Introducing heart, mind and soul of Metro Brands Ltd.
Leadership Team
Mr Malik Tejani
Founder
Metro Brands started with a vision, a vision to create the best footwear destination in India. He started as a humble salesman in a store at Grant Road. When the owner emigrated at the time of the partition, he took a loan and bought the store. Eventually, he sold that store and bought one which was close to what is currently our flagship store in Colaba Causeway. Ever charismatic and the best salesman, he knew how to greet his customers in 32 languages. He never let anyone leave the store without a purchase and customers coming to the store remember him to this day. He was never too far from his customers and used to sit at the cash counter of the Colaba showroom well into his 70s.
Rafique Malik took his father’s vision and expanded it across the country, wanting to create a space in the aspirational but affordable fashion footwear market in India. A Harvard graduate, our chairman has grown the single store operation to a robust company that has one of the largest networks of fashion footwear and accessories stores across India.
Bringing over 45 years of retail experience to the table, Rafique Malik is known as the guru of Indian footwear retail. Today, his guiding principles, values, and determination are the founding pillars of Metro Brands Limited. He is constantly striving for new launches and milestones. He strongly believes in the entrepreneurial model of leadership and actively fosters a spirit of ownership in each member of his team.
For the Chairman of Metro Brands Limited, his pillar has always been his life partner, Mrs. Aziza Malik in this journey.
Mr. Rafique Malik
Chairman
Farah Malik Bhanji
Managing Director
After a growing professional journey of over 20 years in the footwear industry, our Managing Director, Farah Malik Bhanji has been instrumental in reimagining the company for the new age. She began her career in marketing and then grew into revamping the technology road map and supply chain of Metro Brands Limited.
With her strong business acumen, attention to detail, and flair for fashion, Farah Malik Bhanji has led Metro Shoes into the new era of modern retailing. With her as our front warrior, Metro Brands Limited has achieved equal growth for the organization as well as its employees. She has been the key personnel in developing relationships with foreign brands such as Clarks, Crocs, and Skechers, as well as creating deep relationships with our 250+ strong vendor base and helped expand the store network from 100 in 2010 to 598 stores in 136 Indian cities.
Mr. Nissan Joseph serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Metro Brands Limited since 1st July 2021. He holds over 22 years of brand management expertise across 20 countries including the US, Australia, South Korea, and India. Mr. Nissan Joseph has led various retail brands across the globe including Foot Action, Payless Shoes, Crocs, and Planet Sports.
He holds an MBA degree in International Business from Western Sydney University. Mr. Nissan Joseph took on the role of being the CEO with a vision to capitalize on many years of financial discipline and operations rigor and expand on the magic of Metro. Mr. Nissan Joseph is an energetic and passionate leader, who is thrilled to expand the business for the next stage of growth. He has also played a key role in launching, managing, and growing global brands.
Mr. Nissan Joseph vision for the company is to ‘Get Everyone on Their Feet.’ He lives and works by the quote, ‘Let’s get this show on the road.’
Mr. Nissan Joseph
Chief Executive Officer
Sohel Kamdar
Chief Operating Officer
Our Chief Operating Officer (COO), Mr. Sohel Kamdar, has been a part of the Metro family for over 15 years. He has been associated with our organization since February 16, 2005. Before joining Metro Brands, he was working with Jamani Investments Limited.
Mr. Sohel simply abides by the quote, ‘The sky is the limit.’ His enthusiastic, influential, and positive attitude has always helped the organization achieve new heights. His determination has always been motivating to Metro and it will continue to do so. He has been a key in growing the store network across the country.
Alisha Malik
President – Sports Division, E-Commerce and CRM
Alisha Malik has been influential in spearheading new business initiatives. She set up an excellent business growth strategy to outline E-Commerce, omnichannel and new-age marketing.
The charm of our company and the woman behind Metro’s growing digital presence, Alisha Malik leads from the front as President, E-Commerce & Marketing. She has been associated with Metro Brands Limited since 2009, where she has been a key architect in introducing new ideas and strategies for the growth of the organization.
The journey has been unique and challenging, but under Alisha’s leadership and supervision, Metro Brands have launched the E-Commerce platform of Metro, Mochi, and Walkway with a strong presence on India’s 7 major E-Commerce marketplaces. She abides by the quote, ‘The only thing constant is change.’
