Aastha Almast is the Founder of New Shop, India’s largest tech-enabled convenience retailer. Aastha is a true born entrepreneur and has previously founded 2 technology startups. She was a student of Economics from the prestigious Hindu College of Delhi University after which she studied PGDM in Fashion Marketing from Pearl Academy of Fashion to pursue her passion in retail and branding. She is also an alumni of Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta. She is a serial entrepreneur, who is always looking for solutions to simplify businesses – making them more productive and efficient.

Prior to launching New Shop, Aastha spearheaded a series of startups across diverse industries such as mobile gaming, online reputation management and consumer retail. She has previously also worked in Bank of America and Standard and Poor’s Capital IQ. While studying for a Bachelor’s degree, she joined her father’s stockbroking firm making her one of the youngest certified stockbrokers on the National Stock Exchange. She has lived an adventurous life and has amassed 15 years of diversified experience in entertainment, finance, branding, and retail. She has also acted in a Bollywood film as a child actor. Her interests and pursuits are also reflected in her well-rounded personality.

Abhishek Bansal is the Executive Director at Pacific Development Corporation Ltd., where he plays a pivotal role in shaping the group’s strategic direction and growth across real estate and allied sectors. With extensive experience in the construction and development industry, he has been instrumental in the planning and conceptualisation of several successful projects, while overseeing execution across the group’s ventures. He is a key force behind the group’s expansion into retail real estate and education, driving the development of high-quality commercial assets. Under his leadership, Pacific Group has strengthened its retail portfolio, attracting leading brands through strong stakeholder relationships and sharp market understanding.
Abhishek’s expertise lies in strategic planning, project execution, and business development, supported by a hands-on leadership approach. He is an alumnus of Mayo College and Kirori Mal College. A keen reader and sports enthusiast, he is known for his dynamic personality, strong communication skills, and ability to drive sustained business growth.

Amit Bagga is a restaurateur and entrepreneur and co-founder of India’s leading North-Indian cuisine brand “Daryaganj – By the Inventors of Butter Chicken & Dal Makhani.” Since its inception in 2019, he has been instrumental in shaping the brand’s identity growing it to 15 successful outlets across India and Internationally at Bangkok, blending culinary heritage with contemporary hospitality.

His entrepreneurial journey reflects exceptional business acumen, resilience and unwavering pursuit of excellence, which have earned him several industry honours, including Restaurant Icon of the Year by The Economic Times, Entrepreneur of the Year by the International Hospitality Council, London, and Restaurateur of the Year recognitions from Big F, FCIC and MSME India.

His appearance on Shark Tank India marked a significant milestone in Daryaganj’s journey bringing the brand’s national visibility.

Amit also serves as Delhi Co-Chapter Head of the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI), contributing to the advancement of India’s restaurant industry growing the camaraderie in the fraternity.

He advocates on the use of technology, artificial intelligence and data analytics to improve operations, profitability and enhance customer experience

Ankur Damani has over 17 years’ experience in leading International & Indian brands across varied categories from athleisure, sport and fashion to golf, luggage, handbags and cookware in the Indian subcontinent. A seasoned and accomplished professional in the retail industry, he is adept in launching and scaling up consumer brands across channels with a strong exposure to global best practices and international markets.

He completed B. Com (Hons) from St Xavier’s College Kolkata, and subsequently MBA (Marketing) from IMT Ghaziabad.

He was recruited from campus by Reebok where he spent 5 years across retail operations, sales, key account management, developing new business verticals and expanding into new channels and geographies.

He then worked with Callaway Golf as Business Head where he led the Lifestyle and Corporate Sales business, successfully launching the brand in the golf channel, followed by lifestyle retail stores and E-commerce and initiated marketing collaborations with Mercedes, BMW, Hindustan Times, American Express and other leading corporates.

Currently he is the Country Head for India the legendary brand Tupperware, responsible for the Indian subcontinent.

