Rakesh Gambhir has a successful career spanning over 30 years in key areas of business development, new brand and concept rollouts, building sales and distribution channels, government-to-government policy advocacy, and the establishment of retail chains and supermarkets. His expertise extends to sourcing, buying, FMCG, marketing and sales, supply chain development, and food merchandising. He specializes in customer management, marketing for both conventional and organized trade, sales force management, and creating SOP processes for seamless business operations. Rakesh excels at managing internal and external stakeholders in multi-layered organizations to drive success. With a background in corporate strategy, business growth, and supply chain operations, Rakesh has been instrumental in developing the Indian operations of world-class groups like TATA, Reliance Retail, Tilda, Andrew Yule & Co Ltd, McLeod Russel, Williamson Magor & Co Ltd, and Golden Tobacco Limited. He has also worked as an advisor to Future Group, helping grow their own-brand business in evolving channels, and is associated with KPMG on retail and supply chain development. As a consultant with TRIFED, Rakesh advised tribals on marketing their produce for better pricing through branding and networking. He has also served as Director and Head of India for the Dubai Export Development Corporation for three years. Rakesh has built leading B2B platforms such as India Food Forum and Food Service Forum, driving innovations and new concepts in the food and hospitality sectors. Additionally, he worked as Business Head for India's leading retail publication, Progressive Grocer, for five years. Since 2013, Rakesh has been associated with Delhi, Haryana, and other state governments as a Subject Matter Expert in retail, contributing to the establishment of world-class skill centers. He has pioneered the introduction of international food brands in India, created new retail concepts, and developed supply chain networks for retail success.