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Gartner has announced results for the first quarter of 2024, with revenue up 4.6% (FX neutral) to $1.473bn, and adjusted EBITDA of $382m, up 1.7% on the same basis. More
In the US, ad tech platform Infillion has relaunched MediaMath, the DSP and data management firm whose assets it acquired out of bankruptcy last summer. More
Insight-driven marcoms agency The Bliss Group has expanded its operations to the UK, opening a London office to serve its professional and financial services, healthcare, tech and 'impact' clients. More
Tech consulting and research firm Forrester has reported first quarter revenues down around 12% to $100.1m, and adjusted net income of $2.8m, down from $5.1m a year earlier. More
Kantar has promoted Simon Atherley to head up its yearling marketing effectiveness practice, alongside Kantar Insights UK MD Dom Boyd. More
WPP has issued a first quarter trading update, with like-for-like revenue less pass-through costs down 1.6% to £2.69bn. CEO Mark Read said the results were in line with expectations, reflecting tough comparatives, and that the firm 'remains on track to return to growth in the balance of the year'. More
London-based B2B SaaS solutions provider Four/Four has secured £310k in Seed funding, for use in expanding its operations and continuing software development. More
UK-based brand and communications research agency The Nursery has appointed former 2CV exec Rob Hartley as Head of Social Research. More
London-based marketing intel and programmatic media specialist MiQ has launched its services in the Republic of Ireland, appointing Niall Murtagh to lead its expansion there in the role of Sales Director. More
Marcoms network Stagwell, which owns the Harris Poll and Harris X brands as well as Maru Group, has opened its new EMEA headquarters in London's Blue Fin Building on the South Bank. More
Ipsos has reported continued solid growth in the first quarter of the year, with revenue up 4.5% in organic terms, to EUR 557.5m. The EMEA and Asia Pacific regions led the way with revenue up more than 9% in each case (organic) while the Americas saw a 3.2% decline. More
Rory Sutherland, Vice Chairman of legendary ad agency Ogilvy UK, has joined creative effectiveness platform DAIVID in the capacity of Strategic Advisor. More
DIY online survey pioneer SurveyMonkey has promoted Priya Gill to Global Head of Marketing, leading its marketing strategy and execution across all markets. More
Digital media measurement and analytics firm DoubleVerify (DV) has apologised to X, formerly known as Twitter, for an error which over a recent four-month period gave the microblogging site brand safety ratings as low as 70%, when actual scores were as high as 99.99%, according to reports. More
Insights technology and panel provider Toluna has appointed Lucia Moir as Chief Operations Officer and promoted Priyanka Sarkar to Chief Research Officer. More
British online audience measurement body UKOM has appointed 25-year Nielsen exec Sarah Miller as its Technical Consultant. More
Marketing tech group Access Intelligence Plc has appointed Tom Ritchie as President of PR & Comms EMEA. More
London-based researcher High Tech Dev has rebranded as HTAIR, reflecting a significant change in its mission and vision (focused around AI); and has appointed Nigel Woodliffe as Chief Customer Success Officer. More
In the UK, MR industry veterans and Firefish execs Jem Fawcus and Richard Owen have launched a new company, QualifyAI, with a mission 'to automate qualitative research without stripping it of its humanity'. The partners say this is possible for the first time thanks to AI. More
Experience Management (XM) company Qualtrics has appointed Juan Rodriguez as Chief Information Officer and Assaf Keren joins Qualtrics as Chief Security Officer. More
Eponymous online survey firm SurveyMonkey has promoted Jing Huang to VP, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Katie Miserany to SVP and Chief Communications Officer, and Craik Pyke to VP, Infrastructure and Security Engineering. The firm now boasts gender equality at both the C-Suite and VP levels. More
Insights and experience tech company PG Forsta has appointed Mike Thompson as Chief Analytics Officer, and says he will drive the development of new AI-driven capabilities and products, following the company's commitment to invest $500 million in the area over five years. More
Mishcon de Reya (MDR Group), a business services group with a focus on legal advice, has launched a market insights and analytics business called MDRi, providing strategic advisory services to businesses worldwide. Simon Tye will lead the new division as Chief Executive Officer. More
This month sees the launch in London of a new agency, Wren Insight, focused on customer closeness and led by qual researchers Jude Terry and Hannah Beech. More
Market Research charity the MRBA has three days to run on its 2024 auction. Bidding for two tickets to Taylor Swift's sold-out Eras tour (Wembley Stadium concert, August) currently stands at £1,500, but those with more modest budgets can bid for bottles, days / meals out and other items. More
Former ORC and Join the Dots / InSites Consulting exec Edward Wheeler has joined BVA BDRC as Head of Business Development. More
San Francisco-based predictive intelligence firm 6sense has appointed Jerome Levadoux as its first Chief Product Officer. More
In West Palm Beach, Florida, MR industry veterans Hugh Davis and Keith Price have launched ACKWEST Group, a holding company which will focus on buying and developing emerging tech-driven enterprises in the consumer insights and marketing services sector. More
In London, Verve has announced the promotion of its former Joint Head of Insight Richard Preedy to the newly created role of Executive Director and Head of Artificial Intelligence. The firm is 'relaunching' itself to emphasize its focus on 'three intelligences': Artificial, Human and Cultural. More
Technology research and advisory firm Information Services Group (ISG) has reported revenue for the full year 2023 of $291m, up 1.7% despite a very slow fourth quarter in which revenue dropped 11% to $66.2m. More
London-based analytics / business intelligence start-up Fluent has secured $7.5m in seed funding for its mission to democratize insights using conversational AI. More
Comscore has reported full year 2023 revenue of $371.3m, down 1.4%, but with FX-neutral adjusted EBITDA up 29% to $46.9m. CEO Jon Carpenter pointed to growth in local TV measurement and in the CCR and Proximic offerings as strong indicators for the future. More
Global MR and data group YouGov has announced the rebranding of its Swiss subsidiary LINK, acquired in December 2021, as YouGov Switzerland. More
EMEA communications firm Instinctif Partners Group has appointed Julian Walker as CEO; having recently added Jim Donaldson as Non-Executive Chair, and Dr Matilda Andersson as MD of its subsidiary, British-based insight firm Truth. More
US-based data firm J.D. Power has completed the acquisition of Autovista Group, which provides automotive data, analytics and industry insights in Europe and Australia, from asset management firm Hayfin Capital Management. Autovista CEO Lindsey Roberts becomes President of J.D. Power Europe. More
PAMCo, the company which oversees audience figures for British newspapers and magazines, has appointed Emma Holden as Acting MD after the departure of CEO of ten years Simon Redican. More
London-based APL Media is integrating the technology of US-based feedback software firm Social Asking, aiming to 'bring cutting-edge AI to audience engagement' and allow brands to understand their audience in real time. A new division of APL will serve as Social Asking's lead (UK) sales agent. More
Marcoms group Stagwell has reported full year 2023 revenue of $2.53bn, down 6% year on year, and adjusted EBITDA of $360m, down 20%. However the company reports strong new business, good growth in EMEA and for its Marketing Cloud suite, and is forecasting a return to growth in 2024. More
London-based Humankind Research, which specialises in research for positive social impact, is adding a team offering standalone quantitative projects, and has hired Laura Moore and Amy Watson to lead it as Head of Quant and Quant Research Director, respectively. More
In the US, Allison Wilt and Steve Ingledew have launched ContextualY, a specialist B2B research agency whose four founding Principals between them boast more than a hundred years of experience supporting technology clients and stakeholders. More
WPP has reported preliminary results for the full year 2023, with revenue (less pass-through costs) of £11.86bn, up 0.9% on a like-for-like basis, and operating profit down more than 60% to £531m. More
Ipsos has reported organic, constant currency revenue growth of 8.8% for the fourth quarter of 2023, and 3% for the full year, with operating profit stable at an all-time high of 13.1%. More
Longtime Ipsos exec and current Global Head of Audience Measurement Liz Landy is to leave the company at the end of this month. Daniel Wong-Chi-Man will step up to Lead the Audience Measurement Service Line globally, while Ipsos iris leader James Oates will add responsibility for the business in the UK. More
Kantar has announced a partnership with computer vision and attention measurement specialist Realeyes, integrating the latter's Verify identity recognition software into the former's anti-fraud software QubedAI. More
AI-based ad optimisation and measurement firm LoopMe has announced the recruitment of more than fifty new employees, growing its workforce by some 20%. This includes the appointments of Slava Taraskin as VP Business Development, and Adam Parker as VP of Corporate Development & Strategy More
In the US, technology researcher Forrester has reported full year 2023 revenue of $480.8m, down 11% on 2022. Adjusted net income was $36.6m, down from $47.2m a year earlier. More
Technology consulting firm Gartner has reported full year revenue of $5.9bn, up 8%, and adjusted EBITDA of $1.5bn, up 2% after allowing for currency changes. Revenue growth slowed again and EBITDA fell slightly in the fourth quarter. More
Food, facilities and hospitality services provider Sodexo has announced the global launch of an Accelerator Programme with categories for entrepreneurs in data analytics and customer experience. More
Comscore has promoted Alejandro Fosk, previously SVP for Latin America, to EVP International, overseeing its EMEA, APAC and LATAM regions. More
Origin, a cross-media measurement initiative led by the UK's advertising trade group ISBA has added six more advertiser stakeholders, and says its platform is now 'up and running'. More
In an apparent volte face after refreshing and reinforcing the brand of its communications agency Hill & Knowlton as recently as November, WPP has announced the company will be merged with the group's other major PR firm BCW, with the combined entity renamed Burson. More
London-based ad measurement and impact optimisation firm DAIVID has promoted its EMEA MD Barney Worfolk-Smith to the role of Chief Growth Officer. More
Sir Martin Sorrell's digital marketing group S4 Capital has issued a trading update following a 'difficult year' in which revenue declined around 4%, and says it does not expect any improvement in macro-economic conditions this year. More
Stoke on Trent, UK-based employee experience tech firm Huler has raised £1.5m in funding, to support further development of its 'HulerHub' employee experience platform and add ten new staff. David Kelly joins the firm as part of the deal, as Chief Revenue Officer. More
MR and analytics group YouGov has promoted Tom Fisher to Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), aiming to deepen its relationships with blue-chip clients. More
Media measurement and ad currency giant Nielsen has appointed former Buzzfeed exec Carole Robinson as Chief Communications Officer. More
Insights tech and panel provider Toluna has promoted Scott Axcell, formerly Head of Marketing for North America, to Chief Marketing Officer. He also joins the executive leadership team. More
Marcoms group Interpublic has announced that Chad Engelgau, CEO of its data and marketing services company Acxiom, will leave at the end of this month, after a total of seventeen years with the company, to pursue an opportunity in the non-profit sector. A search for his successor is underway. More
WPP is examining a possible sale of its remaining stake in Kantar, according to sources quoted by Bloomberg. More
Community-centered CX and insights firm Alida has a new CEO: Efrem Ainsley is promoted from COO to succeed Ross Wainwright, who recently stepped down from the role. More
Vortexa, a London-based real-time analytics platform for global energy and freight markets, has completed a $34m Series C funding round, more than doubling investment to date. Funds will help accelerate international expansion and tech development, and enhance services for clients and partners. More
Real-time brand tracking and campaign evaluation firm Delineate has appointed former Publicis Sapient exec James Betteley ('JB') as its new Chief Technology Officer. Former CTO James Stewart transitions to a newly created Chief Operating Officer role. More
European data collection firm Norstat has completed its integration of UK company Panelbase, which assumes the Norstat name as of today. More
Kantar Media may be up for sale in 2024 for 'as much as £1bn', according to reports on Sky News. More
US-based research and advisory firm Information Services Group (ISG) has launched a suite of advisory services to help clients with the adoption of AI at scale; and has appointed company President Steve Hall as its first Chief AI Officer. More
Social media intelligence and analytics group Meltwater will benefit from a $65m investment from Norwegian private equity firm Verdane, which takes an 11% stake in the company as a result - valuing Meltwater at around $592m. More
Marcoms group Stagwell has promoted Elspeth Rollert to become the first CEO of its Stagwell Marketing Cloud (SMC) division. She was previously its CMO. More
Sydney, Australia-based decision intelligence platform SourseAI has raised $AUD 3m in funding, earmarked for development of its AI platform for telcos, and recruitment for its UK team and Australia-based R&D team. More
London-based Arcane, which provides an AI 'co-pilot for modern marketers', has announced $5m in seed funding, which it will use to grow its engineering and data teams, and to enhance its platform's AI functionality. More
London-based digital customer experience agency Great State has promoted Jinny Mitchell-Kent and David Chandler to serve as Joint Managing Directors, effective immediately. They replace and will report to Stuart Avery who steps back into the role of Non-Executive Chairman. More
DRNO's News Editor of seventeen years Mel Crowther passed away last week after a battle with cancer. Mel has been a wonderful colleague and the driving force in making this publication what it is today, as well as a well-loved figure in the industry, and I'm sorry I know her loss will come as a shock to a lot of you. More
Real-time data streaming and messaging solutions firm DiffusionData has promoted Neil Seymour, formerly Head of Engineering, to serve as its COO. More
In Pasadena, California, behavioral and location insights specialist Near Intelligence, Inc. has announced it has entered Chapter 11 proceedings in a US Bankruptcy Court, which will supervise the attempted sale of its assets. More
UK-based pharma researcher Purdie Pascoe has launched a US office and appointed Sabera Hyderally as Head of MedTech. More
Marcoms group Stagwell, the owner of the Harris Poll and Harris X brands as well as Maru Group, has announced European expansion plans with the launch of a 'global hub' office in London next month, and the promotion of James Townsend to serve as its first CEO of EMEA. More
AI data platform company VAST Data has secured $118m in Series E Funding, valuing the company at $9.1bn. The money will help it expand in Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Europe, and support its mission to put data 'at the center of how systems think, react and discover'. More
Ipsos has appointed Eleni Nicholas as Chief Client Officer, with seats on the firm's Executive Committee and Group Management Committee. More
Insights technology and panel provider Toluna has confirmed key leadership positions including regional Managing Directors, following its summer acquisition of MetrixLab. More
London-based renewable energy assets analytics firm Modo has announced $15m in Series A funding, which it will use to build new features for its energy data 'super-app', and expand into further global markets. More
