LEADING THE LEGACY

Meet Nikita Bansal, the young mind behind the new ideas and vigour at CenturyPly.

- Text * Benaifer J. Mirza

Every other corner of your house is probably adorned by a piece of furniture that has a little bit, or perhaps a lot of CenturyPly in it. A household name, Century Plyboards India Ltd. is synonymous with high-quality authentic plywood and laminates. The brand has ruled the space for more than 40 years and has multiple facilities across India and abroad.

Nikita Bansal, daughter of Sanjay Agarwal, Co-founder, CEO and Managing Director of CenturyPly, joined the organisation in 2011 and has taken the company to new heights since then.

Born and brought up in Kolkata, Bansal did her schooling at La Martiniere for Girls. She later went to New York University to pursue her majors in Economics with a minor in Mathematics and Finance. She joined CenturyPly in 2011, marking the beginning of a deeply fulfilling professional journey. She today serves as the company's Executive Director.

From the ground up

Speaking about her journey at CenturyPly, Bansal shares, “When I joined the organisation, I went through a rigorous two-year training programme that concluded in 2013. This included working on the factory shop floor across all stations, gaining experience at every desk across various departments, and spending a year as an Area Sales Manager at a branch level. Post this, I took over the Doors Division, which at the time had a turnover of ₹20 crore. Over the next three years, I scaled it up to ₹85 crore. In 2018, I led the launch of our economy brand, Sainik 710, which has today grown to become the third-largest plywood brand in India. In 2020, I assumed responsibility for the company's digital marketing and also established the Digital IT Division. We're now in the second year of executing a three-year digital transformation roadmap. As of this financial year, I've taken charge of CenturyPly's Plywood Division.”

Bansal is also the creative mind behind the beautiful design of their Headquarters at Century House in Kolkata.