Kishore Biyani – Founder and CEO of the Future Group

NAME	Kishore Biyani – Founder and CEO of the Future Group
Born	9 August 1961, Mumbai
Education	H.R. College of Commerce and Economics (1981), Hyderabad (Sind) National Collegiate Board
Spouse	Sangita Biyani
Children	Avni Biyani, Ashni Biyani
Parents	Laxmi Narayan Biyani
Nationality	Indian

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The Future Group’s founder and CEO, Kishore Biyani, the Sam Walton of India, was born on August 9, 1961. Kishore, who is currently valued at more than $1.3 billion, is the man who has taken the retail business by storm and now has zillions of victories to his name, as well as his share of mistakes. Today, the Future Group has more than 70 million square feet of retail space in 90 cities and 60 rural sites, with plans to develop another 9 million square feet in the coming years.

He co-wrote his autobiography, “It Happened in India: The Story of Pantaloons, Big Bazaar, Central, and the Great Indian Consumer.” So far, the book has sold around 100,000 copies, significantly more than any other business book produced in India. (2015) Kishore, who graduated from H.R. College with a degree in Commerce, just enjoys playing tennis and is frequently seen putting a wager before the game begins. He lives in Mumbai with his wife, Sangita Biyani, and their two children. Ashni, his eldest daughter, is a director of Future Ideas, the group’s innovation and incubation cell (textile design graduate from Parsons, New York).

How Did He Get Started

Kishore Biyani, the current pin-up boy of the Indian retail business, has worked as a trader, a failed film-maker, and a dance festival organiser throughout his career before settling down to become an inventive retailer.

Kishore, unlike many others in his league, was not born with a silver spoon and has worked his way up the ladder step by step. (2015) Kishore was born into a business family, or should we say that business ran through his veins and ancestors, starting with his grandfather; he was never particularly interested in education and simply pushed himself to graduation. He thought that “college or business school could be excellent for managers, but not for entrepreneurs” and was frequently observed spending most of his day outside, exploring new locations and studying and interpreting the real world. (2015) In reality, his profession began when he was nearing the completion of his studies!

Kishore had joined his father, brothers, and two elder cousins in the family’s fabric trading company, “Bansi Silk Mills.” (2015) Kishore did come to work, but he couldn’t feel the fervour and independence and was subdued by the company’s traditional corporate culture, so he tended to leave after 2 or 3 hours. He was strongly opposed to the way the corporation operated and believed that their attitude and approach to business were incorrect. This was in the early 1980s.

His first entrepreneurial breakthrough came when he observed several of his friends wearing “stonewashed” cloth trousers, which were trendy at the time. He located a local mill that created that type of cloth right away and sold a few hundred thousand rupees worth of it to chosen garment makers and retailers in the city, earning his first profit. (2015) Kishore had tasted blood and was now craving more. He began anxiously looking for something fresh, something different. He also worked with a number of his older relatives who had launched their businesses centred on plastic, grooved paperboards, and packing, but it didn’t endure. He was seeking a business or a concept that could reach the greatest number of people in the country. That’s when he had an epiphany and the unimaginable occurred. He created his own fabric line for men’s pants called “WBB” (white, brown, and blue). (2015)

The “Future Group” grew to prominence after this moment. He quickly reached the zenith of market demand and sold more than 30,000 to 40,000 meters of the material per month. (2015) Finally, in 1987, Kishore did the unthinkable: he founded a new garment manufacturing firm named “Manz Wear Private Ltd.” and sold his clothing under the brand name “Pantaloon” a name picked because it evoked the impression of an Italian fashion house while still being closer to platoon.

To run additional consistently, the cluster has been reverted and restored following the sale of Pantaloons into:

Future Retail Ltd (formerly Pantaloons Retail Asian nation Ltd) [Big Bazaar, Food Bazaar, FBB, Home Town, E Zone, Foodhall, FutureBazaar.com, and alternative brands]

Future lifestyle Fashion Ltd [Central, whole works, Planet Sports, etc]

Future shopper Enterprise Limited [KB’s FairPrice, Aadhaar, etc]

Fashion and lifestyle [Indigo Nation, John Millers, Lombard, Manchester United, UMM Lee Cooper, Celio, Tresmode, etc], Fashion and lifestyle [Indigo Nation, John Millers, Lombard, Manchester United, UMM Lee Cooper, Celio, Tresmode, etc]

Tasty Treat, contemporary & Pure, Ektaa, Premium Harvest, Mera Swad, Pratha, Punya, Sach, and alternative FMCG brands.

Pantaloon Shoppe launched their first store outside the state in Goa, which later expanded to include a men’s clothing line. The year 92 marked the greatest increase in the chain of events that had occurred thus far. Kishore entered the stock market this year in a wise attempt to sustain the inflow of fuel, which was the primary requirement for his continuing expansion.

Achievements and Awards:

Kishore Biyani has won several honors, including CEO of the Year in 2001.
In 2004, he was named Most Admired Retailer of the Year.
Retail Face of the Year in 2005.
Entrepreneur of the Year in 2006.
Young Business Leader 2006 International Retailer of the Year in 2007.
CNBC Awaaz Consumer Awards 2009

Kishore Biyani, often known as KB, is one of the rare men who have carved out a niche for himself and built an empire entirely on his own, with no family support.

Final Thoughts

Kishore is one of the rare persons who has built a full business on his own, without the help of godfathers or family. And not everything Mr. Kishore Biyani has attempted has worked out in his favor, just as it does not for any other human being and successful businessman. But it hasn’t prevented him from always experimenting and testing new ideas, which is the key to any success!