We are 25! On 29th Nov 1998 the first job ad appeared on mrweb.com. We're celebrating with the relaunch of our directories, under a new brand and with an ambitious new approach; and with Thank You's to our regular advertisers and some special offers for new ones. More
Search intelligence platform Captify has appointed John Piontkowski as President of North America, based in New York; and James Jones as Chief Marketing Officer, based in London. More
Media auditing, management and analytics firm MediaSense has appointed former Britbox International exec Matthew Gardner as COO, supporting plans for international growth. He replaces co-founder Andy Pearch, who moves to an NED role, with immediate effect. More
In NYC, AI-powered event intelligence platform Vendelux has raised $14m in a Series A round of funding, which it will use to expand its geographic footprint, product development and customer segments, and more than double its team by the end of 2024 - including building out a London team. More
British-based reputation specialist Echo Research has partnered with UAE-based branding and creative comms consultancy All About Brands to provide on the ground support to its clients based in the region, supported by its existing teams in both the UK and USA. More
Manchester, UK-based full-service pharmaceutical insight agency Blueprint Partnership has been re-named 'Beyond Blue'. More
Healthcare industry insights provider Real Chemistry is expanding its European presence, with the addition of four new leaders and the opening of a second UK office, in Manchester, early next year. More
Australia-based data and insights company Pureprofile has announced strong results for the third quarter of 2023, with revenue up 16% to $AUD 12.3m and continuing adjusted EBITDA of $AUD 1.5m, up 36%. More
Sir Martin Sorrell's S4 Capital has reported on a difficult third quarter, with net revenue down 15.4% (10% like-for-like) reflecting lower activity in its Content and Data&Digital media businesses. More
Comscore has reported a 1.9% drop in third quarter revenue to $91.0m; but also improved EBITDA, and net income of $2.6m, compared with a net loss of $52.4m in Q3 2022. More
Toluna has confirmed its senior team following the June acquisition of MetrixLab. The firm's Chief Sales, Research, Technology and Financial Officers will remain in role while former MetrixLab Global HR Director Hans Verhulst becomes Chief People Officer and Jolique Weelink Chief Insight Officer. More
Tech research and consulting group Gartner has announced third quarter revenue of $1.4bn, up 5.8% or 4.9% at constant currency. Profits were flat with adjusted EBITDA of $333m. More
Tech research and advisory firm Information Services Group (ISG) has announced third quarter revenue up 4.2% to $71.8m (about half of this organic) and adjusted EBITDA flat at $10.6m. It has also announced the acquisition of Ventana Research, expanding its coverage into the software industry. More
Marcoms group Stagwell, which owns the Harris Poll and Harris X brands as well as Maru Group, has announced a revenue decline of 7% to $618m, for the third quarter of 2023. It has also announced the acquisition of social media marketing solutions provider Movers and Shakers LLC, for c.$15m in cash. More
PR group Hill+Knowlton Strategies has announced the formation of a global Intelligence + Technology capability; a partnership with Pendulum Intelligence; and the launch of a proactive analytics tool, H+K Sonar, which helps firms detect, predict and mitigate harmful narratives online. More
Tech consultancy Forrester Research has announced third quarter revenue of $113.4m, down 11.2% from $127.7m a year earlier. The Consulting division reported the biggest fall, down 24.5% to $28.2m. More
UK-based marketing intelligence and programmatic media specialist MiQ has announced a number of senior appointments: Canada CEO Alfie Atkinson adds the role of 'CEO of UK', while Suzanne Strasser Grant, Danny Hopwood and Mauricio Leon join the company in EVP / C-Suite roles. More
Ipsos has reported third quarter revenue of EUR 588m, representing organic growth of 4.3% and restoring year-to-date organic growth after shrinkage in the first half. All the group's global regions shared in the Q3 growth, with EMEA leading the way. More
WPP has reported third quarter revenue less pass-through costs of $2.837bn, down 0.6% on a like-for-like basis and 5.0% on a reported basis. Declines in North America and China offset growth in the UK, Western Continental Europe and the firm's 'Rest of World' region. More
Kantar has announced a 'broad expansion' of AI capabilities within its brand strategy and creative development portfolio. They include Link subscriptions, to help stretch ad testing budgets; celebrity recognition in Link AI testing; predictive eye tracking; big data for threat detection; and help with 'sonic branding'. More
Divested government policy and comms advisory business Kantar Public will be rebranding globally as 'Verian' from November. More
Kantar Public has teamed up with AI-based performance consultancy Faculty AI to launch a tool to improve the data synthesis stage of qualitative research studies. More
Today sees the launch of Ipsos RISE, which combines the group's corporate reputation and public affairs expertise with AI to provide 'a ground-breaking platform for modern brand, risk and reputation management'. More
Customer and employee experience specialist Medallia has appointed Simonetta Turek as Chief Product Officer and a member of the executive leadership team. More
Research tech firm SightX has moved its VP Global Commercialization Daryl Maloney McCall to focus on regional growth in Europe and APAC, as its offering and client base in these regions expands. More
UK-based digital transformation consultancy Kin + Carta has officially opened its Southeast Europe delivery hub, following its acquisition of Bulgaria and North Macedonia-based software development company Melon Group early last year. More
Research platform Fastuna has announced the departure of its MD of five years Maria Soroka, and the appointment of Ipsos veteran Rimantas (Rimas) Remontas to replace her. More
London firm Unitary has raised $15m in series A funding, for use in scaling its AI video classification technology which 'understands video the same way that humans can'. More
In France, former Cint COO JD Deitch has launched Passaggio, a company helping insight and analytics firms among others to achieve operational excellence. More
Global insights consultancy Human8 has announced that co-founder Kristof De Wulf is to step down from the CEO role, with Camille Nicita taking over from next Monday. Katherine Ephlin, currently North America Head of Operations, will replace Nicita as MD North America. More
In the UK, data-as-a-service industrial classification platform The Data City has raised an undisclosed six-figure round of funding. This will be used to expand its team, to support the expansion of its customer base globally, and to accelerate the global roll-out of its AI-driven data platform. More
DIY online survey pioneer SurveyMonkey has appointed former Cloudflare and AWS exec Amit Prakash as Chief Marketing Officer. More
Retail media analytics platform mimbi has raised EUR 1.5m in a funding round, and says the money will help accelerate its commercial development in Europe. The firm has also added former Cdiscount CEO Emmanuel Grenier and investor Marc Menasé to its board of Directors. More
First-party insights data company Dynata has appointed Brad Brockhaug for the newly created role of Chief Commercial Officer (CCO). He is based in New York. More
Joint industry cross-media measurement programme Origin is partnering with media research specialist Differentology, to deliver its quarterly UK Media Landscape and Enumeration Survey. More
In the UK, healthcare insights company Research Partnership has promoted Andrew Stokes to the newly created role of Chief Commercial Officer. More
Ipsos has appointed former Bureau Veritas Director Caroline Ponsi Khider as Chief Communications and Brand Officer; and Dr Bonnie Bain as Global Head of Healthcare. Bain replaces Michael Spedding, who retires at the end of the year. More
AI-powered market intelligence firm AMPLYFI has raised a 'significant' amount of funding, which it will use to continue its international expansion and further develop its technology. More
Tugce Bulut and Oliver May, the co-founders of London-based mobile intelligence platform Streetbees, have left the business. The company is now led former Chief Commercial Officer, Vidisha Gaglani, and previous Chief Technology Officer Sean O'Connell. More
MR and advisory company Savanta has announced the extension of its Business Tracker to France and Germany, promising a comprehensive view of business attitudes based on 1,000 interviews a month in each country. The Tracker currently runs in the UK. More
Leeds, UK-based consumer intelligence firm STRAT7 Researchbods has opened a business unit dedicated to ensuring the integrity of respondents taking part in online quant surveys. More
In London, product analytics platform Context.ai has raised $3.5m in funding, to help users better understand and improve applications powered by large language models. More
London MR and CX firm Watermelon Research has spun out a technology-focused operations agency called Calico, billed as a 'one-stop shop' for the operational needs of other insight firms. More
Data, analytics, and insight consultancy MESH Experience has appointed media veteran Brian Jacobs as a Non-Executive Director focused on managing investor relations, as it looks to scale. More
In the UK, government body The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has announced three senior appointments, including Karen Croxson as Chief Data & Technology Insights Officer. More
London-based property data and analytics business Kamma has raised £3.6m in an investment round led by Clean Growth Fund, the UK's clean tech venture capital fund - and will use the money to expand and enhance its data engine. More
WPP has partnered with DXP provider Optimizely, to help clients offer the best digital experience to each customer. More
In the UK, a group of AI sector specialists are launching a qualitative research analysis chatbot called CoLoop, through which researchers can upload interviews, ask questions and receive referenced answers which instantly link back to verbatim and audio / video evidence. More
Tech analyst Gartner has reported second quarter revenue growth of 10.0%, once adjusted for currency effects. Total revenue hit $1.503 billion, with profits stable (adjusted EBITDA of $384m, down 0.3%). More
UK-based healthcare insights company Research Partnership has appointed Sue Wild as President, US Pharma, while Tom Donnelly joins as a Director in the US MedTech division. Both will be based in the firm's Fort Washington, PA offices. More
In the UK, former Lifestream CEO Sam Curtis has returned to Kantar as Head of the Digital Analytics practice. More
Tech research and consulting firm Forrester has announced financial results for the second quarter ended June 30th, showing total revenue down 8.5% to $135.6m, and for the first half down 8.8% to $249.3m. More
UK-based B2B market intelligence company Rhetorik has completed a round of debt funding worth $CAN 5.5m, to drive the expansion of its recently launched AI-enhanced data platform, Neuron360. More
WPP's consumer data specialist Wavemaker has announced that its Consultancy, Fast Growth and B2B Practices will be led by the three of its Global Client Presidents - Anna Hickey, Alastair Bannerman and Alex Altman, respectively. More
Australia-based research agency Mobile Digital Insights (MDI) has hired former Behaviorally exec Inna Merenkova as Managing Director for Europe, charged with building a standalone MDI Europe business. She is based in London. More
Ipsos has announced results for the second quarter of 2023, returning to very modest organic revenue growth thanks to a strong performance in emerging markets. The group says its business is 'returning to a more usual pattern' after Covid and is on course for a good year. More
Online survey specialist SurveyMonkey is expanding its Dublin office, as it lays out plans to invest in artificial intelligence and advanced data analytics. The moves follow its recent acquisition by a consortium led by insights sector investment firm Symphony Technology Group (STG). More
Total UK marketing budgets appear to be rising again, according to the IPA's quarterly Bellwether Report, but the authors say the rise is driven by record investment in short-term focused sales promotion activity. Views of MR budgets were little changed with slightly more respondents (2.9%) reporting decline than growth. More
UK-based strategic insight and customer analytics group STRAT7 has announced a number of key promotions to support its FY2024 growth strategy and serve global clients: including the promotion of Peter Kneale, currently Group MD of STRAT7 Incite, to a group level role, Strategy Director, STRAT7. More
WPP's consumer data specialist Wavemaker has promoted Premjeet Sodhi, currently its Chief Strategy Officer for India, to Global Head of Measurement and Analytics, based in New York. More
Rewards and payment solutions specialist Virtual Incentives has partnered with panel management software company Sample Ninja, promising 'effortless' delivery of payouts to panels and communities. More
UK-based consumer intelligence technology company Measure Protocol has appointed Christie Hartbarger as its first Chief Revenue Officer. She is based in Chicago. More
London-based insight and analytics group STRAT7 has reported a 48% increase in revenues to $76m for the fiscal year 2023, ended 30th June. This follows US office openings and acquisitions, with US-based clients now accounting for almost half of the group's global revenue. More
WPP has opened its first UK campus outside London, bringing together staff from its agencies in Manchester - including EssenceMediacom, formed from the merger of data and measurement-driven media agency Essence and media network MediaCom; and its consumer data specialist Wavemaker. More
In London, marketing group MSQ has appointed long-time Kantar exec Eleanor Lloyd-Malcolm as co-Managing Director of its data-driven consultancy, Freemavens. More
UK-based marcoms group UNLIMITED has launched a division called Unlimited B2B, bringing together the specialist strengths of its comms and marketing agencies Nelson Bostock and TMW Business, to helps clients improve conversion through every stage of the buying journey. More
Business support body the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has announced the launch of an Insights Unit, bringing together its existing research portfolio and aiming to develop 'a broader range of polling and analysis services'. More
Experience management platform Qualtrics has received a $500m investment from venture capital firm Accel. More
CRM software giant Salesforce has partnered with consulting division Deloitte Digital to offer business clients help in deploying AI in CRM functions. More
UK-based analytics software company Interrodata has raised £2.2m in an investment funding round, which it will use to expand its Analytics-as-a-Service offering and scale its team. More
Digital transformation consultancy Kin + Carta is launching an innovation hub in Chicago, focused on collaboration and data-driven idea generation. More
In the UK, statistics and data professional membership body The Royal Statistical Society has appointed Dr Sarah Cumbers, currently the Evidence and Insights Director at Lloyd's Register Foundation, as its new Chief Executive from September. More
Ghent, Belgium-based insight consultancy Human8 has announced the appointment of eleven new partners - it now has 36 worldwide. Meanwhile the founders / co-founders of three companies it previously acquired - Join The Dots, Columinate and Direction First - are stepping down. More
In London, citizen engagement platform Commonplace has received an investment of £2.1m from investors led by transatlantic VC firm Beringea, and will use the funds for continued expansion including growth of its client base. More
MrWeb has partnered with insight sector organisation GreenBook, publisher of the GRIT Report and the GreenBook Directory, and organiser of IIEX events, to further expand the reach and appeal of its job board, currently in its 25th year. WIRe (Women in Research) and ESOMAR are already partners. More
Professional services giant Accenture has announced a $3 billion investment in its Data & AI practice over the next three years, to help clients across all industries use AI to achieve greater business growth. More
Consumer insight consultancy BVA BDRC has promoted Lucy Watts, James Myring and James Bland to MD roles, overseeing the Financial and B2B, Media, and 'On the Move' divisions, respectively. The firm has also promoted Richard Stevenson and Kiran Kuttappa-Gold to its Board. More
