Role Overview AIM Research is the world's leading media and analyst firm dedicated to artificial intelligence. We are seeking a Business Head of Research to lead our AI and GCC research practice, own the P/L, and grow our product portfolio. This role will drive strategic direction for flagship offerings (such as PeMa Quadrant), launch new products and services, oversee vendor briefings, and manage a high-performing research team. The ideal candidate will combine deep domain expertise in AI and global capability centers with solid commercial acumen and leadership skills.

Hire, mentor, and retain a multidisciplinary research team (analysts, data scientists, and editors) focused on AI, GCC trends, and emerging technologies.

Define annual research objectives, set clear KPIs, and foster a culture of high output and continuous learning.

Establish and enforce rigorous research processes, quality standards, and peer-review protocols across all deliverables.

Collaborate with HR on organizational design, performance reviews, and career development plans for research staff.

Create and manage the annual budget, revenue forecasts, and expense plans for the research division.

Monitor profitability for all products—reports, subscriptions, custom advisory, and data services—ensuring targets are met or exceeded.

Identify growth opportunities within the AI and GCC domains; Collaborate with Sales and Marketing to build go-to-market strategies for PeMa Quadrant updates, new reports, data products, and custom research mandates.

Present to senior leadership on financial performance, market trends, and strategic investments.

Research, conceptualize, and launch new products and offerings (e.g., AI startup rankings, GCC Explorer enhancements, custom data dashboards, subscription-based intelligence).

Prioritize product roadmap based on market feedback, competitive analysis, and client demand in AI and GCC spaces.





Coordinate with editorial and design teams to produce high-quality, data-driven reports, infographics, and presentations.

Lead briefing sessions, manage RFP processes for inclusion in PeMa Quadrant, and ensure fair, transparent evaluation based on methodology criteria.

Cultivate relationships with vendors, ensuring they understand AIM Research's methodology, timelines, and data requirements.

Evaluate vendor maturity, technology differentiation, and market positioning to inform inclusion decisions and advisory guidance.

Identify high-value research themes: Oversee the development of signature reports, whitepapers, and syndicated research that reinforce AIM Research's authority in AI and GCC intelligence.

represent AIM Research at webinars, podcasts, and industry events.

Collaborate with product marketing to ensure research insights are translated into compelling messaging for conferences (Cypher, MachineCon, Happy Llama), emailers, and LinkedIn posts.

Serve as the primary point of contact for custom research inquiries, advisory mandates, and strategic projects.

Present research findings, brief clients on market dynamics, and recommend actionable intelligence tailored to client objectives.

Work closely with Partnerships to identify co-branding, sponsorship, and joint-research opportunities with technology vendors and consulting firms.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Define and refine research methodologies for AI vendor evaluations (PeMa Quadrant), GCC assessments (GCC Explorer), and custom data products.





Ensure data collection—from primary interviews to secondary sources—is accurate, unbiased, and up-to-date.

Oversee analytical models, data visualizations, and interactive dashboards; Stay current on industry best practices, emerging research tools (e.g., Python, R, Tableau), and advances in AI/ML analytics.

Experience: 15+ years in research, analyst, or advisory roles at a market intelligence firm, management consultancy, or technology analyst house.

Demonstrated success managing P/L, meeting revenue targets, and leading cross-functional research teams.

Experience conceptualizing, developing, and launching research products (e.g., Bachelor's degree in business, engineering, data science, or a related field; Master's or MBA preferred.

Strategic Thinking: Ability to translate market trends into actionable research roadmaps and go-to-market plans.

Commercial Acumen: Strong understanding of P/L management, pricing models, and revenue growth strategies.

Analytical Rigor: Proficiency in research methodologies, data analysis, and visualization tools (Tableau, Power BI, Python/R).

Thrive under tight deadlines, shifting priorities, and fast-evolving AI/GCC landscapes.

Quality Orientation: Meticulous attention to detail, ensuring methodological integrity and data accuracy in all outputs.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Revenue & Profitability: Year-over-year growth in research division revenue; updated PeMa Quadrant, new data dashboards) and adoption metrics (subscriptions, downloads, inquiries).

Renewal and upsell rates, Net Promoter Score (NPS), and feedback from custom research engagements.

Employee engagement scores, retention rate, and performance against individual KPIs.

Citations, media mentions, webinar attendance, and social media engagement for published research.

📌 Research Manager with AI (Bengaluru)
🏢 AIM
📍 Bengaluru