New Chief Strategy Officer Malli Vangala joins IRI and NPD

Malli Vangala joins newly merged Information Resources, Inc. (IRI) and The NPD Group (NPD) as the new chief strategy officer, the data and analytics  firm announced Thursday.

Vangala joins the company from Microsoft, where he led strategic initiatives for the Microsoft 365 business. He will be replacing Wei Lin Wong, who will be focusing on his new role as president of retail at IRI and NPD.

“We are very pleased to welcome Malli as we work to bring the full power of our combined organization to bear for our clients and partners,” said Kirk Perry, president and chief executive officer for IRI and NPD, in a statement. “Malli is an innovative and seasoned leader, with a demonstrated track record of incubating great ideas and launching and scaling businesses built on advanced technology solutions. His complementary skillset will be an important asset as we continue to strengthen our place in the market and expand the ways we can empower brands and retailers with insights that drive growth.”

In Vangala’s new role, he will develop strategic initiatives, drive product innovation and identify new growth areas across industries the combined company serves, which includes CPG, softlines, hardlines, beauty, technology, foodservice and food consumption.

“I am thrilled to be joining IRI and NPD,” said Vangala in a statement. “Together, we are focused on setting a new standard for innovative technology, rich insights and data-driven advisory services across more than 20 industries. I look forward to working with this outstanding team to optimize our leading data assets and strategic retail relationships to find new opportunities to support our clients as they navigate today’s evolving and dynamic consumer landscape.”

Vangala led the Microsoft 365 Strategy Team at Microsoft from 2016 to 2019. He spent more than three years as a leader in Microsoft’s Cybersecurity and Compliance Product Marketing team. Before joining Microsoft, he was vice president of Corporate Strategy at SAP, and was also a management consultant at McKinsey & Co.

IRI and NPD completed their merger in August 2022. The combined company said they will announce a “unified name and brand” at a later date.