New CEO for Indian B2B Research and Services Firm AGR

Mumbai-based B2B agency AGR Knowledge Services has announced that Rishikesh Deshpande is stepping down from the CEO role after more than two decades leading the company. His replacement is former Ipsos India COO Raja Amarjeet Bunet.

AGR offers customised B2B market research, analytics and management services, was established in 2007 and employs around 300 analysts and advisors. In the past three years it has added new services by acquiring ValueNotes Strategic Intelligence in Pune, and integrating the service division of social media listening specialist Germin8.

Bunet (pictured) brings more than twenty years' experience from Synovate and then Ipsos India - in addition to serving as the latter's COO for the last five years he worked as Executive Director & Head of Customer Loyalty and Executive Director Mobile First and New Initiatives. During this time he set up the B2B and Industrial research practice.

Deshpande states: 'Twenty years ago, I set out, along with a core team, to build something meaningful with AGR, and today I am handing it over stronger than ever. I think this is the right time for a new leader to take it further and I will be cheering from the sidelines as an advisor. I am incredibly proud of what the team has built and confident that the company's best days are still ahead.'

Chairman Raj Nair, acknowledging 'the many contributions of the outgoing CEO, to the overall success of AGR,' says the transition 'comes at an important stage in AGR's growth when huge changes are occurring in the world of business due to new technologies being available. He continues: 'Under Raja's leadership, AGR plans to further strengthen its capabilities in AI and automation to disrupt existing ways to serve the changing needs of customers.'

Home page: www.agrknowledge.com .

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