Consumer trends researcher Iconoculture has appointed a team of strategists to advise marketers on the Indian market, which “continues to be bewildering”, according to one of the firm’s senior strategists, Vandana Maithani.

“India is undergoing a period of change, but regional and cultural identities still remain as strong as ever,” said Maithani. “To be successful, brands and marketers must understand the cultural nuances and contrasts that coexist in India.”

Lafferty, meanwhile, specialises in research for the banking and financial services market. Its work in India will cover retail banking, cards and personal financial services.

Arvind Agrawal will lead the company’s India operations. He said: “Given the current growth in the domestic banking and finance industry, this is the right time to establish and develop our operations here.”