Israel-based ad optimization company Tremor International is changing its name to Nexxen, with its Amobee, Tremor Video, Unruly and Spearad brands all to be replaced. More
In India, analytics and insights company Course5 Intelligence has raised a further $53m in funding, which will be added to a mergers and acquisitions (M&A) 'war chest' of around $80m. More
Kantar has launched an ad creative testing solution called LINK+, built on its LINK normative advertising database and integrating the firm's ad testing capabilities into one solution, with results available in as little as six hours. More
Research software and solutions firm Forsta has announced a partnership with automated insight-gathering and sample management platform Cint, to fight survey fraud and improve data quality and security for the MR industry. More
In the UK, human resources insights and benchmarking platform HR DataHub has raised £1.4m, which it will use to further enhance its platform and triple the size of its team in the next eighteen months. More
Digital transformation consultancy Kin + Carta has issued a trading update for its full year 2023, which will end in July, reporting reduced expectations and a market 'even more cautious than it expected' at the time of interim results in March. More
In London, data products company DataOps.Live has raised $17.5m in a Series A round of funding, which it will use to further develop its platform and expand its team. More
In the UK, Aspect Viewing Facilities is returning to the centre of Manchester with the opening of a new facility next month. The company has run just one facility, in Stockport, for the past two years but says the 'time is right' for a city centre presence again. More
Global trade association ESOMAR is to lose the services of CEO Parves Khan, who has announced she will leave at the end of June, and will focus on charitable and non-exec work before taking up a new as-yet unannounced role. She will also join a new ESOMAR AI Taskforce. More
B2B tech purchase intent data firm TechTarget has announced that its Enterprise Strategy Group has expanded to EMEA and APAC, welcoming Brian McKenna and Aaron Tan as Regional Directors of Analyst Services for the two territories, respectively. More
In London, long-time Kantar marketer Ralph Risk has launched a consultancy called R.R. Marketing, offering expertise in marketing strategy, digital, events promotion, public relations and marketing communications. More
Customer and employee experience specialist Medallia has appointed Dan Madden as Chief Financial Officer and Robert Baca as Chief Technology Officer. More
Sir Martin Sorrell's S4Capital has reported first quarter revenue up 26.5% to £262m, representing like-for-like growth of 6.1%. Growth came mainly from the new Technology Services division and entirely from the Americas. More
MR sector digital services provider Bilendi & respondi has appointed Tim Corrigan to lead a new sales team, based in a new office in the north of England. More
SurveyMonkey parent Momentive has reported a GAAP loss of $23.8m in its first quarter, improving on a loss of $35.0m in the same period last year. Revenue was up 2% to $118.8m, from $116.9m in 2022 Q1. More
US-based tech research and consulting firm Gartner has reported an 11.6% increase in first quarter revenues to $1.4 billion, up 14.3% excluding the impact of foreign exchange. In the key Research division, revenue rose 7.1% on a reported basis to $1.2 billion (or 9.5% FX neutral). More
Sky Group's Chief Business Officer Patrick Béhar is joining Kantar Media in September as Global Chief Executive. He will take over from Chris Allen, who has led the exec team since 2022 and will now focus exclusively on his role as Global CFO. More
Ipsos exec Tasneem Ali has joined the group's AI-enabled social media intelligence business Ipsos Synthesio as its Head in the UK. More
In London, research and strategy consultancy MTM has appointed Jonathan Stone as Director and Head of its Technology & Telco practice; Becky Ferguson as Director and Head of the Media & Advertising practice; and Michael Thompson for the newly created role of Head of UX Research. More
UK-based consumer intelligence platform QuMind has appointed Ian Ralph as Head of Research, with responsibility for building a Centre of Excellence for MR and insight techniques. More
Google has merged its artificial intelligence research units, DeepMind and Brain, to form a new unit called Google DeepMind. More
Ipsos has reported a 2.9% drop in Q1 revenues to EUR 532m, with organic decline of 2.8%. The firm had said when presenting its 2022 annual results that it anticipated a 'tougher first quarter'. The total is still 26% up on the figure for Q1 2019, pre-Covid, and Ipsos says it expects annual growth of c.5%. More
In the UK, social impact measurement and monitoring platform Social Value Portal (SVP), has raised £8.5m in a Series B round of funding, which it will use to launch a Social Value Academy to help educate business leaders and embed social value into business decision making and delivery. More
Sir Martin Sorrell, founder and Executive Chairman of digital advertising, marketing and technology services company S4 Capital, is undergoing 'further preventative treatment' following keyhole surgery in February to remove a tumour. More
YouGov has appointed Meta Platforms exec Steve Hatch as Chief Executive Officer from 1st August. He will take over from co-founder Stephan Shakespeare, who will become Non-Executive Chair, replacing Roger Parry. More
British big data-based decision intelligence firm Quantexa has announced a $129m Series E round of funding, which values the company at $1.8 billion. More
Ben Leet has stepped down as CEO of UK-based insights and data firm Delineate, with former CEO and company founder James 'JT' Turner resuming the role. More
Sir Martin Sorrell's S4 Capital has reported full-year revenues of £1.07bn, representing like-for-like organic growth of 25.8%. Operational EBITDA was £124m, up sharply in H2 to over £90m versus £30m in H1. More
Data firm Near Intelligence, Inc. has completed its merger with special purpose acquisition company KludeIn, and commenced trading on the Nasdaq. The firm's SaaS platform provides intelligence on people, places and products. More
Two former senior execs of marketing and MR consultancy System1, former CEO Stefan Barden and ex-CFO James Geddes, are calling for board changes including the retirement of Rupert Howell as Chairman and NED, and the moving of founder John Kearon into an NED role. More
Comscore has launched a dedicated programmatic targeting division called 'Proximic by Comscore', which will provide end users with access to more than 2,600 predictive, ID-less audiences and content-level solutions across CTV, linear, digital, DOOH and audio. More
Five years after its acquisition, social media intelligence and AI-enabled consumer listening platform Synthesio has changed its brand name to Ipsos Synthesio. More
Global insight and data membership organisation ESOMAR has elected Ray Poynter as its 2023-2024 Council President, replacing Kristin Luck of ScaleHouse, who has completed her two-year term. More
Predictive analytics startup Nexoya has raised $5m in a Series A round of funding, which it will use to accelerate growth in Switzerland and Germany, while expanding into new markets such as Italy and the UK. It will also further develop its AI platform, and work to integrate additional advertising channels. More
Consumer and B2B agency 2CV has promoted Karine Pepin to SVP and Head of Quant, and Amy Spencer to SVP and Head of Qual. The pair are based in San Francisco, and now jointly lead the firm's US offices. More
Consumer insight provider InSites Consulting has changed its name to Human8, defining itself as a 'human-driven consultancy, connecting brands with people and culture to drive positive change'. More
Bidding is open now for the annual auction run by UK industry charity the Market Research Benevolent Association (MRBA). The event will run until 9pm on Thursday 23rd March. More
In the UK, real-time data streaming and messaging solutions firm DiffusionData has received £1m in funding from the North East Development Capital Fund (NEDCF), and will open an office in Newcastle. More
Panel management platform Sample Ninja has announced a partnership with Research Defender, aiming to further improve their capabilities in fraud detection. More
Jon Priest, SPA co-founder and former CEO of Future Thinking, has joined the Board of full service social and market research agency IFF Research, in the role of Non-Executive Chair. More
US-based International data collection and research tech company Schlesinger Group has been re-branded as 'Sago', which Executive Chairman Steve Schlesinger says is not merely a name change, but also a commitment to an 'inspiring new chapter' in optimizing the firm's offerings. More
UK-based customer relationship management (CRM) platform Attio has raised $23.5m in a Series A round of funding, which it will use to accelerate engineering and product development, and expand its go-to-market presence globally. More
MrWeb's RAIDAR real-time ranking of top companies operating in analytics, insight and data is now fully operational, and you'll see financial results, CEO changes and other items from tonight's Daily Research News reflected in tomorrow's top 40. More
Customer and employee experience specialist Medallia has appointed Joe Tyrrell as CEO, replacing Leslie Stretch who is retiring and transitioning into an advisory role at the company. More
Comscore has reported financial results for the fourth quarter and calendar year 2022, with annual revenue up 2.7% to $376.4m, and adjusted EBITDA up 16% to $37.0m. More
Savanta has promoted Danielle Rodriguez to Chief Commercial Officer and Mark Martins to Chief Services Officer, both with seats on the firm's global Board and both retaining existing roles and responsibilities in addition. More
Verve, which focuses on culture, communities and 'smart digital research', has launched a 'hub' in Melbourne, Australia and appointed Christina Tonkes to lead it as Senior Director. Meanwhile Mirjam Grari joins the team in Sydney. More
'Data creation' platform Walr has appointed former Savanta EVP Peter Flower as Chief Operating Officer, while Tariq Badar joins as Chief Financial Officer. Meanwhile co-founder Patrick Fraser is stepping back from the day-to-day running of the firm, but will remain a Non-Executive Director. More
BVA BDRC subsidiary Alligator Digital has named Paul Russell Managing Director. He is already MD of sister company Perspective Research Services. More
Insights and data firm Delineate has promoted five of its team, following continued growth which has seen its headcount double in the last six months. This includes Francisco DeLaTorre, who will now lead the newly created Research Operations function. More
Panel management platform Sample Ninja and sample marketplace Zamplia are teaming up to provide users with a unified platform for conducting market research More
Communities specialist InSites Consulting has announced an expansion of its Executive Committee and the appointment of a first Chief Growth Officer - Managing Partner Tom De Ruyck. More
SurveyMonkey parent Momentive has reported revenue up 8% to $480.9m for full year 2022. The rise is the net effect of rapid growth in the 'sales-assisted' segment - up 27% to $181.3m - while self-serve business remained flat at $299.6m. However the firm says it will also cut 14% of its workforce. More
Ipsos has reported 2022 annual revenue up 12% to EUR 2.4 bn, representing organic growth of 5.6%. In the final quarter of the year, the business grew by 8.8%, including nearly 4% organic growth. More
In the US, research and advisory firm Forrester Research has reported a loss of $1.6m for the fourth quarter of 2022, compared to a profit of $8.0m for the same period a year earlier. Q4 revenue rose 2.4% to $136.9m, and over the whole of 2022 revenue was up 9% to $537.8m. More
US-based tech research and consulting firm Gartner has reported Q4 2022 revenue of $1.5 bn - up 15% reported, or 20% on a constant currency basis. The largest division, Research, saw revenues up 9% on a reported basis to $1.18 bn, up 13% at constant currency. More
London-based strategic insight consultancy Firefish has appointed Richard Owen as Group Head of Innovation, with a seat on its Board. More
Enterprise tech company Syncfusion has added its business data analysis tool Bold BI to the SurveyMonkey App Directory, enabling users to import data from SurveyMonkey to create, customize and share business dashboards. More
In the UK two former employees of qual firm The Sound, James McLintock and Stuart Knapman, have founded a network called the Future Studio, comprising nine independent insight, strategy and innovation specialists who are already working with agencies and clients in the UK, US and LATAM. More
UK-based sampling agency Sample Answers has promoted Martin Cawley to the role of Managing Director, and relocated its offices to St Albans in Hertfordshire. More
WPP's media investment wing GroupM has announced the long-awaited launch of its new agency EssenceMediacom, comprised of 10,000 people across 120 offices globally. More
German-based software giant SAP has announced plans to cut up to 3,000 jobs, and says it will explore the possible sale of its 71% stake in experience management firm Qualtrics. More
Manchester, UK-based mobile device data firm RealityMine has announced a formal partnership with a long-time collaborator, panel recruitment and data sourcing specialist Amplify MR, offering clients global private community and panel access. More
In the UK, research agency MM-Eye has become employee-owned, with everyone in the business having a say in how it is run, and a share in future profits. Meg Rudman-Walsh, a Research Director who has worked at MM-Eye for eight years, will be the first Employee Trustee. More
Global insight and customer analytics group STRAT7 has partnered with customer experience (CX) consultancy CGA, in a deal which will enable both businesses to expand their range of services. More
In the UK, consumer insight consultancy BVA BDRC has appointed Matt Costin as Chief Executive Officer, replacing co-founder Cris Tarrant who takes the position of Chairman. Meanwhile Caroline Ahmed has been named Chief Commercial Officer. More
UK market research budgets continued to contract during the final three months of last year, according to the latest IPA Bellwether Report. Total marketing budgets grew during the period however, despite expectations that the economy had entered a recession. More
Branding Science Group has promoted Jo Gryniewicz to the role of President of the company in the US. More
As of today, you can filter MrWeb's recently-launched real-time ranking of top companies providing MR, insights, data and analytics activities, to include just one type (eg Full Service) or one headquarters country. Another ten firms have been assessed and added, making it a top 40. More
Kantar has appointed Cheong Tai Leung as Chief Executive Officer of its Insights Asia Pacific business. She is based in Singapore and takes over from Wayne Levings, who will now focus exclusively on his role as Kantar's Chief Client Officer. More
Car manufacturing conglomerate and mobility provider Stellantis, whose brands include Citroën, Fiat, Chrysler and Maserati, has announced the launch of a unit dedicated to B2B products, applications and services based on its massive data sets. More
UK-based healthcare insights company Research Partnership has appointed Gareth Phillips as its new CEO, as co-founding Directors Mary Assimakopoulos and Mark Jeffery step back from the day-to-day operation of the business. They remain on the senior team as advisors. More
Data science and AI solutions company Tredence has raised $175m in Series B funding from Advent International, to fuel its growth. Full financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. More
CRM software giant Salesforce is to cut around 10% of its workforce. The firm says increasing its headcount by some 30% in 2021 (to around 73,500) was a mistake - 'too many... leading into this economic downturn'. More
Ipsos has announced two appointments to its global Executive Committee: Valerie Vezinhet as Chief People Officer and Michel Guidi as Chief Operating Officer. More
A judge in Amsterdam has ruled that ESOMAR's election misconduct allegations against its former CEO found 'no support in the facts whatsoever', and the organisation has written to members to say as much. More
That's it for another year from DRNO - our next issue will be for January 3rd 2023. Our very best wishes for a Merry Christmas to all those of you celebrating it, a Happy New Year to all readers, and a big Thank You as ever for your support and feedback in 2022. More
