Rajesh Awate appointed as Vice President of Business Development at Peora, bringing with him more than three decades of deep expertise across retail expansion, strategic partnerships, market research, and large-scale business development operations. His appointment marks a significant addition to Peora’s leadership team as the company accelerates its growth and strengthens its presence across key markets.
Before joining Peora, Rajesh served as Vice President of Business Development at INC5 Shoes, where he played a pivotal role in evaluating new market opportunities, driving client acquisitions, and expanding product offerings. He also led the development of an in-house men’s footwear range, restructuring talent deployment, and implementing cost-optimized payroll models to improve efficiency and enhance team productivity. His contributions were instrumental in strengthening the brand’s competitiveness and supporting strategic expansion across new locations.
Rajesh’s career is defined by his long and impactful association with Metro Brands Limited, where he spent more than three decades across roles of increasing responsibility—from Executive Assistant to Executive Director, to Senior and Deputy General Manager, and finally General Manager of Business Development. During his tenure, he spearheaded nationwide market research, negotiated high-value commercial deals, optimized store-launch strategies, and ensured seamless coordination between developers, legal teams, and operations. His ability to evaluate property deals, manage large cross-functional teams, and sustain strong developer relations made him a key driver of Metro Brands’ aggressive expansion and footprint optimization across India.
His early experience across inventory management, accounts, and operations gave him a strong foundation in store economics, commercial negotiations, financial accuracy, and process governance. Over the years, Rajesh has consistently demonstrated an exceptional ability to blend analytical insight with on-ground execution—making him a trusted leader in retail business development and strategic growth planning.
In his new role at Peora, Rajesh will oversee business development initiatives, guide strategic partnerships, and strengthen the company’s expansion pipeline. With his extensive expertise and proven leadership across India’s retail landscape, he is expected to play a vital role in accelerating Peora’s next phase of growth and market diversification.