Vivek Velayutham
Strategic Category & Retail Operations Leader with 12+ years of experience
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About
Strategic Category & Retail Operations Leader with 12+ years of experience driving category growth, revenue expansion, and profitability across multi-location beauty and lifestyle retail formats. Proven expertise in category management, P&L leadership, assortment planning, and retail operations, currently managing a ₹100+ Cr annual portfolio across 15 stores. Strong track record in brand portfolio expansion, margin optimization, and leading high-performing teams to deliver measurable business growth.
Experience
Head of Operations & Category Buying - Lulu India Pvt Ltd – BLSH Concept
(2025-03)
- Lead end-to-end category strategy and operational execution across 15 stores nationwide
- Manage category buying, assortment planning, and pricing strategy for premium beauty and lifestyle products
- Own complete P&L accountability and drive topline and margin growth initiatives
- Lead vendor negotiations and strengthen commercial partnerships with domestic and international brands
- Oversee demand forecasting, stock allocation, and inventory productivity improvements
- Direct central buying operations and coordinate cross-functional execution across regions
- Partner with marketing and visual merchandising teams for campaigns and in-store excellence
- Lead and mentor large multi-location teams to ensure operational consistency
Operations Manager - Lulu India Pvt Ltd – BLSH Concept
(2021-01 - 2025-03)
- Lead end-to-end category strategy and operational execution across 15 stores nationwide
- Manage category buying, assortment planning, and pricing strategy for premium beauty and lifestyle products
- Own complete P&L accountability and drive topline and margin growth initiatives
- Lead vendor negotiations and strengthen commercial partnerships with domestic and international brands
- Oversee demand forecasting, stock allocation, and inventory productivity improvements
- Direct central buying operations and coordinate cross-functional execution across regions
- Partner with marketing and visual merchandising teams for campaigns and in-store excellence
- Lead and mentor large multi-location teams to ensure operational consistency
Head of Operations & Category Buying / Operations Manager - Lulu India Pvt Ltd – BLSH Concept
(2021-01)
Impact
- Managed ₹100 Cr annual revenue portfolio across 15 stores
- Launched 20+ international and 13 domestic brands successfully
- Delivered record-high sales performance within first year of leadership
- Improved inventory turnover and reduced slow-moving stock
- Led 200+ employees nationwide
Concept Operations Manager - Lifestyle International Pvt Ltd
(2016-08 - 2019-10)
- Managed operations for one of India's highest-performing concept retail stores
- Oversaw revenue planning, sales execution, and operational performance
- Conducted merchandise planning and competitive assortment benchmarking
- Managed store processes and operational compliance
- Led recruitment, training, and development of cross-functional teams
- Monitored KPIs and implemented performance improvement plans
Concept Operations Manager - Lifestyle International Pvt Ltd
(2016-08 - 2019-10)
Impact
- Managed ₹50 Cr annual revenue portfolio
- Achieved 105% target performance in FY18–19
- Received Best Concept Award
- Led and developed a 75-member team
- Awarded Unsung Hero Award for operational excellence
Store Manager - Dabur India Ltd – New U
(2019-10 - 2020-12)
- Managed multi-store operations across Chennai and Pondicherry markets
- Oversaw daily store operations, sales, and team performance
- Managed store-level P&L, banking, MIS, and compliance processes
- Trained teams on productivity and sales KPIs
- Ensured operational standards and customer experience excellence
Store Manager - Dabur India Ltd – New U
(2019-10 - 2020-12)
Impact
- Managed one of the top-performing stores in the format
- Led a 20-member team successfully
- Managed an 85-brand retail portfolio
Assistant Store Manager - CEX Webuy Ltd
(2015-06 - 2016-06)
- Conducted category movement analysis and product deployment planning
- Managed store operations and KPI tracking
- Trained teams on sales effectiveness and operational standards
- Implemented visual merchandising and SOP compliance
- Supported business performance improvement initiatives
Assistant Store Manager - CEX Webuy Ltd
(2015-06 - 2016-06)
Impact
- Improved operational consistency and team productivity
- Enhanced category movement efficiency
Sales Advisor / Category Lead - L'Oréal – Fragrance Division
(2013-07 - 2015-11)
- Managed category sales and customer engagement activities
- Conducted inventory planning and stock redistribution across stores
- Analyzed competitor performance and market trends
- Supported category growth strategies through structured execution
- Maintained merchandising and operational standards
Sales Advisor / Category Lead - L'Oréal – Fragrance Division
(2013-07 - 2015-11)
Impact
- Reversed 17% de-growth into growth within 2 months
- Delivered 68% YoY growth
- Achieved 110% sales target performance
Event Manager - Thangamayil Jewellery Ltd
(2012-07 - 2013-06)
- Managed promotional events across multiple retail outlets in Tamil Nadu
- Coordinated event execution and operational planning
- Worked with regional teams to ensure successful rollouts
- Monitored event timelines and delivery quality
- Supported customer engagement initiatives
Event Manager - Thangamayil Jewellery Ltd
(2012-07 - 2013-06)
Impact
- Delivered successful execution across 25 outlets statewide
Education
Master of Business Administration - Operations & Supply Chain - VIT University (2027)
Bachelor of Computer Application (2012)
