Sonia Arora named director, consumer insights at Pernod Ricard India

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.