Today we're launching RAIDAR. Like an industry top 30 companies list, but instead of publishing it once a year, we'll update it every day based on yesterday's DRNO stories and other company data; show our workings; include companies never before considered; and allow sorting by a long list of criteria. More
Nielsen is restructuring its business into three global business units, according to online publication AdAge: Nielsen Audience Measurement, Nielsen Analytics and Gracenote. Current COO Karthik Rao will become CEO of the first of these. More
Kantar has launched a team called Global Connected Data Solutions, within its audience network Profiles division, to help advertisers maximise the value of their first-party data. More
In London, biopharma product strategy consultancy Prescient Healthcare Group has promoted Dr Debasish Talukdar to the role of Chief Executive Officer, as founder Jamie Denison-Pender moves into a new position focused on corporate development and M&A. More
Automated consumer insights platform Zappi has raised $170m in growth capital, which it will use to expand data sets across new markets, verticals and categories; power its platform innovation with emerging technologies; and continue expanding its team globally. More
In the UK, the Market Research Society (MRS) has given both its new Sustainability Research Award and this year's Liz Nelson Grand Prix Award to The Behavioural Architects and New South Wales Department of Planning & Environment, for work which resulted in an increase in tree planting in Sydney. More
In San Francisco, video analytics company Twelve Labs has closed a $12m seed extension funding round, for use in adding product features, continuing R&D, and for further development of its foundation model for video understanding. More
Long-time Kantar CFO Olivier Lefranc has joined automated insight-gathering and sample management platform Cint, as Chief Financial Officer, based in Paris. More
Next15's data, MR and advisory group Savanta has merged four previously acquired companies - ComRes, MSI, YouthSight and MindSpark - under the Savanta brand name. More
Continuing our month-long focus on Data Visualization Sandro Kaulartz, Chief Innovation and Product Development Officer at Ipsos Social Intelligence, talks to MrWeb's Nick Thomas about Topic Modelling, data hybridization and the democratization of data science. Available to read or watch. More
Private equity consortium Becketts Bidco has completed its £1.61bn acquisition of London-based B2B information services provider Euromoney Institutional Investor. More
Global online communities specialist InSites Consulting has appointed Els De Paepe as Chief People Officer (CPO). She succeeds former Join the Dots CEO Quentin Ashby, who has moved to the role of Global Head of ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance). More
In New York, digital asset management (DAM) platform Tenovos has secured a $10m Series B round of funding, co-led by Stanhope Capital Group, Bertelsmann investment fund BDMI and S4S Ventures, which is backed by shareowners of Sir Martin Sorrell's S4Capital. More
Sir Martin Sorrell's S4 Capital has reported 26.5% like-for-like revenue growth, in a third quarter trading update. Reported revenue was up 68.2% to £300.1m, and the firm says operational EBITDA for 2022 is in line with a revised target of c.£120m. More
Event-driven data engineering platform Quix has raised $12.9m in a Series A round of funding, which it will use to grow its team, and accelerate investments in product, partnerships, community and open-source initiatives. More
Customer experience management specialist Sprinklr has extended its partnership with Salesforce, promising clients a more complete view of their customers. More
Comscore has reported a third quarter revenue rise of just 0.3% - to $92.8m from $92.5m in last year's Q3. Adjusted EBITDA was little changed at $11.7m (up 3.5%) while one-off costs turned net income of $2m a year ago into a net loss of $52.4m. More
International data collection and research tech company Schlesinger Group has hired former Kantar Americas CEO Reed Cundiff as Chief Executive Officer, following Steve Schlesinger's move into the role of Executive Chairman. Meanwhile Isaac Rogers becomes company President. More
Insights provider MetrixLab says it is trialling a methodology allowing respondents to answer survey questionnaires using voice recordings. More
In the US, research and advisory firm Forrester has reported third quarter revenue of $127.7m, up 8.1%, led by the Research division which saw growth of 10.3% to $87.0m. More
SurveyMonkey owner Momentive has reported a net loss of $20.3m during the third quarter, down from $22.9m a year earlier, while revenue rose 6% to $121.4m. More
ESOMAR has announced the election of Nikki Lavoie as its 2023-2024 Council President, replacing Kristin Luck who has completed her two-year term and will now serve an additional two years in an ex-officio capacity. MindSpark founder Lavoie is currently Council Vice President. More
MR and customer and employee experience tech firm Forsta has partnered with CX data specialist GemSeek to launch predictive net promoter scores (pNPS), through which clients can access predictions about 'silent customers' who don't respond to surveys or submit feedback. More
Ad agency network M&C Saatchi looks set to remain independent, after a court session failed to get sufficient shareholder approval for Next 15's bid. The move was effectively blocked by investment vehicle ADV, whose own rival bid had earlier failed to find favour with the Saatchi Directors. More
Neuro-Insight Chief Executive Shazia Ginai is moving on from the role next month to become Chief Growth Officer at fast-expanding research platform Catalyx More
Dynata has appointed a new Chief Executive: former Dodge Data and Analytics head Mike Petrullo replaces longstanding leader Gary S. Laben. More
Ipsos has reported a 14.3% increase in reported third quarter revenue, to EUR 601.5m from EUR 526.3m a year earlier. Organic revenue growth was 5.3%, while 8.0% resulted from currency effects. More
Digital publishing execs Nana B. Nyantekyi, Shannon Terry and Andrew Johnson have launched Spiny.ai - a content analytics, publisher intelligence and ad revenue generation business. The launch has been supported by a $2.5m venture capital funding round. More
Digital Technology Advisory Group (DTAG), the former Cello Health unit recently sold to a private equity firm, has announced an investment in brand sustainability insights specialist Citizen Good Consulting. More
In the UK, more firms continue to report growth in marketing budgets than decline, despite the country's soaring cost of living and economic / political uncertainty, according to the IPA Bellwether Report. However, the net positive balance was at its lowest for 18 months. More
Experience management specialist Qualtrics has announced the launch of CrossXM, a new product line providing automated insights into how clients' employee, customer and brand experiences impact one another - and identifying actions to improve them. More
SurveyMonkey owner Momentive Global Inc has been approached regarding a possible sale and is discussing its options with advisors, according to Bloomberg. More
SurveyMonkey parent company Momentive has made 11% of its workforce redundant, as part of what it calls a restructuring plan to improve operating margins and improve efficiency. More
London-based in-product research platform Ribbon has raised £2.6m in a seed round of funding, for use in continuing to build out its technology and grow its team. More
London-based open source Business Intelligence platform Lightdash has launched its core product for general use, and announced seed funding of $8.4m. More
US-based media optimisation platform Measured has launched a new benchmark comparison tool, and announced its official launch in the UK. More
In the US, Comscore has set out a cost-cutting restructuring plan, which will see an undisclosed number of employees lose their jobs. More
Long-time Kantar group CEO Eric Salama has been appointed as Global Chair of recently divested unit Kantar Public. More
Ipsos has appointed 24-year company veteran Jean-Michel Mabon in the role of Head of Mergers and Acquisitions, responsible for overseeing buys in connection with a growth plan the group announced in June. More
YouGov has launched free 'Lite' versions of its BrandIndex and Profiles tools, allowing users to analyse their target audiences and track brand performance for no charge. More
Dublin, Ireland-based research agency Behaviour & Attitudes (B&A) has hired former RDSi director Davina O'Donoghue as a full-time Board Director. More
In the US, marcoms network Stagwell has launched a Risk and Reputation business unit, to help business leaders audit the issues most important to their stakeholders, develop proactive and reactive strategies, and monitor and measure the impact of positions on business reputation. More
UK-based text analytics software firm Relative Insight has opened an office in Philadelphia - its second location in the US. More
In the UK, full-service agency IFF Research has appointed Hilary Burkitt, Sarah Cheesbrough, Daniel Pearmain and Jagjit Dosanjh-Elton as Directors in its London office. Dosanjh-Elton has been named the company's first Chief Financial Officer. More
Agriculture and animal health specialist Kynetec has appointed a CTO, Vadim Dolt, based in Dallas, Texas. More
In London, B2B marketing specialist alan. has announced the launch of a research division called Integrated Intelligence, which it says aims 'to fundamentally change how B2B marketers understand their industries'. Josh Cohen and Emilie Pirson will lead the new unit. More
London-based full service consumer and B2B MR agency Sapio Research is moving to its fourth new home in just six years, this time in Borough, near London Bridge. More
Fieldwork recruiting services provider Field Scope International has opened an office in South Africa, its second base on the continent. More
Kantar has announced unaudited results for the first half of 2022, with 'gross revenue' up 5% (at constant currency rates) to $1.832bn and adjusted EBITDA up 6% to $310m. Unadjusted, revenue was down 1.8% to $1.566bn, while one-off events contributed to an operating loss of $88m. More
In the UK, parcel delivery giant Evri, which was previously known as Hermes, has hired MoneySuperMarket's former Chief Data Scientist Harvinder Atwal for a newly created role, Chief Data Officer. He is based in London. More
Leeds, UK-based business intelligence and analytics software provider Panintelligence has raised an undisclosed six-figure sum from angel investor Martin Port, who joins the company as a Board observer and strategic advisor. More
Agriculture and animal health specialist Kynetec has promoted Colin Siren to the role of Chief Operating Officer for Animal Health. He replaces Jeff Gaidos, who is taking a step back from the business, but will continue on a part-time consultancy basis. More
Germany and US-based MR tech provider quantilope has moved its London office to a larger space, following a one third growth in its UK-based headcount during the past six months. More
YouGov has promoted Laura Robbie, previously MD Australia, to the role of CEO of the Asia Pacific region, replacing Julien Chevignon who becomes CEO for Western Europe. More
A group of five consultancies have come together to launch an initiative called Diversity Unlimited, aiming to encourage corporates to buy research, analytics and insight solutions from diverse-owned businesses. More
In the UK, long-time healthcare sector researcher Hannah Osborn has launched an agency called Pure Healthcare Strategy, providing clients with bespoke life sciences marketing intelligence and strategic advice. More
WPP has reported interim results for the first half of 2022, with reported revenue up 10.2% to £6.755bn, equivalent to 8.7% growth like-for-like (LFL); and profit before tax up just over 6% to £419m. More
Growing Bath / Bristol-based market and social research agency Blue Marble has promoted Tom Clarkson to be its first Managing Director. More
Almost two thirds (64%) of MR and social research agencies across Europe participating in trade body federation EFAMRO's 'Moodindicator' survey believe research revenues will increase in the next year. More
Online research, data and analytics tech firm YouGov has expanded in Latin America with the opening of an office in Mexico City, serving the research needs of brands and agencies in the region and providing operational support for the firm's work across the Americas. More
Digital advertising and tech services group S4Capital has named Colin Day Chair of its Audit and Risk Committee, as part of plans to tighten its financial control, risk and governance processes; and Chris Martin as its first Chief Operating Officer. More
London-based strategic insight agency Truth Consulting has launched an office in South Africa, where it has appointed former Kantar exec Lee Appleton as Director to drive the growth of the business. More
Australian market research technology platform Glow has rolled out its ESG (environmental, social and governance) / sustainability brand tracker, the Social Responsibility Score (SRS), in the US and UK. More
Research software firm Forsta and local marketing platform Rio SEO, which are both owned by Press Ganey, are combining. Both will continue to serve current clients under their existing brands, while Forsta has welcomed all Rio SEO employees to its sales, ops, product and engineering teams. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Paris-based user experience analytics firm Contentsquare has closed a $600m growth investment round, doubling its valuation to around $5.6 billion. Money will be used for geographical and product expansion, M&A, and to support long-term growth in key markets. More
Ipsos has reported second quarter revenue of EUR 574.0m, representing organic growth of 2.1% (reported growth 8.9%). After exceptional results in Q1, the group cited global events and the end of Covid measurement contracts - as well as strong comparatives from Q2 2021 - for the lower figures. More
Global association ESOMAR has released its annual ranking of the Global Top 50 Insights Companies, with an ever broader definition of the term giving an unfamiliar look to parts of the list. More
Digital experience consultancy Bounteous has brought in former Merkle executive Michael McLaren to serve as President, North America. More
Digital services group Informa is to acquire multi-market B2B audience development and digital content specialist Industry Dive, from private equity firm Falfurrias Capital Partners. Terms have not been disclosed. More
Insight group STRAT7 has announced organic growth of 30% for the financial year just ended; along with 5 appointments. Among them, former Bonamy Finch MD Paul Carney becomes a Partner in the Consultancy practice, with former Head of Advanced Analytics Paul Jackson filling his previous role. More
AdTech and data company ENGINE has been re-named Big Village in the US, continental Europe and Australia. The rebrand does not include ENGINE Group UK, which was acquired by Next 15 earlier this year. More
In London, CXM company Merkle has announced the senior team for its recently launched UK Experience & Commerce (E&C) practice, led by Paul Lynch. More
Ipsos has launched a user experience (UX) facility called the Ipsos Experience Lab in the Franklin Center in downtown Chicago, providing space for focus groups, interviews, device tests and simulations. More
In London, data science and consumer behaviour prediction specialist Black Swan Data has raised $18.5m in a growth funding round, part of which it will use to expand further into the US market. More
British-based automated speech recognition platform Speechmatics has raised $62m in a Series B round of funding which it will use to support expansion across the US and Asia-Pacific, and to improve infrastructure - particularly the capacity of it data centre. More
In the US, the Market Research Council has appointed MESH Experience founder Fiona Blades as this year's President. More
US-based conjoint analysis and MaxDiff tools provider Sawtooth Software has hired former Boxclever Consulting exec Dean Tindall as Director of Client Services, Europe, based in its newly created Manchester, UK office. More
In the UK, capital markets analyst Singletrack has raised a 'significant' amount of funding from tech-focused private equity firm Accel-KKR, which it will use to expand into global markets and focus on specific mergers and acquisitions. More
In the UK two former executives of research firm Trinity McQueen, Chris Handford and Daniel Eddy, have launched a new full-service product consultancy, Waveform Insight Studio. More