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Deepa Sood
Vice President (Legal)
Nandini Mehta is working as a passionate Chief Human Resource Officer (CHRO) with Metro Brands Limited since August 2021. With around two decades of experience in People Management and Engagement, she thrives in a culture where people strategies are in line with the business and organizational goals.
Her vision for the company is to make Metro Brands Limited a great place to work. Over the last few months, Mrs. Mehta’s very motivated team is committed to getting onboard great talents and delivering great results.
Nandini Mehta
Chief Human Resource Officer
Kaushal Parekh
Chief Financial Officer
Kaushal Parekh joined Metro Brands Limited in March 2012 and is currently serving as the Chief Financial Officer of the Company since May 2020. He holds over 2 decades of experience in diverse fields of finance, accounting & auditing, taxation, mergers & acquisition, etc.
He holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Financial Accounting and Auditing and is a qualified Chartered Accountant & Company Secretary. Before Metro Brands Limited, he worked in consulting space with reputed firms like PwC, Ernst & Young & N. M. Raiji.
Mr. Kaushal took on the role with a vision to inculcate and set high standards of financial discipline and strong controls within the organization. Mr. Parekh is a young, energetic, and passionate leader, who likes taking on challenges and thrives by delivering in challenging environment.
Mr. Parekh’s vision is to leverage financial data and use it to influence strategic decision-making and create more value for the Company.
Rajgopal Nayak is a seasoned and accomplished IT professional with over 20 years of diverse experience in Business Analysis, Strategic Planning, IT Governance, and System Development. He started working with Metro Brands Limited in May 2020 with the responsibility of overseeing the development and dissemination of technology to help improve and increase Metro Brands’ business.
Mr. Nayak’s vision for the organization is to make Metro Brands Limited a technology-driven company. Under his leadership, his team is extremely motivated to adopt and drive change by adopting new strategies. He is extremely enthusiastic to drive change with a clear vision of what to achieve.
Rajgopal Narasimha Nayak
Chief Technology Officer
Deepika Deepti
Sr. Vice President – Marketing, Metro Brands Limited
Listed among top 100 leaders in India by Luxebook for 2020, Deepika works amongst the C-suite of Metro Brands, strategically streamlining, growing, and turning around its retail operations by elevating consumer experience through its brand narrative.
As the Head of the Marketing, Deepika leads a talented and creative team focused on brand communication, package design, retail experience across all mediums of consumer interface, for the entire portfolio of metro brands. She believes in creating brand strategies that are consumer centric, rooted in culture and digital first.
Her skill to articulate a creative narrative for business goals led her to her biggest win at Adidas which was to ‘lead and create a revolution in sneaker culture in India with Adidas Original’. Deepika’s decade-long stint with Adidas is testimony of her in-depth knowledge of the retail industry and her capability to boost the revenue growth of a brand.
Prior to joining Metro Brands Deepika was the CEO & Chief Marketing Officer at Camp SMA and worked with brands like VegNon Veg as well as the contemporary luxury clothing brand Bhaane (2020-21), where she played an integral part in expediting growth of the company by becoming the strategic retail partner of Nike in India.
Amit Kumar, our Senior Vice President – Buying & Merchandising (Metro and Mochi), joined Metro Brands in October 2023. With 27 years of diverse experience, Amit brings expertise in merchandising, buying, brand management, operations, and strategic business development. He has made significant contributions to several top-tier enterprises, such as Arvind Brands Limited, Levi Strauss, and Future Group, to name a few.
A NIFT graduate and accomplished leader in the Retail and Fashion industry, with a key focus on fashion apparel, footwear, and accessories, Amit has contributed to both offline and online retail. He has managed international and national brands and played a pivotal role in creating private labels for fast-fashion retailers. Amit has successfully navigated large-scale operations and periods of hyper growth in Indian Retail. A true team player, he believes in a highly collaborative approach to formulating and executing strategic plans that drive growth.
As we get ready for next level of growth Amit is nurturing our rich heritage, tacit product knowledge and building scalable processes around them. Crafting excellence, driving efficiency, and setting trends” — this is Amit’s vision to propel Metro Brands to unprecedented heights of success.
Amit Kumar
Senior Vice President – Buying & Merchandising (Metro and Mochi)
Mr. Shaji Thekkayil
Senior Vice President, Head of Strategic Business & Brands
Mr. Shaji brings to our team a wealth of experience, with over 20 years of expertise in retail, merchandising, channel management, brand acquisitions, brand management, regional expansions, and supply chain.
His previous roles have seen him successfully navigate and contribute to the MEA and Southeast Asia markets along with India.
