Our Speakers

Shaily Mehrotra

CEO and Co-founder, Fixderma

Anupam Bansal

Executive Director, Liberty Shoes Limited

Saurabh Munjal

Co Founder & CEO, Lahori Zeera

Akash Srivastava

Chief Business Development Officer (Non-Yum Brands), Devyani International Limited

Rahull Raghuvanshii

Managing Director, Jetts Fitness India

Krishnan Padmanabhan

Head Operations, Titan World

Ashish Chandra

AI Strategist, Gen AI Leader and Global Partner, KPMG

Naitik Soni

Director – Retail, Cushman & Wakefield

Dhruv Dhanraj Bahl

Founder and Managing Partner, Sadev Ventures (Formerly Eternal Capital)

Harshit Vij

Founder and CEO, Freecultr

Vikas Jain

Managing Director, Anytime Fitness India

Vijay Singh Rathore

Co-Founder & CEO, Soonicorn Ventures

Gyan Prakash Srivastava

AVP- Retail, Underneat

Lokendra Singh Ranawat

Founder & CEO, Wooden Street

Aparna Saxena

Founder & CEO, Antinorm

Hanisha Gandhi

Executive Director, Archies limited

Divyakshi Satija

Principal, Sadev Ventures (Formerly Eternal Capital)

Akshat Saxena

Principal, Alteria Capital

Abhiram Bhalerao

Partner, V3 Ventures (Verlinvest)

Punit Shah

Managing Partner, Alteria Capital

Amit Bagga

Co-founder, CEO & CMO, Daryaganj Hospitality

Siddharth Arora

COO, Subway India

Saurabh Kapoor

Co-Founder, Wellbeing Nutrition

Shivam Gupta

Co-Founder and CMO, Intellemo AI

Saurabh Gupta

Founder and CEO, Intellemo AI

Pratyush Raj

EVP & National Sales Head, Pine Labs

Arun AB

Vice President, Executive Brand Outlets, Libas

Dr Blossom Kochhar

Chairperson of Blossom Kochhar Group of Companies

Zahra

Partner at Pilates & Beyond

Deepak Gupta

Co-Founder and COO, Bombay Shaving Company

Abishek K. Ramesh

Executive Director, Kairali Ayurvedic Group

Swarn Bajaj

Founder and Managing Director, P3S Ventures Pvt. Ltd.

Satish Puranam

VP, Franchise Strategy & Operations, Reliance Retail

Rishi Chhabria

Founder and Managing Director, Aéromé

Aman Arora

Head of Sales, RapidShyp

Husain Ali

Head- Franchise Development, Cult.Fit Pvt Ltd

Suman Gandham

Co -Founder, CEO Vobiz . ai

Sanjeev Asthana

CEO, Patanjali Foods Limited.

Vineet Reu

Head- Business Development, Titan Company Limited

Sunitha Nambiar

Chief Executive Officer, Manav Rachna International Schools, and CEO, India of Kedman Global

