A fashion and retail industry veteran, Mehta played a pioneering role in shaping India’s premium and luxury retail ecosystem
New Delhi : Darshan Mehta, former Managing Director and CEO of Reliance Brands Ltd. (RBL), passed away on Wednesday following a sudden heart attack, a source close to the matter told Indiaretailing.
A fashion and retail industry veteran, Mehta played a pioneering role in shaping India’s premium and luxury retail ecosystem. He was associated with Reliance Brands since its inception in 2007 and served as its President and CEO for over 17 years.
Under his leadership, RBL introduced and scaled over 90 global fashion and lifestyle brands in India, including Valentino, Versace, Armani, Bottega Veneta, Coach, Jimmy Choo, Pottery Barn, Muji, Zegna, and Boss.
Mehta stepped down from his executive role in 2024, taking on a mentorship position within the Reliance Group. He continued to serve as a non-executive director on RBL’s board and was actively involved in guiding emerging leaders and identifying new business opportunities.
Before joining Reliance, Mehta served as President of Arvind Brands Ltd. from 2001 to 2007. During his time there, he helped shape the Indian apparel retail story by building some of the country’s earliest organised brand portfolios in the fashion segment.
Throughout his career, Mehta was known for his strategic foresight, relationship-building abilities, and sharp market instinct. Industry peers credit him with being one of the earliest movers in bringing global luxury and lifestyle retail to India, well before the market matured.
