David brings 20 years of experience in the international textile and fashion industry, including 10 years in India. Currently based in Bangkok, he is responsible for business development in the South Asia region for Carlin Creative Trend Bureau. Actively engaged in the Indian market since 2014, he collaborates with Indian brands and export factories on approximately 15 creative projects per year, focusing on brand style positioning, the creation of premium capsule collections, fabric sourcing, and more. Additionally, he is a regular speaker at trend conferences and other creative forums for leading trade fairs in the region.

Before joining Carlin, David worked as an Asia Sales Manager for a French fabric manufacturer. He holds an MBA from the U.K. and is fluent in French, English, Spanish, and Thai. Originally founded by Fred Carlin in 1947 as a design studio, Carlin Creative Trend Bureau is the only trend forecasting and style agency that integrates a unique combination of design, marketing, and communication expertise. With a diverse team of 45 creative professionals from 10 nationalities, the agency specializes in analyzing emerging trends and transforming them into tailor-made designs for fabrics, lingerie, beachwear, intimate sportswear, and Western womenswear.

Rahul Kapoor
Associate Director | Business Development | Retail Strategy Expert

Rahul Kapoor is a seasoned retail and business development leader with extensive experience in the sportswear and fashion industry. Currently serving as Associate Director at PUMA Group, he has played a pivotal role in driving partner retail expansion, sales growth, and distributed team management. His expertise lies in strategic business development, franchise operations, and market penetration, ensuring that brands achieve sustainable success in highly competitive markets.

With a strong background in sales and retail management, Rahul has held key leadership positions at PUMA Sports India, where he has successfully led partner retail operations, regional sales, and business strategy execution. Prior to this, he contributed to brand growth and retail expansion at United Colors of Benetton and PJL Clothing India, strengthening his expertise in customer-centric sales strategies and retail operations.

Rahul is passionate about driving business efficiency, enhancing consumer experiences, and fostering long-term brand partnerships. His dynamic leadership and deep understanding of the retail landscape continue to shape his approach to scaling businesses and creating impactful market strategies.

With over 25 years of experience in the fashion and retail industry, Parveen is currently leading the offline sales and operations for Purple Panda Fashions Ltd. (Clovia & John Players Innerwear) since 2023. He holds full P&L responsibility, overseeing category planning, product launches, and multi-format market entry, significantly enhancing the company’s operational efficiency and market presence.

Prior to this, from 2019 to 2023, he served as Vice-President at Spykar, where he spearheaded the launch of the 'Underjeans' brand. He was responsible for the P&L of the new innerwear category and successfully met a launch target of INR 15 Cr retail value in 2020, despite challenging market conditions. His efforts contributed to growing the category to 20% of the company's total revenue.

From 2012 to 2019, he held various leadership positions at Benetton India, ultimately becoming the Business Head of 'Undercolors'. Under his leadership, the brand achieved a 30% CAGR, reaching INR 98 Cr in retail value within seven years. He led successful category launches, expanded distribution, and increased profitability, making significant contributions to Benetton’s growth in India.

Since the beginning of his career in 1999, he held key roles at Stallion Fashion, Gokuldas Intimate Wears, Page Industries, Grover Sons, and Maxwell Industries, gaining extensive experience in sales management, product launches, and team leadership across leading fashion brands.

Throughout his career, he has demonstrated a strong ability to grow brands, manage P&L, and lead teams to achieve significant business growth and market presence.

Sulay is the Founder of Bummer, a D2C underwear and loungewear brand created to disrupt India’s $9 billion innerwear market. Born and raised in Ahmedabad, he built Bummer with a vision to bring fashion-forward innerwear to Millennials and Gen Z. Under his leadership, Bummer has raised three rounds of funding from top venture capital firms and angel investors, along with securing investment on Shark Tank India. In just four years, the brand has sold over 500,000 pairs of underwear through D2C and marketplace channels, solidifying its place as a challenger to industry giants like Jockey, Rupa, and Dollar.

