Brands
Libas appoints Saurav Shah as chief financial officer
Fashion retailer taps veteran finance hand to tighten discipline and fund expansion
NEW DELHI: Libas has appointed Saurav Shah as chief financial officer, bolstering its top deck as the ultrafast fashion brand pushes for sharper scale, tighter controls and sustainable growth in India’s crowded apparel market.
Shah will run financial operations, capital planning, performance management and governance frameworks, placing him at the centre of Libas’ expansion playbook as it grows its omnichannel and retail footprint.
A chartered accountant with nearly two decades of experience, Shah has worked across fashion, retail and consumer businesses, blending finance leadership with business strategy and commercial operations. His mandate at Libas is clear: build a financially agile, future-ready organisation that can fund innovation, absorb shocks and still grow fast.
He has served as chief financial officer at Jaypore Ecommerce, a subsidiary of Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Limited (ABFRL), as well as at Reliance Brands and KAZO. In those roles, he drove financial discipline, profitability and expansion in high-growth, multi-channel environments. He also headed finance for ABFRL’s international brands division, overseeing labels such as Galeries Lafayette and The Collective. Most recently, he was associated with ABFRL and KAZO, leading finance operations.
Earlier stints at Landmark Group, KPMG and USPL (WROGN) gave him grounding in governance, audit, taxation, compliance and business advisory.
“We are thrilled to welcome Shah to our team,” said Sidhant Keshwani, founder and chief executive, Libas. “His deep understanding of the fashion and retail landscape, coupled with his strong financial acumen, makes him an invaluable addition. As Libas scales across channels, his strategic approach to finance will be instrumental in building a resilient and growth-oriented organisation.”
Shah called the timing pivotal. “I am excited to join Libas at this important stage of its growth journey,” he said. “My focus will be on creating robust financial systems that support responsible growth, faster decision-making and long-term value creation. I envision scaling Libas responsibly, investing wisely and building a business that is sustainable for the long run, while staying true to the brand’s customer-first ethos.”
The hire comes as Libas doubles down on expansion and operational efficiency, positioning finance as a growth engine rather than a back-office function.
In India’s ultrafast fashion race—where trends change by the week and margins by the season—Libas is signalling that style may win attention, but discipline wins endurance.
Brands
What India bought for Valentine’s Day: Flipkart report
Searches rise 1.26x as fashion, decor and beauty dominate Valentine’s Week
BENGALURU: Valentine’s Day in India is no longer a single-date affair. New data from Flipkart shows the occasion has stretched into a full-fledged shopping season, marked by higher searches, faster fulfilment and more expressive gifting.
Flipkart’s latest #FlipTrends report shows overall demand on the platform rose 1.42 times between 7 and 12 February, 2026, as Valentine’s Week gathered momentum. Search queries increased 1.26 times, while orders climbed 1.41 times, led by fashion, home decor and beauty categories. Cookies, biscuits, watches, stuffed toys and chocolates ranked among the most popular gifting choices.
Shopping patterns pointed to celebrations becoming increasingly home-led and personal. Demand for decor items such as showpieces, lights and artificial flowers rose 1.6 times, signalling a shift from grand gestures to curated experiences. As the week progressed, purchases tilted towards cakes, pastries and mugs, reflecting last-minute planning.
Quick commerce played a defining role. Flipkart Minutes recorded a 7 times year-on-year growth between 7 and 14 February, with 14 February seeing peak order activity. Order values surged between 9 and 10 am, followed by a second spike between 7 and 8 pm.
Discovery was driven by ‘RelationShop’, Flipkart’s in-app experience built around modern relationship stages, from ‘situationship’ to ‘moving on’. The ‘talking phase’ emerged as the most shopped segment, driving demand for earphones, late-night snacks, energy drinks, board games and chocolates.
Shoppers leaned heavily into playful and sentimental gifts. Chocolate orders doubled, while baby pillows jumped 21 times, stuffed toys rose 15 times, showpieces grew 14 times, women’s fashion rings climbed 14 per cent and greeting cards increased 13 per cent. Gen Z shoppers broadened the celebration to include Galentine’s Day, with perfumes, rings, necklaces and cards trending on 13 February.
Geographically, metros such as Kolkata and Hyderabad, along with Tier 1-plus cities including Ranchi, Siliguri, Ludhiana and Dehradun, emerged as strong markets for quick Valentine’s Week purchases.
