MAM
Kantar appoints Guillaume Bacuvier to lead Worldpanel
Mumbai: Data-driven analytics and brand consulting company Kantar on Tuesday announced the appointment of Guillaume Bacuvier as global chief executive officer (CEO) of its consumer panel division Worldpanel. Bacuvier succeeds Josep Montserrat, who has been elevated to the role of non-executive chairman of the Worldpanel business. Both appointments are effective from 13 September.
Most recently, Bacuvier was group CEO of dunnhumby Ltd, a global leader in customer data science for the retail and CPG/FMCG industry. He led a commercial and technological transformation of the business, involving material investment in the company’s product portfolio, and both acquisitions and divestments to strengthen the company’s competitive positioning. Over his four-year tenure, dunnhumby improved its operating performance and expanded its customer base across the globe whilst improving employee engagement and customer satisfaction.
Prior to dunhumby, Bacuvier was at Google for more than a decade, holding a number of senior roles, culminating in vice-president, advertising solutions, EMEA where he was responsible for all aspects of the core online advertising business in the region, including commercial P&L for Google’s Doubleclick and Analytics business. He started his career as a strategy consultant in BoozAllen Hamilton’s TMT practice before moving to Orange Group where he was responsible for messaging services for all Orange OpCos. He holds an MBA from INSEAD and a graduate degree in industrial economics from Université Paris-IX Dauphine.
“The next phase of growth for our Worldpanel business will be heavily influenced by technology and advanced data analytics, and Guillaume’s expertise and experience will prove invaluable,” said deputy CEO and CFO Ian Griffiths.
Montserrat joined Worldpanel in 1994 and was appointed CEO of the Worldpanel business in 2007. Over 14 years, he has built a world-renowned business that serves as industry currency standard data in almost 50 countries. He built the Worldpanel business on the foundations of strong employee culture.
“In Josep, we have a leader who understands deeply that great businesses are built by teams with a passion for what they do. He excels at channeling that passion into great outcomes for his clients,” said Griffiths. “The data and insights generated by Josep and his team, quite literally helped supermarkets keep their shelves stocked during the pandemic period. We thank Josep for his incredible contribution to Kantar so far and look forward to his continued leadership in his new role.“
Brands
33 per cent of women believe the salary scale is rigged: Naukri report
Voices @ Work study finds rising calls for equal pay audits and lingering bias
MUMBAI: Progress may be visible in India’s workplaces, but many women still feel the need to tread carefully. A new report by Naukri reveals that one in two women hesitate to disclose marriage or maternity plans during job interviews, worried that such information could influence hiring decisions.
The findings come from the second edition of Naukri’s annual Voices @ Work International Women’s Day report, titled “What Women Professionals Want.” Drawing insights from more than 50,000 women across over 50 industries, the survey sheds light on evolving workplace aspirations alongside the biases that continue to hold women back.
One of the report’s most striking insights is the growing demand for equal pay audits. The share of women calling for regular pay parity checks has climbed to 27 per cent this year, up from 19 per cent a year ago. The demand now stands alongside menstrual leave as the most sought after workplace policy.
Interestingly, the call for pay transparency grows louder higher up the income ladder. Nearly half of women earning between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 1 crore annually say equal pay audits are a priority, suggesting that pay gaps become more visible as women move up the career ladder.
At the same time, confidence and ambition appear to be rising. About 83 per cent of women say they feel encouraged to pursue leadership roles, a significant jump from 66 per cent last year. Cities in southern India appear particularly supportive, with Hyderabad leading the way as 86 per cent of respondents there reported encouragement to step into leadership positions. The education sector recorded the highest sense of encouragement at 87 per cent.
Yet the report also highlights a growing trust deficit around pay equity. Nearly one in three women, or 33 per cent, say they do not believe men and women are paid equally at their workplace. That figure has risen from 25 per cent last year, pointing to widening perceptions of disparity as careers progress.
Bias in hiring and promotions continues to be the biggest hurdle. About 42 per cent of respondents say workplace bias is the main challenge for women from diverse backgrounds. The concern is consistent across major metros, with Chennai and Delhi NCR reporting similar levels.
Reluctance to discuss personal milestones during hiring processes is also widespread. While 34 per cent overall said they hesitate to share marriage or maternity plans in interviews, the anxiety increases with experience. Among professionals with 10 to 15 years of work experience, the figure rises to 40 per cent.
Info Edge group CMO Sumeet Singh, said the data reflects both progress and unfinished work. “Behind every data point in this report is a woman who is ambitious. The fact that 83 per cent feel encouraged to lead is something to celebrate. However, the fact that one in two still hide their marriage or maternity plans in interviews tells us the work is far from done. As India’s leading career platform, it felt not just important but necessary for us to shine a light on these gaps through the second edition of our report,” he said.
The report suggests that while ambition among women professionals is growing, structural changes around pay transparency, fair hiring and supportive policies will be key if workplaces hope to keep pace.