Sulay’s journey in fashion and retail started in 2015 at Infibeam.com, where he was part of a three-person team building its fashion portal. Coming from a 100+ year-old family business in textiles and apparel, he later pursued hands-on experience in garment manufacturing. He spent two years learning tailoring and production before moving to the United States, where he deepened his understanding of global fashion trends and e-commerce. This exposure reinforced his belief that innerwear was one of the last billion-dollar apparel categories yet to be truly disrupted.

In 2020, Sulay returned to India and founded Bummer to challenge the traditional black-and-white underwear market. While category creation was a challenge, Bummer’s bold designs and premium comfort attracted a strong young consumer base. With strategic funding and a focus on D2C growth, he successfully scaled the brand, proving that innerwear can be fashionable too. His efforts earned him a spot on Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia (2023) in Retail & E-Commerce.

Sulay holds a Master’s degree in Entrepreneurship & Innovation from the University of Southern California. With over eight years of experience in the apparel and textile industry, he remains committed to redefining innerwear in India, bringing innovation, sustainability, and bold fashion choices to the category.

Sandeep Sehdev is a dynamic sales and business development leader with extensive experience in the apparel and fashion industry. As the Head of Sales and Business Development at Bodycare Creations Limited, he plays a crucial role in driving revenue growth, expanding market presence, and strengthening brand positioning. His expertise lies in crafting strategic sales plans, optimizing distribution channels, and building strong relationships with key stakeholders.

Before joining Bodycare Creations, he served as the Vice President of Sales at Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Ltd., where he successfully led large-scale sales operations, enhanced retail performance, and implemented growth-driven strategies. His leadership and market insights contributed to the brand’s expansion and competitive edge.

His journey also includes a long and impactful tenure at Jockey India (Page Industries Limited) as Deputy General Manager, where he played a vital role in establishing the brand as a leader in the innerwear market. He specialized in sales management, channel development, and market expansion, ensuring sustained business growth and customer loyalty.

Sandeep Sehdev is known for his strategic vision, operational excellence, and results-driven leadership. His passion for the fashion and retail industry, combined with his ability to build high-performing sales teams, continues to drive success in highly competitive markets.

Sanit Jain is a seasoned business strategist, operations leader, and growth enabler with over 17 years of experience in business growth, operations management, and leadership development. He has honed his skills as a strategic thinker and transformational leader, driving impactful change in competitive business environments.

His professional journey includes 13 years at Trident Limited and over 4 years at Neva Garments Limited, where he played a key role in driving operational excellence, process optimization, and business expansion. His expertise in optimizing workflows and implementing strategic initiatives has contributed significantly to organizational success.

An Advanced Management Program graduate from ISB, following his MBA, Sanit brings deep expertise in business strategy, supply chain management, and leadership development. Passionate about fostering innovation and continuous improvement, he thrives on building high-performance teams and delivering measurable results.

Sanit looks forward to connecting with industry professionals to collaborate, share insights, and explore growth opportunities in dynamic markets.

Over 25 years of experience & expertise in Intimates & lingerie, shapewear, sports & activewear manufacturing, coupled with a background in Textile Engineering from SASMIRA, Mumbai.Deep understanding of Fashion & Textile value chain within South Asia, Apparel product development & innovations, product safety, business operations management & revenue expansion initiatives.

Professional journey includes key roles with some of the renowned companies such as Brandix Lingerie (Sri Lanka), MAS Intimates (Sri Lanka), Enamor, Van Heusen Innerwear.  Additionally, hands-on leadership experience in Creative content production, fashion photography, talent castings and studio management.

Currently serving as the Head of Business & Brand Marketing at Hyosung India Pvt. Ltd.

Head – Brand & Retail, Reliance Industries Ltd.

Mr. Ritesh Sharma is a seasoned professional with extensive expertise in the textile industry, currently serving as the Head – Brand & Retail for R|Elan™ Fabric 2.0 at Reliance Industries Ltd. In this role, he leads the strategic vision and execution of R|Elan™, a next-generation fabric range crafted from specially engineered fibers and filaments. His leadership drives innovation across sustainability, aesthetics, and performance, positioning R|Elan™ as a preferred choice for leading domestic and global brands.

