The Faces Behind Borderless Access

Ruchika Gupta
CEO/Founder

As the founder and CEO of Borderless Access, Ruchika Gupta is the driving force at the Company and has led the company’s remarkable growth journey since its inception in 2008. Her visionary leadership has helped sustain consistent year-on-year success, positioning Borderless Access as an award-winning, technology-driven insights and market research solutions provider.

Ruchika has not only led the company to financial success but has also fostered a culture of innovation, agility and efficiency. Her strategic skills and financial acumen have helped position Borderless Access as a specialist across the spectrum of research solutions – from customer access to advanced research methodologies, making it a trusted partner for businesses seeking actionable, impactful, data-driven solutions. She represents the company at global conferences speaking about market & technology disruptions, innovation and challenges within the industry.

Ruchika is a serial entrepreneur in the research & analytics space having started her entrepreneurial journey in 2000. She has been instrumental in building successful businesses and making profitable exits. One of her core strengths is building strong collaborative teams and empowering them to reach the professional milestones set. Ruchika is also a passionate advocate for women empowerment and works towards improving the gender mix in the workforce.

In her three-decade career she has held leadership positions at renowned companies like 3M, WPP, and Havas Media. Recognized as the “Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year” by CII and receiving the “High Performing Women IT Entrepreneurs” award, Ruchika Gupta continues to shape Borderless Access as a pioneering force in technology-driven market research solutions. Ruchika is also a member of YPO, a leadership community of CEOs.

Dushyant Gupta
Executive Vice President

As Executive Vice President at Borderless Access, Dushyant Gupta leads the growth strategy at Borderless Access, steering the company’s revenue accountability and marketing/product innovation decisions. He has been instrumental in driving several positive P&L outcomes in his two decades of experience in leading multi-million dollar consumer research/insight engagements.

Dushyant collaborates with top executives and boards of companies, providing crucial support for performance turnaround initiatives and organizational transformations. His deep understanding of consumer behavior, big data analytics and outstanding business skills have played an important role in extending performance-driven relationships with clients, propelling Borderless Access to remarkable heights.

Prior to Borderless Access, Dushyant held leadership positions at Cross-Tab (now Course5i), where he led global programs for clients such as Microsoft and P&G. Dushyant regularly speaks at global conferences on topics such as the use of disruptive innovation in consumer and healthcare market research. His earlier roles as a marketing research professional at AMA Gold Top firms, including Nielsen and Kantar, further enrich his expertise.

Outside of his professional life, he nurtures new business ideas as an active angel investor and a mentor/advisor to many start-ups around the world.

Bev Tigar Bassett
Vice President - BD, Africa and UK

Bev Tigar Bassett is the VP of Business Development for the UK, Africa and EU at Borderless Access. Based in Johannesburg, Bev drives business development initiatives in the African and UK/European regions, leading our transformational journey from traditional to digital research methods, bringing in Borderless Access’ expertise, data and solutions to meet our clients’ evolving needs.

With over three decades of experience in leadership roles at Nielsen, Kantar TNS, Sara Lee, Smith and Nephew and Beiersdorf, Bev brings extensive expertise in Consumer Packaged Goods, and Banking and Insurance. Bev’s forward-thinking approach is transformative in the market research industry, influencing leading consumer products companies to develop sustainable brand strategies.

As the VP of Business Development for Africa and the UK, Bev remains at the forefront of steering Borderless Access towards new horizons. Her substantial experience in strategic insight and commitment to industry transformation positions her as an important contributor to the company’s success in these key regions.

Robert Pierson
Senior Vice President - BD, US and Canada

Robert Pierson leads the business development efforts for Borderless Access in the US and Canada region. He oversees client outreach and onboarding across various business verticals, including agency clients and corporates. With more than two decades of experience, he has a background in consultative sales within market research and related industries, spanning various geographic locations worldwide.

Robert’s extensive sales journey includes senior leadership roles at multiple companies, with his most recent position at Kantar Profiles. His commitment to cross-cultural collaboration has been instrumental in securing the largest and fastest deals, contributing significantly to his ongoing success.

In his current role at Borderless Access, Robert focuses on adding multiple new Fortune 500 enterprise clients across CPG, Healthcare, Technology and E-commerce clientele. His strategic vision aims to lead revenue growth from the traditional MR agency and consulting client segment, showcasing his skills in steering business development strategies that yield impactful results.

Beyond his role at Borderless Access, Robert actively contributes to international trade initiatives as a board member of the British American Business Council, building cross-border collaboration in the Americas. His commitment to advancing global business relationships underscores his dedication to the broader business community.

Ejaz Mirza
Senior Vice President – BD, Middle East

Ejaz Mirza, Senior Vice President of Business and Market Development at Borderless Access, leads the fast growing Middle East region from his Dubai base. With an extensive career in the region, he possesses a deep understanding of its culture and consumers, bringing to the table a nuanced mix of global and local expertise. As a development and service lead, Ejaz draws from experience in both ad-hoc and continuous research practices.

Throughout his career, Ejaz has collaborated with top firms like Market Pulse and Cross-Tab, leaving a lasting impact on Kantar entities such as IMRB International (India) and TNS (Dubai).

Having worked closely with global and regional industry leaders, including Almarai, Saudia, Friesland and the Agthia group, Ejaz brings to the table the experience of overcoming complex markets.

Ejaz brings a wealth of expertise across diverse sectors, spanning F&B, household products, banking, personal care, technology, social, automotive and telecom.

His contribution to Borderless Access reflects his dedication and strategic insight, shaping the company’s impact in the region.

