In his new role, Patel will oversee Kantar’s brand equity intellectual property, including its Meaningful, Different and Salient framework, and also help with evolving the team for the AI era.

Patel’s appointment is the first major addition to the brand team since Dan Colton joined the company as global managing director from Sky Bet in April.

Before taking up his new role, Patel was Africa director of research at Mobile Digital Insights, as well as a previous 22-year spell at Kantar. Patel is based in Cape Town.

Colton said: “Since I joined in April, my focus has been on building a team with the depth and ambition this moment demands. Adhil is the clearest example of that: few people understand our IP as well as he does, or have thought harder about what it means for the AI era.

“As people and machines increasingly shape how brands are discovered and chosen, that’s exactly the combination of rigour and fresh thinking our clients need.”

Patel added: “I’m coming back to a business I know and love, and to a team Dan is building with real ambition. This is an exciting moment to evolve the industry, given how AI is reshaping how equity is built and as marketers seek clear evidence for turning intelligence into stronger growth.”