MUMBAI: Bestseller India has tapped Sumit Dhingra as its new country director, poaching the fashion veteran from footwear phenomenon Crocs where he most recently headed operations across India, southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.

Dhingra brings over two decades of fashion and lifestyle industry expertise to the Danish clothing company, with a CV that reads like a who's who of retail powerhouses. His appointment signals Bestseller's determination to put its best foot forward in the burgeoning Indian market.

Before making waves at Crocs, Dhingra cut his teeth at several fashion heavyweights, including a near-decade stint at Arvind Fashions Ltd where he served as senior vice president and chief executive for Arrow, Izod and Aéropostale. He previously held leadership positions at United Colors of Benetton India and Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail.

Bestseller chief executive Anders Holch Povlsen highlighted India's strategic importance to the company's global ambitions and welcomed Sumit to the company. 

Dhingra appears ready to hit the ground running, with plans to expand Bestseller's market presence, jazz up the customer experience, and drive sustainable growth in what industry insiders describe as a "transformative phase" for the company's Indian operations.

With brands like Jack & Jones, Vero Moda, and Only in its portfolio, Bestseller will be banking on Dhingra's proven track record of brand building and retail expansion to stitch up a larger share of India's fashion market. Fashion watchers will be keen to see if he can work the same magic that made Crocs' distinctive footwear impossible to dodge on Indian streets.