With over 25 years of experience spanning the fiber, fabric, and apparel sectors, Mr. Sharma has played a crucial role in shaping the textile industry's evolution. His expertise lies in brand positioning, retail strategy, business development, and forging strategic partnerships. He has been instrumental in establishing collaborations with top-tier fashion brands, manufacturers, and retailers, fostering sustainable and performance-driven textile solutions.

Throughout his career, he has worked across diverse functions, gaining deep insights into market trends, consumer behavior, and technological advancements in textiles. His ability to blend innovation with commercial viability has contributed significantly to the expansion and success of R|Elan™ in both Indian and international markets.

Passionate about the future of textiles, Mr. Ritesh Sharma continues to drive industry transformation through sustainable initiatives, cutting-edge fabric technologies, and collaborative brand strategies, ensuring Reliance Industries Ltd. remains at the forefront of the textile and fashion ecosystem.

Mr. Jyoti Prakash has over 23 years of extensive experience in leadership roles across renowned corporations such as Arvind, INVISTA (formerly DuPont Textiles & Interiors), and the Aditya Birla Group.Currently, he serves as the Joint President – Marketing & Business Development at Birla Cellulose, Grasim Industries Limited, a key division of the Aditya Birla Group.

Before joining the Aditya Birla Group, he was the Vice President – Knits Business Division at Arvind Limited, Ahmedabad. During his tenure at INVISTA, he played a pivotal role in leading renowned fiber brands like LYCRA and COOLMAX across South Asia.His expertise in marketing, business development, and strategic leadership has been instrumental in driving growth and innovation in the textile and fiber industry.

Head of Design | Innerwear & Athleisure Specialist | Innovation-Driven Leader

A dynamic and results-oriented design leader with extensive experience in innerwear, athleisure, and fashion design, currently serving as Head of Design at Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Ltd. Spearheading product innovation and creative strategy for Van Heusen’s women’s innerwear and athleisure categories, with a strong focus on comfort, fit, aesthetics, and advanced fabric technologies.

Previously led Bestseller India’s first men’s innerwear line for Jack & Jones, successfully establishing a strong market presence. Prior experience at Shahi Exports involved developing products for leading global brands like Next, M&S, H&M, and C&A, gaining expertise in export business, large-scale manufacturing, and cost optimization.

Expert in trend forecasting, consumer-driven design, and strategic collaborations, with a history of working closely with vendors, marketing, e-commerce, and packaging teams to ensure a seamless alignment with brand vision. Passionate about innovation, sustainability, and delivering market-leading products that cater to evolving consumer needs.

Leading Mind-to-Market Process in Innovation, Design, and Product Development

Specializing in Men's, Women's, and Kids' innerwear, lingerie, shapewear, thermals, athleisure, essential wear, and casual wear across multiple market segments—Premium, Mid-Premium, and Mass.

Currently spearheading innovation and product development for renowned brands, including Enamor, Levi’s Inners, Dixcy Scott Originals (DSO), Maximus, Josh, and Slimz.

As a core member of the leadership team, I play a pivotal role in shaping and executing business strategies across all six brands, driving innovation, growth, and market expansion.

Mr. Suresh Nambiar is Co-Founder,Underlinen Fashion House, a leading licensee for renowned  international brands including FCUK, French Connection, and Puma, specializing in innerwear and loungewear categories. With over 30 years of experience in the fashion industry, Suresh brings in a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the business. Prior to establishing Underlinen with his partner Harinarayan Madhavan, Suresh held significant leadership positions at Pepe Jeans and Jockey.

