Ravi and Janaki - pioneers in market research
The partnership of Ravi and Janaki Bamunusinghe in the field of market research is over three decades. Together they have built two leading market research agencies adding value to strategic decisions of national, international and multinational businesses, according to a recent interview with the veteran market research duo.
Janaki is a disciple of the legendary British qualitative researcher Mary Goodyear who believes in grounded contextual understanding of the consumer. In accordance with this line of thinking she had changed the mindset of qualitative research in Sri Lanka. Ravi was exposed to market research when he was a student in the UK and later it became his passion and profession. His contribution to the industry in terms of pro- ducing high performing marketers and researchers is immense. He took a keen interest in enhancing the growth of both the marketing and the research industries and has been instrumental in formulating several national bodies in Sri Lanka. He too is a respected teacher in business, marketing and research; and has conducted workshops in business strategy and branding, it was noted.
Janaki’s present interests are in spending time in homes for the aged and teenagers making them happy in spite of life’s eventualities. She says that it brings her immense satisfaction and she is keen to do more in the future. Ravi’s passion is teaching, a skill he thinks he inherited from his late grandfather and mother. He is currently teaching students who are preparing for MBAs and post graduate studies.
Both Ravi and Janaki are avid travellers and their current interest is to engage with the local communities where they had a memorable stay in Lanka Gama inside Sinharaja forest. Asked what advice they have for today’s youth, they said focus on the task rather than worry about the outcome.