Akshay Kulkarni

Design Manager

Mumbai, Maharashtra, India13 yrs 3 mos experience

Most Likely To SwitchHighly Stable

Key Highlights

Over 9 years in retail and category management.
Led successful product launches in home décor.
Expert in vendor management and sourcing strategies.

Stackforce AI infers this person is a Retail and Architecture professional with extensive experience in category management and product development.

Contact

Skills

Core Skills

Project ManagementTeam ManagementCategory ManagementBrand ManagementOperations ManagementSales EnablementArchitecture

Other Skills

Architectural DesignArchitectural DrawingsAssortment PlanningAutoCAD ArchitectureB2B Sales CommunicationsCatalogue DesignClient PresentationComprehensive PlanningConstruction DrawingsCustomer ExperienceDigital StrategyE-CommerceFurniture BuyingFurniture SourcingInterior Architecture

About

Experienced and driven retail professional with more than 9 years of experience in category management, sourcing and business development. Particularly skilled in the home solutions industry collaborating with a large portfolio of domestic and international vendors for sourcing and product development. A proven track record for problem-solving and taking independent charge of large-scale projects and business units to deliver the desired results. A versatile professional with a diverse educational background in architecture and business management offering a delicate balance of the left and the right half and contributing to the organization’s financial and business objectives.

Experience

13 yrs 3 mos

Total Experience

2 yrs 7 mos

Average Tenure

6 yrs 2 mos

Current Experience

Asian paints

2 roles

Senior Manager - Design

Promoted

Apr 2022 – Present · 4 yrs 1 mo

In my current role within the Design Cell at Asian Paints, I lead a team of 10 designers. We work in collaboration with 4 business verticals to drive multiple initiatives such as New Product Development, Catalogue Design, Retail Design & Visual Merchandising, Exhibition Design, and Sales Enablement for various home décor categories such as Furniture, Furnishing Fabrics, Wardrobes & Kitchens, Beddings, Rugs and Wallpapers.

New Product DevelopmentCatalogue DesignRetail DesignVisual MerchandisingSales EnablementProject Management+1

Brand Manager

Mar 2020 – Apr 2022 · 2 yrs 1 mo

Played a pivotal role in the Pan India launch of Home Furnishing Business for Asian Paints in Q1:FY21-22, to a completely new sales channel
Led Asian Paints' foray into uncharted Home Decor Categories such as Furniture, Fabrics & Lights, through their Private Labels launch for their Multi-Category Retail Formats, namely Beautiful Homes. Instrumental in driving numerous initiatives to facilitate multiple work areas such as New Product Development, Sourcing, Vendor Identification, Sampling & Prototyping, Catalogue Design, Warehousing, Operations & Logistics and Customer Experience, for the newly launched décor businesses.

New Product DevelopmentSourcingVendor IdentificationSampling & PrototypingCatalogue DesignOperations & Logistics+3

Livspace

Senior Category Manager

Dec 2019 – Mar 2020 · 3 mos · Bengaluru, Karnataka

Hopscotch

Senior Category Manager

Aug 2019 – Dec 2019 · 4 mos · Mumbai Area, India

Delivered contribution margin for 3 categories accounting for 51.3% of the organization’s topline in Q2:FY19 20
Responsible for liaising with multiple stakeholders to drive key performance marketing campaigns across social media platforms

E-CommerceDigital StrategyRetail Category ManagementCategory Management

Future group india

2 roles

Category Manager - Home Town

Jan 2016 – Aug 2019 · 3 yrs 7 mos · Mumbai

Drove the category to deliver a stellar financial performance for the past 3 yrs. Responsible for sales exceeding `150 Cr in FY 18-19 with 90% achievement and 18% growth over last year, while contributing 22% to the format’s annual turnover
Built the Assortment Planning & Procurement Strategy relying on extensive data analysis to dissect the assortment across various layers such as target segment, regional preferences, price and configuration in order to identify logical gaps
Spearheaded Sourcing and New Product Development to constantly revamp Home Town’s offerings across multiple channels – stores, online, marketplaces – through close collaboration with a network of domestic & international suppliers
Proficiently managed 40+ vendor accounts across geographies – India, China, Malaysia, Thailand, Turkey, Brazil and Poland – to enhance data-backed forecasting, order management, inventory planning and lead time minimization
Integral member of the core team responsible for collaborating with multiple cross-functional teams in order to devise specific promotions, product bundling and pricing strategies for key events across the annual sales calendar

Assortment PlanningProcurement StrategySourcingNew Product DevelopmentVendor ManagementCategory Management

Management Trainee

Jul 2015 – Jan 2016 · 6 mos · Mumbai

Conceptualized & Piloted an enhanced Last Mile Delivery Program (from order booking to delivery & installation); outlining tech-driven logistics solutions to reduce delivery lead times by 30% by optimizing scheduling, route planning and allowing real-time tracking & updates. Today, the project is a reality across a network of 40+ stores throughout the country
Selected from 450+ applicants to lead one of the largest categories in Home Town as part of the Group’s Holacracy initiative aimed at empowering young, capable individuals with leadership roles across various formats

Last Mile Delivery ProgramTech-driven logistics solutionsOperations Management

Wipro

Autumn Intern - Global Sales Enablement

Aug 2014 – Oct 2014 · 2 mos · Bangalore, Karnataka

Building brands via Sales channel: Optimized & enhanced B2B Sales Communications layered across 7 Business Units & 30 Service Lines within the organization
Gained critical insights into Wipro’s B2B sales cycle across stages: opportunity classification, customer acquisition, delivery & engagement
Detailed the Sales Communications structure to articulate an exhaustive pool of templates in line with Wipro’s branding guidelines with an intent to drive standardization across BUs, enable the Sales force to focus on selling & deliver a distinct brand identity for Wipro

Rlda studio - architecture, interior design,workplace consultancy

Architect

Feb 2011 – Apr 2013 · 2 yrs 2 mos · New Delhi Area, India

Project Management: Led 8 key projects spanning 200,000+ sq.ft from conception to execution –requirement gathering & analysis, design development, cost estimation, construction drawings, tender documents & on-site operations
Stakeholder Management: Ensured scrupulous coordination between Client, MEP Consultants, Material Suppliers & Contractors –to ensure seamless execution within sanctioned estimates & preset timelines

B2B Sales CommunicationsSales Cycle OptimizationSales Enablement

Abha narain lambah associates - conservation architects & heritage building consultants

Junior Architect

Jul 2010 – Jan 2011 · 6 mos · Mumbai Area, India

Junior Architect with an internationally acknowledged architectural firm - 8 UNESCO Asia Pacific Awards – largest number globally
Documentation, Damage Assessment, & Project Execution of 10 prestigious heritage sites & dilapidated historic structures pan India
Formulated in-depth research of archival data required for preparing Conservation Master Plans in line with UNESCO standards

Project ManagementStakeholder ManagementArchitecture