Worked as an Executive Engineer in a Government Organization for three years before deciding to join and expand the family business, Shiv Naresh Sports Pvt. Ltd. My inspiration came from my mother, Late Smt. Kusma Devi, who initially started a small tailoring shop focused on sportswear. Her dedication encouraged me to support and grow the business, leading me to resign from my government position in 1991. With relentless effort and commitment, I helped transform our company into a leading sports apparel manufacturer and later diversified into sports infrastructure, catering to the increasing demand for quality sports facilities across India. We have successfully executed numerous projects across various sports disciplines on a PAN-India level, contributing to the nation’s sporting ecosystem.

What started as a small venture with minimal resources has now grown into a ₹300 crore company, with our sports apparel and infrastructure solutions trusted by top sports organizations and eminent athletes. My vision is to establish Shiv Naresh Sports Pvt. Ltd. as a globally recognized brand in sports apparel and infrastructure. I strongly believe that dedication, sincerity, and a commitment to excellence are the key drivers of long-term success and impactful achievements.

Co-founder & Managing Director, Techno Sportswear Pvt Ltd

Sunil JhunJhunWala is a visionary entrepreneur and industry leader, driving innovation in the Indian activewear market. With a background in computer applications from Periyar University and early experience as a Technical Support Engineer at Microsoft India, he transitioned into the sportswear industry, launching Techno Sportswear Pvt Ltd in 2007. Under his leadership, the brand has grown from the ground up, producing over 15 million garments annually and setting new benchmarks in performance-driven activewear.

Committed to sustainability and technological excellence, he has built a green, eco-conscious manufacturing ecosystem with minimal energy and water consumption. His strategic approach includes fostering long-term technical partnerships with yarn, chemical, and machinery suppliers, as well as creating a keiretsu-inspired manufacturing cluster that nurtures innovation and efficiency. A strong advocate for scientific research and development, he has incubated and funded multiple research-driven projects to push the boundaries of textile performance.

Through his visionary leadership and relentless pursuit of excellence, Sunil JhunJhunWala continues to shape India's sportswear landscape, blending innovation, sustainability, and high-performance standards to redefine the industry.

Pravin is the founder of Athlos, an Activewear brand based out of Bombay. At Athlos, Pravin oversees the product development and brand storytelling. Before Athlos, Pravin worked with Lucid Motors developing battery and motor systems for electric vehicles.

Education: Master of Science in Electrical Engineering.

Sagar Handa is a dynamic business leader with extensive experience in Textile Industry. 
As the Managing Director of HANDA CLOTHING INC, he has been instrumental in driving strategic growth, operational excellence, and industry innovation. With a strong background in product innovation, Sagar Handa has successfully transformed the four decade old family manufacturing business into a house of multi Athleisure brands naming NINE RIDERS , FCK GOLD and MKH. 

Under his leadership, Handa Clothing has expanded its market presence, built long-term partnerships with key stakeholders, and embraced cutting-edge technologies to stay ahead of industry trends. Sagar Handa is deeply committed to fostering a strong organizational culture, mentoring talent, and driving sustainability initiatives to ensure long-term business success.

Yashovardhan Agarwal is currently pursuing his Master’s in Business Administration at Management Development Institute, Gurgaon. He completed his BBA from Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai, where he led multiple initiatives in social service and cultural activities. Over the last two years, he has gained diverse experience across political consultancy and marketing strategy. At SVG Fashions, he played a key role in building a digital presence for a four-decade-old textile manufacturing firm and conceptualized "The Care Project," a brand dedicated to the company’s social initiatives. Earlier, during his tenure at I-PAC, India’s leading political consultancy, he strategized for a historic election campaign in Maharashtra.

Passionate about current affairs, Yashovardhan has participated as a student panelist in live TV debates and founded “Let’s Opine,” a social media platform aimed at raising political awareness among youth. His journey, from leading his college festival to driving marketing initiatives for a textile company, has shaped him into an entrepreneurial, empathetic, and dynamic individual eager to embrace new learning opportunities.

