Apparel Sourcing Specialist

APURBA R

esidence: CHAKRABORTY

B-*** “Adarsh Crystal”

** ********* ****, ******,

Bangalore – 560 008,

India. C

ell phone: (0091) 990**-*****/966**-***** Landline: (0091-80) 25371334 (home)

E-B

orn: Mail: August apurba_4th chakraborty04@1968 yahoo.com Nationality: Indian

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APABILITY: - Strategic Management using valuable experience of 25 years in Apparel Sourcing and Manufacturing for leading Global brands

- Ability to launch / expand existing Sourcing Operations and create organised, viable supply channels

- Deliver on the core essentials of Quality, Speed-to-market and Margins O

BJECTIVES: - Provide winning value in a Global role by creating synergy between using learnings and tried practices along with rapidly evolving innovative changes in product, technology and fashion demanded by today’s discerning Customer

- The Design, Creation and Development process using Innovation are areas of immense interest and I would like to regularly contribute using market intelligence in these key areas

- Smarter utilisation of Multi-Country presence to effectively build cost advantages and tackle logistical and duty related challenges for speed and cost advantages to all markets including the rapidly growing e-commerce expectations

- Garner focus and investment on sustainable and environment friendly best practices - it always helps across the business in the longer term STRENGTHS: - The ability to handle challenging situations and people with calm, firm, honest intent; with an overriding commitment to product innovation, input costs and timeline reduction. M

y Responsibilities so far, have broadly comprised of the following:

• Strategy based planning – focused on goals and targets set by the Board

• Diligent budgeting to ensure financial objectives are met – constantly monitor ‘Top and Bottom-line’

• Acquiring Competencies & Technology to cope with ever-changing Customer demand

• Maintain efficiencies across all verticals – audit and regularised improvement efforts

• Adopting ‘Lean’ concepts – from 5S through Production waste elimination and ‘Toyota Production Systems’ based change-culture implementation across entire Operations

• Customer Service levels - NO compromise - across the business

• Feedback – both external and internal and continuous improvement initiatives

• Successful and timely Project implementation

• Talent Pool creation and Staff-Retention efforts as a constant practice

• KPI measures revolving around RFT (Right First Time) and related activity to achieve timely closures to each activity end-to-end

• Quality – across all fields; reduce Cost-of-Failure in today’s challenged environment

• CSR / Sustainability and Ethical Practices – Maintain these at all cost; despite resistance M

y Career: At Matrix Sourcing Services as CEO - India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka operations and Business Development of IT enabled non-conventional Sourcing Services Divn - "Triple Tree Solutions" (November 2014 onwards)

Associated with the Matrix Sourcing Group and it's Partner Organisations to promote and grow ethical and quality based sourcing services using state-of-the art, patented Customers Cloud-are both based Retailers Software and Tools Importers and Systems. based mainly in the EU and USA while large Vendors in the South Asia region are also choosing to engage the Group's services for obtaining 'real-time' transparent information on Quality and Production performance against assigned parameters.

At Marks & Spencer plc as Head of Region – South Asia Sourcing Offices & Director M&S India (P) Ltd (June’13 to October’14)

Controlled the 2nd largest Sourcing Hub for M&S General Merchandise Sourcing – across 5 Countries, covering 3 offices and over 300 Team Members for over £ 730 million of Sourcing value per annum

Contributed in the Margin-improvement global initiative - over 2% input margin improvement in just 1 season within 2014-15; initiated sharper Costing methodology

Technology – seminars on “Good to Great” product construction, fabric finishes as well as packing trims – fasteners, hardware, hangers thru to RFID Tags and packing materials; regular improvement/innovation related efforts were set-up in the calendar

Initiated the concept of “Focus Groups” across Country Offices to bring in culture of Collaborative approach to tackle issues via sharing of hurdles faced and combined solution creation

Bangladesh comprehensively out-performed other Regional Offices on all KPIs in 2013, a year filled with debacles on building, strikes & fire safety

Sustainability – on extremely high focus in M&S; key initiatives of ISO 26000 and ‘Plan A’ have had best coverage across the region; continuous efforts on CSR and “Green” sustenance helped get the coveted “Golden Peacock Award” from the Govt. of India for 2013-14

Built the new Delhi Sourcing Office for India in a record time of 75 days to focus on the high-value/embellished ethnic Women’s wear handwriting out of North India At adidas Group as Director Sourcing – India Sub-Continent (Jan 2011 – May 2013):

KPI scores across all critical measures stabilised from 54% to over 90% in just 5 months; converted Pakistan's Vendors from avoidable to preferred using focus and diligent handling on critical programs like the London Olympics Apparel

Slashed operating-cost spend against Liaison Office budget by USD 297k

Secured breakthroughs into new divisions for business growth – KIDS from China and Fashion brands (Originals & NEO) were brought into the sub-continent and growth numbers sustained

Print & Bonding Technology related learning sessions were initiated with Suppliers and the Factories to ensure all connected individuals get complete understanding of the product being developed and commercialised

Fabric and Trim seminars and inter-active sessions with Supply base were conducted to bring innovation, tackle constraints and challenges; using solutions to score goals

Addition of ‘India-market’ related sourcing including ‘B2B’ from mid-2012; this included re-building the Sourcing Organisation, reducing Head-count and localising maximum percentage to offset import duty/exchange related margin pressures

Worked diligently on tackling the high Indian-import duty, used Duty Wavers (via Sri Lanka) on Far-Eastern synthetic fabric on Taylormade Golf and Training wear much needed for the India Market

