MAM
Kantar appoints Efrain Ribeiro as chief research officer
MUMBAI: WPP’s data investment management arm Kantar has appointed Efrain Ribeiro as its chief research officer (CRO), effective 1 November.
Ribeiro takes over the role from Renee Smith, who is leaving to join the Colorado-based research company GutCheck.
He was previously CRO of Kantar subsidiary Lightspeed Research.
As Kantar CRO, he will drive both quality and innovation across its 12 operating companies, especially in the fast-developing area of mobile research, and act as a catalyst for collaboration with the operating company teams on the development of new products and solutions.
Kantar president Wayne Levings said, “In Efrain, we have the ideal replacement for Renee. He has almost 40 years of experience and will be able to both pick up and continue to drive our research agenda, which includes putting mobile first and bringing technology to the heart of what we do.”
“I’d like to thank Renee for her valuable contribution over the past five years. She has been an inspirational CRO and a very popular colleague and we all wish her well for the future,” Levings added.
Brands
Emami names Dhruv Aggarwal as chief growth officer
Former Bain partner steps in as FMCG firm sharpens growth playbook
MUMBAI: Emami Limited has appointed Dhruv Aggarwal as its chief growth officer, effective 25 March 2026, following the resignation of Giriraj Bagri.
Aggarwal joins the FMCG major from Bain & Company, where he most recently served as partner. With over two decades of experience across consulting and strategy, he brings a global perspective shaped by work across India, the US, the UK and Germany.
During his tenure at Bain, Aggarwal advised consumer, retail and media companies on large-scale transformations, business turnarounds and growth strategies. He was also closely involved with India’s startup ecosystem, guiding early-stage ventures on scaling and digital expansion, while supporting private equity and venture capital firms on investment decisions.
His earlier stints include a brief role at Barclays Capital and operational experience at Jindal Power, giving him a mix of financial and industry exposure.
Academically, Aggarwal holds an MBA from Indian Institute of Management Bangalore and has also been associated with University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign as a PhD candidate and teaching assistant.
The appointment comes at a time when Emami Limited is looking to sharpen its growth strategy in a competitive consumer market. With a seasoned strategist now at the helm of growth, the company appears set to double down on transformation and expansion in the months ahead.
