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I
graduated in Mechanical Engg. a decade and a half ago
and launched my career with a leading manufacturer of
Earth moving equipment in India in the Management Services
function. This initial exposure kindled my interest
in formal Management Studies. Soon after this, I landed
at the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore, for
pursuing my Post Graduate Program in Management. It
was here that, Marketing, especially Marketing Research,
caught my imagination.
I
emerged from the Management School securing four gold
medals, three of them in Marketing. My initial experience
in Marketing was with consumer durable companies, which
included a stint at Suzuki Motor Company JV in India
and later with a leading watch and jewellery company
TITAN. During my stints here I realized how much Market
Research could be effectively leveraged to provide the
cutting edge for Marketing and Business Strategy formulation
and implementation.
It
was twelve years ago that UNILEVER beckoned. I initially
joined the Foods & Beverages Division, to lead the
MR team in Bangalore. Later, in 1997, I moved to Mumbai
as Head of Consumer & Market Research for Hindustan
Lever Ltd., which includes Home & Personal Care,
as well as Food & Beverages Divisions. HLL is one
of the few Unilever Companies, which does its own Market
Research, and we invest significantly in MR, which is
about 10% of the Indian MR Industry!
In
my extended role, I am also the Regional Consumer &
Market Insight leader for Unilever's Home & Personal
Care Division in Asia. I am a member of the Global Unilever
Consumer & Market Insight Council.
Currently,
I am also the President of the Market Research Society
of India, for the last 5 years. I am also the Chairman
of the Joint Industry Body Technical Committee on Television
Audience Measurement in India.
I
am married with two lovely kids. My son is 12 years
old and my daughter 7. My favourite pastime is playing
with them as I watch them grow. (Hoping to have more
of it - work permitting!). My wife is a dental surgeon,
specialized in Prosthodontics.
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