Manjula Tiwari, CEO, Future Style Lab

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Manjula Tiwari, is an experienced retailer and brand professional in the field of fashion and lifestyle. She has held key leadership positions, building brands and retail businesses in the 23 years of her career in the industry.

Having worked closely with international brand principals and e-commerce during her tenure at Esprit, Benetton, Wills and Lee Cooper and Jabong, and now leading Cover Story, she is a front leader on knowledge of Indian consumers and global best practices. She believes in staying ahead of the curve in anticipating customer wants and aspirations. Her passion is to drive agility and innovate, while serving the needs of the dynamic and swiftly changing Indian fashion market.

She joined Future group as CEO of Future Style Lab in 2016, a newly formed subsidiary to develop and launch brands in women’s fast fashion space. This is a fast growing consumer space with a definite need to combine understanding of Indian consumer as well as global fashion trends.

Launched just 1 year ago in April 2016, Cover Story has rapidly expanded to be present across 37 shop in shops across 22 cities. In addition, an online presence across Myntra and Jabong, it’s proving to be a fast moving full price brand.

Recently, launched the online shopping portal www.coverstory.co.in nationwide.

Her vision for Cover Story is clear. Her agenda is to maximize product efficiency through innovative product development, better logistics and great designs to bring fresh styles to its shelves every week. There is a plan to roll out over 100 stores in the next five years, particularly in smaller towns where consumers are more likely to find the unedited international styles too provocative. Competing global chains say they don’t plan to open even half that number of stores.

As Sr Vice President (women’s segment) for Jabong, she helped the business gain leadership in women’s fashion segment. Launched several international brands on the platform and developed private brands and global teams.

She was instrumental in the development and growth of premium retail brand Esprit in India serving as COO, Aditya Birla Group. She has shouldered strategic, profit centre and operational responsibilities. Innovative brand building strategy scaled Esprit to top three performing brands status in its segment within 3 years.

Earlier at Benetton, she was part of the core executive committee as Head of Product redefining the Italian brand as the most preferred casual-wear brand in India. She managed the entire portfolio of apparels, kids, accessories and luggage. Working closely with Asia Pacific teams, she developed global brand perspective in fashion merchandising.

At ITC Wills Lifestyle as Merchandising Manager, she developed new sourcing strategies as part of the launch team. She was also part of the core team responsible for the launch of large format store chain Lifestyle in India as well as playing a major role in developing brand Lee Cooper in the early stages of her career.

Passionate about promoting equal opportunity and gender diversity in the workplace , she likes to mentor and support talented women in their journey to leadership positions .

A post graduate in Apparel Merchandising and Marketing from National Institute of Fashion Technology, Delhi. She is a Mathematics graduate from Bhopal University.