In this special series, we present to you the professional journeys of women leaders at ABFRL to recognize the impact that they have created and become role models in their own right.
Every journey of a women in leadership, whether personal or professional, has the power to inspire several individuals to chase their dreams and work towards being the best version of themselves. These journeys serve as a constant reminder that, come what may, when a woman decides to make something happen, she will. Suffice it to say, the power to bring about a positive change truly resides in each one of them. As we ready ourselves to celebrate the perpetual victory of good energy this festive season, let us take a few moments to celebrate the victories of the power women at ABFRL!
1. Going the extra mile
Farida Kaliyadan, COO at Louis Philippe and Planet Fashion, earned her Bachelor’s degree in Science. While she enjoyed her academic journey, she eventually found her calling in the field of Marketing. She possesses about 25 years of rich experience across several consumer industries. As the Vice President at the Aditya Birla Group (ABG), she supported over 17 Marketing Teams in both B2B and B2C and was a key stakeholder in the creation and development of Brand LIVA, the first B2B fabric brand. Her contribution to building LIVA won her the ABG “Chairman Award” for its functional excellence and her invaluable contribution to the brand development.
Subsequently, she moved to the role of CMO for key ABFRL Brands. She helmed key initiatives during her stint and managed to pull off a whopping 17 campaigns within 1.5 years. She was awarded ABFRL’s “Managing Director Award” for functional excellence in marketing for the impact she created across these brands. In her current role as the COO, she is heading the largest most premium menswear brand to strengthening brand assets, delivering superior customer experience, and devising omnichannel growth strategies. She leads by example and is passionate about building leaders, constantly motivating her team to go the extra mile.
2. Pushing boundaries to achieve success
Rashmi Shukla, Business Head and Senior Vice President at JAYPORE is a NIFT alumni. At ABFRL, she began her journey as a Product Manager and worked her way up to Business head with her entrepreneurial and industrious nature. From being the Product Head at Peter England, to Merchandising Director at Allen Solly, Business head at fast fashion brand People to founding CXO at Abof.com, she took on multiple challenging roles to attain professional excellence. A consumer insight champion with deep product creation expertise, she has worked across product verticals and P&L responsibilities. Her invaluable contribution to the organisation has won her the ABG “Chairman Award” as a Distinguished leader. A guide and mentor to many younger professionals, she is a true people manager.
Currently, managing home and business in different cities, balancing motherhood and professional excellence she takes pride in setting the bar high. In her current role as Business Head of JAYPORE, she manages strategies for a brand that represents heritage of India and is leading her team passionately to create India’s most aspirational Artisanal brand
3. Unravelling risks and setting a precedent
Jyothi V K, General Counsel and Vice President at ABFRL, is a shining example of being passionate about one’s work. She is a law graduate and a rank holder from the University College of Law, Dharwad. She has immense experience in civil, consumer, criminal, and company matters, real estate, intellectual property laws, and privacy laws. Her interest in IPR led her to pursue a post-graduate diploma from the National Law School of India. She completed a Master’s course in Technology, Media, and Telecommunications Law from the Queen Mary University of London. Currently, Jyothi is the General Counsel of ABFRL and its subsidiaries, where she is responsible for legal risk management and strategic governance across diverse ABFRL businesses.
She represented the Aditya Birla Group at the IBA Conference in Tokyo in 2013. She was selected as a speaker at the IAPP Conference in Singapore in 2018 to speak on AI and privacy concerns in e-commerce. She is a part of the Core Advocacy Committee of the Retailers Association of India and was recognized as GC of the Year by the Indian National Bar Association in 2019. Jyothi was also recognized as an exceptional leader for functional excellence by ABFRL in 2020. She is a marathoner, and has completed the Standard Chartered Marathon in Mumbai in 2017 alongside over a dozen half marathons for charity. Driven by her passion for innovation, she has automated legal processes and developed in-house legal websites for various verticals of the legal function. She devises strategies to mitigate legal risks and inspires her team to keep doing their best work, while managing their mental wellbeing.
The women of today are defying all odds to chase their dreams. Not only have they achieved immense success in their chosen fields, but through their professional journeys, they have inspired many others to venture into newer arenas. The modern woman has an attitude to take risks, be bold and venture into the unknown with fierceness, and we, at ABFRL, salute their grit and determination.