VP Product & Sourcing – Women’s Innerwear & Athleisure | Product Development & Quality Expert

An accomplished product and sourcing leader with a dynamic career spanning innerwear, athleisure, and outerwear merchandising, with deep expertise in product development, sourcing, and quality assurance. Currently leading Product & Sourcing for Van Heusen Women's Innerwear & Athleisure at Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail Ltd., with a proven track record of delivering consumer-centric products and optimizing supply chain efficiency.

A strategic thinker with a comprehensive understanding of the Indian innerwear market, bridging insights from retail to consumer preferences. Strong expertise in lingerie fitting, quality assurance, and process implementation, ensuring products meet the highest performance standards. Adept at project and people management, fostering cross-functional collaboration to drive innovation and efficiency.

Previously held leadership roles at Gokaldas Intimate Wear and Enamor, where she played a pivotal role in quality management, vendor development, and setting up streamlined operational systems. Known for reducing defect rates, improving efficiency, and implementing training programs to enhance industry standards.

With international exposure and a strong background in building sustainable and scalable systems, she continues to drive excellence in product innovation, sourcing strategies, and business growth within the innerwear and athleisure sector.

VP Product & Sourcing – Women’s Innerwear & Athleisure | Product Development & Quality Expert

An accomplished product and sourcing leader with a dynamic career spanning innerwear, athleisure, and outerwear merchandising, with deep expertise in product development, sourcing, and quality assurance. Currently leading Product & Sourcing for Van Heusen Women's Innerwear & Athleisure at Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail Ltd., with a proven track record of delivering consumer-centric products and optimizing supply chain efficiency.

A strategic thinker with a comprehensive understanding of the Indian innerwear market, bridging insights from retail to consumer preferences. Strong expertise in lingerie fitting, quality assurance, and process implementation, ensuring products meet the highest performance standards. Adept at project and people management, fostering cross-functional collaboration to drive innovation and efficiency.

Experience

Currently serving as Head - Sourcing & Category at Zivame since 2015, overseeing planning, buying, category management, sourcing, and quality management.

Previously held leadership roles at Aditya Birla Retail Ltd., Mahindra Retail Pvt Ltd., and Jubilant Retail.

Head of Product – U.S. Polo Men’s & Boy’s Innerwear and Comfort Wear | Arvind Lifestyle Brands

I am currently the Head of Product for U.S. Polo Men’s and Boy’s Innerwear and Comfort Wear at Arvind Lifestyle Brands.

With 17 years of experience, I have worked in various capacities, starting as a material planner, merchant, and product developer, and later transitioning into supply chain management. My journey has spanned manufacturers, buying agencies, liaison/sourcing offices for leading U.S. and U.K. brands, and a well-known startup before taking up my current role.

I have had the privilege of working with global brands like Adidas, Nike, A&F, Hollister, Columbia Sportswear, H&M, and Damensch, leading product development, sourcing, and merchandising operations. These experiences have shaped my leadership skills, strengthened my ability to build relationships, and honed my communication and problem-solving abilities.

Since taking on the role of Product Head at U.S. Polo, my team and I have focused on revamping and reimagining the brand’s innerwear category, contributing significantly to business growth and market presence.

Vice President at Nykaa Fashion- Founding team NYKD by Nykaa, Ex-Zivame, Brandix, Shahi exports, P&L Management Design, New Product development, Sourcing, Buying, Supply chain

Senior Manager with in-depth experience in growing and transforming businesses.

Raman Dutta, a visionary who is revolutionizing the textile industry.

A global market specialist with extensive experience in international markets through his many endeavors—Brands & Sourcing Leaders Association (BSL), Ai Glocal, Nera Global Style, Sands of India, and Brand Brullen, to name a few.

With over three decades of experience in the lifestyle industry, he stands as an unwavering force, always advocating for transformative change. His extensive credentials and expertise make him an inspiring figure. His keen attention to detail makes him an excellent consultant, speaker, and coach, subtly demonstrating his value through his work.

Raman Dutta has been a strong advocate for the growth of India’s textile trade and its global positioning. He actively collaborates with various government, non-government, and private organizations to drive impactful initiatives in the industry.