UK-based data collection firm RONIN International has added an office in Lancaster, serving as a desk research, CATI and digital recruitment hub. With space for around thirty people, the location is part of the offices of RONIN's parent, digital marketer Rippleffect Group. More
Kantar has launched a cross-category search prediction tool called Emerging Trends; added a suite of products and enhancements to its creative testing portfolio on Kantar Marketplace; and opened the iLab innovation centre. More
In Canada, research tech firm Potloc has raised CAD$35m in a Series B round comprising new equity funding and debt financing. The investment will be used to accelerate go-to-market strategy in North America and Europe, including recruitment of 120 more staff in Montreal, New York and Paris. More
British research tech company Walr has appointed former System1 Research exec Ben Walton as its first Chief Commercial Officer. More
Independent British-based insight consultancy Trinity McQueen has announced sales of £7.4m in the year ending March 2022; some ten per cent up on the pre-pandemic figure (year ending March 2020). More
The Directors of M&C Saatchi have issued recommendations to shareholders ahead of votes on two bids for the company, advising rejection of the Next 15 offer purely on account of a drop in its share price, but preferring it to that of rival ADV, if the company is considered unable to continue as an independent. More
First-party data platform Dynata has appointed former employee Arun Kumar as Vice President, Southeast Asia and India, leading the business and teams across the region. More
Kantar has hired long-time Merkle exec Will Bordelon as Chief Executive Officer of its Insights business in the Americas. He will join on July 11th. More
Matt Britton started digital research platform Suzy in 2018, named it after a favourite song, worked with other non-researchers to build it, and got to $25 million annual recurring revenue 'faster than Salesforce and Qualtrics'. An interview with MrWeb's Nick Thomas - available as video or in print. More
Comscore has launched a platform called 'Total Digital', which combines the firm's digital and social media measurement tool and user experience (UX) data into a single dashboard. Users get a cross-platform view of how consumers are engaging with content and advertising. More
Marcoms giant WPP has promoted Michael Houston to the role of President of its business in the US, the group's largest market. More
Business sustainability ratings provider EcoVadis has raised $500m in a Series C round of funding, valuing the company at $1bn. The firm will use these funds to accelerate its global expansion, deepen its artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities, and make strategic acquisitions. More
Ipsos has unveiled a four-year plan to accelerate growth and shareholder value. This will include the group spending between EUR 100m and EUR 200m per year on 'smart acquisitions', while doubling its investments in data analytics, technology and 'knowledge panels'. More
London-based voice analysis technology firm Phebi has partnered with Toronto-based insights tech firm Ignite Connexion, which will provide Phebi with marketing, sales, implementation and customer support services across Canada. More
In Paris, Ipsos has appointed Dan Lévy as Group Chief Financial Officer, from June 10th, replacing Laurence Stoclet who has been with the business for nearly 24 years. More
Customer analytics platform MoEngage has raised $77 Million in Series E funding, for use in expanding to Latin America and Australia, increasing its footprint elsewhere in the world, and to explore strategic acquisitions. More
Digital advertising and marketing services company S4 Capital has released results for the first quarter of 2022 in a trading update, with reported revenue up 70.1% to £206.8m, a rise of 40.6% on a like-for-like, pro forma basis. More
Kantar has announced unaudited results for the first quarter of calendar 2022, including pro forma, currency-adjusted gross revenue up 6% to $911m, and adjusted EBITDA of $144m, up 16% from a year earlier and almost twice the pre-Covid Q1 2019 figure. More
UK watchdog the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has announced a further investigation into Google's use of ad tech in three areas - demand-side platform, ad exchange and publisher ad server - due to concerns it may undermine competition. More
Global marcoms group Omnicom has appointed former Conduent exec Brian Clayton as its first Chief Data Privacy Officer, responsible for driving its 'privacy-first' approach and ensuring compliance with global privacy regulation. More
Interpublic's marketing intell company Kinesso has appointed four new Regional CEOs, Matt Ware, Andy Butters, Jorge Chavez and Sean Muzzy, all of whom are currently leaders in the group's Matterkind activation division and who will retain these roles alongside their new ones. More
Automated insight-gathering and sample management platform Cint has announced further leadership changes following its December acquisition of Lucid. CFO Joakim Andersson and COO Andy Ellis are stepping down, replaced respectively by Britta Mittler (interim) and Jake Wolff. More
Text analytics software firm Relative Insight has added ESOMAR President and WIRe founder Kristin Luck to its Advisory Board and former Cint leader Richard Thornton to its Board of Directors. More
Marketing firm What's Possible Group has appointed former WPP exec Patrick Mazzotta in the new role of Managing Director of Data, charged with building a centre of excellence for data, analytics and insight within the company. More
Tech researcher and consultancy Forrester Research has announced results for the first quarter ended March 31st, with revenue up 10% to $125.0 million. More
Independent social and market research agency IFF Research has made two dozen promotions - equivalent to 20% of its team - following 18% revenue growth in 2021-2. More
After multiple delays, Sir Martin Sorrell's S4Capital has at last published its full year results for 2021, showing revenue up 100.4% to £686.6m, equivalent to a 52.4% increase on a like-for-like basis. Operating EBITDA increased 62.4% to £101.0m (up 11.9% like-for-like). More
In London, workplace intelligence provider Adadot has raised $1m to continue developing its proprietary data model, which aims to connect the dots between working practices, collaboration patterns and wellbeing. More
Consumer insights provider Toluna has expanded to Thailand, where it has hired former Nielsen exec Chumphol (Marc) Sivawettakul as Business Development Director, Southeast Asia. He is based in Bangkok. More
UK-based customer insights and communities platform developer Researchbods has launched a dedicated creative division called 'Studio', which will work with all teams across the business to enhance its creative offering. More
In Australia, culture, community panels and smart digital insight specialist Verve has appointed Rikki Pearce as Managing Director and Head of its new 'Global Advanced Quant and Analytics' practice. More
New York City-based B2B marketing research agency Adience has opened an office in London, where it has appointed James Keeling as Vice President. More
Cryptocurrency-focused media and research company Cryptonary has acquired the shares of its original co-founders, who became silent partners in the company after its re-brand in 2019. The valuation and specifics of the buyout have not been disclosed. More
Professional services giant Accenture has renamed its Interactive customer experience and analytics business 'Accenture Song', which it says will 'strengthen synergies' in product innovation, experience design, marketing and commerce. More
In London, online sample marketplace PureSpectrum has appointed long-time Kantar Profiles exec Andy Cayton as Executive Vice President, tasked with developing and implementing solutions for clients across the firm's product suite. More
The WindAcre Partnership LLC, now comfortably the largest Nielsen shareholder with 27.3%, says the share price could triple in the next three years and will host a webcast tomorrow arguing for a rejection of the Consortium bid. Meanwhile reports suggest the ratings firm could regain its MRC accreditation soon. More
In London, all-in-one research operations platform Ayda has appointed former Cint exec Richard Thornton as Chairman and Advisor, following a successful investment round. More
Ipsos has reported 12.3% first quarter organic revenue growth and a 17.5% reported increase to EUR 547.8m. The firm says it is planning an 'exciting range' of potential acquisitions in key sectors and territories, especially in the USA. More
In Manchester, UK, corporate reputation specialist Steve Leigh has opened a research, measurement and evaluation consultancy called Sensu. The firm promises to help clients understand their audience; track reputation, profile and influence; and improve the quality of communications. More
London-based MR data visualization and PowerPoint automation specialist Indico Labs has announced a $350k seed round of investment led by Michael Halberstam, the former Chairman of data collection group ISA. The funding will be used to accelerate the development of key product features. More
Data discovery, governance and insights firm data.world, the latest venture of Bazaarvoice co-founder Brett Hurt, has announced $50m in Series C financing, and says it will expand product offerings, add talent and open new markets. More
Nielsen shareholder WindAcre said this week it would block the ratings giant's latest sale agreement, requesting a $1.1bn 'sweetener' for its support, according to sources quoted by Bloomberg. SEC filings suggest WindAcre has secured millions more shares in Nielsen this week at a cost of around $0.9bn. More
Digital user experience insights specialist UserZoom has received an unspecified amount of strategic growth funding from investment firm Thoma Bravo, the owner of CX management firm Medallia. The funding values UserZoom at $800m. More
Trend analysis specialist Stylus has promoted former COO Victoria Rennie to Chief Executive, succeeding founder Marc Worth who moves to the role of Executive Chairman. More
In London, Kantar Public has hired former Alan Turing Institute exec Christine Foster for the newly created role of Global Chief Product Officer, Data Science. More
Facebook parent company Meta has suffered two reverses at the hands of a US District Court, granting class action status to advertisers claiming the company inflated its audience metrics; and allowing to proceed a suit by non-users of Facebook in Illinois over storage of images of their faces. More
Shares in Sir Martin Sorrell's digital advertising group S4 Capital have slumped after its auditors PwC this week delayed the release of its preliminary statement of results for the second time in a month. The stock remained down 1/3 tonight even after a slight Friday recovery. More
British video-based insight company Vox Pops International has become employee-owned through an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT). More
Text analytics platform Relative Insight has secured a £5m investment, for use in expanding its operations in the US and for new product development. More
In the UK, insights platform QuMind has promoted Alan Hargreaves to the role of Managing Director, with Board level responsibility for the entire operation and co-responsibility for innovation. More
Andy Cumming, co-founder of Curiosity Research and European MD at InSites Consulting, died of sudden heart failure at his home on 12th January. More
New York-based language and tech solutions provider TransPerfect has moved its Manchester, UK office to a larger facility, where it has created a number of new jobs across technology, media and project management. More
Private equity firm Arsenal Capital has merged Cello Health and four of its other firms to launch Lumanity, offering medical sector product development, market access and commercialization services. Former Cello Health Insight CEO Nicola Cowland becomes the new firm's Global President, Insight. More
In London, IPG-owned experience design and digital marketing agency Huge has appointed Frisco Chau as Global Head of Data and Insights. More
Customer experience platform Emplifi, formed from the merger of VoC platform Astute and social media specialist Socialbakers, has announced a growth equity investment led by Sixth Street Growth and valuing the company at more than $1 billion. More
Stamford, CT-based tech research and advisory firm Information Services Group (ISG) has reported fourth quarter revenue of $69.6m, up 6% at constant currency; and adjusted EBITDA of $10.2m, up 11%. Full year revenues were $277.8 m, up 9%, and full year adjusted EBITDA rose 37% to $38.8m. More
US-based CX platform Birdeye has closed a $60m Series C funding round led by tech-focused investment firm Accel-KKR, and says it will use the money to accelerate development of a full experience suite for local businesses; and to expand into Australia and the UK. More
Community panels and smart digital research firm Verve is to open a Global Centre of Research Innovation in Sydney, Australia, and has appointed Dan Alexander-Head to lead it. More
Agriculture and Animal Health specialist Kynetec has appointed Nielsen veteran Paul Walker as COO for Crop Market and Customer Insights, replacing Richard Jameson, who is taking a step back but will support specific projects on a part-time consultancy basis. More
The Board of marcoms giant WPP has condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine and announced it is discontinuing operations in Russia, where it employs nearly 1,400 people. More
Momentive - formerly SurveyMonkey - has announced a $200m share repurchase program and plans for a renewed focus on delivering stockholder value. The firm has also promoted Priyanka (Pri) Carr from General Manager of its MR business, to COO. More
Canada-based customer intelligence specialist Alida has appointed Nick Morley as Executive Vice President, EMEA, and promoted Brad Stanghetta to Executive Vice President, Americas. More
MrWeb's special issue on 'Measuring Brains and Bodies' is launched today: viewing and downloading the 72-page pdf supplement is free: click the cover or the link below; or read on for the second part of Michelle Niedziela's article, which offers a guide to Best Practice in consumer neuroscience projects. More
Comscore CEO Bill Livek has announced plans to retire and move to the position of Non-Executive Vice Chairman after a successor has been found. As the news broke, the firm reported positive net income of $29m for the fourth quarter of 2021, compared to a net loss of $13.2m a year earlier. More
Manchester, UK-based Acumen Fieldwork has launched a B2B and Social Research department, which will focus primarily on hard-to-reach groups - ranging from those who are disenfranchised from society to key decision-makers in named occupations. More
Nielsen has reported results for the 4th quarter and full year 2021, with annual reported revenue up 4.1% to $3.5bn (up 4.9% like-for-like), and full year adjusted EBITDA up 5.4% (constant currency) to $1.49bn. More
Shareholders of customer experience (CX) specialist Zendesk have this evening rejected the proposed acquisition of Momentive, parent of SurveyMonkey. Despite Momentive shareholders giving majority support, the acquisition agreement will now be ditched. More
Comscore is partnering with digital media measurement, data and analytics provider DoubleVerify (DV) to develop a cross-platform media quality verification and audience measurement solution. More
Ipsos has reported a 16.8% increase in annual revenue to EUR 2.14bn for 2021, with overall organic growth of 17.9%. Perhaps more significantly, the figures represent impressive organic growth of 10.4% when compared with 2019. More
Continuing our focus on 'Measuring Brains and Bodies', HCD Research's Michelle Niedziela runs through the key techniques in 'neuro', with advice on where to use them. The second part of the article, looking at Best Practices, will appear in DRNO when the pdf special issue is published early next week. More
GfK CEO Peter Feld has decided not to seek an extension to his contract, and will leave the company on March 14th. CFO Lars Nordmark will step into the Chief Exec role on an interim basis, while COO Joshua Hubbert has been added to the Management Board. More
Publishing and data group IDG Communications has rebranded as Foundry, reflecting its 'transformation from legacy media network to integrated marketing technology and data provider'. More
Automated insights platform Zappi has reported $50 million in sales in 2021, representing more than 30 percent growth in twelve months; and the hiring of more than 100 new employees during the year. More