Sandip Weling

Chief Business Officer- Global Retail Businesses, Aptech Limited

Sachin Pabreja

Co-founder & CEO, EazyDiner

Priykant Gautam

Director, Affirma Hospitality Pvt Ltd

Lauren Ashleigh

MD, Elite Supplements Australia

Trushna Makadia

Founder & CEO, Guac Mexi Grill

Lucky Walia

CEO, Chaska

Sarita Ekya

Founder & CEO, S'MAC

Jelena Pasic

Founder & CEO, Harlem Shake

Ron Cain

Founder,Kuma's Corner

Tom Fife

Franchise Director,Giordano's Pizza

Mandy David

CEO, The Pancake Parlour

Rohit Narang

Founder & Culinary Force, Tossin Pizza

Vishal Dholiya

Founder & Managing Director Of Hastmilap Jewels & Aspiri Jewels

Adit Bhansali

Co-Founder, Firefly Diamonds

Arunabh Sinha

Founder, UClean

Prashant Kumar Chauhan

Founding Member and Chief Strategy Officer, Ekaagra

Rajat Wahi

Senior Advisor, CPG, Retail & Hospitality

Chuck Buttiglieri

President, UNO Pizzeria & Grill

David Elizalde

CGO, Equivalenza

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Previous Speakers

Mohamed Al Madani

Chairman of TAGMOA & ALMADINI Group

Rekha Sharma

MP Rajya Sabha, Former NCW Chairperson

Sarveshwar Shukla

CM YUVA Mission, UP

Dr. Milind Kamble

Founder Chairman DICCI

Arunabh Sinha

Founder, UClean

Pulkit Jain

Co-Founder InsightGeeks

Krishnan Padmanabhan

Tanishq Corp Retail

Radhakrishnan

CFO, La Pinoz Pizza

Seema Jhingan

Senior Partner, LexCounsel

Akash Srivastava

Devyani International Limited

Anand Ramanathan

Partner and Consumer Industry Leader, Deloitte India

Jasmeet Singh

Chief Commercial Officer, Holidays & Experiences, MakeMyTrip

Rajat Agrawal

CEO, Barista Coffee

Sandip Baksi

CEO, Nuvora Retail

Nitin Joshi

Business Consultant & Influencer

Vikram Shah

Chief Business Officer, Meritto

Anupam Bansal

Executive Director, Liberty Shoes

Satish Puranam

VP, Franchise Strategy & Operations, Reliance Retail

Tanmay Bhargava

Partner, Vijit Creations

Akash Kalra

3rd Generation Owner & Managing Director, United Group

Dr. S K Rathor

Founder, Chairman & Managing Director, Sanfort

Anand Jain

Director, Nothing Before Coffee

Mahendra Sureka

Founder & CEO – India, MACJ

Shruti Khaneja

Vice President - Offline Sales, Clovia

CA(Dr.) Rajeev Gupta

Founder, Golden Bells

Aryan Bawa

Founder, Iris Fine Jewels

Dr Blossom Kochhar

Chairperson of Blossom Kochhar Group of Companies

Rajesh Kapase

CEO, Trackon

Mahendra Prabhudas Bajaj

CMD, Nandi Panchgavya Pvt Ltd

Saurabh Sharma

Head - E Commerce & B2B, Juniper

Amar Preet Singh

Co-Founder & COO, Neeman's

Siddharth Jain

Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) | Global Ed Group

Toinali Chophi

Founder & CEO, Beauty Barn

Priykant Gautam

Director, Taste Aces Pvt Ltd. Founder: omny kitchen by chef Vicky ratnani, plaka by chef ajay chopra , Hydrama

LALIT AGARWAL

Founder & MD, V-Mart Retail Ltd

Alvin Lesmana

Business Development Supervisor, AICHA

Manaswinee Ghadei

Head of Franchise, Bodycraft

Manish Sharma

Co-Founder & COO - Karigari By Chef Harpal Singh Sokhi, Dutchman Port & The Flying Dutchman || Director - Futomic Group

Moloy Chakravorty

MD & Founder, Beyond Red Ocean Consulting | ActionCOACH West Bengal

Mukesh Gupta

Director - Strategy Consulting, Deloitte India

Chaitanya Sabharwal

Co-Founder & CEO – Biryani Queen

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Agenda 2026

Day 1: Theme: Brands • Retail • D2C • Franchise • Distribution • Scale
Building, Scaling & Franchising Consumer Brands in Bharat

10:30 – 10:45 AM

Opening Keynote: The Rise of Bharat’s Consumer Economy

Key Discussion Areas

Rise of aspirational consumers across Bharat
Shift towards branded and organised consumption
Digital infrastructure enabling demand
Consumption growth beyond metros

Ashita Marya

CEO, Franchise India

10:45 – 11:00 AM

Bharat’s Consumption Story: Policy, Demand and the Next Growth Markets

Key Discussion Areas

Policy push and economic drivers of consumption
Accessibility of ‘branded’ trust in ‘organised’ environment
How to push consumption through digital channels in a more ‘responsible’ manner
Expand mass consumption in Tier 2–3 markets by empowering consumer rights while keeping brand promises right

Sanjeev Asthana

CEO, Patanjali Foods Limited.