Apart from his retail career, Ankur has also been a part of the Admissions Panel at IMT Ghaziabad. He has conducted retail training as a guest faculty for MBA colleges, the Retailers Association of India (RAI) and part of various industry forums. He has won several accolades and very recently BW 40 Under 40 by Businessworld and Top Retail Minds – CEO award by Asia Africa GCC Retail and Shopping Centre Congress & Awards.

Anurag Saxena is an accomplished technology leader with over 30 years of experience in information technology, digital transformation, and business strategy across diverse industries, including apparel retail, pharmaceuticals, textiles, chemicals, and paper. Currently serving as the Chief Information Officer at BIBA, he oversees the company’s IT strategy and implementation, including its e-commerce platforms and digital operations. During his tenure, he has spearheaded several technology-led initiatives, including the migration of BIBA’s e-commerce platform, digitisation of its design and merchandising functions, and integration of warehouse and retail operations. His initiatives have contributed to improved operational efficiency and significant cost optimisation. Prior to BIBA, he held leadership positions at BBF Industries, Trident Group, BorgWarner, and Jubilant Pharmaceuticals. He holds an MCA from Himachal Pradesh University.

Arjun Vaidya is the Founder at Dr. Vaidya’s: New Age Ayurveda. Prior to his entrepreneurial stint, Arjun graduated from Brown University, USA with a BA with honors in International Relations and Economics. He then worked in private equity at a consumer sector focused fund, L Capital Asia (the private equity arm of the Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy Group) where he focused specifically on consumer brands and consumer tech.

In October 2016, Arjun quit his job to take on his 150-year-old family legacy of Ayurvedic formulations that his grandfather left behind. Dr. Vaidya’s repackaged the ancient Indian science of Ayurveda and emerged as India’s largest Ayurveda brand online. The brand successfully reached 2m+ consumers across 500+ cities and 16,500+ pin codes in India. Arjun was the first Ayurvedic Entrepreneur to be featured in the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia List for and Business World 40 Under 40 List! Dr. Vaidya’s also won Youth SMB of the Year from Amazon and the Retail Startup Award from the Retailers Association of India. In June 2019, Dr. Vaidya’s partnered with the USD 4b RP Sanjiv Goenka Group and has now been acquired by the group – making it one of India’s first successful D2C exits.

Currently, Arjun leads venture investing for Verlinvest ((one of the world’s largest consumer brand focused funds) in India through a new fund called V3 Ventures. Here he focusses on investing in early-stage consumer facing businesses. He is also an active angel investor (with 80+ portfolio companies) and a mentor to brands in India’s D2C and ecommerce ecosystem.

Outside of work, Arjun hosts a podcast called ‘Direct to A Billion Consumers’ and one of India’s largest cohort-based courses on D2C. He is also a World Economic Forum Global Shaper and a member of Brown University’s Young Alumni Advisory Council.

Bhagirath Jalan is the Chairman and CEO of Jalan’s Retail, a family-run retail business with roots dating back to 1974. Based in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, the group has built its presence across clothing, textiles, accessories and home products, catering to regional consumer preferences.

Jalan has focused on combining the group’s traditional strengths in regional retailing with evolving consumer needs and modern retail practices. He has spoken about the importance of understanding local buying behaviour, maintaining affordable pricing and using regional insights to create a competitive advantage. Under his leadership, Jalan’s Retail
has also explored expansion into supermarket retail, including food, grocery and FMCG categories. Bhagirath’s experience in building a regional retail business makes him a relevant voice on the growth of organised retail in India’s Tier-2, Tier-3 and smaller cities, changing consumption patterns, family-business transformation and the expansion of regional retail chains.

Garima Juneja is an entrepreneur and business leader with experience in digital marketing, brand building, and consumer businesses. She co-founded Praush Beauty (formerly PLUME) in 2019 with Gaurav Mishra, with the vision of addressing gaps in India’s beauty market through high-quality, affordable makeup products. Under her leadership, the brand has built a strong presence in the colour cosmetics category, offering products including makeup brushes, beauty sponges, lipsticks, primers, and other beauty essentials. Starting as a digital-first brand, Praush has expanded its presence across online marketplaces and offline multi-brand retail stores. Garima has focused on product innovation, community building, customer retention, and organic marketing to grow the business. She is a graduate of Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University and was recognised among CMO Asia’s Top 50 Social Media Professionals in 2015.

