Oliver Kaye

Board Member @ Capnova

About

CEO and COO with 25+ years driving growth and transformation across global retail and consumer businesses. I specialise in scaling companies, transforming performance, and building high-impact operating platforms. My career spans FTSE 100 organisations and high-growth ventures, where I've led complex international operations, driven strategic change, and delivered significant commercial outcomes. I've held senior leadership roles across some of the world's most recognised retail brands — Chief Business Officer at Lenskart (India), CEO of Gap India, and Head of Strategy for Tesco General Merchandise. In these roles, I've led multi-billion-dollar businesses, overseen large international teams, and partnered closely with founders, boards, and investors to accelerate growth, improve profitability, and build enduring consumer brands. My strength lies at the intersection of strategy and execution. I've led large-scale transformations across retail, digital, and supply chain operations, while also helping early-stage and growth companies scale rapidly and establish the operating foundations for long-term success. This dual perspective — combining corporate leadership with entrepreneurial experience — enables me to bring both strategic clarity and practical execution to complex business challenges. I'm particularly passionate about building high-performing teams and creating organisations that balance operational discipline with entrepreneurial pace. My leadership style is collaborative, commercially focused, and grounded in delivering measurable results for customers, teams, and investors. Core expertise: - Strategic leadership and business transformation - Global retail and omnichannel operations - International market expansion and consumer brand scaling - Operational excellence and performance improvement - Digital and technology-enabled retail transformation - Customer experience and brand development - Data-driven decision making and commercial performance - Building and leading high-performing leadership teams

Country

United Kingdom

City

Rickmansworth

Industry

Retail

Skill

Strategic Negotiations, Leadership Development, New Market Expansion, Profitable Growth, Customer Insight, Data Analysis, Team Leadership, Go-to-Market Strategy, Digital Strategy, Scaling, Private Equity, Executive Management, Cross-functional Team Leadership, Omni-channel, P&L Owner, International, Retail Store Expansion, P&L leader, Operations Management, Business Transformation

Experience

Board Member

Capnova

2026-2 - Present · 8 mos

London Area, United Kingdom

Capnova is a digital wealth platform built to give global investors, family offices and wealth advisors seamless access to high quality private market opportunities across emerging economies. We combine on the ground origination, global SPV infrastructure and AI powered analytics to make investing in private assets from venture and private credit to real estate and tokenized infrastructure simple, transparent and borderless.

Chief Executive Officer

UK India Future Forum/India Global Forum

2025-1 - Present · 1 yr 9 mos

London Area, United Kingdom

Global platform driving trade, investment and strategic CEO dialogues between the UK, India, GCC and USA markets.

Non Executive Director

Tech India Advocates

2023-9 - Present · 3 yrs 1 mo

London, England, United Kingdom

TIA supports the rapid growth of Technology Innovation and Investment across the UK and India. It showcases the coolest digital innovations and investment opportunities, born both within and outside India and which have a global growth potential

Chief Business (Commercial) Officer

LYMA

2023-12 - 2025-1 · 1 yr 2 mos

Greater London, England, United Kingdom

Lyma is one of the fastest growing companies in the UK (The Sunday Times Top 10, November 2023) and the 55th fastest growing company in Europe (Financial Times, March 2024) which creates award winning luxury wellness products to help people look and feel their best. Awarded the Kings Award 2023 and Time Invention of the Year 2023. * Initiated the development and execution of a comprehensive global strategy alongside the founder, resulting in a 30% increase in sales.

Chief Operating Officer

Lenskart.com

2017-12 - 2023-11 · 6 yrs

New Delhi Area, India

* Lenskart is Asia’s largest optical company backed by private equity (Softbank/KKR), and recently IPOed at £6bn. By overseeing a strong omni channel presence and disruptive innovative digital interventions, Lenskart has now become a household name across 2700 stores in India, SE Asia, Japan, and the Middle East. * Full EBITDA accountability for 1500 stores in India and 8000 staff; also launched and ran five stores in Singapore.

Chief Executive Officer

Gap Inc.

2015-2 - 2017-12 · 2 yrs 11 mos

Bengaluru Area, India

* Accountable for launch and scaling of online/offline business with full EBITDA accountability along with all functional disciplines; headcount of 300 in stores, 30 in Head Office

Head of General Merchandise Strategy and Implementation

Tesco

2012-4 - 2015-2 · 2 yrs 11 mos

London, United Kingdom

* Orchestrated a detailed analysis of consumer purchasing behaviour and market trends to inform the £4 billion General Merchandise strategy, enhancing profit projections by £100 million through an elevated product assortment. * Implemented the strategy into 450 stores with a £400m P&L ownership. * Established the General Merchandise Online program, implementing a streamlined website UI, improved on-line range, more competitive pricing and in store collections.

Head of Retail Operations, General Merchandise, Central Europe

Tesco

2009-11 - 2012-4 · 2 yrs 6 mos

* Led the £1.7bn General Merchandise Operation over 1000 stores, with a team of 10 Regional Managers and 30 Area Managers based across Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, and Turkey.

Chief Executive Officer

Calvin Klein

2008-1 - 2009-11 · 1 yr 11 mos

Mumbai Area, India

* Accountable for launch and scaling of the brand across India - accountable to deliver the business EBITDA and responsible for all functions/personnel.

Regional Controller

Arcadia Group

2007-4 - 2008-1 · 10 mos

* Responsible for the effective running and profitability of 85 stores in the South of England with a annual turnover of £90m (900 staff and line manager for 5 Area Managers)

Retail Operations Director

COPPERNOB LIMITED

2006-6 - 2007-4 · 11 mos

* Led the development concept and launch of Coppernob back onto the high street after a 15 year absence – full P&L accountability for the retail business