Continuing our focus on 'Measuring Brains & Bodies', HCD's VP of Research & Innovation talks about a career in 'neuro' (with a rat allergy); quantifying the stress of bad audio on a Zoom call; whether any perfume can live up to one of those weird ads; and much more besides. Available to watch or read. More
n the UK, communications group M&C Saatchi has launched a digital business innovation consultancy called Thread, to help clients develop digital products and services. More
London-based GWI, whose software platform provides data about consumers' demographics, preferences and behavioural attitudes across 48 countries, has raised more than $180m in Series B funding, valuing the company at over $850 million. More
STG's newly formed media monitoring and measurement business Onclusive has appointed Manuel Moerbach as Chief Executive Officer. More
Texas-based data collection firm Veridata Insights has reported 150% year-over-year revenue growth and fifteen recent hires, having opened offices in Canada, Bulgaria, India and the UK. More
In the UK, East Anglia-based participant recruitment agencies Creative Medical Recruit (CMR) and Healthcare Fieldwork have merged to form a new company, MediVoice Recruit. The firm will offer recruitment for Human Factors and usability studies as well as general healthcare MR. More
Mike Lynch, co-founder and former CEO of UK-based big data analytics giant Autonomy, has lost the civil lawsuit brought by Hewlett-Packard (HP), relating to its 2011 $11bn (£8.2bn) acquisition of Autonomy. Lynch may be extradited to the US to face criminal fraud charges, but will appeal. More
Omnicom Health subsidiary Adelphi Research has promoted Ratna Wynn from EVP, Head of Research, Operations and Innovation to the position of President, US, overseeing all Stateside research, operations and finance. More
US-based B2B data and software firm ZoomInfo has appointed former ICO exec Simon McDougal as its first Compliance Officer, based in London. More
Data-driven experience management company Merkle has fully integrated two of its B2B divisions - creative agency gyro and media agency Merkle | DWA - into its Merkle B2B business, and retired their brand names. More
Wearable tech is everywhere, and offers great potential for collecting data, but how useful is it right now for answering specific research questions? Kathryn Ambroze, Manager of Behavioral and Marketing Sciences at HCD Research continues our month-long focus on 'Measuring Brains & Bodies'. More
Sir Martin Sorrell has teamed up with Stanhope Capital Group founder Daniel Pinto to launch a venture capital fund called S4S Ventures, which will raise £110m from investors to fund early-stage 'Martech, Adtech, data tech, creative tech and emerging digital media / content firms'. More
UK-based research and data business Delineate has integrated Ipsos' survey data collection technology Askia into its own Proximity end-to-end platform, which connects brands with their consumers in real time. More
Vienna, Austria-based synthetic data provider MOSTLY AI has raised $25m in a Series B round of funding, which it will use to accelerate its growth in Europe, capture more of the US market, and expand its team globally. More
Ipsos has brought together its existing UK advisory units into one practice, employing more than 50 specialists. Murat Demiral will lead the practice as Head of Advisory, and joins the UK Management Committee. More
Artificial intelligence and advanced analytics specialist Fractal Analytics has raised $360m, valuing the business at more than $1 billion. More
This is the last edition of DRNO for 2021 - we'll be back on Tuesday 4th January. From all of us at MrWeb to all those of you celebrating it, a very Merry Christmas; and to all of you, thanks for reading this year and best wishes for a happy and prosperous 2022. Here we look backwards and forwards briefly... More
Forsta, the company formed through the merger of Confirmit, FocusVision and Dapresy, has announced a global partnership with London-based Phebi.AI, allowing clients to make use of Phebi's advanced voice analysis technology for qual and quant research on Forsta's end-to-end platform. More
US-based insight automation specialist Heap has raised $110m in a Series D round of funding, which values the company at $960m. The investment will be used to scale the firm's global operations, and accelerate R&D for its digital analytics platform. More
In the UK, the Market Research Society (MRS) has given this year's Agency of the Year Award to London-based insight firm Opinium, which had previously been shortlisted eight times in nine years. More
In Edinburgh, Ipsos MORI has appointed Lisa Sutherland as Head of Behavioural Science in Public Affairs. More
Kantar has reported revenue of $2,681m for the first three quarters of 2021, up 11% at constant currency although still down 5% from 2019 figures; and EBITDA of $445m, up 52% on 2020 and 39% (organic growth 33%) versus the same period in 2019. More
Comscore has promoted Brian Pugh to the role of Chief Information Officer, responsible for developing new tech tools, for ensuring that data is secure, and for MRC and ISO accreditation of the firm's services. More
Momentive investor Legion Partners Asset Management says it will fight the SurveyMonkey owner's planned sale to online customer service and CX firm Zendesk. Legion says the price tag - originally c.$4bn but after share price falls now equivalent to around $3.4bn - undervalues the business. More
Marcoms giant WPP has opened a campus in the Czech capital Prague, where twelve of the group's agencies and 1,000 marketing, advertising, media, PR, data and research professional are now housed. More
US-based social media intelligence and analytics specialist Meltwater has agreed to acquire artificial intelligence start-up DeepReason.ai for $7.3m in cash and equity. More
AI-based analytics company ThoughtSpot has raised $100m in a Series F round of funding, which more than doubles its previous valuation to around $4.2 billion. More
Product analytics firm Mixpanel has raised $200m in a Series C round of funding, valuing the company at $1.05 billion. The firm will use the investment to accelerate product development and scale its team in North America, EMEA and Asia Pacific over the next 12 to 18 months. More
In Manchester, UK, a new employee insight platform has launched. 'New Possible' promises a '360-degree solution' which helps clients understand their people and measures, assesses and benchmarks the culture of an organisation. SMEs are a particular target. More
Consumer insights provider Toluna has promoted Susan Vidler to the newly created position of Global Chief Research Officer, leading the group's global research team and responsible for developing, defining and implementing best practices across the research function. More
Comscore has reported revenue up 5% to $92.5m and adjusted EBITDA of $11.3m, up 55%, for the third quarter of 2021. Net income was $2.0m, compared with a net loss of $11.1m a year earlier. More
Stamford, CT-based tech research and advisory firm Information Services Group has announced revenue of $71m for the third quarter, up 14% (constant currency) on Q3 2020; and adjusted EBITDA of $10.2 million, up 24%. More
Technology researcher Forrester has announced third quarter revenue of $118.1m, up around 8.7% when compared either with Q3 2020 or 2019. More
London-based full service agency IFF Research has launched an Energy & Environment team, providing insight to help inform environmental policy decisions and support sustainable business across the UK. Director Andrew Skone James will lead it. More
Community panels pioneer Verve is opening a Centre of Research Excellence (CoRE) next month in Johannesburg, South Africa, and has appointed Heather Tluczek and Meryl Dovey to lead it, as MD and Head of New Business Development respectively. More
Tech consultancy Gartner has announced results for the third quarter of 2021, with revenues up 15.0% at constant currency to $1.16bn, and EBITDA of $305m, up 79.9% on the same basis. More
Data onboarding and audience intelligence provider Eyeota has expanded its partnership with Comscore, to provide cookie-free contextual targeting for a broad range of verticals, across the key global markets. More
Online customer service and CX firm Zendesk is to acquire Momentive, parent of SurveyMonkey, in an all-share deal which values the DIY survey brand and its associated companies at around $4bn. More
Nielsen has reported a 5.5% increase in third quarter revenue to $882m (up 6.6% in organic terms). The figure is about 1% ahead of 2019 Q3 revenues for Nielsen Global Media, although comparisons are difficult after the company split and the sale of the Connect / NielsenIQ business. More
In a trading update, marcoms giant WPP has reported 'very strong' third quarter performance, with revenue minus pass-through costs of £2.64bn, up 6.9% LFL on pre-pandemic levels (Q3 2019). More
In the UK, customer data platform Distil.ai has raised £400k, which it will use to pursue its growth strategy, further develop its product, and expand its sales and marketing initiatives. More
Long-time Kantar exec Tim Wragg has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer of brand insights analytics and consulting agency Hall & Partners, succeeding Vanella Jackson who moves to the role of company Chairperson. More
Ipsos has posted third quarter revenue of EUR 526.3m, up 12.3% versus Q3 2020 and 5.4% - or 8.5% in organic growth terms - compared with Q3 2019. The firm says profitability is 'in line with the objectives for the year announced in July', with a slight improvement predicted in operating margin. More
UK marketing budget growth is at its strongest in more than four years, according to the 2021 IPA Bellwether Report. Narrowly positive results for market research spend ended six years of downward movement for the sector. More
Research and analytics group YouGov has brought its recent Canadian sports research acquisition Charlton Insights under the main corporate brand. More
YouGov has reported revenue of £169.0m for the year to July 31st, up 18% in like-for-like terms and 11% reported. Reported pre-tax profit rose 24% to £18.9m, and adjusted operating profit rose 32% like-for-like (21% reported) to £31.2m. More
Toluna has appointed former Verint, Nielsen and Affinnova exec Kevin Daly in the new role of Chief Sales Officer. More
Cint has teamed up with audience profiling and targeting firm StatSocial to help clients target niche market research audiences, quickly and at scale. More
UK-based insights company MindMover Group has changed its name to QuMind, already the name of its fast-growing self-serve MR platform. More
London-based community panels specialist Verve is planning to open an office in Manchester, which will initially be led by founder and CEO Andrew Cooper, who has relocated to the north of England; and Joint Head of Insight Richard Preedy. The firm has also hired three new execs. More
In London, Matt Farmer and Seb Bulpin have launched a data and artificial intelligence (AI) consultancy called Mesh-AI, equipped with $30m of funding. More
Market intelligence platform AlphaSense has raised $180m in a Series C round of funding. The money will be invested in product development and content expansion, in growing customer service teams in North America and Europe, and engineering teams in Finland, India and New York. More
Marcoms giant Havas has appointed Lindsay Stein as its first Chief of Social Impact, tasked with partnering with marketers and client firms to help them create research-based social impact solutions. More
Ipsos has announced that Nathalie Roos will no longer be taking over as CEO, following the emergence of 'deep discrepancies' in her discussions with Didier Truchot. Instead, Ipsos MORI CEO Ben Page will take the top job, from November 15th. More
WPP has agreed to pay more than $19m to settle charges that it violated several provisions of the USA's Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). The SEC accused the marcoms giant of breaches of protocols including anti-bribery, books and records, and internal accounting. More
UK-based FlexMR has announced a 'Stakeholder Alignment programme', helping client companies to closely connect their insight and business teams, and to integrate research outputs into key internal working practices. More
Programmatic research tech platform Lucid has appointed Eric Denker as Vice President heading up its Corporate Development and Strategy. More
Sir Martin Sorrell's digital advertising and marketing services company S4 Capital plc has begun the growth of a third main practice area with the acquisition of tech services company Zemoga. More
CX and research tech company Forsta has appointed Brian Bhuta as Chief Product Officer, overseeing product development, leading innovation and evolving the architecture of the product suite. More
Research services and software company Schlesinger Group has announced the full integration of three of its acquisitions - Market Cube, 20|20 Research and Addison Research - under the Schlesinger Group brand. More
In the UK, digital education and research membership organisation Jisc has appointed Heidi Fraser-Krauss as Chief Executive Officer, replacing Paul Feldman, who is retiring after more than six years in the role. More
Kirsty Fuller, CEO of video intelligence platform Big Sofa Technologies, is stepping down from the role and will become a Non-Executive Director from next January. She will be succeeded by Sam Curtis, current Head of Client Partnerships and Business Development, in a planned transition. More
Sir Martin Sorrell's S4Capital has reported a 'very strong' first half, with like-for-like gross profit (net revenue) up 49%, and pro forma EBITDA up 36% - results described as 'more in line with the fast-growing digital platforms' than the more traditional major media groups. More
UK-based research and data business Delineate has announced senior management changes, with founder James (JT) Turner moving from the CEO role to that of President; COO Ben Leet stepping up to CEO; and former employee Chris Bunyan returning as Product Director. More
In London, full-service agency IFF Research has made eleven new hires in the last quarter, including Catherine O'Driscoll who re-joined in June as Associate Director after eighteen months at charity GambleAware. More
Leeds based business intelligence and analytics software provider Panintelligence has announced partnerships with a number of technology companies, aimed at assisting client businesses with big data challenges and easing their access to real-time insights. More
Business-to-business research provider B2B International has promoted Tom Percival to the role of Managing Director, leading its London-based team. More
US-based sample solutions provider InnovateMR has promoted Chief Research Officer Lisa Wilding-Brown to the role of CEO. Co-founders Matt Dusig, George Llorens and Gregg Lavin, along with company President Michael Anderson, move to the firm's Board of Directors. More
B2B research technology platform Atheneum has raised $150m in a round of funding, to be used for market expansion (including in the US), continued technology and product development, and recruitment. More
First-party data and insights platform Dynata has appointed Dilip Nagaraja as Chief Technology Officer, driving the continued development of the firm's platform and automating the processing, access and distribution of its products. More
In London, data-driven customer experience management (CXM) company Merkle has opened a dedicated Technology Consulting practice, and appointed its Senior Director of Solutions Andy Ankrah to lead it. More
Technology and services analyst HFS Research has launched a Sourcing Advisory practice and appointed long-time TPI exec Steve Koutros to lead it. He is based in the Netherlands. More
Kantar Chairman Adam Crozier is to add the Chairmanship of BT Group plc. He will join the Board in November and take up the role from 1st December, following the retirement of Jan du Plessis. More
Vienna, Austria-based marketing analytics platform Adverity has closed a $120 million Series D financing round. More
In London, company data provider OpenCorporates has promoted former dunnhumby exec Sarah Arana-Morton to the role of Chief Executive Officer, succeeding founder Chris Taggart, who has been named Chief Strategy Officer. More
Comscore has reported financial results for the quarter ended June 30th, with revenue down 1% to $87.7m, and adjusted EBITDA of $2.6m, dropping sharply from $9.2m a year earlier. The firm says the positive results of recent partnerships and agreements will show up later in the year. More
Momentive, until recently known as SurveyMonkey, has announced an expansion of its MR targeting capabilities to meet growing demand from b2b customers, and tapping the resources of Dynata and Schlesinger Group. More
