The Retailers Association of India (RAI) arranged the Retail Leadership Summit 2024 (RLS 2024), which was held in Mumbai on 28th and 29th February. The brightest minds in retail come together for this yearly conference to discuss innovative approaches in the sector.
Kumar Rajagopalan, Chief Executive Officer, Retailers Association of India (RAI), said, “We’re observing a transformative shift, with retailers blending digital and physical experiences to create seamless consumer journeys. The key to future success lies in harnessing the power of omnichannel strategies and understanding the evolving consumer preference for convenience and trust.”
Bijou Kurien, Chairman, Retailers Association of India (RAI), expressed, “The retail industry in India is poised for significant growth in the year ahead. Driven by an 8%+ growth in GDP in Q3 FY’24 and based on steady investment by the Government and Private sector, consumption is bound to grow.”
The RAI-Boston Consulting Group report, Unlocking the $2Tn retail opportunity by 2030: An activist agenda, the RAI-Deloitte report, Future of Retail: Profitable Growth through Technology and AI, the RAI-KPMG report, Achieving seamless commerce in India, and the PWC report, How India shops online: Consumer preferences in the metropolises and tier-1, 2, 3, and 4 cities, were among the highlights of RLS 2024. Additionally, the corresponding teams received congratulations and the RAI – Great Place To Work report titled Best Retail Workplaces 2024 was revealed.
Leading figures in the retail industry and the retail service provider sector attended the summit. Prominent figures in the retail industry that spoke at the summit included Gautam Saraogi, CEO of Go Fashion (India) Ltd (Go Colours), Sanjay Vakharia, CEO of Spykar, Satyen Momaya, CEO of Celio Future Fashion, and Lalit Agarwal, Founder & MD of V-Mart Retail.
Lalit Agarwal discussed creating experiences in retail that resonate deeply with customers, especially budget-conscious customers, to make them feel smart and stylish within their means.
Rajesh Jain, MD & CEO, Sports & Leisure Apparel (Lacoste India), highlighted the approach in the premium fashion segment, emphasising a uniform customer experience across online and offline channels without price differentiation except during season-end sales.
The first day of RLS 2024 came to a close with India’s Retail Champions Award 2024, with the winners being The Souled Store (Apparel & Lifestyle), Raymond Lifestyle (Apparel & Lifestyle), Spykar Lifestyle Pvt. Ltd. (Apparel & Lifestyle), Shoppers Stop Limited, Trent (Success Story of 2024) among others.
Parallel to RLS 2024, there was a lengthy session on Retail Store Design, in which leading brands and retailers participated. Discussion topics included Balancing Design and Functionality in Retail Spaces, Future of Retail Design: Exploring Emerging Trends and Technologies, A captivating Fireside Chat, and a Masterclass on The art of curating memorable and meaning customer journey.
Bharat Tex Special Report 2026 