Himanshu is currently the CEO of Stellaro Brands, a part of Acevector Group, which he joined in November 2021. He is an experienced industry leader with experience in FMCG, retail and fashion. He also has significant exposure to technology solutioning and ecommerce during his stints in retail and fashion. Himanshu’s previous assignments spanned Snapdeal (CEO), Arvind Fashions, The Mobile Store (Essar), Trent Limited (Tata Group) and Lakme Lever (Hindustan Unilever), to name a few.

At Stellaro Brands, he is focused on building and scaling consumer-facing brands, including Rangita, a women’s ethnic-wear brand. Rangita is the ethnicwear brand from Stellaro Brands – a part of Ace Vector Group that creates value-priced everyday distinctive styles, which is in the process of launching another 20-25 stores in the near future. His experience in combining consumer insights, merchandising, brand positioning and digital commerce makes him a relevant voice in discussions on the future of Indian retail, the growth of value-led fashion and the opportunities emerging from omnichannel business models. With the help of the young Stellaro team, Himanshu is building Rangita as the first national ethnicwear brand in the value segment.

Himanshu is a B.Tech from Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, after which he completed his Post Graduation in Marketing & Finance from Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore.

Monish Lal Gujral is the custodian of the Motimahal global chain of restaurants and the Managing Director of MotiMahal Management Services Pvt. Ltd. He is a restaurateur, entrepreneur, celebrity chef and food author who leads the expansion of the iconic Moti Mahal restaurant brand, founded by his grandfather, Kundan Lal Gujral.

Gujral has been a member of the managing committee of the national restaurant association of India. Monish has played a key role in developing the family-run restaurant business into an international franchise network, bringing traditional North Indian, Mughlai and tandoori cuisine to wider markets. Monish has published cook books and worked as a food columnist for The New Indian Express. He is also known for books such as On the Butter Chicken Trail. His work focuses on preserving India’s culinary heritage while adapting restaurant formats and franchise models to contemporary consumer preferences.

Mudit is the Chief Operating Officer at CocoCart, India’s leading retail platform for curated premium chocolates and gourmet experiences. With over 12 years in the travel retail industry, he brings deep expertise in retail operations, consumer goods and omnichannel strategy. He has played a key role in CocoCart’s expansion across India, building its distribution network and setting up scalable retail systems.

Mudit began his career as a Management Trainee at Flemingo Duty Free and has grown through key commercial roles. He currently also oversees the confectionery business for the India subcontinent under Ospree and Flemingo Duty Free. He has also spoken at international industry platforms, including the MEADFA Conference in Dubai, on India’s chocolate and travel retail landscape.

Pankaj is a serial entrepreneur and industry leader in the consumer retail, technology, brand creation, and omnichannel business spaces. He has co-founded 3 companies, having taken through successful exits. His past ventures included a travel search startup (successfully acquired by Exponential Inc, U.S.) and an ed-tech venture funded by Intel Capital and JAFCO Asia. He also setup an incubator for Mountain Partners, Zurich and invested in concept-stage ideas in India. In 2015, he founded Brand Clovia and took it from bootstrap to now selling 1 piece every 1.5 seconds. The brand was built on back of many industry-first disruptions led by technology and has won multiple awards, including Super Startup Asia 2018, Retail Brand of the Year 2019, MAPIC Most Admired D2C Retailer of the Year 2022, and Economic Times Promising Brands 2022. Pankaj was recognized as Business World 40 Under 40, Retail CEO of the Year 2019, and Entrepreneur of the Year (Retail) in 2022. Reliance Retail acquired a majority stake in Clovia for USD 125Mn in 2022, in one of the largest deals in the space.

Pankaj is a graduate from IIT Delhi. He is an active member of the Delhi Theatre Circle, a Reiki Raj Yoga practitioner for 26 yrs, and an avid pilgrim. He also actively advises startups in the retail and technology space.

