Kumar Utkarsh Asthana

About Kumar Utkarsh Asthana

I stop shelves from going hungry & warehouses from getting bloated”I combine expertise in demand planning, inventory management, and digital transformation across e-commerce and shipping sectors. With 12+ years of experience, I lead operational excellence, drive data-backed forecasting strategies, and build collaborative teams to support sustained growth.Currently, I’m excited to serve as a Demand Planner at Swiggy Instamart, where I focus on optimising FMCG inventory and demand forecasting to fuel India’s fastest-growing instant commerce platform.Previously at Flipkart, I leveraged my IIMA MBA, Lean Six Sigma training, and nautical science background to manage the Fashion portfolio inventory of over ₹800 Cr with more than SKUs. I optimised middle-mile logistics through data analytics, improving delivery timelines and stakeholder satisfaction. My crisis leadership during a cargo ship incident safeguarded lives and valuable assets.Passionate about AI and emerging technologies, I continually explore innovative solutions to drive automation, enhance decision-making, and create a sustainable business impact.I aspire to be a global business leader driving resilient, technology-enabled supply chains and transformative growth. Open to connecting with professionals who share a passion for innovation and continuous learning.

Experience

1. Senior Manager Business Planning

   Flipkart

   Apr 2022 — Present · Bengaluru, IN

   Manage business planning for Fashion category portfolio worth ₹600+ Cr across 10 pan-India fulfilment centres and SKUs, driving category growth and strengthening P&L performance- Strategized & executed ₹300+ Cr sales plan for Big Billion Day (BBD), achieving 8% GMV growth year-over-year- Drove 50% month-on-month growth in Fashion selection on Flipkart Minutes by optimizing SKU placement across 200+ dark stores, enhancing platform relevance- Improved core-size SKU availability to 100% and implemented ₹7 Cr/month inventory corrections, boosting supply-demand alignment and reducing Days on Hand (DOH) by ~52%- Orchestrated the purchase of 1.02 Cr units worth 800 Cr for the BBD sale, improving Sell-Through by 10% YoY- Led pricing, promotion, and discounting strategy for Big Billion Days, generating ₹300 Cr+ GMV in 30 days- Introduced purchase order automation cutting lead times by 50% and reducing manual effort by 40%- Implemented Transport Management tools saving ₹15.2 Cr annually through automated vehicle management- Onboarded ~50 Third-Party Logistics (3PL) partners within 6 months, ensuring seamless supplier experience- Boosted vehicle rotation by 67%, cut idle time by 33%, and improved service level agreements (SLAs) by 90% through vehicle tracking automation- Reduced shipment costs by 36% YoY through enhanced route optimization & space utilization

Education

• T.S.CHANAKYA

  B.Sc, NAUTICAL SCIENCE

  2011

• University of Warwick - Warwick Business School

  Global Immersion Program, MBA

• ESCP Business School

  International Immersion Program, MBA

• Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad

  Master of Business Administration - MBA

Skills

• Ships
• Marine Operations
• Maritime Operations
• Maritime Security
• Ism
• Maritime
• Shiphandling
• Maritime Safety
• Safety Management Systems
• Gmdss
• Marine Engineering
• Ports
• International Shipping
• Shipping
• Stcw
• Navigation
• Sailing