Global research and advisory company Gartner has reported a 20% increase in second quarter revenue to $1.2 billion, from $973.1m a year earlier. Research revenues rose 14.6% to $1,003.2m, while the Conferences division recovered half its Q2 2019 revenue for a total of $58.2m. More
In interim results, WPP has reported a 'strong' first half, with revenue returning to 2019 levels 'a year ahead of plan'. H1 2021 revenue of £6.13bn was up 9.8% on last year's Covid-hit figure, and the group returned to a profit before tax (£394m) after losses of £3.18bn a year earlier. More
Momentive (formerly SurveyMonkey) has reported a 20% increase in second quarter revenue to $109.4m, from $90.9m a year earlier; with a 33% rise in Enterprise sales to $33.9m and self-service revenue up 15% to $75.5m. More
Sir Martin Sorrell's S4Capital has merged its digital content production company MediaMonks and digital media solutions provider MightyHive into a single data, digital media and tech brand called Media.Monks. More
US-based technology specialist Forrester Research has reported second quarter revenue of $128.7m, up 13.4% on last year. Revenue from its Research division climbed to $81.0m from $75.0m in Q2 2020. More
London-based online specialist DigitalMR has been renamed DMR after expanding its artificial intelligence capabilities beyond 'digital' to include customer experience management, customer journey optimisation, alternative data for funds and other use cases. More
Nielsen has announced a 6.2% increase in second quarter revenues to $861m on both a reported and organic basis (4.5% in constant currency terms), up from $811m in the prior year period, and similar to revenue for the Global Media half of the business in Q2 2019. More
New York-based real-time MR software platform Suzy has closed a $50 million Series D funding round, more than doubling the total is has raised to date. More
Nielsen has launched an approach to measure authenticated and unauthenticated web traffic and validate first-party server data with real consumer behavior. More
In the UK, GroupM-owned media agency Essence has announced that its EMEA Consulting division will now offer the group's data, media and technology expertise as a standalone service. More
Comscore Chief Financial Officer Greg Fink will be leaving the company at the end of August, 'to pursue new interests'. More
First-party data platform Dynata has hired former Verto Analytics CEO Pat Brennan as VP, Panel Development; while Nancy Brigham joins as VP, Research Science; John Talierco as Product Owner; and Naveen Goel as VP, India Operations. More
UK market research budgets were revised down in the latest quarter, according to the latest IPA Bellwether Report - extending the negative trend seen since the third quarter of 2015. However, the latest MR budget reduction was the 'softest' in two years. More
In New York, consumer insights platform Morning Consult has added seven former Kantar executives and three from Ipsos to its Commercial team. More
Kantar Public, the group's government and public sector practice, has announced a three-part investment strategy for its business in Germany. This includes the launch of a new Public Data Innovation Hub to support German data science, digital start-ups and micro businesses. More
Online communities specialist InSites Consulting has announced 10% revenue growth for the fiscal year 2020-2021, adding 'up to EUR 66m worldwide'. More
In Australia, M&C Saatchi has launched a marketing sciences practice called Precision, which will work with clients and support a group-wide learning and development program to increase 'data fluency' among the group's employees. More
In the UK, insight industry language specialist Empower Translate has set up a new department focused on response data localisation needs. More
From our special issue published this week, KL Communications founder Kevin Lonnie talks about what's changed and what hasn't in twenty years running a communities business; about getting customers to solve clients' business problems; and getting space men to talk to each other. More
Hamburg, Germany-based insights automation platform quantilope is expanding to the UK with the opening of an office in London. More
MR and healthcare-focused translation & language services company GlobaLexicon has increased its headcount to 120, while growing its revenue 45% in the first half of the year. The firm has also doubled the capacity of its Translation Operations Centre in Spain. More
Kantar has chosen a new Chief Executive - Chris Jansen, currently CEO of global schools group Cognita, starts in the role on 1st November. More
Twenty years to the day from its launch, North of England firm DJS Research has announced it is now an employee-owned business. More
Business data firm Dun & Bradstreet, Inc. has completed the acquisition of a new global headquarters building, Town Center II in Jacksonville, Florida. More
Kantar has announced the formal integration of New Zealand's Colmar Brunton into its business, with the Colmar Brunton name to be phased out by the end of this year. All 121 staff in the country will join one of two new NZ divisions, Kantar or Kantar Public. More
Continuing our focus on insight communities, Verve's Joint Head of Research talks about setting up the world's largest community panel; the boom in exploratory digital qual; and why he's seeing research better represented in board meetings than ever before. Available in print or as a video podcast. More
Google's phasing out of third-party cookies is no longer imminent. After sending the marketing community into a frenzy with its decision 18 months ago to drop cookie support from Chrome, the firm this week put the deadline back to at least mid-2023, linking the move to pressure from UK regulators. More
LA-based insights firm Echo MR has expanded its partnership with CXM and Insights platform Alida to Europe, just a few months after joining its partner network. More
Experience Management (XM) company Qualtrics has partnered with cloud customer experience and contact center solutions firm Genesys, adding the latter's customer engagement and activity data to the former's feedback for a single, actionable view of customer satisfaction. More
In London, data management tech firm Solidatus has hire Dave Northmore as VP of Sales, while Chris Crang joins in the newly created role of VP of Marketing. More
Technology and services analyst HFS Research has launched a Banking and Financial Services (BFS) practice, led by SVP Elena Christopher who is based in the US. More
The directors of MR agency MM-Eye have launched a sustainability business change practice called The Say Do Company, promising to help clients drive profit through a combination of customer insight, business change management and sustainability expertise. More
In the UK, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and The Alan Turing Institute are teaming up to produce 'close to real-time economic statistics', which they say will 'help track changes in the economy while preserving privacy'. More
In the second article from our forthcoming special issue, Toluna's Director, Digital Solutions Jack Lee sets out why communities are an ideal way for a brand to get closer to its consumers; and how to make the most of what they can offer. More
As the insight world emerges from the shadow of Covid, 'only around 50% of formerly face to face activity will revert to type', says Verve's Andy Dexter, introducing a month of features focused on Online Communities, for our forthcoming special issue. More
In New York, consumer insights platform Morning Consult has raised $60m in a Series B round of funding, which values the company at $1.01 billion. Funds will be used for development of its data collection technology and expansion into the EMEA and APAC regions. More
Mark Inskip, the CEO of Kantar's UK and Ireland Media Division, has left the business to join staffing procurement firm Matrix SCM as Chief Executive Officer. He will be replaced on a temporary basis by EMEA MD Louise Ainsworth. More
Digital ad verification firm Integral Ad Science (IAS) has today announced the filing of a registration statement with the U.S. SEC, for a proposed IPO of its common stock. More
Toluna has launched what it describes as 'the industry's first and only Enterprise Insights Subscription', giving clients 'limitless access' to its Toluna Start platform, expert personnel and insights from its global panel community. More
Business-to-business research provider B2B International has promoted its London MD Matthew Powell to the role of Vice President and Executive Director, North America, leading its Los Angeles Office. More
Kantar's first quarter revenue was up 3% to $896m, with six of its seven divisions delivering growth. This includes double digit increases from the group's consumer and shopper behavior specialist Worldpanel, and public policy services provider Kantar Public. More
User experience (UX) analytics platform Contentsquare has raised half a billion dollars in a Series E round of funding, which it will use to expand its leadership team in Europe and the US, and move into new markets across Asia. The round values the company at $2.8 billion. More
In New York, WPP's media investment company GroupM has promoted Krystal Olivieri to the newly created role of Global Innovation Officer, tasked with elevating, enhancing and streamlining its data products and solutions. More
Online community and survey tech provider Toluna has promoted Susan Vidler to the role of European Chief Research Officer, from her most recent role as UK MD for Harris. The firm has also promoted Olivia Senneville to Executive Vice President, Finance. More
Kantar Public, the global group's government and public sector practice, has launched a data science platform and toolkit, 'PUBLIC Evidential', which promises advanced data blending and analytics to help 'build and enrich' the evidence base for public policy decisions. More
London and US-based Incite, part of the Kin + Carta group of companies, is restructuring its offer into three core practices: Research, led by Director Stefan Schafer; Planning, led by Deputy MD Pranay Jeyachandran; and Strategy, led by Director Helene Mills. More
Britain's MRS has awarded the Gold Medal, its most prestigious honour, to former NOP MD Phyllis Macfarlane; and announced new fellows including research tech writer Tim Macer and two inspirational former Chairs of B2B research group BIG, Claire Labrum and Trevor Wilkinson. More
In London, start-up Quix has raised $3.2m in a seed round of funding, which it will use to launch a real-time streaming analytics platform. More
Tokyo-based online specialist Macromill has launched a Life Science Business, which will conduct research and acquire biochemical data relating to healthcare, and use panels for human clinical trials concerning health promotion and disease prevention. More
US-based technology research and advisory firm Information Services Group (ISG) has reported a 4.6% increase in Q1 revenues to $67m - up 1% in constant currency terms. Adjusted EBITDA jumped to $8.6m, from $3.5m in first quarter 2020. More
Comscore has reported results for the first quarter, with revenue up fractionally from $89.5m to $90.3m. Adjusted EBITDA was down 12.5% to $5.6m, but remains much stronger than in 2019. More
Technology consulting firm Forrester Research has reported revenue up 7% to $113.8m for the first quarter of 2021. The company has also launched Forrester Decisions, described as a 'premium portfolio' of 15 new research services. More
London-based content marketing platform ContentCal has raised $6.2m in a Series A round of investment, which it will use to develop a proprietary content intelligence platform, make new hires, open a US base and expand its UK headquarters. More
Global industry association ESOMAR has teamed up with NewMR, Confirmit and more than twenty other organisations for the next wave of its survey among buyers and users of insights, measuring how usage and purchasing patterns are evolving. More
First quarter revenues at global research and advisory firm Gartner rose 8.4% to $1.1 billion, with reported profit more than doubling to $164.1m (vs $75m in Q1 2020). Adjusted EBITDA rose 50% to $320m, from $214m a year before. More
Community specialists Tribes Research and Syno International have agreed a partnership whereby Tribes will migrate all its communities to Syno's platform. The latter includes a survey tool, data lake and research automation products. More
Eye tracker developer Tobii is preparing to spin off its Dynavox arm, which develops speech generating devices, eye trackers and eye gaze/eye-controlled devices for people with disabilities and special needs. Along with the spin-off, Group CEO Henrik Eskilsson says he intends to step down. More
Marcoms giant WPP has withdrawn around £200,000 in share awards from founder and former CEO Sir Martin Sorrell, who it claims leaked confidential information to a journalist following his departure in 2018. More
Kantar Chief Executive Alexis Nasard has stepped down after just four months in the role. Deputy CEO Ian Griffiths will lead the company until a new appointment is made. More
The recently merged business of research software firms Confirmit and FocusVision has a new name, Forsta. Both the original companies will continue to operate as usual while the organisation continues its integration plans and brand strategy roll out. More
WPP has launched a global data company called Choreograph, which brings the specialist data units of GroupM and Wunderman Thompson into a single business, accessible to all WPP clients and companies. More
Shares in WPP AUNZ have been suspended from the ASX (Australian Securities Exchange), following last week's shareholder vote in favour of a buyout of the business by British parent company WPP plc. More
Ipsos has posted revenue of EUR 466.3m in the first quarter of 2021, up 8.8% from Q1 2020 and up 10.5% from Q1 2019. Like-for-like, the increase was 14.1%, driven by a very strong performance in EMEA. More
Experience Management (XM) pioneer Qualtrics has reported first quarter revenue up 36% to $238.6m, and also says it turned an operating loss into a small (non-GAAP) profit during the period. More
Tech buyer and seller marketplace Spiceworks Ziff Davis (SWZD) has launched a division called Aberdeen Strategy & Research, delivering insights into the business technology market. Robin Peto will lead it as Managing Director. More
In the US, online sample company PureSpectrum has raised $17m in a Series B round of funding, which it will use to continue building its team and to expand its product offering. More
In the UK, former Savanta and Charterhouse execs Julie Irwin and Kate Turner have launched a specialist financial and business services MR agency called Citrine Research, with expertise in new proposition development, comms testing and thought leadership. More
Long-time Cint executive Richard Thornton has departed from the company for some 'planned time off with the family'. More
Digital research firm Alligator has teamed up with rural qual recruitment expert FieldMouse to launch a panel of farmers and farm workers, Opinion Harvester. More
Four specialists from different marketing disciplines have launched a collective called Crater Lake & Co, bringing together marketing analytics, creative strategy, media planning and market research to provide answers to questions around clients' marketing decisions. More
In the US, Comscore has promoted analytics leader Michael Vinson to the position of Chief Research Officer. More
London-based B2B loyalty and incentive programme provider Motivforce has promoted Nick Merry to the role of Global Chief Executive Officer, replacing co-founder David Cox, who is now the company's Chairman. Merry is based in Sydney, Australia More
UK-based insight industry language specialist Empower Translate has launched an Unstructured Data unit, providing localisation services for high volumes of participant data derived from large-scale surveys and product testing. More
Kantar has launched a new practice, Dx Analytics, focused on the analysis of unstructured data to provide clients with deeper insight, and help them measure and boost their digital marketing performance. More
Recently merged Confirmit and FocusVision have appointed Christopher Nagy and Giles Whiting to their leadership team as Global President / CFO and COO, respectively. More
Sir Martin Sorrell's digital ad group S4Capital has announced a 15.2% like-for-like increase in revenue, in unaudited preliminary results for the full year 2020. EBITDA rose 18.3% on the same basis. Reported revenue, including acquisitions, was up 59.3% to £342.7m. More
