SHILPA BHAT AWCHAT APPOINTED ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT AT EUREKA FORBES LTD

Eureka Forbes Ltd has appointed Shilpa Bhat Awchat as Associate Vice President, strengthening its leadership team. With extensive experience across global organisations including Amazon, Vodafone and PUMA Group, she will focus on advancing people practices, leadership development and building a high-impact culture to support growth and transformation.  

Shilpa Bhat Awchat’s appointment as Associate Vice President at Eureka Forbes Ltd marks a significant leadership addition at a time when organisations across industries are reimagining the role of people, culture and capability in driving sustainable growth. With extensive experience spanning strategic human resources, learning and development, and organisational capability building, Awchat steps into her new role with a mandate that goes beyond conventional HR functions, aligning people practices closely with business transformation and long-term value creation.

Eureka Forbes, a name long associated with trust, innovation and household solutions in India, is navigating an evolving marketplace shaped by rapid technological change, shifting consumer expectations and the growing importance of agile, empowered workforces. In this context, Awchat’s role assumes particular importance. As Associate Vice President, she will focus on strengthening people practices across the organisation, enhancing leadership development frameworks and fostering a high-impact culture that can support the company’s growth ambitions and transformation agenda. Her appointment underscores the company’s recognition that people strategy is central to business resilience and competitive advantage.

Awchat brings with her a rich and diverse professional journey that spans multiple industries and global organisations, giving her a broad perspective on talent management in complex, fast-paced environments. Her career reflects a consistent focus on building scalable HR systems that not only respond to immediate organisational needs but also anticipate future challenges. This ability to balance strategic foresight with operational excellence has been a defining feature of her leadership style.

Over the years, she has worked with some of the world’s most prominent brands, including Skechers South Asia Pvt. Ltd., Amazon, Vodafone Idea Limited, Vodafone, PUMA Group and Jean Claude Biguine. Each of these organisations operates within distinct industry dynamics, ranging from retail and e-commerce to telecommunications and lifestyle brands. Exposure to such varied sectors has enabled Awchat to develop a nuanced understanding of how organisational culture, leadership capability and employee engagement must be tailored to different business models while still adhering to core principles of fairness, inclusion and performance excellence.

At Amazon, a company known globally for its data-driven approach and relentless focus on customer obsession, Awchat gained experience in managing talent at scale and supporting high-growth, high-pressure environments. Her work in such settings would have required deep engagement with leadership development, performance management and employee experience, all within a framework that demands speed, accountability and innovation. These experiences have shaped her approach to HR as a strategic partner to the business rather than a support function operating at the periphery.

Her tenure with Vodafone and Vodafone Idea Limited further strengthened her expertise in navigating organisational change. The telecommunications sector has undergone intense disruption over the past decade, marked by consolidation, technological shifts and intense competition. HR leaders in such environments play a critical role in managing transitions, maintaining employee morale and building capabilities aligned with new strategic priorities. Awchat’s experience in these roles reflects her ability to support organisations through periods of uncertainty and transformation, ensuring that people remain engaged and aligned even amid structural and strategic shifts.

In the retail and lifestyle space, her association with brands such as PUMA Group and Skechers South Asia Pvt. Ltd. added another dimension to her professional profile. These organisations place a strong emphasis on brand culture, employee engagement and frontline excellence, particularly in customer-facing roles. Working in such environments requires HR strategies that are both people-centric and performance-driven, balancing creativity and discipline while nurturing a sense of belonging and pride among employees. Awchat’s work across these sectors has reinforced her belief in the power of culture as a driver of business outcomes.

At Eureka Forbes, Awchat’s focus will be on building and strengthening leadership capabilities across levels. Leadership development has become a critical priority for organisations seeking to remain agile in a volatile business environment. Rather than relying solely on traditional training programmes, modern leadership development emphasises experiential learning, coaching and the creation of feedback-rich environments. Awchat’s background in learning and development positions her well to design and implement initiatives that help leaders adapt to changing roles, lead diverse teams and make decisions in complex, uncertain contexts.

Another key aspect of her role will involve enhancing organisational capability building. As companies grow and transform, they must continuously upgrade skills and competencies to remain relevant. This includes not only technical and functional skills but also behavioural and leadership capabilities such as collaboration, adaptability and strategic thinking. Awchat’s approach to capability building is rooted in aligning talent development initiatives with business strategy, ensuring that learning investments deliver measurable impact.

Her appointment also reflects a broader shift in how organisations view HR leadership. Increasingly, senior HR roles are expected to contribute directly to business outcomes, shaping culture, enabling transformation and supporting growth. Awchat’s career trajectory demonstrates her ability to operate at this strategic intersection, translating organisational goals into people practices that empower teams and leaders to deliver excellence.

Colleagues and peers often describe her as a leader who combines analytical rigour with empathy, recognising that sustainable performance is built on trust, engagement and clear communication. In an era where employee expectations are evolving rapidly, such qualities are essential. Employees today seek not only competitive compensation but also meaningful work, opportunities for growth and a culture that values inclusion and well-being. Awchat’s dedication to empowering teams aligns closely with these expectations, reinforcing Eureka Forbes’ commitment to creating a workplace where people can thrive.

As Eureka Forbes continues its journey of growth and transformation, Awchat’s leadership will play a crucial role in shaping the organisation’s people agenda. By strengthening HR systems, investing in leadership development and fostering a high-impact culture, she will help ensure that the company’s workforce is equipped to meet future challenges and seize new opportunities. Her appointment is a testament to her track record in building scalable, forward-looking HR strategies and her ability to drive meaningful change through people.

In a business landscape where talent has emerged as one of the most critical differentiators, leaders like Shilpa Bhat Awchat represent a new generation of HR professionals who view people strategy as integral to business success. Her journey across global organisations and diverse sectors has prepared her well for the responsibilities of her new role, and her work at Eureka Forbes is set to further reinforce the importance of strong, strategic HR leadership in shaping the future of organisations.