Aditya Birla Lifestyle Brands has appointed Jacob John as CEO – Emerging Business, marking a key leadership move in its next growth phase. With experience spanning ABFRL’s premium brands, Modenik Lifestyle, Landmark Group, and Louis Philippe, Jacob brings deep expertise in brand building and retail strategy to shape the company’s future ventures.
Jacob John’s appointment as CEO – Emerging Business at Aditya Birla Lifestyle Brands Limited marks not just a leadership transition but a strategic statement about the conglomerate’s ambitions in India’s rapidly evolving fashion and lifestyle sector. For an industry that thrives on sharp consumer insights, brand agility, and the ability to sense cultural shifts early, Jacob brings a career shaped by all three. His move into this new role reflects Aditya Birla’s intent to strengthen its presence in emerging categories, experiment with new formats, and build the next generation of lifestyle brands that can stand shoulder to shoulder with global peers.
For over two decades, Jacob has been associated with some of the most respected names in the Indian apparel ecosystem. His long innings at Madura Fashion & Lifestyle, a powerhouse of homegrown menswear labels, was where he first established his reputation for brand building. At Louis Philippe, one of India’s most enduring premium menswear brands, he served as both COO and Brand Director, guiding its evolution during a period when Indian fashion was transitioning from classic corporate formality to a more modern, lifestyle-oriented identity. Under his leadership, Louis Philippe deepened its consumer connect, refined its brand vocabulary, and expanded its presence while staying rooted in its premium positioning. These years cemented his expertise in scaling high-value brands and navigating the subtle shifts of India’s aspirational middle class.
Jacob then widened his canvas by joining the Landmark Group, where he took on the role of Deputy CEO. This tenure exposed him to a wider portfolio beyond apparel—covering lifestyle, retail formats, consumer experience, and regional market dynamics across the Gulf and Asia. It added a more global dimension to his understanding of retail behaviour, merchandising, and supply chain complexity. It also helped him build a diversified perspective that would later define his leadership style: a blend of disciplined brand thinking and operational pragmatism.
His move to Modenik Lifestyle Pvt Ltd as CEO & Managing Director further affirmed his ability to steer businesses in highly competitive segments. Modenik, formed from the merger of Dixcy Textiles and Enamor, operates in the large, cluttered, and deeply price-sensitive innerwear and essential wear category. Jacob’s mandate was to unify operations, build a growth identity for the combined entity, and sharpen its market positioning. The experience of leading a mass-plus business in a category with high penetration but low differentiation added another layer to his leadership profile. It helped him learn how to manage complex consumer segments, architect brand transformations, and enhance the value of established yet scattered product portfolios.
Returning to the Aditya Birla fold as President – Premium Brands at ABFRL, Jacob played a pivotal role in accelerating the growth of the company’s premium portfolio. This included brands that catered to India’s rising affluent consumers—a demographic seeking global quality, superior design, and curated retail experiences. Under his leadership, ABFRL strengthened its hold on the premium lifestyle space, expanded formats, and strategically introduced labels that captured new consumption trends. His focus extended beyond scale to building long-term brand equity, something that has become increasingly important in India’s fashion marketplace where consumers are more discerning than ever.
Now, as CEO – Emerging Business at Aditya Birla Lifestyle Brands Limited, Jacob takes on one of the most forward-looking mandates in the group’s consumer-facing businesses. The term “emerging business” holds multiple possibilities: new-to-market lifestyle concepts, futuristic categories, innovative retail formats, digital-first brands, and experimental segments shaped by Gen Z and younger millennials. These are areas where consumer behaviour is not just evolving but being redefined every few quarters by cultural trends, technology, and global influence.
For Aditya Birla Lifestyle Brands, the creation of this role—and the selection of a leader with Jacob’s diverse experience—signals an intent to deepen its footprint in categories that sit at the intersection of fashion, culture, and convenience. As India’s fashion market becomes more stratified and digitally integrated, the future lies in brands that can adapt quickly, build emotional resonance, and offer distinctive experiences. Jacob’s past roles demonstrate his ability to build and scale such brands, whether premium or mass, domestic or global, established or newly created.
The significance of this appointment also lies in timing. India’s fashion and lifestyle industry is witnessing one of its most transformative phases. Consumer spending on lifestyle categories has surged, driven by urbanisation, rising disposable incomes, and the social currency attached to personal style. At the same time, digital influence is reshaping the path to purchase, with discovery, aspiration, and brand loyalty now playing out heavily on social media platforms. Retail formats are evolving too—flagship stores, omnichannel journeys, curated brand experiences, and pop-up concepts all play a role in shaping how consumers engage with brands.
Within this shifting landscape, companies like Aditya Birla are betting on a multi-brand, multi-format strategy to stay ahead. Emerging categories—such as athleisure, youth fashion, contemporary womenswear, accessory-led brands, and new-age lifestyle solutions—hold immense growth potential. Jacob’s new role will likely involve identifying these opportunities, nurturing early-stage brands, and building scalable engines for long-term expansion.
Another dimension to his appointment is culture building. Leaders who have moved across segments and business models bring with them a view that blends empathy with experimentation. Jacob has worked with iconic heritage brands, modern retail houses, and high-velocity essential wear businesses. This range equips him to guide teams managing brands at different life stages: some needing reinvention, others requiring amplification, and some awaiting their first strong foothold.
His leadership also fits into a broader industry shift where major fashion conglomerates are looking to create forward-looking lifestyle ecosystems rather than merely brand portfolios. The idea is not only to sell products but to build experiences that evolve with consumer identities—something Jacob has often championed through his consumer-first, insight-led approach.
For stakeholders within Aditya Birla Lifestyle Brands, the appointment is seen as a strategic investment in the future. For employees, it brings a leader known for clarity, hands-on engagement, and brand stewardship. For partners and collaborators, it signals continuity with innovation. And for the broader fashion and retail industry, it reinforces the role of seasoned leadership in navigating the complexities of India’s dynamic market.
Jacob’s career so far has been defined by growth stories, brand evolution, and an instinct to understand what consumers value most. As he steps into the CEO – Emerging Business role, those experiences converge into a mandate that is both challenging and ripe with possibility. Steering Aditya Birla’s next generation of lifestyle ventures will demand balancing bold experimentation with strategic discipline—qualities that he has demonstrated consistently across his previous roles.
His journey reflects the trajectory of modern Indian retail itself: rooted in tradition yet ready to embrace innovation; shaped by established brands but energised by new ones; anchored in consumer insight but driven by the excitement of what comes next. With Jacob John now leading emerging business growth, Aditya Birla Lifestyle Brands enters its next phase with renewed momentum and a clear signal that the future of fashion and lifestyle will be built on both heritage and fresh imagination.
