IndiaRetailing brings you a series in which we highlight the brand icons in India’s thriving fashion and lifestyle industry. Today, the spotlight is on Sirish Kumar
Bengaluru: No business can survive for long without a vision; even if it does, it would be susceptible to every disruption and upheaval that generally comes in its business cycle. It needs a leader who has the capacity to translate, create that vision, or make it clearer and turn it into reality. The very essence of leadership is having a vision in the first place. Moreover, as you can’t blow an uncertain trumpet, it should be clearly articulated so that they can manage and lead people. A team led by a visionary leader with a clear direction knows what it can achieve and how far it can go.
In this special feature, IndiaRetailing highlights the brand icons in India’s thriving fashion and lifestyle industry. Today, the spotlight is on…
Sirish Kumar
Chief executive officer, AstorMueller Shoes Pvt. Ltd., India
Education
M. Com from Symbiosis College of Arts and Commerce, Pune.
Language spoken
Italian, German, Romanian, and a few Indian languages.
Career history and experience
9 January 2022 marked 25 years of me being a part of the AstorMueller Group. I started out as an apprentice in Germany, following which I moved to Tunisia where
AstorMueller had their shoe factory. It was here that I learnt almost everything about shoemaking. In 2001, I moved to South Italy where we shifted our focus from
manufacturing to designing and sourcing. The next year, I was in Romania and set up the sourcing structure to source from Eastern Europe, including a factory to manufacture lasts. The experience I gained here helped me understand how important lasts are in shoemaking. The company with which we collaborated makes lasts for all luxury brands such as Chanel, Salvatore Ferragamo, and Prada, and is based out of Marche. In 2007, I set up AstorMueller Shoes Pvt. Ltd., India together with another employee and here we are today, with easily the best shoemaking capabilities in the
country, among the top three exporters in terms of value.
Role and responsibilities
I am responsible for global sourcing and strategy.
Strengths & weaknesses
Strengths: Integrity, loyalty and the ability to predict the future to a large extent, at least for the shoe industry.
Weaknesses: I am prone to self-criticism and I am emotionally sensitive, which at times impede my ability to move on in a timely manner.
Aspirations you want to fulfill
The one I want to fulfill the most is to provide employment directly or indirectly to over 50,000 people in India.
Game changing retail technologies according to you
E-commerce was the biggest disruptor of the retail market in the last couple of decades and I see AI doing that for the future of retail, completely transforming areas like demand forecasting, inventory management, retail logistics, etc. It can also help in customer engagement, customer support and much more. Combined with other technologies like Big Data Analytics, the future sure is exciting.
Skills that helped you succeed in this industry
Understanding that shoe manufacturing is a very complex process involving over 40 components, and that it comes with its share of challenges such as functionally-illiterate labour. In the end, two odds should look like a pair and the pair has to fit two odd feet in most cases, and it is this understanding that has helped me hone the necessary skills to succeed.
Lessons learned over the years
Perhaps the biggest lesson that I have learnt is to never take anything for granted. One has to keep on learning and changing with the times.
Your take on the future of industry
The future is very bright, and by that I mean incredible times are ahead – both in manufacturing and retail.
Any role model in the industry
The chairman and chief executive officer of our group, Mr. Tim T. Müller.
If you had to pen down your top 3 learning from your career
• Real success is when you take others along with you.
• Find that everyone’s time is as important as yours and must be respected from the CEO to the cleaner. If you fix a time, then be on time and prepare necessary.
• One is only as strong as the weakest link in the chain. Make sure you identify them in time and strengthen them.
Life mantra
Go with the ȷ ow and change accordingly. Change is constant and consistent.
This article first appeared in IMAGES Group’s Business of Fashion Magazine March 2023 issue.
