Published On: 2019-06-25

25th June, Mumbai: The Market Research Society of India held its 31^st AGM in Mumbai on 21^st June 2019 at the MCA, Mumbai and conducted the elections for the Managing Committee for 2019-2021.

The 31^st AGM of MRSI witnessed a new wave, discussing past year’s achievements and how the future of Indian market research industry and MRSI are going to be even grander!

MRSI thanked its outgoing President, Pravin Shekar, Chairman & CEO at KREA, Chennai for guiding the activities of the society for the last 2 years.

The elected members of the new Managing Committee are:

1. Ankita Dhanuka, Robas Research;
2. Ashutosh Singh, Internet Research Bureau;
3. Ashwani Kukreja, Tata Sky;
4. Derrick Gray, BARC;
5. K. Vinay Kumar, Datawise Management;
6. Manish Makhijani, Hindustan Unilever;
7. N.P Sathyamurthy, MRUC;
8. Paru Minocha, Kantar IMRB,
9. Praveen Nijhara, Hansa Research;
10. Pravin Shekar, Krea;
11. Priya Lobo, Ormax;
12. Rashesh Rawal, Azure Knowledge;
13. Sandeep Arora, Datamatics;
14. Sanjay Pal, The Nielsen Company;
15. Saurin Shah, Godrej CPL;
16. Shaveta Bhardwaj, Kantar Millward Brown;
17. Shelley Sengupta, Diageo;
18. Sunder Muthuraman, Kantar Analytics;
19. Tomson J Thundathil, The Malayala Manorama; and
20. Vivek Gupta, Ipsos.

The newly elected Managing Committee, at its first meeting, elected Sandeep Arora, Executive Vice President and Global Head – Research & Analytics Solutions, Datamatics Global Services, as the new President.

Sandeep Arora is a business leader who brings in a unique blend of both market research and technology, Sandeep Arora has been championing the cause of global and local Research and Insights industry through his active associations with MRSI and ESOMAR for over a decade. On professional front, Sandeep has been spearheading multiple responsibilities at the leading technology and consulting firm, Datamatics Global Services for the last twelve years. Prior to that, he has had career associations with Nielsen, Kantar (TNS and IMRB), Mahindra & Mahindra and Times of India (BCCL) across Indian and international markets. He is a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt professional, who absolutely thrives in exploring out-of-box solutions to future-proof business models and processes!

Sandeep is an alumnus of Delhi University (Hindu College) and MICA.

Enthusiastically commenting on his election as the new President, Sandeep Arora said, “These are the most interesting times for Research and Insights industry. Never before was the need for consumer-behaviour led data scientists greater than today, to accurately provide holistic business foresights. There are a few legacy-led challenges which are slowing us from realizing full potential of this digital wave and I am confident that with due focus and patience, we will overcome those very soon!”

MRSI also welcomed the newly elected office bearers – Manish Makhijani, HUL and Sunder Muthuraman, Kantar Analytics as Vice Presidents, Sanjay Pal, The Nielsen Company as the Secretary & K. Vinay Kumar, Datawise Management as the Treasurer.

Welcoming the new Managing Committee and the office bearers, Pravin Shekar, said, “It’s great to see active participation from members, to volunteer and contribute in the Managing Committee and take our association forward. The new President, Sandeep Arora, clearly laid out the plans for the next couple of years, building on existing activities as well adding on newer initiatives including greater government coordination. I wish him and our team all the very best.”

About MRSI:

Established by the fraternity of researchers in India in 1988, The Market Research Society of India (MRSI) is India’s leading Market Research Society. MRSI is a not for profit autonomous body and is committed to maintain, enrich, grow and promote the importance and efficiency of market research in India. MRSI works with ESOMAR to bring Indian industry's voice to the global forum. It regularly organizes conferences, events, workshops and seminars, and webinars to boost innovation in the industry and showcase path breaking work being done to the larger marketing fraternity.