Open to opportunities

Pawan Mehta

@pawanmehta1

Message

I build scalable, compliant sourcing operations for global home and hardgoods retailers.

India

Message

What I'm looking for

I'm looking to lead sourcing, procurement, and operations for international retail programs, building compliant supplier ecosystems, improving cost competitiveness, and delivering reliable quality and on-time execution.

I lead Vanguard Sourcing as Founder and Principal Consultant, providing international retailers with end-to-end sourcing execution across India—from supplier development and negotiations through quality control and shipment delivery.

Previously, I managed sourcing and product development at KiK Textilien und Non-Food GmbH across home textiles, décor, hardgoods, and pet categories. I led tender activities, supplier negotiations, capacity planning, and vendor performance reporting for more than 30 suppliers.

At Cardenes Sourcing, I scaled India sourcing from $100K to $10M across 40+ factories, negotiated contracts delivering 15–20% annual cost savings, and helped achieve 90% on-time delivery through proactive production planning and risk management.

Across 22+ years in international retail sourcing, I've built vendor ecosystems and developed products spanning home textiles, floor coverings, furniture, décor, household goods, pet products, toys, and fashion accessories. I focus on cost competitiveness, quality, compliance, ESG requirements, and dependable execution for global retail programs.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Founder & Principal Consultant

Current

Vanguard Sourcing

May 2025 - Present (1 year 3 months)

Founded and leads an on-the-ground sourcing and execution partner for international retailers, overseeing supplier development, compliance, quality assurance, and end-to-end sourcing execution across India.

Strategic Sourcing Vendor Development Negotiation Quality Assurance Compliance Risk Management Cost Optimization Market Intelligence

Sr. Merchandiser

KiK Textilien und Non-Food GmbH

Apr 2024 - Apr 2025 (1 year)

Managed sourcing and product development for home textiles, décor, hardgoods, and pet categories, leading tender activities, vendor negotiations, and cost optimization across 30+ suppliers.

Sourcing Product Development vendor negotiation Cost Optimization Capacity Planning Reporting

Sourcing Manager India

Cardenes Sourcing

Apr 2013 - Nov 2023 (10 years 7 months)

Managed India sourcing and vendor development across 40+ factories, scaling business from $100K to $10M through stronger partnerships and optimized cost structures.

Sourcing Vendor Development Negotiation Cost Optimization Process Improvement

Sr. Merchandiser

Casino Sourcing

Sep 2007 - Apr 2013 (5 years 7 months)

Managed sourcing, merchandising, and product development for home textiles and soft furnishings across multiple global retail chains, expanding annual business from $0.5M to $5.5M.

Sourcing Merchandising Product Development Negotiation Vendor Management Quality Assurance

Sr. Merchandiser

Pacific Sourcing

Sep 2005 - Aug 2007 (1 year 11 months)

Managed product development and sourcing for 100+ SKUs across home textiles, negotiating supplier pricing, delivery terms, and production schedules for international retail programs.

Product Development Sourcing Negotiation Vendor Management Quality Assurance

Merchandiser

Hanung Toys & Furnishings

Jun 2003 - Aug 2005 (2 years 2 months)

Managed merchandising and sampling for home furnishings and soft toys for international buyers, coordinating product development, cost negotiations, and QA.

Merchandising Product Development Quality Assurance