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Kantar launches Global Analytics Practice to fuel business growth
MUMBAI: Kantar, WPP’s data investment management division, has launched a new global analytics practice that unlocks deeper insights to fuel business growth. Integrating analytical capabilities from across the company, Kantar Analytics Practice will combine the world’s most in-depth understanding of consumers with a deep analytics toolkit developed over four decades of solving the most difficult sales, brand, media and marketing problems. In India, WPP has combined the analytics teams from Kantar and GroupM to form one combined practice.
Kantar Analytics Practice unifies a global network of over 1500 data scientists, analytics consultants, technologists and data designers from across Kantar. It will encompass existing highly regarded businesses such as MaPS, Analytics Quotient, GroupM’s analytics team in India and connect them with specialist analysts from Kantar’s operating brands in sales, retail and shopper, media, health and public affairs. The new practice integrates Kantar’s unique consumer insights, based on the world’s largest first party data sets, with clients’ own customer data and a broad range of third party sources. By combining behavioural and attitudinal data, the outcome is actionable customer analysis to inform every brand, marketing and sales decision.
Kantar Analytics Practice offers capabilities across five areas of expertise. Its brand and media ROI helps in maximising value creation from brand and media investments, by balancing short-term sales performance with long-term brand valuation and profitability.
The customer analytics helps in making the right operational and strategic investment decisions in customer experience and loyalty marketing, to maximise the value of each and every customer relationship. The segmentation and activation helps in targeting the highest potential customers and prospects with personalised content, to drive profitable growth with maximum efficiency. While Innovation Analytics is used for optimising customer-led innovation lifecycle for long-term growth, from spotting new trends before your competitors, to optimising the profitability of your product launches, Retail and Shopper Analytics can be used for maximising the commercial return from investments in sales, retail and e-commerce via optimising decision-making in channel choice, assortment, promotions and pricing.
Kantar CEO Eric Salama says, “Less than half of advertisers believe they have the right, actionable data. Clients feel data rich but insights poor and impact short. Kantar is unique in having the most complete view of consumers across the entire demand cycle: the way they live, feel, shop, watch and post. Combining our insights with data from across any client’s organisation can unlock deeper insights that fuel growth. “
GroupM South Asia CEO and WPP India country manager CVL Srinivas mentions, “The new practice addresses the clients’ ask for data driven transformation for better ROI from marketing investments in the digital era. GroupM and Kantar have been working closely together in India, co-creating services for our clients. The launch of the Kantar Analytics practice is another step in this direction and demonstrates the ability of our group to come together to provide enhanced value for clients.”
To this, Kantar South Asia CEO Preeti Reddy adds, “The practice formalises the connected journey with GroupM in bringing data driven products to the markets like Campaign Watch (for during campaign ROI management) and consulting services on TV audience measurement data. Proprietary assets like SAAS platform Athena (built in India) will offer marketers a predictive and near real time opportunity to add up to 20 per cent improvement in ROI from marketing investments including those in e-commerce. And, in Sunder Muthuraman, who will take over as CEO APAC and global chief client officer, we have a great leader for the practice.”
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HDFC ERGO names Parthanil Ghosh as MD and CEO from April 16, 2026
Executive Director to succeed Anuj Tyagi; appointment awaits IRDAI approval.
MUMBAI: In insurance, planning for tomorrow is the business. At HDFC ERGO, that future now has a new name. The Board of HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company has approved the elevation of Parthanil Ghosh as managing director and chief executive officer, effective April 16, 2026, subject to regulatory clearance from the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI). He will succeed Anuj Tyagi in the role.
Ghosh brings more than three decades of experience across financial services and insurance, including over 16 years in the general insurance sector spanning underwriting, claims, reinsurance strategy, crop insurance and digital transformation. He joined HDFC ERGO in 2016 following the merger with L&T General Insurance and has served as Executive Director since May 1, 2025.
During his tenure, Ghosh has been closely involved in shaping the company’s expansion strategy, particularly strengthening its retail franchise while building capabilities across commercial lines and technology driven operations. His responsibilities have spanned areas such as claims management, underwriting strategy and digital innovation.
He also played a key role in two major integrations that reshaped the company’s structure: the consolidation of L&T General Insurance and the merger with Apollo Munich Health Insurance. These integrations helped build a unified operating platform for the insurer and expanded its presence across health and general insurance segments.
Over the years, Ghosh has led initiatives focused on improving customer trust and transparency in insurance, including efforts to simplify products, strengthen claims experience and integrate technology into customer facing processes.
HDFC ERGO chairman of the board Keki M Mistry said the leadership transition reflects the board’s confidence in Ghosh’s strategic and operational experience.
“Parthanil brings extensive industry knowledge, deep operational insight and strong strategic leadership to the role. He has been a key contributor to the company’s progress and success in recent years, helping strengthen its market position and build a culture centred on customer trust and technical excellence,” Mistry said, while also thanking Tyagi for his contributions and wishing him success in his future entrepreneurial pursuits.
ERGO International AG chairman of the board of management and chief operating officer of the international business Theo Kokkalas highlighted India’s importance in the group’s global strategy.
“India is a strategic growth market for us. I am convinced that under the leadership of Ghosh, the company will continue to build on its success through technical excellence, customer centricity and digital innovation,” he said.
Once regulatory approvals are secured, Ghosh will formally take over leadership of HDFC ERGO in April 2026, steering the insurer into its next phase of growth in India’s competitive general insurance market.
