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De Beers Group has appointed Mallikarjuna Reddy Yarabolu as Managing Director of Forevermark India, with effect from January 2026, as it steps up efforts to scale its branded diamond jewellery business in the country.
The leadership move comes at a time when De Beers is sharpening its focus on India, one of the world’s fastest-growing markets for natural diamond jewellery. Forevermark is central to this strategy, as the group shifts from a loose-diamond-led model to a stronger branded retail presence aligned with evolving consumer preferences.
Yarabolu brings over two decades of experience across fashion, retail, FMCG and luxury segments. He most recently served as Chief Revenue Officer at Arvind Fashions Limited, overseeing sales and revenue strategy for brands including U.S. Polo Assn., Arrow and Flying Machine. He announced his exit from the company earlier through a LinkedIn post, noting his role in stabilising and transforming the business during his tenure.
Prior to Arvind Fashions, Yarabolu spent six years at Nestlé India, where he led food service and retail format initiatives. His portfolio included concepts such as Maggi Hotspots, KitKat Break Zones, Milk Booths and Nescafé kiosks, managing a nationwide network of more than 750 outlets. His earlier career includes senior leadership roles at Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Ltd., Walmart India and Godrej Agrovet, where he built expertise in multi-format retail operations, channel expansion and scaling businesses across urban and emerging markets.
De Beers’ appointment of Yarabolu aligns with its plans to significantly expand Forevermark’s footprint in India. The brand has repositioned itself as a jewellery-led retail business, reflecting the growing importance of brand trust, design consistency and sourcing assurance in high-value jewellery purchases. India is currently the world’s second-largest market for natural diamond jewellery.
As part of its near-term roadmap, Forevermark plans to open 15 new stores in 2025 and is targeting a network of 100 outlets by 2030. The expansion will focus on exclusive brand stores with curated collections and a uniform brand experience.
With rising incomes, increasing premiumisation and steady growth in organised retail, India’s jewellery market continues to offer strong long-term potential. De Beers expects Yarabolu’s experience in managing large retail networks and driving consumer-led growth to support Forevermark’s next phase of expansion while maintaining operational discipline as the business scales.
