MAM
TNS restructures operations in APAC region
MUMBAI: Custom research company TNS has restructured its operations in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region.
Under the new structure, Singapore will become the APAC regional headquarters. This will be followed by the re-organisation of TNS operations in Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa into two separate regions: TNS Africa and Middle East (AME) and TNS Asia Pacific (APAC).
Said CEO Africa, India and Oceania Chris Riquier, “This structure responds to feedback provided to us by clients and staff; it will allow us to be more dynamic and responsive to the many opportunities and challenges presented by this exciting growth region.”
According to the company, the new structure was created to reflect the differing needs of APAC‘s diverse markets, increase the level of focus on clients, improve efficiency and take advantage of Singapore‘s status as the regional hub for global clients and the headquarters location for many Asian companies.
Chris Riquier, currently CEO Africa, India and Oceania, will become CEO Asia Pacific effective from 1 January next year. He will be joined by Heather Payne as CMO and supported by Neerja Wable who, in addition to her responsibility as India and Sri Lanka CEO, will focus on APAC client development.
Reflecting the importance of China and Indonesia as rapid growth markets, Serene Wong, (CEO China) and Raghavan Srinivasan will report directly to the APAC CEO.
While Hamish Munro has been appointed as managing director of Singapore, Wade Garland (CEO Hong Kong) will assume line management for Taiwan led by Manny Inocencio. Ralf Matthaes will oversee Vietnam and Malaysia while Grant Bertoli will oversee Thailand and the Philippines. Yazid Jamian (MD Malaysia) and Gary de Ocampo (MD Philippines) will report to Ralf and Grant respectively.
APAC will be led by a five member board comprising Chris Riquier (CEO), Paul Durant (CFO), Heather Payne (CMO), Michelle Griffin (CTO) and Neerja Wable (CEO India and Sri Lanka) supported by Chairman Jamie Hall.
Brands
Dabur buys minority stake in Ras Beauty for Rs 60 crore
Dabur Ventures deal backs fast-growing luxury skincare brand
MUMBAI: Dabur India Limited has dipped into the world of luxury skincare, signing a definitive agreement to acquire a minority stake in Ras Beauty Private Limited for Rs 60 crore. The investment marks the first bet from Dabur Ventures, the FMCG major’s Rs 500 crore platform set up in October 2025 to back high-potential, new-age direct-to-consumer brands.
Founded in Raipur by Shubhika Jain, her sister Suramya Jain and their mother Sangeeta Jain, Ras Beauty has grown from a family-led passion project into a fast-scaling “Farm-to-Face” skincare label. Its range of face elixirs, serums and moisturisers blends essential oils with nature-derived actives, striking a balance between botanical purity and laboratory precision.
The numbers tell their own story. Ras has clocked a three-year Cagr of around 75 per cent and an annual run rate of approximately Rs 100 crore, all while maintaining strong gross margins. That growth has been fuelled by a digital-first approach, in-house R&D and manufacturing, and a sharp focus on clean, sustainable sourcing.
Dabur India executive director and group head corporate strategy Abhinav Dhall, said the company was drawn to Ras’s distinct positioning at the intersection of nature, science and luxury. He added that the premium beauty segment is poised for robust expansion over the coming decade, and that Ras is well placed to capture that opportunity.
For Ras, the partnership is as much about scale as it is about shared philosophy. Co-founder and CEO Shubhika Jain said Dabur’s 141-year legacy of building trusted, purpose-led brands makes it a natural ally. The capital infusion, she noted, will help accelerate the brand’s omnichannel footprint, deepen research capabilities and invest in team and brand building, with an eye on establishing Ras as a leading Indian luxury skincare name both domestically and overseas.
With this move, Dabur is not just investing in a skincare label. It is placing an early wager on India’s growing appetite for premium, conscious beauty, and signalling that heritage FMCG players are ready to play in the new-age D2C arena.
