New Delhi: In a strategic move to strengthen its leadership team, Kult has announced the appointment of Rishi Patnaik as its Chief Business Officer (CBO). In this role, Rishi will spearhead Kult’s business growth, brand strategy, and market expansion as the company continues to scale its presence in India’s fast-growing beauty and personal care sector.
With over two decades of experience spanning online and offline retail, Rishi Patnaik has been a key figure in shaping India’s retail evolution. His career combines grassroots operational expertise with strategic foresight, having played a pivotal role in introducing and expanding modern retail formats across the country.
Before joining Kult, Rishi held leadership positions at Nykaa Fashion, Jabong, Noon, and Landmark (Lifestyle). In his previous role as Senior Vice President at Nykaa Fashion, he was instrumental in building the platform’s e-commerce strategy and brand portfolio. Notably, he facilitated the launch of the Revolve store (the Gen US Fashion & Beauty retailer) in India through a B2B2C model with international fulfilment, and led the introduction of Footlocker.in and Footlocker Exclusive online. He also drove the acquisition and onboarding of fast-fashion brand Cider for India, further diversifying the platform’s offerings.
Speaking about his appointment, Rishi Patnaik said, “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.”
Welcoming him to the leadership team, Karishma Singh, CEO, Kult E-commerce, said, “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, driving large-scale business transformations and building category leadership in competitive markets. At Noon, he led the team that grew the contribution of softlines by 25% and doubled its BPC & Fragrance business within 18 months. He also built strong partnerships with global brands such as Adidas, PVH, Mango, Bestseller, Coty, L’Oréal, Clinique, and Puma, while forging alliances with Flipkart, Myntra, and Trendyol for Noon’s private labels.
At Jabong, Rishi was instrumental in helping the platform achieve market leadership in the fashion category within 18 months of launch. He introduced several global brands — including Topshop, River Island, Under Armour, New Balance, and The North Face — to India’s online retail landscape and launched the NBA Store on Jabong.
