Global Insights: Key Developments Shaping the Market Research Industry
ESOMAR Asia Pacific 2026: Beyond Balance
One of the most anticipated gatherings in the global insights calendar, ESOMAR Asia Pacific, returned to Tokyo, Japan from 27–29 May 2026 under the theme Beyond Balance. Bringing together leading professionals from research, analytics, data, technology, and consumer insights, the conference continued its long-standing tradition of fostering collaboration, innovation, and thought leadership across the Asia-Pacific region. Notably, this marked the conference's return to Tokyo after more than two decades, underscoring the city's role as a hub for innovation and global business.
The theme, Beyond Balance, reflected a new reality for the insights profession, moving beyond traditional trade-offs such as speed versus rigour, innovation versus trust, and global scale versus local nuance. Across three days, delegates explored how organizations can harness emerging technologies, particularly AI, while maintaining quality, transparency, and cultural understanding.
The conference featured nearly 60 speakers from leading organizations including Google, PepsiCo, The Coca-Cola Company, Heineken, Mondelez International, Reckitt, Colgate, and 7-Eleven, who shared practical case studies demonstrating how consumer insights are driving business growth and enabling better decision-making. Sessions covered AI governance and accountability, maintaining cultural relevance in an automated world, innovation and growth, data quality, participant experience, sustainability, and the evolving role of researchers in an increasingly AI-powered ecosystem.
Beyond the conference sessions, networking remained a central focus, with curated meet-ups, networking breaks, receptions, and social events designed to foster meaningful connections among industry professionals from across the region and beyond.
As the insights industry continues to evolve at an unprecedented pace, ESOMAR APAC 2026 reinforced the importance of combining technological advancement with human understanding, ensuring that research remains both innovative and impactful. The conference served as a powerful reminder that the future of insights lies not in choosing between competing priorities, but in successfully integrating them to create greater value for businesses, consumers, and society alike.
MRSI & ESOMAR to Host Global Tech & AI Event in Mumbai in 2027
A major milestone for the Indian and global insights community was announced during the 7th MRSI Golden Key Awards held in Mumbai, where industry leaders gathered to celebrate excellence in market research and insights.
Delivering the inaugural address, Anne-Sophie Damelincourt, President of ESOMAR, highlighted the rapid transformation of the insights industry, driven by advances in technology and artificial intelligence (AI). During her address, she formally announced that ESOMAR and the Market Research Society of India (MRSI) will jointly host the ESOMAR/MRSI Tech & AI Global Event in Mumbai in April 2027.
The landmark conference will bring together researchers, industry leaders, technology innovators, and decision-makers from around the world to explore the growing intersection of AI, emerging technologies, and the future of the market research profession. As one of the world's largest and most dynamic research communities, India will provide the perfect backdrop for discussions on how technology is reshaping the way insights are generated, analysed, interpreted and activated.
The event is expected to focus on key themes including artificial intelligence, automation, data quality, ethics and governance, participant engagement, innovation in research methodologies, and the evolving role of insights professionals in an increasingly technology-enabled ecosystem. More importantly, it aims to create a platform for meaningful debate and collaboration, enabling the global insights community to collectively shape the future direction of the profession.
The announcement further reinforces the growing partnership between ESOMAR and MRSI and highlights India's rising prominence on the global insights stage. While the exact dates, venue, agenda, and registration details are yet to be announced, preparations are already underway for what promises to be one of the most significant industry events of 2027.
The momentum towards the event is already building. MRSI's Talent and Community Program (TCP) has aligned its schedule with the global initiatives planned for 2027, with national winners expected to finalize their submissions by January 29, 2027, creating further opportunities for Indian talent to engage with the broader ESOMAR community.
As the insights industry continues to navigate unprecedented technological change, the ESOMAR/MRSI Tech & AI Global Event is poised to become a defining forum for thought leadership, innovation, and collaboration, positioning India at the forefront of the global conversation on the future of insights.