In the role of General Manager and Regional Director for Southeast Asia and India at luxury brand Salvatore Ferragamo, Prasanna Bhaskar has been responsible for the brand’s foray into emerging markets with a focus on India. A seasoned professional, Prasanna Bhaskar was brought in from Hong Kong by Louis Vuitton CEO Yves Carcelle to set up the Louis Vuitton operations in India. She has won industry recognition for laying a strong foundation and expanding store network for Louis Vuitton in India. In her brief stint with LVMH Selective Retailing DFS Group, Prasanna Bhaskar developed and implemented entry strategies into new markets that included Vietnam, Abu Dhabi, and other parts of Southeast Asia. This included key acquisitions in Vietnam and entry into India and Abu Dhabi through Airport Concessions. Responsible for both marketing and business development, Prasanna Bhaskar has expertise in Government liaison, as well as in setting up joint ventures. Her success in emerging markets has been attributed to her focus on creating a superlative retail experience and for being able to implement best practices setting standards for the industry as a whole. Publicly acknowledged as a pioneer in luxury retail through her Louis Vuitton stint in India, Prasanna Bhaskar was easily recognized as the first choice to direct Ferragamo’s entry into the Indian luxury retail market. At Ferragamo, Prasanna Bhaskar launched innovative marketing initiatives in 14 key cities in India through trunk shows and exhibitions to build sales and generate awareness in Tier-II cities, much ahead of other brands. Reporting to the Regional CEO of Asia-Pacific Prasanna Bhaskar was also instrumental in the successful launch of Ferragamo’s luxury yacht business Nautor’s Swan with Mr. Leonardo Ferragamo. Her out-of-the-box strategies has given a new direction to luxury retail in the market and helped her take the brand to a number two position in India’s complex luxury goods market in less than three years. Using a celebrity endorsement strategy, Prasanna Bhaskar has worked diligently to build awareness for Ferragamo in a very short period of time. By establishing partnerships with Bollywood actresses like Sonam Kapoor, Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra, Prasanna Bhaskar has been able to build a strong bond with the Indian target market and create aspiration for the brand. Prasanna Bhaskar has been closely associated with Breast Cancer awareness and has repeatedly hosted several auctions with Elle magazine to benefit breast cancer research in collaboration Bollywood style icons.