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WHSmith India has appointed Shantanu Chakravartty as its Chief Executive Officer and Director.
Prior to this promotion he worked for the company for several years as Vice President.
He takes on this role with a mandate to triple the company’s revenue over the next four years and scale WHSmith India into a benchmark for modern travel retail.
At the peak of the Covid-19 crisis, he played a pivotal role in steering the WHSmith through unprecedented turbulence in the travel and airport retail sectors. At a time when the industry and airports were brought to a standstill for the first time in 100 years, his leadership safeguarded more than 20,000 jobs and ensured business continuity across India’s busiest airports.
Chakravartty said: “With WHSmith, my vision is to grow our store footprint by five times and create an ecosystem where both business and people thrive. We are currently operating 40 stores in India at various metro stations, airports and university campuses.
“What motivates me most is knowing that every store we open means more livelihoods, more opportunities. Retail is not just a business. It’s a platform for people to grow their careers and transform their lives.”
Last year, WHSmith India reached a revenue of ₹200 crores, enhanced its footprint across major Indian airports, and introduced digital, data-driven operations to streamline customer experience. With this new position, Shantanu’s vision now is to grow the company’s top line to ₹500 crores in the next three years.
He continued: “WHSmith stores are no longer just transit points. Our focus is on convenience, consistency, and customer delight. From book lovers to business flyers, from families to solo explorers, we are constantly reinventing our offerings to match their expectations and capture their attention in a short dwell time.”
A travel retail professional with over 15 years of experience, Chakravartty’s keen understanding of supply chains, passenger behaviour, and merchandising logic has helped transform WHSmith India into a symbol synonymous to airport retail.
Beyond business strategy, he is a strong advocate of empowering frontline teams. He is known for his hands-on leadership, regularly visits stores, mentors staff, and encourages feedback.
Beyond business strategy, he currently works pro bono as the General Secretary of the Airport Services Association of India. He actively shapes policies, advocates for infrastructure enhancements, and promotes collaborative growth among airport stakeholders.
Chakravartty concluded: “We are entering a phase of rapid expansion in India’s aviation sector. With millions more passengers expected in the coming years, the opportunity for airport retail is immense. At WHSmith India, we are ready to lead this evolution—with scalable infrastructure, people-first culture, and tech-led operations that deliver seamless experiences.”
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