Debashish Baruah

Experience

1. Head - Buying & Merchandising

   Ghodawat Retail

   Jan 2023 — Present · IN

   Leading buying, merchandising and category strategy for a large-scale multi-format retail business spanning Tier 2–Tier 5 markets. Driving P&L ownership, profitability turnaround and rural retail innovation while strengthening vendor partnerships and expanding market reach:• Delivered a complete business turnaround by achieving store-level profitability in the first year and distribution center break-even in the second year, through strategic pricing, assortment optimization, and vendor-led monetization.• Expanded the retail network from 40 to 120 stores, building a differentiated rural supermarket model and overseeing market selection, property acquisition and launch execution.• Introduced structured merchandising and planogramming practices, improving product visibility, in-store conversion rates and category profitability.• Secured investments and exclusive promotions from national and regional vendors, boosting high-margin product penetration and brand engagement.• Built and led a high-performing team of category managers, buyers and planners, implementing agile processes for vendor onboarding, replenishment and demand planning.• Partnered with CEO and business leadership to shape rural retail growth strategy, guide expansion priorities and align category execution with overall business objectives.

Education

• M S University

  B.Sc

  1994 — 1997

• Amravati University

  MBA

  1998 — 2000