Raymond Appoints Joe Kuruvilla as the New CEO of Raymond Lifestyle

Raymond Limited today announced the reinforcement of its management team at Raymond Lifestyle with the appointment of Joe Kuruvilla as the Chief Executive Officer. Joe was till recently the Vice President - Digital Transformation, Media and E-Commerce for East Europe at Unilever PLC. The recently appointed Chief Operating Officer, Ganesh Kumar will report to Joe and work with Joe to execute the transformation agenda for the business as it emerges from the nationwide lockdown due to the global pandemic.

Raymond Lifestyle is the flagship division of the company which includes branded textile and apparel business including brands like Park Avenue, Colour Plus, Parx, ethnix and Khadi and one of the largest distribution network in the country. Joe will drive strategy, vision, and Product portfolio enhancement for Raymond Lifestyle. Global market development will also be a key area of focus for him. Further, he will be responsible for digital adoption, and alignment to emerging consumer needs while Ganesh Kumar will continue to focus on internal organization, omni-channel distribution, driving operational efficiencies and enhanced process alignment. Ganesh will also lead the Fabrics & Garmenting businesses.

Commenting on the development, Gautam Hari Singhania, Chairman & Managing Director, Raymond Ltd. said, “We are charting a refreshed approach in our Lifestyle business as we emerge in the new normal. The strengthening of the management team with the addition of Joe Kuruvilla is an exciting development and in line with our commitment to invest in global talent to enhance the scale of our business. We keenly look forward to consolidate our leadership position in the market as also develop our recent offerings with comprehensive integrated digital first outlook.”

Joe has spent all his working career at Unilever PLC starting as a Management trainee.  He also been the Vice President - Marketing for Home Care and Beauty & Personal Care for East Europe region, leading Unilever’s fastest growing business in European Union. Joe, who has also worked in India in various capacities, is a Civil Engineer with an MBA in Marketing from Pune University and has done Executive Education from IIM (A) and Columbia Business School, New York.

About Raymond Limited

Raymond is India’s largest integrated worsted suiting manufacturer that offers end-to-end solutions for fabrics and garmenting. Over the years, Raymond has been synonymous with quality, innovation and market leadership. It has some of the leading brands within its portfolio – ‘Raymond Ready to Wear’, ‘Park Avenue’, ‘ColorPlus’, ‘Parx’, ‘Raymond Made to Measure’ amongst others. Raymond has one of the largest exclusive retail networks in the country with over 1,500 stores in more than 600 towns.

Raymond also has presence in FMCG sector through Raymond Consumer care that offers wide range of products in men’s personal grooming category and personal hygiene. The group also has presence in engineering and auto components across national and international markets. In 2019, Raymond has also forayed into the realty sector through the launch of its maiden project ‘aspirational district’ spread across 14 acres housing ~3,000 residential units.

Having enjoyed the patronage of over a billion consumers, Raymond as a brand has been consistently delivering world class quality products to its consumers over the past nine decades.