New location puts WD Partners on the leading edge of emerging economy

WD Partners, the leading design and development firm for multi-unit retail and restaurant, has opened an office in Mumbai, India, positioning the company to serve the highly fragmented but rapidly growing $300 billion retail economy. The Mumbai office will assist global retailers seeking to expand in India, as well as multi-unit Indian retailers.

"We build offices where we believe our retail and restaurant clients are going," said WD Partners CEO Chris Doerschlag. "It made sense to expand into a city where retail is expected to grow very quickly over the next decade."

Located in the northern suburb of Jogeshwari, the office opens with 25 architecture and engineering professionals led by architect and Mumbai-native, Rajesh Chhablani. Mr. Chhablani has more than a decade's experience working with international projects and retailers such as Gap Inc. and Victoria’s Secret. It is anticipated that the Mumbai office will operate at a full capacity of 105 professionals within two years.

WD Partners has 39 years of success based in serving a multi-unit retail and restaurant operators. The Mumbai office will share its signature processes and systems for multi-unit development, assuring the quality of work is standardized and consistent. Interoffice exchange programs for the Mumbai professionals will serve as "hands on" training in WD Partners' protocols, as well as team-building exercises between U.S. and Mumbai colleagues.

The company also recently hired three VP-level architects and engineers with significant international experience, John Miologos, Sam Khalilieh and Jay Hosseinzadeh.