New combined-product ‘Sourcing Office’ was created - this included Footwear, Accessories & Gear along with Apparel; I was the ‘Chief Representative’ for adidas Sourcing within the Sub-continent

At Brandix Lanka as CEO-Casual-wear/Denim (January to December 2010):

Achieved ‘Positive’ bottom-line on Denim business within the first quarter (it had remained loss making for 4+ years). Performance over budgeted numbers for 1st Two quarters

Introduced Basic ‘Lean Concepts’ – Space saving within Production halls & laundry and Remodelled lines to grow dedicated Production line-efficiencies to over 80% average

Wash/Laundry utilisation - introduced fresh Techniques, Experts and Equipment. Drove Team towards enhancing daily capacity by ~ 70%. Considerable jump in profitability within the Washing Plant from the 1st quarter

Initiated and signed ‘year-around’ 70% fill Agreement with primary Customer to ensure production flow and scale related gains

At MAS Holdings as CEO, Business Development, MAS Active – India (September 2007 – December 2009):

Set-up the first Customer-centric, Single-window Operation to offer all Products from the large Active and Intimates Divisions within MAS for Global Sports brands

Introduced new, Short Lead-time EU labels for increased earnings along with the existing large-volume existing tight-priced Underwear labels

Facility Running Costs were brought down by nearly 40% through implementation of

‘Lean/TPS’ principles across all processes.

KPI scores improved via Efficiency enhancements and Defect-rate reductions efforts

Space-savings, Reduction of Man-power of over 1900 Workers from an Expensive Location and complete relocation of Plant & Machinery to cheaper City/Zone was executed smoothly without any Industrial Action and reasonable compensation pay- outs

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The adidas ‘Innovation Excellence’ award was bestowed on MAS Active in 2008, for

‘Seamless Sportswear’ innovation – was amongst the proud recipients of that award representing MAS Holdings.

At Gap Inc. – as Spoke Office Manager & Director – Spoke Offices (1999 – mid 2005 & July 2006 – September 2007 respectively):

Grew South-India Sourcing value to a Regional highest of USD 430 Million (FOB value)

Catalyst in the Introduction of Heavy Outerwear and Sportswear sourcing from South India

Maintained Year-on-year ‘No Defect Claims’ record on quality of Merchandise and over 92% average ‘On-time’ shipments across all Gap Inc labels/categories from the Region

Achieved ‘Lowest running Cost’ recognition for Bangalore and Chennai Offices against generated volume of business

Received awards for ‘Operational Excellence’ and for Global CSR Partnership

Nominated to Coach the new Country Head for Gap Bangladesh in early 2005

Motivated team-members to successfully retain large volume Denim and heavy bottom-weights Production despite Wash-destruction and dry-process threats from competing regions like Bangladesh and Indonesia

Five South-India Vendors selected into Gap Inc.’s ‘Top 50 Strategic Global Vendors’. Brought Two Vendors in Bangalore to lead position in the South Asia, by diversifying from existing, restricted product-lines and increasing production efficiency with performance enhancement tools

Nominated by India Regional Hub Office as ‘Representative’ for the Old Navy Inventory control and Stock management Project – this was aimed at improving control on order and stock handling stemming from Regional/DC sale-based trend and feedback on sizing, colour, etc

Specially recalled by Gap in 2006 to lead the Sri Lanka Country Office additionally with over USD 360 Million sourcing value

Reduced inherited head-count in Sri Lanka Country Office by over 20%; this, despite achieving growth of over 12% within just 10-months, using Less is more concepts effectively

At Target Corporation – as Managing Director, TSS for Egypt and Jordan (May 2005 – June 2006):

Growth of USD 9.5 Million achieved from the Egypt /Jordan Region within the year

Sagging Carpet/Rug business was spurred with over 250% growth

Synthetics/Denim Apparel was also grown across various Target labels, especially Women’s large volume business using the Duty-free zone advantages extensively

Introduced the PLM program trainings to the regional Vendors and initiated self-audit systems by closer monitoring Factory's internal teams, along with training programs for certified auditors, etc., to help elevate quality levels to a reliable state P

REVIOUS 1

996 - 1998 ASSIGNMENTS: (May) Partner at Khitin Merchandising - an Agency representing Importers (for labels like 1

995 S.- Oliver, 1996 (Oct) Kaufhoff, Manager Jeans - Merchandising, West, etc.) Indexco International (Buying Office for C&A Europe/ Mondial) 1

993 - 1995 (June) General Manager, Gartex Insta Apparel, Bangalore - Accredited Tommy, Silk Road Japan 1

991 - and 1993 Pepe Resident Jeans Representative Manufacturer/exporter - South India, for Atlantis Corporation India - Buying House for German 1

989 - 1991 Retail Merchandising & Mail Order Officer Houses - like Gokaldas Karstadt, Exports Neckermann Ltd., Bangalore and Anyway – then Gmbh. India’s largest Apparel Export Company

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DUCATION: 1

986 - ISC (Indian School Certificate - Std XII). The Frank Anthony Public School, Bangalore. 1987 - Certificate in Business Management - Indian Institute of Management Studies, New Delhi. 1989 - Bachelor in Commerce, Bangalore University. O

THER - INTERESTS: Innovation & Technology – Participated in various Trims, Embellishment and Machinery related Fairs and Seminars to enhance productivity and quality in modern Apparel Factories

- Developing initiatives for better working conditions, while ensuring duties/discipline and output remain of paramount importance

- Social - Associated with Ashraya and Parikrma Child-care NGOs in Bangalore _

- Sports – __favourites are Golf, Badminton and Cricket.

*References on request

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