Raymond appoints Unilever's Joe Kuruvilla as CEO

Raymond 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 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.