Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Ltd. (ABFRL) has appointed Sooraj Bhat as Chief Executive Officer of W and Aurelia, its women’s ethnic wear brands, expanding his responsibilities beyond his current role as head of the company’s ethnic wear business.
The move reflects segments by bringing a larger portfolio of brands under a unified leadership structure. With the addition of W and Aurelia, Bhat will oversee brands spanning premium, contemporary, and occasion-focused fashion categories, including W, Aurelia, Jaypore, Tasva, Shantanu & Nikhil, and House of Masaba.
A long-time ABFRL executive, Bhat joined the company in 2002 as a Brand Operations Manager for Louis Philippe.
During his tenure, he has held several leadership positions across the organisation, including Brand Director and Brand Head of Allen Solly, where he led a business turnaround and received the Chairman’s Award for Exceptional Contributor to Business in 2014.
He later served as Chief Operating Officer for multiple brand clusters, including Allen Solly, Louis Philippe and Van Heusen, before being appointed CEO of the Fast Fashion Business, overseeing brands such as Forever 21, People and the company’s international brand portfolio.
In 2020, Bhat took on the role of Deputy Chief Executive Officer, leading the Product Leadership Function across design, buying, sourcing, planning and external brands.
Bharat Tex Special Report 2026 