11:00 – 11:40 AM

Capital Behind Consumer Brands: Funding the Next Wave of D2C and Retail

Key Discussion Areas

Investor focus areas in consumer and retail brands
Shift towards profitability and sustainable growth
D2C vs retail-led investment models
Exit strategies including IPOs and acquisitions

Vijay Singh Rathore

Co-Founder & CEO, Soonicorn Ventures

Dhruv Dhanraj Bahl

Founder & Managing Partner, Sadev Ventures (Formerly Eternal Capital)

Abhiram Bhalerao

Partner, V3 Ventures (Verlinvest)

Akshat Saxena

Principal, Alteria Capital

Sachin Marya

Managing Director, Franchise India (Moderator)

11:40 AM – 12:00 PM

Break

12:00 – 12:40 PM

Building a Winning Consumer Brand: From Digital First to Market Leader

Key Discussion Areas

Building brand identity in a saturated market
Role of storytelling, community and creators
Transition from online to offline retail
Pricing, positioning and premiumisation
Building trust, loyalty and recall

Saurabh Munjal

Co-Founder & CEO, Lahori Zeera

Shaily Mehrotra

CEO and Co-founder, Fixderma

Saurabh Kapoor

Co-founder, Wellbeing Nutrition

Shivam Gupta

Co-Founder and CMO, Intellemo AI

Ashita Marya

CEO, Franchise India (Moderator)

12:40 – 01:00 PM

Founder’s Journey: From Idea to Retail Shelves

Key Discussion Areas

The inspiration behind starting the brand
Early struggles and entrepreneurial learnings
Building consumer trust in the beauty industry
Turning a passion into a scalable retail business
Breaking into retail shelves and modern trade
Importance of branding, packaging, and product innovation
Competing with global beauty brands
Evolution of Indian beauty consumers over the years
Role of digital and social media in brand growth
Leadership lessons from her entrepreneurial journey
Advice for young founders building consumer brands
Future of India’s beauty and wellness industry

Dr Blossom Kochhar

Chairperson of Blossom Kochhar Group of Companies

01:00 – 02:15 PM

Lunch

02:15 – 03:00 PM

From D2C to Omnichannel: Building Experiential Brands Across Channels

Key Discussion Areas

Marketplace vs owned channels: balancing scale with brand identity
Creating immersive customer experiences online and offline
Offline expansion: kiosks, retail, malls & experiential touchpoints
The role of sensory branding and emotional consumer connection
Data, retention & community building in modern consumer brands
Scaling operations while maintaining consistent brand experience

Harshit Vij

Founder and CEO, Freecultr

Pratyush Raj

EVP & National Sales Head, Pine Labs

Rishi Chhabria

Founder and Managing Director, Aéromé

Divyakshi Satija

Principal, Sadev Ventures (Formerly Eternal Capital) (Moderator)

03:00 – 03:15 PM

Break

03:15 – 04:00 PM

Retail Scale Playbook: Stores, Malls and Distribution Networks

Role of malls vs high street vs digital
Experience-led retail and footfall drivers
Distribution and last-mile retail reach
Store economics and profitability
Partnerships between malls and brands

Hanisha Gandhi

Executive Director, Archies Limited

Anupam Bansal

Executive Director, Liberty

Satish Puranam

VP, Franchise Strategy & Operations, Reliance Retail

Ashita Marya

CEO, Franchise India (Moderator)

Day 2: Theme: Franchise • Retail • Expansion • Scale

10:30 – 11:15 AM

Franchising as the Ultimate Scale Model

Key Discussion Areas

FOFO vs FOCO vs COCO models: Understanding the trade-offs between ownership, control, and capital efficiency across different franchise formats
Why brands prefer franchise expansion: Asset-light growth, faster market penetration, and leveraging local expertise to scale efficiently
Entry of global brands into India through franchising
Role of franchise partners in growth
Technology in franchise management

Gyan Prakash Srivastava

AVP- Retail, Underneat

Arun AB

Vice President, Executive Brand Outlets, Libas

Abishek K. Ramesh

Executive Director, Kairali Ayurvedic Group

Beny Sachdeva

Assistant Editor, Franchise India (Moderator)

David Elizalde

CGO, Equivalenza

11:15 – 12:00 AM

F&B Expansion Playbook

Key Discussion Areas

Scaling across formats: Dine-in vs QSR vs cloud kitchens
Location strategy & mall partnerships
Unit economics & profitability
Franchise-led growth: FOFO/FOCO models
Menu innovation & localisation
Omnichannel & delivery growth

Akash Srivastava

Chief Business Development Officer (Non-Yum Brands), Devyani International Limited

Siddharth Arora

COO, Culinary Brands (Subway India)

Amit Bagga

Co-founder and CEO, Daryaganj Hospitality

Rohit Narang

Founder & Culinary Force, Tossin Pizza

Ron Cain

Founder,Kuma's Corner

Chuck Buttiglieri

President, UNO Pizzeria & Grill

Rajat Wahi

Senior Advisor, CPG, Retail & Hospitality (Moderator)

