MAM
Ipsos India ropes in Shalini Sinha
Mumbai : Bullish and eyeing ambitious growth plans, Ipsos a leading global custom market research company has roped in Shalini Sinha to spearhead the two key verticals of Brand Health Tracking (BHT) & Creative Excellence (CRE) in India, with immediate effect.
Sinha will be designated group service line leader, Brand Health Tracking (BHT) & Creative Excellence (CRE) and will report to Ipsos India CEO Amit Adarkar. Her remit at Ipsos India will be primarily to drive the business in the areas of brand and communications for Ipsos’ global partnership clients and the repertoire of leading home-grown companies and contribute to thought leadership. Her key focus area and priority will also be to leverage the business potential in the southern region of India. She moves from Creativeland Asia Pvt Ltd where she was CEO, Consumer Insights Division and Director, Strategy. Though based in Bengaluru, her mandate is for pan India.
Commenting on Sinha’s appointment, Adarkar said, “Brand Health Tracking and Creative Excellence have both undergone a major renaissance at Ipsos, with new thinking of brand success framework and its key 3 pillars of expectations, context and empathy which clients are extensively adopting to shape expectations, operating from the space of empathy and understanding the role brands play in the lives of consumers (context);it has resonated well with consumers in driving their purchase decisions. Sinha, with her domain expertise and experience will further reinforce Ipsos’s position in brand and communication in India.”
“We have a large portfolio of solutions within brand and communication, which include brand activation tracking, brand equity measurement, creative development, creative assessment, creative in-market, digital DIY solutions and to top it all a spanking new Brand Success Framework for clients to implement new thinking to connect with their core target groups and improve market shares and enhance consumer stickiness,” added Sinha.
“I firmly believe that our BHT practice holds immense potential by leveraging Ipsos’ robust research methodologies and cutting-edge technologies which are geared to match the pace of consumer and brand evolution today. Furthermore, Ipsos’ CRE practice stands out for its expertise, tailor-made solutions that are designed to address the specific needs of each client, advanced methodologies and actionable recommendations, making it a trusted partner for businesses,” added Sinha.
With work experience spanning over two decades, Sinha has worked with leading market research companies, handling both qualitative and quantitative research work for clients across Consumer-Packaged Goods sector, with strategic client work and counsel in brands and communications, extensively, primarily for FMCG, consumer durables, automotive, alcobev, tobacco and lifestyle products.
Sinha is an alumnus of Jaipuria Institute of Management.
Brands
Pre-seed funding fuels nailinit, India’s new-age nail care brand
Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund backs Gen Z-focused beauty startup
MUMBAI: nailinit, a community-first nail care startup targeting Gen Z and millennials, has raised Rs 2.5 to Rs 3 crore in a pre-seed round led by Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund and Marsshot VC, alongside a clutch of consumer, technology and operator angels.
Backed by entrepreneur and investor Nikhil Kamath, Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund is betting on nailinit’s attempt to give India’s nail care aisle a long overdue makeover. The fresh capital will be used to deepen distribution across quick commerce and D2C channels, build its community engine, and accelerate product innovation in a category that is high frequency but still light on strong brands.
Founded by Tanishq Ambegaokar and Shubham Singhal, nailinit is positioning itself at the crossroads of beauty, self-expression and culture. The brand wants nails to be more than a finishing touch. It sees them as a canvas for identity, content and commerce.
“At nailinit, we are building for a generation that sees beauty as self-expression, not just routine,” said Ambegaokar. “The nail category in India has largely been underserved by strong brands. This capital allows us to invest in product depth, community and distribution in a thoughtful and long-term way.”
Singhal added that while the brand’s tone may be playful, its operating focus is sharp. “This round strengthens our supply chain, expands our digital footprint and enables disciplined execution as we scale.”
The funding round drew notable angels including Shashank Kumar of Razorpay, Arjit Johri of Marsshot VC, Yash Jain, formerly of NimbusPost, Karan Jindal of Meta, Jivraj Singh Sachar of ISV Capital, Nishank Jain of Accel, Yashvardhan Kanoi, Ashwarya Garg of HYPD, Venus Dhuria of Phot.AI and Amishi Parasrampuria of The Whole Truth.
Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund fund manager Gauri Kuchhal, believes the opportunity lies in shifting habits. “Nail care remains underpenetrated in India, with consumers relying on time-intensive salon visits. As convenience and self-expression gain ground, press-on nails can unlock more frequent and experimental usage. Nailinit is well-placed to expand beyond press-ons into adjacent categories.”
The brand is currently the only nail care player in India blending product-led retail with a dedicated kiosk at Jio World Drive in Bandra, where customers can walk in for services while discovering the range. It has also built early traction across quick commerce platforms such as Zepto and Blinkit, with a launch on Instamart in the pipeline, and is available on Amazon, strengthening its omnichannel presence.
In a space long dominated by salon chairs and scattered labels, nailinit is attempting to file, shape and polish the category into something sharper. With fresh funding in hand, the startup is setting out to prove that in beauty, small details can make a bold statement.
