“LuxeBook is an indulgent retreat for the senses.” Ruchira Jaitly is the powerhouse steering marketing and innovation across a stellar portfolio of award-winning alcohol and beverage brands, bringing over 25 years of experience in building iconic consumer brands. Before Diageo, she was Senior Director - Marketing at PepsiCo India, shaping household names like Kurkure and Mountain Dew and masterminding the celebrated Pepsi IPL campaign. Her career spans impactful stints with Nokia, where she crafted a portfolio unique to India, and Royal DSM, where she launched MANDI, an F&B nutrition start-up tackling malnutrition. Beyond business, Jaitly is a fierce champion of talent and women’s leadership—co-founding Ashoka University, mentoring at Vedica Women’s Alliance, and contributing to the CII National Committee on Women Empowerment & Indian Women Network (IWN). Her mission: to guide and inspire the next generation of women professionals and entrepreneurs. That’s perhaps why she doesn’t believe a glass ceiling exists for women in luxury, praising leaders like Leena Nair. She says that “passion, purpose, and with it a hunger to forge a new path while creating value for many” is essential for entrepreneurs. On luxury, Jaitly adds, mindful luxury is “here to stay. Luxury is when craft meets purpose, acknowledging both the creator and the consumer… That’s why I am fascinated by the textile heritage of India and enamoured by the saree, a synthesis of a weaver’s craft and legacy.” Among her cherished heirlooms is “my Nani’s wedding silver tea set, in Art Deco design with chinar leaves engraved all over… a testimony to the craft of the artisans.” | 43 “LuxeBook is where India’s contemporary take on luxury is told with intelligence and style.” When Sakshi Saigal co-founded Third Eye Distillery with Rahul Mehra and Vidur Gupta in 2018, she was among the early innovators shaping India’s gin renaissance. While pursuing her MBA at IESE Business School in Barcelona, she witnessed Europe’s gin revolution and recognised a white space waiting to be filled back home. “Luxury is about authenticity and time,” she says. “It’s not about excess, but about the details—the craft, the provenance, and the experience that lingers long after the moment has passed.” That philosophy defines Stranger & Sons, their flagship gin that won a Gold-Outstanding medal and was named among the world’s eight best gins at the International Wine & Spirit Competition 2020. “Our heirlooms are stories rather than objects—recipes passed down, memories of shared meals, and the spices and flavours of India.” Third Eye Distillery has since expanded its footprint via collaborations. Their new portfolio, Short Story, ventures into vodka and rum. Her advice to entrepreneurs: “Be patient but decisive, and always stay connected to your consumer.” Evenings often find her with a whiskey highball or a classic Negroni—“timeless, balanced, and layered in its simplicity.” Scotland’s storied distilleries remain her greatest inspiration, shaping her vision of “conscious luxury rooted in provenance, storytelling, and responsibility.” Scotland, with its storied distilleries, remains her most unforgettable destination. “It deeply influenced our approach to crafting spirits from India.” | 42 Ruchira Jaitly CMO, Diageo India Sakshi Saigal Co-Founder, Third Eye Distillery | Stranger & Sons Gin
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