Brands
Sonia Arora named director, consumer insights at Pernod Ricard India
Insights leader steps up to shape innovation and strategy at spirits major
MUMBAI: Sonia Arora has been elevated to director of consumer insights at Pernod Ricard India, marking a new chapter in a career built on decoding what consumers think, feel and, crucially, buy.
Arora steps into the role after serving as innovation insights and planning lead at the company, where she spent over four years sharpening the link between consumer understanding and business strategy. Her work has consistently revolved around turning data into direction, helping brands stay culturally relevant while driving growth.
Before joining Pernod Ricard India, she held leadership roles at NielsenIQ and Nielsen, where she specialised in Babes, the firm’s flagship innovation practice. During this time, she led initiatives across India, South Asia and North Asia, working with multinational clients to fine-tune product launches and expand research into newer categories.
Her earlier stint with Diageo India and United Spirits Limited further strengthened her grounding in the spirits business, where she focused on innovation planning, cultural insights and end-to-end research across the product development lifecycle.
Across roles, Arora has built a reputation for blending qualitative and quantitative research with cultural intelligence, ensuring that brands don’t just follow trends but anticipate them. From early-stage concept testing to post-launch evaluation, her work has helped shape innovations that resonate in a fast-evolving market.
An alumna of K.J. Somaiya Institute of Management Studies and Research and Fr. Conceicao Rodrigues College of Engineering, Arora brings both analytical rigour and marketing instinct to the table.
In her new role, she is expected to steer consumer insights as a strategic engine, guiding Pernod Ricard India’s portfolio in a market where tastes shift quickly and staying relevant is half the battle won.
Brands
Apollo Tyres names Neha Agarwalla as divisional head – marketing comms & sponsorships
Former Paytm AVP to steer brand, comms and Team India tie-ups
MUMBAI: Neha Agarwalla has taken the wheel at Apollo Tyres, stepping in as divisional head of marketing communications and sponsorships for India and Asia’s commercial business.
In her new role, she will oversee marketing communications, brand activations and go-to-market strategies, while also managing the company’s high-profile association with the Board of Control for Cricket in India as part of its Team India sponsorship.
Agarwalla arrives with nearly two decades of experience across media, marketing and business strategy, bringing a blend of analytical sharpness and brand storytelling to the table.
Before joining Apollo Tyres, she spent close to eight years at Paytm, where she last served as associate vice president. During her tenure, she led media buying and business planning, and earlier held the role of general manager marketing, heading the company’s media business.
Her career arc also includes stints at Initiative, where she worked as business director and media director, and at GroupM, where she was associate director. Across these roles, she built expertise in media strategy, data analysis and integrated marketing.
An alumna of the Delhi School of Communication, Agarwalla now takes on a role that blends sport, strategy and storytelling, with cricket as a powerful pitch.
