Rishi Patnaik, formerly with Nykaa Fashion, to lead Kult’s growth and strategic initiatives as Chief Business Officer
New Delhi, Delhi, India, October 2025 — In a strategic move to strengthen its leadership team, Kult has appointed seasoned retail leader Rishi Patnaik as Chief Business Officer (CBO). In his new role, Rishi will be responsible for driving Kult’s business growth, brand strategy, and market expansion as the company continues to scale its presence in the beauty and personal care space.
Rishi Patnaik is an experienced retail leader with over two decades of experience across online and offline channels. Rishi has been responsible for guiding India’s retail transformation over the last 20 years, combining traditional retail with the digital age. His experience is characterized by an unusual combination of grassroots operational acumen and strategic foresight, having been instrumental in launching and expanding contemporary retail ideas nationwide. Before joining Kult, Rishi worked with brands like Nykaa Fashion, Jabong, and Noon, among others.
In his last stint as Senior Vice President at Nykaa Fashion, before joining Kult, he contributed strong experience in e-commerce strategy, business development, and brand management in nurturing one of India’s leading fashion destinations. At Nykaa, Rishi opened Revolve store (Gen US Fashion & Beauty retailer) on a B2B2C model with international fulfilment for the first time in India. He also led the launches of footlocker.in and Footlocker Exclusive online, acquired fast fashion brand Cider for India, and onboarded them on the platform. Prior to Nykaa Fashion, Rishi was in senior leadership positions at Noon, Jabong, and Landmark (Lifestyle), where he played a key role in building their e-commerce and omnichannel businesses. On his watch, these brands saw significant gains in customer experience, operational performance, and overall market standing.
On his appointment, Rishi Patnaik shared, “KULT is not merely a brand, it’s a fresh ‘Cult’ within the beauty and personal care space. It’s where innovation and technology meet and intersect with an in-depth knowledge of what consumers truly desire today. I think the Indian beauty e-commerce market is poised for change, and KULT’s AI-driven app is driving that change, making beauty discovery intelligent, personalized, and intuitive like never before. Through smart curation, recommendation based on data, and an easy-to-use interface, KULT is revolutionizing the way humans interact with beauty. This dedication, coupled with the team’s enthusiasm and accuracy, will assist KULT in forging a niche of its own. I feel very privileged to be a part of this amazing journey guided by our inspirational CEO, Karishma.”
Karishma Singh, CEO of KULT E-commerce, expressed her enthusiasm about Rishi’s appointment, stating,“I’m thrilled to welcome Rishi to Kult. He can zoom out on vision and zoom in on the details that ship. With a record of building consumer loved businesses and the operational rigor to scale them, he will turn a great product into a category defining company.”
Before his tenure at Nykaa, Rishi played pivotal roles at Noon and Jabong, where he drove large-scale business transformations and built category leadership in highly competitive markets. At Noon, he led the team and grew the contribution of softlines on Noon.com by 25%, establishing their fashion vertical. Under his leadership, Noon.com’s BPC & Fragrance business doubled within 18 months. A firm believer in the strength of collaboration, Rishi is also known for his stakeholder management and relationship-building skills. He built direct partnerships with global brands such as Adidas, PVH, Mango, Bestseller, Coty, L’Oréal, Clinique, and Puma, among others, and created a strong platform for white-label production through a reliable global vendor base. This also included strategic alliances with Flipkart, Myntra, and Trendyol to list and sell Noon’s brands and private labels.
Earlier, during his time at Jabong, Rishi was instrumental in helping the company become the market leader in the fashion category within just 18 months of operations. He negotiated and brought several international brands — including Topshop, Topman, River Island, New Era Caps, Hummel, Salomon, North Face, New Balance, Asics Tiger, Onitsuka Tiger, Dorothy Perkins, Under Armour, K Beauty, and Burton — to India’s online retail space for the first time. He also developed private and licensee brands with significant bottom-line impact and introduced the NBA (The National Basketball Association) store on Jabong, licensing merchandise produced by the platform.
About Kult
Kult is a new-age beauty and skincare platform designed for India’s Gen-Z and millennial consumers. With a curated mix of premium and trending products, Kult brings together discovery, community, and rewards to redefine how beauty is shopped online. Backed by cutting-edge technology and a dynamic loyalty ecosystem, Kult is fast emerging as one of India’s most loved beauty destinations.
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