For decades, India’s real estate industry was driven largely by relationships, instinct, and local market knowledge. Buying property often depended more on trust than on transparent data, while developers rarely had access to sophisticated market intelligence before launching projects.
That began to change as the industry matured and attracted institutional investors, global developers, and private equity firms. Alongside this transformation emerged professionals who introduced research, structured advisory, and analytical decision-making into one of India’s largest industries.
Among them, Anuj Puri has played one of the most influential roles.
Over nearly four decades, he has helped professionalize real estate consulting in India, making market research, consumer insights, and data-driven advisory an essential part of how developers, investors, financial institutions, and homebuyers evaluate property decisions.
From Hospitality to Real Estate Leadership
Anuj Puri began his career in the hospitality sector before moving into real estate consulting during a period when India’s property market was still relatively unorganized.
As global investment gradually entered the country after economic liberalization, developers required more than brokerage services. They needed research, feasibility studies, pricing strategies, valuation expertise, and investment advisory.
Recognizing this shift early, Puri built his career around providing structured consulting rather than conventional property sales.
His ability to combine market knowledge with business strategy eventually established him as one of India’s most respected voices in real estate.
Building Institutional Standards
One of Puri’s most significant contributions came during his leadership at JLL India, where he served as Chairman and Country Head.
During his tenure, the firm expanded its capabilities across commercial leasing, residential advisory, valuations, capital markets, investment consulting, and research.
Rather than treating every property transaction independently, consulting became focused on understanding broader market cycles, demographic trends, infrastructure development, and long-term investment potential.
This institutional approach helped improve transparency while providing developers and investors with greater confidence when making large capital commitments.
As India’s real estate sector became increasingly attractive to global investors, professional advisory services evolved from an optional service into a strategic necessity.
Creating ANAROCK
In 2017, Puri launched ANAROCK, an independent real estate services company focused entirely on the Indian market.
The timing was significant.
The industry was adapting to major regulatory reforms, including the implementation of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act (RERA), GST, and demonetization, all of which reshaped market dynamics.
ANAROCK positioned itself as a full-service real estate consultancy offering residential, commercial, retail, hospitality, investment advisory, research, valuations, and capital market services.
Under Puri’s leadership, the company expanded rapidly across major Indian cities while strengthening its reputation for research-driven insights and market analysis.
Becoming One of India’s Most Trusted Property Voices
Beyond consulting, Puri has become one of India’s most widely quoted real estate experts.
His commentary regularly helps explain housing demand, affordability, commercial leasing trends, luxury housing, office markets, and government policy to both industry professionals and consumers.
Rather than focusing solely on transactions, his analysis often places market movements within a broader economic context, helping businesses and investors understand long-term trends rather than short-term fluctuations.
This emphasis on research has contributed to improving transparency across the sector.
Leadership Through Knowledge
Unlike many industry leaders known primarily for building projects, Puri’s influence has been built through information.
He has consistently argued that successful real estate decisions require reliable data, careful analysis, and a deep understanding of changing consumer behavior.
This philosophy has shaped how developers plan projects, how investors allocate capital, and how financial institutions evaluate risk.
In many ways, his work has helped transform real estate consulting into a strategic business discipline rather than a supporting service.
Looking Ahead
India’s property market continues to evolve with growing urbanization, infrastructure investment, digital adoption, and increasing institutional participation.
These changes are making professional research and advisory services more valuable than ever before.
As developers expand into emerging cities and investors look beyond traditional markets, data-driven decision-making is likely to become even more central to the industry’s future.
Anuj Puri’s career reflects this transformation. By introducing analytical thinking, professional advisory, and institutional standards into Indian real estate, he has helped shape not only how the market operates today but also how it is likely to evolve in the years ahead.
Photo: Realty Pulse Magazine
