 T. S. Ashwin
Managing Director
Odyssey India Limited
From pursuing C.A. to a stint in software as a Software Analyst and then onto retailing, Mr. Ashwin is someone who has seen the transformation of the retail industry over the last decade.
The first Odyssey store was set up in 1995 in Adyar, a suburb of Chennai. After an initial period of learning and consolidation, he started expanding the chain to other locations. Having run the first store for over 6 years himself, Ashwin was able to provide great insights into store operations and customer handling. The senior management team comprises a lot of people who have been groomed under him for many years in the company to take on these positions.
A firm believer in brand and band positioning, he has developed Odyssey into a brand that evokes feelings of warmth, relaxed ambience, a friendly neighborhood store, providing you your own space and appealing to the whole family across all age groups, thereby building tremendous brand loyalty over the years.
It was also this passion and belief in the brand and the urge to see it grow larger that made Ashwin take a strategic decision in selling his entire stake to Deccan Chronicle Holdings Limited, the 4th largest media group, publishing the newspaper by that name apart from the Asian Age and the International Herald Tribune. Odyssey is now the retail division of Deccan Chronicle. Ashwin however continues to drive and expand the operations of the retail division apart from being on the Board of other group companies.
Ashwin’s vision for this company is to make it a world-class multi-national retail chain. As a person who has grown the brand from inception, Ashwin takes an active interest in all branding and marketing activities to ensure the brand is not diluted. His earlier IT background has helped him in computerizing a lot of functions and operations, which have in turn improved efficiency.
He also believes in giving back to society in whatever small way possible and has been associated with a lot of charity causes, educational institutions and fund raising campaigns, both through the company and in a personal capacity.
|
|
 |
|
|
|
