Ishantor Sobhapandit

Senior business and institutional leader with 29+ years of cross-sector experience spanning international trade promotion, investment facilitation, government affairs, public policy, international relations, FMCG sales leadership, institutional business development and strategic market expansion.

Regional

Director – North East at the Indian Chamber of Commerce since 2012, leading trade, investment, policy advocacy and stakeholder engagement across North East India. Experienced in building high-level relationships with governments, industry bodies, embassies, international organisations and corporate leaders across India, ASEAN, South Asia, the Middle East, Europe and North America.

Regional Director – North East - INDIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE (ICC) - Guwahati, India

(2012-01)

Lead regional operations covering trade promotion, investment facilitation, international relations, policy advocacy and government–industry engagement across North East India.

• Drive strategic initiatives positioning North East India as an investment destination through international business and investment forums in Singapore, Thailand, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Laos, Indonesia and Vietnam.
• Engage Central and State Governments on policy, infrastructure, industrial growth, trade facilitation and economic-development priorities.
• Facilitate high-level international delegations, B2B meetings, trade negotiations and investment interactions involving USA, Canada, UAE, Italy and European business communities.
• Coordinate with North Eastern State Governments on Central Government schemes, multilateral funding opportunities and industry-development initiatives.
• Lead EXIM policy programmes, industrial workshops, sector-focused business summits and strategic stakeholder platforms.
• Build alliances with embassies, trade bodies, industry associations and international organisations while strengthening institutional visibility.

Business Group Manager – Sales & Marketing - ONOMA INDIA PVT. LTD.

(2010-04 - 2012-03)

Led sales, marketing and distribution across East and North East India for an ISO-certified steel furniture manufacturer serving multinational brands.

• Grew retail sales from ₹5 crore/month to ₹20 crore/month within one year; delivered 200%+ YoY growth in key-account revenues.
• Managed supply operations for the Commonwealth Games 2010, New Delhi.
• Secured institutional contracts including Tezpur University (₹3 crore) and Government of Assam Health Department (₹5 crore).
• Built dealer networks, scalable distribution structures, product launches and ATL/BTL brand programmes.

Regional Manager – North East - ABP PVT. LTD.

(2007-10 - 2010-03)

Managed regional P&L, revenue, sales strategy and operations across all eight North Eastern states covering print, television and radio.

• Opened Government of Tripura as a new institutional market, generating approximately ₹50 lakh in business revenue.
• Created a new retail advertising category generating ₹2.5 crore incremental revenue in FY 2008–09.
• Launched 12 special supplements generating approximately ₹80 lakh additional annual revenue.

Senior Area Manager - ITC LTD.

(2000-08 - 2007-10)

Managed FMCG sales, distribution and market expansion across seven North Eastern states.

• Delivered record 23% growth and managed approximately ₹36 crore/month branch turnover.
• Launched and scaled Aashirvaad, Sunfeast, Bingo, Minto, Candyman and Kitchens of India.
• Achieved 10% market share within six months in highly competitive categories and led post-acquisition integration of WIMCO Matches.

Management Trainee - VST Industries Ltd.

(1999-01 - 2000-12)

Assistant Manager - Reliance Telecom Ltd.

(1998-01 - 1999-12)

Group Executive - Dalmia Resorts International Pvt. Ltd.

(1995-01 - 1998-12)

M.Com. - Guwahati University (2007)

B.Com. - Guwahati Commerce College (1995)