Fashioning a brand's evolution

Kulvinder Birring leads beauty and health chain Watsons China's transformation into a lifestyle label

At 2 pm on a hot, humid and hectic weekday in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, Kulvinder Birring, acting CEO of Watsons China, is unfazed, spirited, full of energy.

Is this guy for real? He appears more like a footballer restless before a key kickoff than a corner-suite occupant. Sitting upright, he reaches for a mint box and a coffee cup, and consults his smartphone for his schedule.