MAM
Sandeep Ranade joins Hansa Research as EVP & quantitative research head
Mumbai: Hansa Research has appointed Sandeep Ranade as the executive vice president (EVP) and national head of quantitative research.
Sandeep was working with Kantar as executive director and head of media in South Adia. He brings with him an experience of 27 years of working in the research industry. He has extensive experience in FMCG, telecom and the media sectors across brand, creative and media domains. He has also led teams across locations to help clients build their brands and solve their critical business issues.
In his professional journey, he has led multiple global studies including developing a windows-based software for analyzing NRS (National Readership Survey) 1995 data with a team of software developers. He was also the team lead for setting up a panel for monitoring lubricant usage in trucks (2003-2004) and also transitioned customer satisfaction study for a large telecommunication client in Africa (across sixteen countries).
Commenting on Sandeep Ranade’s appointment, Hansa Research CEO Praveen Nijhara said, “We are pleased to welcome Sandeep to our organization. His vast experience will further help advance our research expertise and deliver more valuable insights to our clients. I’m confident he will play an important role in Hansa’s growth in the coming years.”
Speaking on his new role Ranade said, “I am excited to be a part of the Hansa Research Group. Being the largest consumer insights company in India, Hansa is known in the research industry for its innovative and path-breaking studies. I look forward to working with the team who has pioneered some benchmarks in the market research industry.”
Having completed his education in PGDBM (Marketing and Finance) from Symbiosis Institute of Management Studies (SIMS), Pune and B.E. Mechanical with Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, Sandeep has many awards to his credit for his exceptional contribution to the research industry.
Brands
Muthoot FinCorp names Arun Kumar COO & Harjit Singh Takkar chief distribution officer
Leadership hires to boost operations and widen pan-India reach
THIRUVANANTHPURAM: Muthoot FinCorp has strengthened its top deck with the appointment of Arun Kumar B as chief operating officer and Harjit Singh Takkar as chief distribution officer, sharpening its focus on scale, speed and service as it pushes into its next phase of growth.
The flagship financial services arm of the 138-year-old Muthoot Pappachan Group, popularly known as Muthoot Blue, is expanding both muscle and mindset. With more than 3,750 branches nationwide and its digital platform, the Muthoot FinCorp ONE app, the company is betting on tighter execution and wider reach to stay ahead in an increasingly competitive lending market.
Arun Kumar B steps in with nearly two decades of experience cutting across financial services, technology transformation and customer analytics. He previously worked with CreditAccess Grameen, where he led enterprise-wide technology and data strategy initiatives and played a pivotal role during a major merger in the microfinance space. His work spanned integrating operations and products while scaling lending and non-credit offerings such as insurance and pensions.
At Muthoot FinCorp, Arun will steer operational excellence and strategic growth initiatives, aligning teams and processes to deliver sharper efficiency across the business. A gold medallist from Anna University and a postgraduate from IIM Indore, he also holds certifications in design thinking, Blue Ocean Strategy and business analytics.
Harjit Singh Takkar takes on the newly created role of chief distribution officer, reporting directly to the chief executive officer. The position is designed to energise the company’s distribution engine and bring greater governance and agility across its branch network.
Takkar brings over 28 years of retail banking experience, having held senior leadership roles at IndusInd Bank, Bandhan Bank, Yes Bank and ICICI Bank. Known for scaling branch networks and building high-performing teams, he combines distribution expertise with governance depth as a qualified company secretary with a master’s degree in finance and control.
In his new role, Takkar will oversee branch business and distribution channels, with a clear brief to expand reach, lift productivity and reinforce the company’s pan-India presence.
Commenting on the appointments, Muthoot FinCorp Ltd. chief executive officer Shaji Varghese, said the company continues to invest in leadership as it scales. “Our purpose is to improve the financial well-being of the common man. As we grow, strengthening leadership across key functions is important to ensure consistency in execution and customer experience,” he said.
With complementary strengths in operations and distribution now in place, Muthoot FinCorp appears set to move from steady expansion to sharper acceleration, backed by people, process and technology working in concert.
