Why Kantar Is Betting on Google Talent to Dominate Southeast Asia
Kantar taps Google's APAC head Rika Sharma as Southeast Asia executive managing director. Strategic hire signals aggressive expansion in region's 3.2% growth FMCG market.
Kantar announced on February 4 the appointment of Rika Sharma as executive managing director for its Southeast Asia cluster and Singapore business, marking a significant leadership expansion as the market research firm strengthens its presence in one of Asia's fastest-growing consumer markets.
Sharma brings over 20 years of experience across North America and Asia-Pacific. She joins from Google, where she most recently served as head of agency, partner and industry relations for the company's APAC division.
Strategic Leadership Move in High-Growth Market
In her new role, Sharma will lead growth initiatives and strategic planning across Southeast Asia while strengthening client partnerships throughout the region. Her responsibilities include advancing Kantar's global vision, developing talent, and fostering cross-market collaboration.
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"Rika brings a strong mix of strategic expertise, commercial experience and leadership capability to the business," said Cheong Tai Leung, CEO of Kantar APAC. "As we accelerate our momentum across Southeast Asia, Rika's experience and perspective will be instrumental in strengthening our client partnerships and advancing Kantar's regional ambitions."
The appointment comes as Southeast Asia's FMCG market demonstrated 3.2% growth in Q2 2025, outpacing North Asia's 1.6% expansion. Grocery spending across Asia-Pacific rose 4.1% in Q1 2025 despite volume pressures, highlighting the region's resilient consumer market performance.
Deep Regional Expertise Across Major Agencies
Sharma's career spans senior leadership positions at major marketing and advertising firms across Asia-Pacific. Before Google, she served as managing director of Digitas Singapore and ASEAN, where she oversaw operations across multiple Southeast Asian markets.
She previously held multiple leadership roles at Ogilvy Singapore, including managing partner, regional digital lead for large business accounts, and group head of Social@Ogilvy. Her industry standing includes recognition as Campaign Asia 40 Under 40 and an Asia's Woman Leader award.
"Kantar's deep consumer understanding, trusted client partnerships and commitment to innovation strongly resonate with me," Sharma said. "I look forward to working with our talented teams across Singapore and Southeast Asia to build on this strong foundation, help brands navigate an increasingly complex marketplace and unlock sustainable, meaningful growth across the region."
Part of Broader Regional Expansion Strategy
The appointment follows several recent leadership expansions at Kantar's Southeast Asia operations. The firm appointed Andy Gallagher as head of creative and media business in Singapore in 2025, marking his return to Kantar for a second tenure. Nadya Ardianti was named managing director for Indonesia operations, further reinforcing the company's commitment to building robust regional leadership across key Southeast Asian markets.
The timing aligns with market dynamics showing 88% of Asian brands pursuing growth through new buyer acquisition rather than loyalty programs, requiring sophisticated consumer insights and analytics capabilities. Data shows 56% of top Asian brands successfully grew Consumer Reach Points in 2025, demonstrating the critical role of data-driven market intelligence in navigating increasingly complex regional markets.
Sharma's background managing agency, partner, and industry relations at Google APAC positions her to accelerate Kantar's client partnerships during this period of market opportunity across Southeast Asia's diverse and rapidly evolving consumer landscape.
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