Playing an Integral Role in Developing Luxury Retail Brands in India and Southeast Asia
  | About Prasanna BhaskarA leading marketing and brand management professional from Hong Kong, Prasanna Bhaskar has spearheaded major innovations in the luxury fashion industry. She led the introduction of the first luxury fashion retail operation in India, Louis Vuitton, and also assisted in launching Ferragamo’s entry into the market. Prasanna Bhaskar’s career has spanned prestigious posts in India and Hong Kong, working on business development, retail expansion, and sales strategy activities. She joined Louis Vuitton India Pvt. Ltd. in 2002 as the Retail Manager India, reporting to the European Regional Director, located in Paris. Ms. Bhaskar brought Louis Vuitton India from concept to operations, generating impressive sales growth in the process. Among Prasanna Bhaskar’s many notable contributions to Louis Vuitton India, she opened stores in New Delhi, Mumbai and planned store expansion in other major cities.Prasanna's most recognized accomplishment was the opening of a flagship retail location in the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel Mumbai. Ms. Bhaskar created and implemented a merchandising approach designed to appeal to diverse Indian tastes across 14 cities, leading to a loyal customer base. She also devised innovative recruitment strategies wherein she recruited senior managers in finance, marketing, logistics, and retail from the hospitality and other new economy businesses. As part of the launch activities, Prasanna Bhaskar also liaised with government officials, securing permits and playing a role in the development of retail infrastructure. After less than three years in the prestigious position, Prasanna Bhaskar was promoted on the basis of her achievements, and she took on a larger role in the Asia-Pacific market and relocated back home in Hong Kong. Ms. Bhaskar assisted Louis Vuitton Asia Pacific in increasing efficiency and productivity through process improvements and product flow management techniques. She increased cross sales by over 20 percent in 6 months, and she implemented successful training procedures. Prasanna Bhaskar joined Ferragamo Hong Kong Ltd. in 2008 as the Regional Director for Southeast Asia and India. Building upon her experience at Louis Vuitton, Ms. Bhaskar launched retail stores, hired a team of sales managers, and grew Ferragamo into one of the top luxury fashion brands in the region. Ms. Bhaskar was promoted to General Manager, Ferragamo Retail India in 2010, a position that she held to do succession planning and revamping of India operations before stepping down to join her family in Shanghai where she now works as a retail consultant. |
