Launch of Millward Brown India

Global agency Millward Brown (MB) and fellow Kantar company IMRB are launching a Joint Venture. MB will take a majority share of the new business, to be known as Millward Brown India, which will start with offices in Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore.

The new company will begin trading on March 3 and will be led by Shishir Varma, a former President of MB Japan, as Managing Director. Varma spent four years working in Unilever India's consumer insights team before joining Millward Brown seven years ago, and at present is a Group Account Director in the Sydney office. He will report into Travyn Rhall, CEO of Africa Asia Pacific.

MB CEO Eileen Campbell welcomes Varma's combination of 'significant international experience' and 'a great understanding of the issues that our clients are facing in the rapidly growing Indian economy', and comments: 'We felt the time was right to set up a standalone Millward Brown company — one that focuses on using our expertise in the brands, media and communications space to help local and multinational marketers build and grow their brands.'

Varma says the group aims to establish 'a thinking organisation' and adds: 'Another key focus for us will be to contribute to the continuing development of the industry by giving market research professionals a rewarding and challenging career in this new company.'

The group says the new JV will focus on marketing its quant solutions: separate companies will follow later covering specialist practices including Millward Brown Optimor, Precis, Firefly (Qualitative) and Dynamic Logic.

MB has more than 70 offices in 44 countries and is part of Kantar, WPP's insight, information and consultancy group. Web site: www.millwardbrown.com.

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.

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