Arpita Arora

Senior Strategy Leader | Retail, Consumer Experience & Growth Strategy

Arpita Arora is a senior strategy executive with over 15 years of experience helping Fortune 500 retailers and consumer brands unlock growth through customer-centric strategy, merchandising innovation, and operational transformation. She has led high-impact initiatives across retail, consumer goods, and global brands, blending analytical rigor with deep customer empathy to drive sustainable business results.

Currently based in Seattle, Arpita has held senior leadership roles at organizations including Nordstrom, Starbucks, Walmart, Staples, and Univera, where she has shaped enterprise-level strategies spanning product development, marketing, merchandising, digital transformation, and customer experience.

At Univera, Arpita served as AVP of Sales & Marketing, where she led a company-wide rebranding and go-to-market transformation from a traditional MLM model to a direct-to-consumer strategy. Her leadership contributed to 25% growth in 2022 and 35% projected growth in 2023, alongside the successful launch of new products, a redesigned website, and integrated digital marketing and analytics capabilities.

Previously at Nordstrom, Arpita was a Senior Manager of Strategy, where she helped define the private-label merchandising strategy for a multi-billion-dollar portfolio. Her work included financial modeling, sustainability strategy development, customer segmentation, and inventory flow optimization—delivering measurable revenue growth, cost savings, and speed-to-market improvements.

During her tenure at Starbucks, Arpita led Global Coffee Strategy, identifying long-term growth opportunities across U.S. and international markets. She played a key role in launching a new espresso recipe for a $5B business, developing customer-driven product strategies, and shaping coffee experiences across regions including Asia Pacific, Europe, China, Japan, and Latin America.

Earlier in her career at Walmart, Arpita led omni-channel customer experience initiatives, digital capability rollouts, and growth strategies that improved member engagement, reduced operational costs, and delivered incremental revenue in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

Arpita holds an MBA from Babson College, a PGDM from Amity Business School, and a B.Tech in Computer Science. She is also deeply committed to purpose-driven work, serving on the core team of The Cows Foundation, where she helps shape strategy to promote humane practices in the dairy industry, and volunteering with Pasado’s Safe Haven.

Known for her collaborative leadership style, strategic clarity, and ability to translate customer insight into action, Arpita is passionate about building businesses that are both high-performing and human-centered. Through Influential Women, she is eager to connect, mentor, and collaborate with other leaders who are shaping the future of business.

Beyond corporate leadership, Arpita is deeply committed to service, social impact, and humane values. She has volunteered extensively in healthcare and education initiatives in India, supported underserved communities, and advocates for ethical and compassionate systems—both in business and in life. She has also volunteered and dedicated a part of her time to animal welfare initiatives. Today, she is intentionally transitioning her career toward counseling, community welfare, and advocacy, bringing together analytical rigor, deep empathy, and a lifelong passion for helping others thrive.