Aditi Bhonsle
Vice President - Research and Analytics

As the Vice President of Consumer Research and Analytics, Aditi Bhonsale leads the client engagement and research teams, the global research and insights vertical of Borderless Access.

With a professional background spanning over two decades, Aditi has made impactful contributions at Kantar and Cross-Tab (now Course5i), where she directed and managed client engagement programs. Noteworthy achievements include leading global tracking studies for technology giants such as Microsoft, Lenovo and HP.

Her leadership plays an important role in shaping the global research and insights vertical at Borderless Access. She has been at the forefront of our consumer work and leads a team that is dedicated to delivering advanced digital research solutions to Fortune Enterprises, enabling them to make informed business and marketing decisions by leveraging insights into niche markets and audiences.

Luke Francis
Vice President - BD, USA (Healthcare)

Luke Francis leads the North American operations of Borderless Access’s healthcare market research division, leading business development through proactive prospecting, service expansion and strategic initiatives for revenue growth. As an experienced transformation leader, he has established several performance-based partnerships with companies across the world.

With significant leadership experience at Manthan, Wipro and Nipuna, Luke has played important roles in establishing operations, leading large teams and driving innovation-focused, results-oriented approaches.

In his current role, Luke remains the driving force behind the expansion and success of Borderless Access’ healthcare market research division in the United States.

His strategic focus includes prospect building, launching new services and creating a roadmap for strategic revenue generation and overall growth.

Niraj Morey
AVP - Research and Analytics, Middle East

At Borderless Access, Niraj Morey leads the sales and new business acquisition projects in the Middle East region. Niraj serves as the AVP of Consumer Insights and Analytics at Borderless Access. With over 20 years of expertise in the consumer insights business, Niraj has an extensive professional background, including being part of Unilever’s global task forces on product testing and qualitative research.

During his tenure at Unilever, Niraj led the development and deployment of innovations, shaping a comprehensive consumer and market insights agenda for food, beverage, and personal care categories across diverse geographies. His transition to Kantar saw him take on a significant role, leading a large strategic business unit dedicated to servicing FMCG and automotive accounts.

In his role, he continues to bring his wealth of experience to drive impactful strategies and contribute to the success of businesses in the region.

Niraj’s strategic acumen and dedication were recognized with the prestigious Research Excellence Award for the Middle East & Africa region.

Srihari Udugani
Vice President - Technology & Innovation

Srihari Udugani brings over 18 years of extensive experience in leading technology innovation across diverse industries. As the Vice President of Technology & Innovation at Borderless Access, Srihari leverages his deep expertise in enterprise software development, cloud computing and GenAI to drive the evolution of our technology assets and spearhead new product development initiatives.

Srihari’s impressive track record includes leading global product and GenAI teams. At Borderless Access, his leadership and technical acumen have consistently driven the successful execution of complex technology projects, ensuring they meet both strategic goals and client needs.

In addition to his technical expertise, Srihari excels in people management, strategic thinking, project management, and team building. His commitment to fostering talent and sharing knowledge is evident through his voice at Borderless Access.

Sumit Mittal
Vice President, Finance & Legal

As the head of finance, Sumit Mittal brings over two decades of global experience to his role at Borderless Access.

Throughout his career, Sumit has held key positions at prestigious organizations. Sumit’s expertise extends to strategic financial planning, budgeting, cost management, and risk mitigation. His deep understanding of GAAP compliance, due diligence, and M&A ensures that Borderless Access operates with the highest level of financial integrity.

His strategic approach to improving organizational working capital and cost management, coupled with his strong partnership in business strategy, makes him a key asset in steering the organization toward sustained growth and success.

Usha TK
Head of Human Resources

As the Head of Human Resources at Borderless Access, Usha plays a pivotal role in making Borderless Access a “People First” Company. With over two decades of rich experience in the field, Usha has been instrumental in fostering a culture of collaboration, excellence and inclusivity within the organization.

Throughout her career, Usha has successfully led HR teams at renowned organizations, ensuring the alignment of HR practices with business goals. Her expertise spans across talent management, employee engagement, organizational development, and compliance, making her a vital asset to Borderless Access.

Her leadership ensures that the company not only attracts but also retains top talent. Her commitment to building a dynamic and supportive work environment empowers the team to achieve their full potential, contributing significantly to the company’s growth and success.

BV Pradeep
Advisor

BV Pradeep is a member of the Advisory Board at Borderless Access. With over three decades of experience as an Insight professional and management leader, he has held key roles in Global, Regional and Country leadership, directing insight teams consisting of over 300 CMI professionals across 40 countries.

Having worked at Unilever as the Global Vice President of Consumer and Market Insight for the Americas and Europe, Pradeep led Global Centres of Excellence in Shopping and e-commerce insight, Market Insight, and Predictive Marketing and Shopping Analytics. His remarkable 16-year tenure as a member of the Global Unilever CMI leadership team underscores his influence in the industry.

Pradeep is a notable figure in the Global Market Research & Insight industry. He served as a Governing Council Member of ESOMAR from 2014 to 2020, holding the position of Vice President during the term 2017-18. Additionally, he presided as the President of the Market Research Society of India from 1999-2005 and is a Member of MRS, UK. Pradeep’s expertise has been showcased through speaking engagements at various industry conferences and delivering keynote addresses at prestigious forums, including ESOMAR-Global, ARF-USA, American Marketing Association-USA, CRC-USA, TMRE-USA, MRSI-India, and MRMW-Singapore.

An Engineer and MBA from the renowned Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, Pradeep graduated with four gold medals in Marketing, earning scholarships from Bank of America and Citibank. Currently based in London, United Kingdom, Pradeep continues to contribute his wealth of experience and knowledge to Borderless Access’s Advisory Board.