Market research and data analytics platform company, Milieu Insight has appointed Cindy Pang (pictured) as chief executive officer (CEO), Southeast Asia, effective immediately, as the market research and data intelligence firm sharpens its focus on regional growth.
In her new role, Pang will report to group CEO Sundip Chahal and oversee strategy, commercial execution and expansion across all Southeast Asian markets. She will also serve as a bridge between clients and Milieu Insight’s product, platform and delivery teams, translating shifting market demands into actionable innovation.
Pang brings over two decades of experience in consumer insights and market research, having held senior leadership roles across global research and consulting firms. Throughout her career, she has led regional teams, strengthened quantitative and strategic research capabilities, and advised brands across finance, hospitality and consumer goods. Her work has centred on elevating the role of insights in driving business transformation and customer centric decision making.
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Commenting on the appointment, Chahal said Pang’s leadership comes at a pivotal time for the company’s Southeast Asia ambitions. “Cindy’s appointment marks an exciting milestone for Milieu Insight as we strengthen our ongoing commitment to Southeast Asia. She brings the kind of leadership we need at this stage of our growth. With a sharp commercial mind, a genuine passion for insights, and the regional expertise to nurture client relationships, I am confident that together, we will steer our market presence to the next level,” he said.
For Pang, stepping into the regional CEO role comes amid rapid shifts in how brands access and interpret data, particularly with the rise of large language models and real time information tools.
“To grow we’d first have to acknowledge the accelerating landscape shift. LLMs, as an example, have dramatically improved access to real-time information, and it’s on us to stay malleable, adapt and remain relevant,” she told A+M exclusively.
Rather than viewing AI driven tools as competition, Pang sees them as reinforcing Milieu Insight’s core value proposition. While LLMs can generate and contextualise information based on what is already available, she pointed out that they cannot replace proprietary, empirical data collected directly from consumers.
“LLMs generate and contextualise based on what’s already out there; what they can’t do is generate empirical observations about human attitudes and preferences from proprietary data collected from millions of consumers, year on year.
“That data is our competitive advantage, and we’re super-focused on making it more accessible. Our Canvas platform puts data directly in the hands of our clients, and our Portraits ecosystem gives brands a future-proof view of their consumers in the markets they’re interested in. We want to build the operating system for decision-makers, and we’re confident we can do that,” she added.
The appointment follows the recent addition of Gaurang Kotak as chief operating officer (COO) and forms part of Milieu Insight’s broader effort to strengthen its executive bench. With leadership now in place across technology, regional operations and finance, the company is positioning itself for sustained growth across Southeast Asia, alongside its UK and US markets.
At the end of 2024, Milieu Insight named Sundip Chahal as its new group CEO. Drawing on his extensive network and experience, Chahal was set to continue strengthening Milieu Insight’s position in Southeast Asia while spearheading the company’s growth into new global markets such as the US and the UK.
Chahal joined Milieu Insight after an 18-year tenure at research company YouGov where he rose from the position of brand index sales director in November 2005 to become its group chief operating officer from 2014 to 2024.
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