An interview from our Singapore office

An interview with Mr. Roshan Shankar,
principal consultant at Group IBI's Singapore office

 

1.     Can you describe briefly about the history of Group IBI’s SG office and your experience in market research?

The idea of setting up a Group IBI office in SG first came up in late 2012 when I and Group IBI started having a conversation about the possibility of working together. I came on board mid-2013 and we formally launched our SG operations this year. Personally, I have been involved in market research since the beginning of my career, first with the pharmaceutical sector and later with insurance, both in India and in a Pan Asian role

2.     We know you have led SG office since its inception. What are you trying to achieve in SG market for short-term and long-term?

In the short term, the aim is to spread the word about IBI research and get acquainted with the business research scene in Singapore better. In the longer term, I aim to establish IBI Research Singapore as the leading business research provider in the South East Asian region

3.     For whom do you usually provide the research service? Are they usually global or local ones?

We typically work with MNCs, who have operations in multiple countries in the region, with their regional HQs in Singapore.

4.     Which sectors do you think are the most active in performing the researches in SG?

In the B2B space, Technology and Healthcare companies conduct a significant amount of research in the region. Given that most technology & healthcare clients have their regional HQs here in Singapore, these sectors form the core group of clients for IBI.

5.     Any difficulties or obstacles in working with regional HQs in SG?

The lack of awareness among prospective clients is a major barrier for the time being and I am trying to change that. The other challenge is the dynamics between the HQ and regional offices of a client. Getting both to agree on the research type, methodology, budgets etc. is a sometimes a daunting task. However, having multiple IBI Research offices across the region works to our distinct advantage here.

6.     What do you think are the strengths or advantages your office has over other competitors in Asian region?

I think we have two disntinct advantages. One is size - IBI Research is large enough that we cover all the significant markets in the region, yet we are small enough that senior management is involved in every single project. We are able to provide the necessary coverage while maintaining a very high standard of quality in every single project. The other is our diverse team. Having team members who are market specialists (covering Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, Greater China, Japan, India etc.), makes it easy for us to access insights that would not be available to an 'outsider' working from an office in Singapore or Hong Kong.

7.     Do you see any trend in clients’ research needs or focus?

Competitive Intelligence is an area that is seeing a lot of interest across industries. South East Asia is very diverse when it comes to the availability and quality of competitive intelligence. Clients are looking for periodic, high quality insights on competition in different markets in the region and this is an area where there is a distinct gap between what clients want & what is currently available in the market.

8.     What was the most memorable research project recently? Can you also tell us why?

Our client, a global life sciences company that had recently commercialized an innovative treatment technology for cancer, engaged us to help them with nagivating the regulatory environment and develop their distribution strategy in three different markets. The project was memorable because it gave us an opportunity to witness the insights we generated being put to use and also validated the quality of our output as the client extended the engagement from one market to three. We continue to explore the possibility of working with this client in other markets as well.

9.     What advice can you tell the global players who intend to enter or expand their business in Asia, in terms of both general business and the market research?

Asia is full of opportunities as everyone knows. My only advice to organizations is that companies must be prepared to invest in Asia for the long haul. There are no short cuts to riches here.

With respect to market research, my advice is to be prepared for diversity-Asia is not a big, homogenous block, so while in some markets information is easily available, getting relevant, actionable information in others is a huge challenge.

10.   How is your life in SG? What do you like and dislike about SG?

Singapore is a vibrant international city and it affords me a very comfortable lifestyle. I especially love the outdoors-there are so many parks, gardens and water bodies here that it makes it fun to get out & be fit. Also the city is very compact so meeting clients doesn't require long hours of travel.

What I dislike is the weather-it is hot & humid throught the year and I can tell you that wearing a business suit in this weather is distinctly unpleasant!