Kult appoints Rishi Patnaik as Chief Business Officer

New Delhi: Kult has appointed Rishi Patnaik as Chief Business Officer (CBO), tasking him with overseeing business growth, brand strategy, and market expansion as the company develops its presence in the beauty and personal care sector.

Patnaik brings more than two decades of experience in both online and offline retail. He has been involved in shaping India’s retail transformation, blending traditional and digital formats. Before joining Kult, he held senior leadership roles at Nykaa Fashion, Jabong, Noon, and Landmark (Lifestyle). 

At Nykaa Fashion, he served as Senior Vice President, contributing to e-commerce strategy, business development, and brand management. His work included launching Revolve store on a B2B2C model with international fulfilment, leading the launches of footlocker.in and Footlocker Exclusive online, acquiring and onboarding the fast fashion brand Cider in India, among other initiatives.

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 revolutionising 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” he added.

Karishma Singh, CEO of Kult E-commerce, commented, “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.”

Prior to Nykaa Fashion, Patnaik played key roles at Noon and Jabong, where he led large-scale business transformations and helped establish category leadership in competitive markets. At Noon, he expanded the contribution of softlines on Noon.com by 25% and doubled the BPC & Fragrance business within 18 months. 

At Jabong, he facilitated the company becoming a market leader in fashion within 18 months, bringing multiple international brands to India’s online retail space and developing private and licensed brands with significant impact.

Patnaik has also built strategic partnerships with global brands such as Adidas, PVH, Mango, Bestseller, Coty, L’Oréal, Clinique, and Puma, and created platforms for white-label production through a global vendor base. 

He has collaborated with Flipkart, Myntra, and Trendyol to list and sell Noon’s brands and private labels, strengthening distribution and market access across the e-commerce ecosystem.