Priyank Sukhija is a prominent Indian restaurateur and entrepreneur who has played a key role in shaping the country’s casual dining, premium restaurant and nightlife industry. He began his entrepreneurial journey in 1999 with Lazeez Affaire, a fine-dining restaurant in New Delhi, laying the foundation for his expansion into diverse hospitality formats.
As Managing Director of First Fiddle Restaurants, Sukhija has built a portfolio of distinctive food and beverage brands, including Lord of the Drinks, Tamasha, Diablo, Plum by Bent Chair, The Flying Saucer Café and Dragonfly Experience. His concepts combine innovative food and beverage offerings with contemporary interiors, music and immersive customer experiences.
Known for his ability to identify emerging consumer trends and develop differentiated restaurant concepts, Sukhija has helped redefine urban dining and nightlife experiences in India. His entrepreneurial approach centres on brand building, experiential hospitality and adapting to the evolving preferences of India’s increasingly aspirational consumers.

Rajat Agrawal is the CEO of Barista Coffee and a business leader with over 20 years of experience spanning corporate finance, strategy, retail, food and beverage, and business transformation. A Chartered Accountant, he qualified from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India in 2005.

Agrawal began his career in professional services, working with leading consulting firms including EY, Grant Thornton and Deloitte. He joined Barista in 2015 as Vice President – Corporate Finance and Strategy, subsequently taking on the role of Chief Operating Officer before becoming CEO in early 2022.

Under his leadership, Barista has expanded its café network, strengthened its franchise operations and developed additional business verticals, including vending, FMCG products and digital commerce. The company has also focused on expanding beyond metropolitan markets, with Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities becoming important growth drivers.

Rajneesh Sharma is an accomplished technology leader with over 25 years of experience in IT strategy, digital transformation, and technology-led business growth across the FMCG, fashion, retail, and manufacturing sectors. Currently serving as the Chief Technology Officer at Campus Activewear, he leads the company’s technology strategy, digital innovation, and IT infrastructure development. Since joining Campus Activewear in 2021, he has played a key role in strengthening its digital capabilities, implementing scalable IT infrastructure, and enabling technology-driven business growth. Prior to this, he served as Chief Information Officer at DLF Brands, where he led IT modernisation and digital initiatives. Earlier, he spent nearly nine years at ITC Limited, working across technology operations and project management. He holds a Master’s degree in Computer Science from Maharshi Dayanand University.

Shifali Singh is the Country Director – India at Forever New, bringing more than two decades of experience across fashion, lifestyle, e-commerce and omnichannel retail. She joined the Australian premium womenswear brand in February 2026, succeeding Dhruv Bogra, who moved into an advisory role.

Before joining Forever New, she led the Ritu Kumar business under Reliance Brands, working on the designer label’s positioning and growth. She previously served as CMO – Retail & E-commerce at BIBA, where she focused on strengthening its omnichannel presence and online business.

Earlier in her career, Singh held leadership positions at Myntra–Jabong, where she helped build partnerships with more than 70 international brands. She also worked with Marks & Spencer and United Colors of Benetton India, gaining experience in merchandising, retail operations and scaling fashion businesses.

An alumna of Harvard Business School’s Strategic Leadership Program, Shifali is focused on strengthening Forever New’s presence in India through deeper consumer engagement, digital integration and a seamless connection between physical stores and online channels.

Sohrab Sitaram is a prominent hospitality entrepreneur and the Co-Founder & Director of Keventers, the iconic Indian milkshake and beverage brand. He has played a pivotal role in reviving Keventers and scaling it into a widely recognised QSR brand, with a presence across India and international markets.

An industry veteran with more than two decades of experience, Sitaram began his career with The Taj Group of Hotels after graduating from the Institute of Hotel Management, Aurangabad. He subsequently moved into entrepreneurship, building and investing in a diverse portfolio of restaurants, bars and hospitality concepts. His ventures have included brands and establishments such as Shalom, Tabula Rasa, Chi Kitchen & Bar, Hungry Monkey and Zingo Star.

