MUMBAI: Victorinox, the Swiss firm best known for its pocket knives and premium watches, has promoted Debraj Sengupta to managing director of sales and marketing, capping his impressive 15-year tenure with the company.
Sengupta, who was previously country head for watches and chief marketing officer across four product categories, steps into his new role with over three decades of experience in the luxury watch industry under his belt.
The promotion marks a crowning achievement for the executive who during his stint at Victorinox, has carved out an enviable position for the Swiss company in India's premium watch segment, slicing through competition with a precision that would make one of the firm's famous Swiss Army knives proud.
Sengupta's track record at Victorinox includes expanding the company's distribution network to more than 150 multi-brand watch stores across India, forging partnerships with major retailers including Helios and Ethos.
After joining Victorinox in 2010, he oversaw the successful launch and repositioning of the Swiss watch brand in the Indian market. His performance eventually earned him a promotion to chief marketing officer in 2016, adding responsibility for the firm's travel gear, Swiss Army knives and cutlery divisions to his watch duties.
Before joining Victorinox, Sengupta spent three years at LVMH Watch and Jewelry, where he managed the Tag Heuer and Dior watch brands. Prior to that, he put in nearly seven years at Swatch Group, working with its Rado and Balmain brands.
In his LinkedIn profile—which reads like a luxury brand roll call—Sengupta describes himself as a "P&L maestro" and "market expansion specialist" who has "mastered the strategic oversight and development of elite watch brands."
Victorinox, which opened its first flagship store in Mumbai in 2011, now operates six exclusive boutiques across major Indian cities, selling everything from its iconic red pocket knives to high-end chronographs.
With Sengupta at the helm of sales and marketing, the Swiss firm appears poised to cut deeper into India's luxury retail market.