11:40 AM – 12:00 PM

Break

12:00 – 12:40 PM

The Bharat Brand Expansion Playbook

Key Discussion Areas

Scaling retail, D2C, quick commerce and consumer brands across categories
Turning regional success into a replicable multi-city and pan-India business model
Distribution, omnichannel, and market entry strategies for rapid expansion
Balancing standardisation with localisation across diverse Bharat markets
Capital, profitability, and growth readiness for emerging consumer brands
Building scalable operations, supply chains, and execution capabilities
Leveraging technology, data, and customer insights to drive growth

Arunabh Sinha

Founder, UClean

Vineet Reu

Head- Business Development, Titan Company Limited

Sunitha Nambiar

Chief Executive Officer, Manav Rachna International Schools, and CEO, India of Kedman Global

Prashant Kumar Chauhan

Founding Member and Chief Strategy Officer, Ekaagra

Beny Sachdeva

Assistant Editor, Franchise India (Moderator)

12:40 – 01:20 PM

Multi-Unit Franchising: The Rise of Regional Power Operators

Key Discussion Areas

Growth of multi-unit franchise operators
Scaling from 10 to 100 outlets
Operational challenges and standardisation
Regional market expertise advantage
ROI and portfolio diversification

Rahull Raghuvanshii

Managing Director, Jetts Fitness India

Husain Ali

Head- Franchise Development, Cult.Fit Pvt Ltd

Abhishek Gagneja

Chairperson & Founder, Pro Ultimate

Zahra

Partner at Pilates & Beyond (Moderator)

01:20 – 02:20 PM

Lunch

02:20 – 03:10 PM

New-Age Retail – Immersive Experiences & Sparkling Commerce

Key Discussion Areas

Hybrid D2C + offline models for higher conversion and seamless experience.
Emotional storytelling to build strong brand identity and loyalty.
Ethical innovation & sustainability as core differentiators.
Immersive customer journeys to boost dwell time and engagement.
F&B restaurant integration: Using ambiance, scent and experiential dining to drive footfall and cross-category loyalty.
Meeting Gen-Z demand for accessible, transparent, and values-driven brands.
Franchising & omnichannel strategies for scalable growth across India.

Priykant Gautam

Director, Affirma Hospitality Pvt Ltd

Lauren Ashleigh

MD, Elite Supplements Australia

Vishal Dholiya

Founder & Managing Director Of Hastmilap Jewels & Aspiri Jewels

Adit Bhansali

Co-Founder, Firefly Diamonds

Abha Garyali Peer

Editor, Fran.News (Moderator)

03:10 – 04:00 PM

World-Class Flavors & Franchise Systems: Winning Big in India

Key Discussion Areas

Proven Domestic Success — Lessons from scaling iconic brands in Canada, USA & Australia.
Why India Now? — Market opportunities, consumer trends & perfect entry timing.
Franchising Models for India — Preferred structures, partner profiles & collaboration expectations.
Localization Strategies — Menu adaptation, pricing, culture fit & supply chain solutions.
Overcoming India Challenges — Real estate, regulations, talent & operational hurdles
India Growth Roadmap — Launch plans, expansion targets & becoming household names.

Trushna Makadia

Founder & CEO, Guac Mexi Grill

Founder & CEO, Harlem Shake

Mandy David

CEO, The Pancake Parlour

Ashita Marya

CEO, Franchise India (Moderator)

04:00 – 04:45 PM

The Future of Consumer Business in Bharat

Key Discussion Areas

Moving form AI experimentation to scalable adoption in India's consumer and retail ecosystem
AI-driven personalisation, consumer engagement, and the rise of conversational commerce
Voice AI and multilingual customer experiences across Bharat markets
AI-powered operations: logistics, fulfilment, supply chain, and workforce efficiency
Building measurable ROI from AI investments through practical, high-impact use cases

Saurabh Gupta

Founder and CEO, Intellemo AI

Aman Arora

Head of Sales, RapidShyp

Sachin Pabreja

Co-founder & CEO, EazyDiner

Dr. Ashish Chandra

AI Strategist, Gen AI Leader, Global Partner, KPMG

Suman Gandham

Co -Founder, CEO Vobiz . ai (Moderator)