THE Director, PN Rao, Fine Suits while keeping their traditional
age. (since 1923); Sohrab Sitaram, values intact.
Th e fi rst half of SIRS SHOPPER’S JOURNEY CEO and Director, Keventers; Th e next session talked
2017 concluded with a ACROSS A RANGE Suraj Shantakumar, Director about the new entrepreneurs
session moderated by Rahul OF INDUSTRIES, Business Strategy, Kirtilals and the start-ups which is the
Bhalchandra, Co-Founder & GEOGRAPHIES AND and Honorary Consul General latest trend in the industry.
CEO, R&R Salons (YLG-You COMPANIES of Kazakhstan for South Bijou Kurien, Board Member,
Look Good) titled, ‘Th ink India; Siddarth Menon, CMO, L Catterton Asia, moderated
Big, To Grow Bigger –How established and successful Drums Food International the session titled ‘New
to Grow Regional Retail- retailers/ brands and what (Epigamia and Hokey Pokey); Entrepreneurs And Start-ups
Expansion Ideas Th at Are they must do to make sure Shibu Philips, Business Head, Special: Ways To Take Your
a Must For Retailers Today they stay that way in the LuLu Mall. Early Business To Th e Next
and How To Get Th em Right. future. Th ey also attempted Th e session discussed Level. What It Takes To Be
Sumit Arora, Lead Retail to answer the following
Vertical, Nielsen South Asia questions – With things
was the lead presenter of the stable at the moment, what
session. must retailers do to take their
Joining the discussion were business to the next level?
C Gopalakrishnan, CMD, N What all implementation the
Dairy Farm and Founder brands should make to keep
family of Nilgiris (Founded them ahead in the race?
- 1905); M Ramakrishnan, Th e session highlighted
MD, Thulasi Pharmacies; factors impacting the
Piyush Chowhan, VP & CIO, sustainability of profi table
Arvind Lifestyle Brands; business versus increasing
Seshu Kumar, National Head, market share, giving impetus
BigBasket and Amit Thapliyal, to the revenue model and
Global Head- Marketing & delighting customers,
Digital Initiaves, Vinculum the importance of social
Solutions. and digital media, role of
Th e panel talked about technology and mega trends L to R: Bijou Kurien, Prashant Parameswaran, Anuj Batra, Dhawal Phadke,
the current situation of in the retail sector. Gajendra Singh Rathore, Jahan Peston Jamas, Santosh Verma, Swadeep Patil

34 | IMAGES RETAIL | JANUARY 2018