After graduating from Wesleyan University in 1988, William Bissell returned to India to set up and head the Bhadrajun Artisans Trust (BAT) - an Artisans Cooperative of leatherworkers and weavers based in the state of Rajasthan. Between 1990 and 1999, he experimented with many different forms of community ownership. The original Trust now operates a rural school in the same area.

William took over as the Managing Director of Fabindia in 1999. Today, the company established in 1960, operates over 260 stores across 98 cities in India and 11 outlets abroad.

Fabindia is India’s largest private retail platform for an extensive range of garments and lifestyle products produced using craft-based processes that derive from traditional skills and techniques. It links contemporary urban markets and consumers to traditional craft-based, largely rural producers, creating viable access to markets. The company offers merchandise and products that emphasize an alternate to the mass produced, while ensuring rural livelihoods.

In 2012 William was awarded the Entrepreneur with Social Impact award by Forbes.

William is the author of ‘Making India Work’, a book that takes a hard look at the issues facing our country and the radical out of the box re-think necessary to catalyze change.