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Lowe’s and NASSCOM present Rise and Innovate, a premier platform that brings together senior technology leaders from leading enterprises, product companies and Global Capability Centers to foster networking, knowledge exchange and industry collaboration. Building on the success of its previous editions, the event continues to spotlight innovation, thought leadership and the evolving role of technology in shaping careers and customer experiences.

Meet the Speakers

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Mayur Purandar

SVP – Technology, Merchandising and
Supply Chain, Lowe’s India

As the Senior Vice President for Technology, Merchandising and Supply Chain at Lowe’s India, Mayur Purandar is responsible for developing industry-leading technology solutions that power how Lowe’s buys, plans, sources, moves, positions and delivers products across all channels.

Since joining Lowe’s India in 2019, he has played an important role in guiding portfolio teams on their modernization journey, offering strategic architectural solutions and implementing cutting-edge platforms. He also has extensive experience leading teams in building core foundational platforms, including advanced data, communication, and testing frameworks, that serve as the backbone for Lowe’s modern digital infrastructure. In his most recent Lowe’s role, he served as Vice President, Merchandising and Marketplace technology, where he was instrumental in the successful launch of Lowe’s Marketplace.

He has more than 25 years of experience in the retail/ecommerce industry focused on engineering, data science and operations, with prior roles at Target, Amazon and Walmart.

Mayur’s dedicated efforts have played a key role in advancing Lowe’s technological landscape, fostering innovation, and ensuring the success of our ongoing modernization initiatives. He is also a member of Lowe’s India Board of Directors.

Mayur earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering from Mangalore University and he also attended ITI Vidya Mandir during his earlier academic years. Outside of work, Mayur enjoys traveling, watching sports, and watching documentaries

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Reena Sofiya

VP – Merchandising & Supply chain,
Lowe’s India

As Vice President at Lowe’s India, Reena Sofiya is responsible for Merchandising and Supply Chain business functions in Lowe’s India.

Reena joined Lowe’s in 2019 and has been instrumental in building core business capabilities in Lowe’s India.

She has accelerated the growth of the core business teams’ representation in Lowe’s India across diverse competencies such as space planning, Item Management, Vendor Management, Demand Planning, Inventory Replenishment, Design, Customer Insights, Supply Chain optimization, Packaging Design and more.

Reena has over 20 years of experience in Retail and Technology. Before joining Lowe’s, she served as the digital merchandising leader at JC Penney, India. She has also held various leadership positions at Target, Reliance Retail & Hewlett Packard in India.

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Malavika Lakireddy

Co-Founder & CPO, Pravar AI

Malavika is a customer-obsessed and entrepreneurial product leader with over two decades of experience building and scaling products, from inception to global adoption. Throughout her career, she has led high-performing teams and driven innovation across emerging technologies, including AI/ML, Generative AI, Agentic AI, Cloud, Big Data, Computer Vision, and Responsible AI. Her expertise spans diverse industries such as eCommerce, digital advertising, analytics, healthcare, FinTech, and digital transformation.

Known for her ability to translate bold ideas into impactful products, Malavika has successfully led cross-functional teams, nurtured client partnerships, and delivered scalable solutions in both startup and enterprise environments. She is also a Product Mentor at NASSCOM India and a recipient of the Global Achievers Award 2022. Her entrepreneurial achievements include winning the Women 2.0 Startup Weekend and the Google Ventures Hackathon.

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Anju Mohan

Senior Director Enterprise Data Analytics,
Ex - NetApp

With nearly two decades of experience, Anju has built a distinguished career driving data-led transformation and innovation across enterprises. As the Global Leader for NetApp's AI/ML Centre of Excellence, she leads initiatives that harness advanced technologies to automate processes, improve decision-making, and drive enterprise-wide transformation. Her expertise spans AI/ML strategy, IT leadership, operations management, and technology investment optimization, with a strong focus on aligning innovation with business objectives. Passionate about building high-performing teams, Anju fosters a culture of collaboration and continuous innovation while championing the use of data and technology to deliver meaningful business impact.

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Reema Jain

CIO, Unilever

Reema Jain is a seasoned technology leader with over two decades of experience spanning global enterprises including Unilever, Hero MotoCorp, Vodafone Idea, and GE. Currently serving as Chief Information Officer at Unilever, Reema brings deep expertise in digital transformation, enterprise platforms, and technology-driven business innovation, with a passion for unlocking the power of people and technology at scale.

She is recognised for leading complex, large-scale transformations and building high-performing, future-ready technology organisations. Reema is also a strong advocate for leveraging digital capabilities to drive sustainable business value and industry-wide impact.

Agenda at a Glance

7:30 am Onwards

Registration

8:00 am - 8:20 am

Coffee Brewing session and Breakfast

8:30 am - 8:40 am

Welcome note by Priyanka Rai, VP - Legal Shared Services, Lowe’s India

8:40 am – 9:00 am

Fireside chat – What makes a leader in 2030? Developing future leaders early by Reema Jain & Reena Sofiya

9:00 am – 9:30 am

Interactive session with Leaders

9:30 am – 9:45 am

Tea Break

9:50 am – 10:30 am

Fireside chat – Build vs buy in AI: When should you develop in-house? by Mayur Purandar, Malavika Lakireddy & Anju Mohan.

10:30 am – 12:30 pm

AI Product Workshop

12:30 pm – 01:30 pm

Networking Lunch