The Retailers Association of India (RAI) successfully hosted the Retail CFO Summit 2025 on August 24 at JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar, convening CFOs, CEOs, and finance leaders from across the retail sector. The summit revolved around the theme: Beyond the Balance Sheet – The Evolving Role of the Retail CFO.
As the retail landscape undergoes rapid transformation, the role of the CFO has expanded beyond traditional financial management. Today’s CFOs are strategic advisors, digital pioneers, and catalysts for sustainable growth, driving AI-enabled operations, navigating evolving regulations, and unlocking new organizational value.
The summit featured engaging panel discussions and expert sessions covering topics such as:
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Navigating Uncertainty and Building Resilient Retail Futures
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Embedding AIoT Insights Across Retail Operations to Unlock Strategic Value
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Rewiring Finance for the Future: AI and Digital Transformation in Retail
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Digitizing Compliance: Lessons from the GSTN Evolution
Kumar Rajagopalan, CEO of RAI, emphasized: “The modern retail CFO shapes strategy, drives resilience, and unlocks growth. At this summit, we spotlight financial leaders embedding AI, digital transformation, and data-driven insights into operations while navigating GST and compliance, enabling them to become architects of sustainable retail growth.”
The event showcased insights from leading retail finance executives, including:
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Anuja Rastogi, CFO, Marks & Spencer
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Karunakaran M, CFO, Shoppers Stop Ltd.
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Kaushal Parekh, CFO, Metro Brands Ltd.
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Murali Iyer, CFO, IKEA India
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Pramod Dangaich, CFO, Infiniti Retail Ltd.
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Rajesh Annamalai, CFO (Ethnic Business), Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Ltd.
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Sameer Patel, CFO, Metropolis Healthcare Ltd.
Murali Iyer, CFO of IKEA India, noted: “Retail finance of the future lies in resilience — building systems that can absorb shocks, leverage technology, and keep people and purpose central. CFOs are evolving from custodians of numbers to architects of transformation.”
Siddarth Asrani, Director Finance at PUMA Sports India Pvt Ltd, added: “Balancing agility with foresight is critical. Rapidly shifting consumer demand and technology-driven cost structures require CFOs to act as both guardians of stability and catalysts of innovation. Future-ready businesses will thrive by forecasting beyond traditional metrics and adapting to real-time disruptions.”
The RAI Retail CFO Summit continues to serve as a pivotal annual forum for retail finance professionals, offering a platform to explore growth opportunities, discuss industry reforms, and share best practices for achieving rapid yet sustainable expansion in India’s evolving retail landscape.