In his most recent position, Mr. Shaji served as the Vice President of Performance and Outdoor Brands at Central Group, Thailand. His professional journey includes notable contributions to renowned organizations such as Crocs Middle East, Shaaz Products, Procter & Gamble, and Surgi-tech Medical Supplies.
Business Heads
Aashish Mashruwala
Business Head of Metro Shoes
Aashish Mashruwala joined Metro Brands Limited in November 2011, where he successfully managed projects for almost 3 years and then worked as a business head (Crocs) for another 3 odd years before he retired in January 2019. He served across different functions of the business, including Business Development and Retail Supply Chain Management. He rejoined MBL as the Brand Head for Metro Brands Limited in October 2020 after his stint at ECCO Shoes.
Aashish’s vision for Metro Shoes has been to preserve the legacy of the brand while transforming it into a brand that’s completely future-ready. He is working passionately towards making Metro Shoes mark its presence among the next generation. He leads a team of very experienced, passionate, and hard-working professionals. Aashish also shares an extremely open, encouraging relationship with the team, where two-way feedback is the key.
Being a total enthusiast, he is super excited to tackle new tasks. Because in the retail business, each day brings new challenges and that’s what makes it exciting for him.
Amir Hamid is currently the Brand Head of Mochi, Metro Brands Limited. He commenced his journey with Metro Brands Limited in 1992, completing 29 years of rich managerial expertise with our organization. Having grown from a store salesman to the Brand Head of one of our fastest-growing brands, Amir truly embodies the spirit of entrepreneurship of Metro Brands Ltd. He proves, that with passion and vision, anything is possible.
Amir started leading the business with a goal to make Mochi a youth-centric brand that will also be perceived as an International Brand soon given the quality, customer service, and range we have to offer. Amir has always believed that the company can succeed only by helping others to succeed. He also adheres to the quote that teamwork begins by building trust.
Amir Hamid
Business Head of Mochi Shoes
Manoj Singh
Business Head of Walkway Shoes
Manoj Singh heads the Walkway business since 2017. He holds nearly 26 years of experience in devising and executing business strategies to increase revenue.
He started heading the brand’s business with a vision to dominate the mass and economic segment by providing quality fashion footwear at an affordable price. In his overall career, Manoj has worn many hats. He has streamlined the business plan by being a key strategist and planner, growing his retail and franchise network, and nurtured his vendor base, ensuring a robust supply chain.
Manoj describes his team to be quite energetic, focused, and result-oriented. His team shares a very understanding relationship, encouraging frequent and clear communication. Manoj Singh believes in learning something new every day.
Maulik Desai heads the business of Crocs at Metro Brands Limited. He has been with MBL since April 2019. Maulik is determined to drive the growth of this international brand across India.
Prior to this, Mr. Maulik was the business head at Crossword Book Stores. In his 18 years of career, he majorly worked in the FMCG sector, having vast experience in several categories like apparel, accessories, etc. Under his leadership, he wants to make this business one of India’s largest fun footwear brands.
He tirelessly works with his team to effectively achieve a shared goal or outcome. Mr. Desai believes that the work needs to be done on time as he is known to be one of the organization’s extremely result-oriented and go-getter individuals.
Maulik Desai
Business Head of CROCS
Anil Bhalla
Business Head of FitFlop
Anil has 21 years Retail, Channel Sales, International Brand Operations, Omni Channel, P & L experience. His leadership encapsulates Strategy to Last Mile Execution. He has led Brand and Retail, New Country Launches for multiple organizations from Egypt to Indonesia. Anil has vast experience in India, Middle East and USA market for multiple categories from Sports, Footwear, Kids Wear, Fast Fashion across Nike, V.F.Corp., Lifestyle Landmark Dubai, The Children`s Place. Anil an MBA has 3 schools as his foundation: Collaboration, Consistency, Perseverance.
Soni Rastogi serves as the Business Head for our Sportswear division, bringing with her nearly 15 years of leadership experience. She believes in the vision – to make Metro Brands Ltd. the most favoured destination for Sportswear needs.
A post-graduate of Pearl Academy of Fashion and ISB , Soni has a background and experience in senior retail leadership roles for brands including Marks and Spencer, Columbia Sportswear, Bestseller and PUMA. Owing to her diversified profiles, she has earned a hands-on detailed knowledge of depth and breadth across all departments and categories.
Soni Rastogi
Business Head of Sportswear Division