Kult Appoints Rishi Patnaik As Chief Business Officer

Kult, one of India’s fastest-emerging beauty and personal care platforms, has announced the appointment of Rishi Patnaik as its Chief Business Officer (CBO), effective October 14, 2025. Known for his two-decade track record across retail, fashion, and digital commerce, Rishi is expected to lead Kult’s business growth and strategic partnerships as the brand accelerates its expansion in the AI-powered beauty discovery segment.

About Rishi Patnaik

With over twenty years of experience building brands that blend technology and retail, Rishi Patnaik has worked with some of the biggest names in the industry—Nykaa Fashion, Jabong, Noon, and Landmark. His leadership has been marked by innovation, data-driven growth, and a relentless focus on consumer experience.

At Nykaa Fashion, where he served as Senior Vice President, he led e-commerce strategy and business development while overseeing the launch of Footlocker.in, Footlocker Exclusive, and Revolve’s B2B2C model for India. He also introduced fast-fashion label Cider to Indian consumers, expanding Nykaa’s global reach and strengthening its premium lifestyle portfolio.

Before Nykaa, Rishi played a pivotal role at Noon, where he increased softlines contribution by 25 percent and doubled the beauty and fragrance vertical in just 18 months. His stint at Jabong was equally transformative—he helped the platform achieve leadership in fashion e-commerce within record time, bringing global brands into India’s online retail ecosystem for the first time.

Throughout his career, Rishi has worked closely with international powerhouses like Adidas, PVH, Mango, Bestseller, Coty, L’Oréal, Clinique, and Puma, forging long-term partnerships and building scalable supply chains. His experience spans from building private labels to setting up omnichannel operations that define modern retail success.

Leading Kult’s Next Chapter

Reflecting on his new role, Rishi said, “Kult is not just another beauty brand—it’s a movement redefining how people experience beauty in India. It stands at the intersection of technology and emotion, using AI to personalize beauty journeys like never before. The future of beauty lies in intelligent curation, and Kult is pioneering that path. I’m thrilled to join this visionary team as we reshape the landscape of digital beauty discovery.”

CEO’s Take on the Appointment

Karishma Singh, CEO of Kult E-commerce, shared her excitement, saying, “Rishi brings the perfect balance of big-picture thinking and ground-level execution. He knows how to scale businesses with precision, creativity, and empathy. His understanding of both global and Indian markets will help Kult evolve from a promising brand into a category-defining powerhouse.”

The Road Ahead

Under Rishi’s leadership, Kult is set to deepen its technology-driven personalization model, expand into new product categories, and strengthen its connection with Indian consumers. With AI at its core and inclusivity as its philosophy, the brand aims to make beauty accessible, intuitive, and intelligent for everyone.

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