Known for his entrepreneurial approach and ability to develop differentiated food and beverage concepts, Sitaram has contributed significantly to the evolution of India’s modern restaurant and QSR landscape. He has also been a speaker at several industry forums and TEDx events, sharing insights on entrepreneurship, hospitality and business growth.

Sooraj Bhat is a seasoned business leader with over two decades of experience at Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Limited (ABFRL), having joined the organisation in 2002. As Chief Executive Officer of Premium Ethnic Brands, he leads the company’s ethnic wear business, bringing extensive expertise in brand management, retail operations, product development and business strategy.
Throughout his career, Bhat has held several leadership positions across the organisation, including Brand Head of Allen Solly, Chief Operating Officer across multiple fashion brands, CEO of the Fast Fashion business and Deputy CEO of Pantaloons. His leadership at Allen Solly earned him the Aditya Birla Group Chairman’s Award for Exceptional Contribution to Business in 2014.
Bhat oversees a portfolio of ethnic and designer-led brands, including Jaypore, Tasva, Shantnu & Nikhil and House of Masaba. An alumnus of IIM Bangalore, where he completed his PGDM in Marketing and Strategy, he is also a mechanical engineering graduate from NIT Calicut.

Sumit Chandna is a seasoned retail executive with over 25 years of experience across fashion, department stores, hypermarkets and grocery retail. He was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Max Fashion at Lifestyle International Pvt. Ltd., part of the Landmark Group, effective October 2025, after serving as the brand’s Deputy CEO.

In his previous role at Max, Chandna contributed to the brand’s business transformation, operational excellence and expansion in India’s competitive value-fashion market. His professional journey includes senior leadership positions at Bata India, Aditya Birla Retail, HyperCITY Retail and Shoppers Stop, where he gained extensive experience in merchandising, category management, private-label development and retail operations.

An alumnus of the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Delhi, Chandna brings a strong understanding of consumer behaviour, product strategy and profit-and-loss management. At Max, his focus includes strengthening the brand’s market presence, expanding its retail footprint, improving customer engagement and building a responsive, customer-centric fashion business across India.

Surjit Singh Rajpurohit has over 25 years of cross- functional experience and a proven track record in managing & turning around various shopping centers across India. He has worked with Mall Developers and IPC companies and has played a crucial role in leasing and launching several malls across India, from green field projects to established properties. With his expertise, he has successfully turned around many struggling retail assets. Mr. Rajpurohit currently holds the position of CEO at Amanora Mall Pune. Under his leadership, the mall has undergone a transformative journey. Through his innovative direction, the mall underwent a comprehensive revitalization encompassing a new aesthetic, an enriched retail assortment and overall advancement.

Suryanarayanan C.S. is a business leader and management consultant with extensive experience across retail, lifestyle and emerging markets. His expertise spans business strategy, process design, business development, organisational transformation and business performance improvement.

He is currently Director and Co-Founder of Verifiabel AI Tech Private Limited and Partner at Aikantika Ventures. Previously, he served as Managing Director of Levi Strauss India, leading its apparel and non-apparel businesses across India and South Asia, followed by regional leadership roles at Levi Strauss Asia Pacific overseeing e-commerce, distributor markets, strategy and business planning. He has also held senior positions at SolveSmart International and V Nova Business Growth, advising businesses on market entry, expansion and growth strategies.

He holds a B.Tech. in Mechanical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur.

Tushar Khurana is an entrepreneur and business leader with experience in consumer brands, business strategy, operations, and growth. Before co-founding Perfora in 2021 with Jatan Bawa, he worked with organisations including OYO, RIVIGO, Akiva Superfoods, and Cult.fit, gaining experience in business development and scaling operations. At Perfora, Tushar is focused on transforming India’s oral care market through innovative products, improved formulations, and a consumer-first approach. The brand offers a range of oral care solutions, including electric toothbrushes, toothpaste, mouthwash, and teeth-whitening products, with the aim of making everyday oral hygiene more effective and accessible. A graduate of Shri Ram College of Commerce, University of Delhi, Tushar brings a strong understanding of consumer behaviour and brand building to the evolving D2C ecosystem.