The Insight Climate Collective (ICC), a group calling on the industry to come together and play its part in tackling the environmental crisis, has appointed a Steering Committee to help put its strategy into action. More
Trade association ESOMAR has named ScaleHouse Consulting founder Kristin Luck as President of its Council, replacing Joaquim Bretcha of Netquest who has completed his two-year term. MindSpark founder Nikki Lavoie is the new Vice President, and five of the remaining eight members are also women. More
In the UK, B2B customer relationship software platform Pollinate has raised $50m in a Series C round of funding, which it will use for further global expansion and to move into North America. More
Former Kantar TNS East Africa CEO Aggrey Maposa died last Tuesday, after battling a long-term illness. More
Experience management firm Qualtrics has announced a 29% increase in revenue for the full year 2020, to $763.5m, with a fourth quarter increase of 24% to $213.6m. Non-GAAP Q4 net loss was $8.1m, improved from $20.3m a year earlier, while for the full year the figure was $46m ($59.3m in 2019). More
Newly merged research tech businesses Confirmit and FocusVision have appointed three female staff to the leadership team: Qual Business MD Zhana Baleva, Chief People Officer Sara Cohen and Chief Legal Officer Rebecca Wright. More
WPP has reported a 9.3% fall in revenue to £12bn in 2020 from £13.2bn the previous year, while turning a 2019 profit of £1.3bn into a 2020 loss of £2.3bn. Despite this, the group says it has cut debt to its lowest level in sixteen years. More
Comscore has partnered with enterprise AI solutions provider Hive, to expand the integration of artificial intelligence across its product portfolio. More
Comscore has reported preliminary financial results for the fourth quarter and full year 2020. Q4 revenue fell some 5.5% to $90.0m, but profits rose - adjusted EBITDA was up around 70% in Q4 to $9.4m, and for the year as a whole rose dramatically. More
In London, Kantar has hired former Neustar exec Ted Prince for a newly created role, Chief Product Officer, responsible for defining and delivering new offerings and real-time platforms. More
Google has announced that it won't build alternative identifiers to track individuals as they browse the web once third-party cookies are phased out; nor use them in other Google products. More
Online survey software provider QuestionPro has hired employee understanding specialist Sanja Licina as President of its Workforce Experience division, with overall responsibility for driving growth, product development and client satisfaction. More
Ipsos has hired former New York Times insights exec Dan Wong-Chi-Man for a newly created role, Head of Global Marketing and Business Development. He will be based in London. More
Comscore has expanded its data agreement with marcoms giant Omnicom Group, to provide privacy-safe e-commerce and audience behavioral data for its Omni media planning and personalization platform. More
UK industry charity the Market Research Benevolent Association (MRBA) is launching its annual fundraising auction on the International Day of Happiness on 20th March. This year's event will be known as the 'Donate a Smile' auction. More
Debbie Clifford, Chief Financial Officer of SurveyMonkey, is leaving to become CFO of her previous employer Autodesk. SurveyMonkey has already initiated a search to find her replacement, with CEO Zander Lurie taking over the role until one is named. More
Ipsos has reported Covid-hit full-year revenue of EUR 1.8bn, down 6.5% on a like-for-like basis, but managed organic growth of 1.4% in Q4 (vs Q4 2019). Negative currency effects dented reported figures for both periods. More
CX and marketing company Merkle is retiring its Aquila analytics brand, marking the final step in the integration of a firm acquired in 2017. More
Caroline Connolly has joined Kantar Public, the insights group's public policy evidence and advisory division, to take up the role of CEO, Development Practice, based in the Washington D.C. office. More
In London, ad group M&C Saatchi has launched a data consultancy called Fluency, promising to bring greater access to data and insights across organisations. It will be led by CEO Frisco Chau, who is also the wider group's Chief Data Officer. More
Shares in insight exchange and sample management platform Cint rose 30% to SEK 92.5 (EUR 9.2) per share from the original offer price of SEK 72 (EUR 7.2), after the firm placed its initial public offering (IPO) on the Nasdaq Stockholm this morning. The listing values Cint at more than EUR 1bn. More
Next15's data and insights group Savanta has promoted four and hired three new employees as part of its expansion in the US. The promotees include thinqonline co-founder Mark Martins, who is now Americas EVP as well as Asia Pacific General Manager. More
Following its management buyout last month, French research and consulting firm BVA Group says it will reposition itself as an 'experience champion', and will take a more international and more 'participative' approach. More
London-based survey platform Phebi has partnered with voice-enabled data capture specialist Analytical Factory, which will provide it with support services across the UK and other parts of Europe. Analytical Factory will also develop new apps based on Phebi's technology. More
Tech consulting and research group Gartner has reported Q4 revenue of $1.11bn, down 9% in the quarter and down 3% in the full year 2020, but the firm's double figure profit growth (full year adjusted EBITDA +20% FX neutral, and Q4 + 10%) supports CEO Gene Hall's bullish appraisal. More
US-based tech specialist Forrester Research has reported a 3.02% drop in fourth quarter revenue to $120.5m. For the full-year, total revenues were $449.0m, down from $461.7m in 2019. More
SurveyMonkey has reported a 20% increase in total revenue to $101.0m for the fourth quarter, ended December 31st 2020. Full-year 2020 revenue was up 22% year-on-year to $375.6m. More
In London, metadata management company Solidatus has raised £14m ($19.2m+) in a Series A round of funding, which it will use to accelerate expansion into new territories including the US, Europe and Asia; and to new industry verticals. More
James David 'Dave' Power III, the founder and retired Chairman of automotive industry research specialist J.D. Power, died on January 23rd after a long-term illness. He was 89. More
Real-time customer data specialist Tealium has raised $96m in a Series G round of funding, which it will use to drive product innovation and expand its global footprint. More
Healthcare data collection specialist SurveyHealthcareGlobus (SHG) has appointed former M3 and Medefield executive Dan Lockwood as EVP of its European division, based in London. More
Kantar has joined Google's Ads Data Hub (ADH), enabling marketers to assess YouTube ad performance across all devices and platforms without the use of pixels. More
From this week, Daily Research News will feature video interviews of around 20-25 minutes with leading figures in the insights and analytics world, giving you more depth on some of the stories in the news, and talking about themselves, their companies and their views. More
London-based health sector consultancy Branding Science has expanded to Berlin, Germany, where it has hired Anne-Sophie Lenoir to lead the new office. More
UK-based community panels specialist Verve has announced a 23% increase in revenues for the year ending 31st December 2020, to £8.1m. It has also hired Lucy Wetherhill, Claire Andrzejewski, Parker Mincey and six other new faces, and made eleven promotions. More
In the US, experience management company Qualtrics has confirmed the pricing of its initial public offering (IPO) of 51,695,568 shares at a price to the public of $30.00 per share. More
In the US, experience management company Qualtrics has appointed Julia Anas as Chief People Officer, Edward Chen as Head of Corporate Development and Strategy, and Gina Sheibley as Chief Communications Officer. More
Dynata has expanded its loyalty panel in Asia Pacific, through partnerships with global hospitality group Accor, and Big Loyalty, a subsidiary of Air Asia. Further expansion is planned in the coming months in Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines. More
In the US, marcoms group Ogilvy has hired digital transformation specialist Steve Soechtig for a newly created role, Global Chief Executive Officer of its Experience business. More
Online community specialist C Space has promoted Jessica DeVlieger to the role of Global Chief Executive, replacing Charles Trevail, who will continue to lead parent company Omnicom's Interbrand Group around the world. DeVlieger is based in Boston. More
In the UK, behavioural science specialist Chris Harvey has launched a new company called Activate Research, promising to help research agencies and end clients better understand, predict and change behaviour. More
London-based Opinium has hired former Hall & Partners exec Tom McEnery as Research Director, and made six further appointments. More
London-based behavioral data management specialist Snowplow Analytics has raised $10m in a Series A2 round of funding, which it will use for expansion in the US, Europe and Asia-Pacific, and to accelerate its product roadmap. More
In the US, experience management company Qualtrics has filed for an initial public offering (IPO) with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), valuing the firm between $12bn and $14.4bn. More
Comscore has agreed to an investment deal which it will use to pay off its debt through the issuance of new shares. As part of the deal, the firm will also receive consumer-level data sets and rights from new investor, broadband and cable company Charter Communications. More
In the US, Polly MacIsaac has returned to online community specialist C Space as Chief Operating Officer, allowing Phil Burgess to relinquish his operations responsibilities and focus on his role as Chief People Officer. More
Technology and services analyst HFS Research has launched a cloud research practice and appointed Joel Martin as Research Vice President for Cloud Strategies. More
Santa Barbara, California-based technology intelligence firm HG Insights has announced a 'significant growth investment' from growth equity firm Riverwood Capital. More
A management team at full service division Kynetec b2 has bought the company from its parent, Kynetec Group, establishing it as an independent firm and changing its name to b2sense. More
UK-based research firm Field Scope International (FSI) has opened an office in Lilongwe, the capital of Malawi, serving increased demand for research in Sub-Saharan Africa. More
DRNO is taking a break now until 4th January. It's been a strange old 12 months, but we're looking forward greatly to 2021. We wish those of you doing it a fantastic Christmas, and everyone a great New Year. More
WPP AUNZ has accepted an increased offer from its majority shareholder WPP, for the remainder of the company. The cash price of 70 cents per share means the total payable would be approximately $AUD 230m. More
Communities specialists Verve and Potentiate have merged in the UK, as part of a global strategic partnership between the two firms. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
In the UK, software development company The Green Room has launched a digital market research company called The Green Room - Insights, focused on helping pharmaceutical companies conduct research with their stakeholders. More
Tokyo-based marcoms giant dentsu is planning to cut 6,000 jobs - around 12.5 per cent of its 46,560-strong workforce based outside Japan - in the next twelve months, as a result of the downturn in global spending caused by Covid-19. The group says it will also eliminate 154 of its brands. More
London-based qual-led insight and strategy specialist BritainThinks has been named 2020 Agency of the Year in this year's MRS Awards ceremony, conducted online last night. More
Online communities specialist InSites Consulting has brought its seven offices in Asia under its own name, retiring that of ABN Impact, which it acquired a year ago. More
In the UK, workplace pension scheme the National Employment Savings Trust (Nest) has hired former National Trust exec Christina Finlay for a new role, Director of Data and Analytics. More
Former Nielsen Chief Executive Mitch Barns has joined the Board of automated ad and innovation testing platform Zappi. More
In the US, DIY research software firm SurveyMonkey has hired former Neustar and IBM exec Ken Ewell for the newly created role of Chief Customer Officer, charged with leading and expanding the firm's customer success, professional services and support teams. More
In London, Dennis Publishing has promoted Seema Hope to serve as its first Global Customer Insight Director. More
Continuing our focus on Data Visualization: Richard Thomas, CEO & founder of network monitoring firm Highlight, on the challenges of turning a mass of chaotic traffic and performance information into neat, colourful one-page panoramic views for use by non-technical clients. More
AI-powered audience intelligence platform Pulsar has partnered with online physician community Sermo to launch The Drug Sentiment Index, providing details of what doctors, the public and the media think about 165 top-selling drugs. More
YouGov has acquired Turkish online-focused MR firm Wizsight for an undisclosed sum. The company will be renamed YouGov Turkey. More
Customer experience management (CXM) and insights platform Alida - previously known as Vision Critical - has announced a partnership with video insights provider Voxpopme. More
Enterprise data exchange Harbr has raised $38.5m in Series A funding, and will use the money to scale up its team and accelerate onboarding of new customers. The firm doubled headcount in 2020 and says it plans to triple in 2021. More
In the UK, customer insights and communities platform developer STRAT7 ResearchBods has opened a Customer Success division, which will focus on delivering 'first-class' client experience and providing resources and support throughout the customer journey. More
UK-based video intelligence platform Big Sofa Technologies has secured an undisclosed 'seven-figure' amount of funding, which it will use to drive the continued development of its platform and to make hires in the UK and US. More
Data-driven marketing agency Merkle has promoted Anne Stagg to the newly created role of UK Chief Executive Officer, and CEO of its Customer Experience Management Line of Business (CXM). More
Comscore has reported lower revenue - down 6.7% to $88.0m - but adjusted EBITDA up around 14% to $7.3m, in the third quarter. The company also announced that as a result of its strategic review it will look to recapitalize with an anchor investor, lowering debt and enhancing liquidity. More
Sir Martin Sorrell's digital advertising and marketing services company S4 Capital has issued a trading update for the third quarter, with like-for-like revenue up almost 13% and profit also up 'very strongly'. More
Kantar has promoted Chris Petranto to Global Head of Analytics, after sixteen years at the company. He replaces Gonzalo Fuentes who has moved to the role of COO of the group's Insights division. More
London, UK based startup eSwapp, which uses machine learning to help client companies get insights into skill demands, and allows their staff to swap skills, has raised £350k in funding from an angel investor. More
DIY survey pioneer SurveyMonkey has reported third quarter financial results for the period ended September 30th, with total revenue up 20% to $95.4m. More
UK-based Kin + Carta has announced preliminary results for the year ended 31st July, with adjusted net revenue of £137.8m, down 7% on a like-for-like basis; while adjusted profit before tax from continuing operations was £10.5m, flat after adjustments and allowance for IFRS 16 accounting changes. More
From the Data Visualization special issue published last week: Ipsos.Digital CEO Andrei Postoaca talks about the challenges involved in developing a DIY research platform for one of the world's biggest and best known insight groups. More
Glasgow, Scotland-based 'social intelligence' provider Talking Medicines has secured £1.1m in funding, to support the launch and roll-out of a new AI data platform which it says will 'translate what patients are saying into actionable pharma grade intelligence'. More
Technology consultancy Gartner has reported results for the third quarter, with revenue down just 1% (constant currency) at $995m, and adjusted EBITDA up 19.4% on the same basis to $168m. Excluding the Conferences segment, revenue rose by around 5%. More
Digital MR products and solutions company Borderless Access has launched a sub-brand, BA Health, combining a range of technology and analytics-driven research capabilities for clients in healthcare, life-sciences and diagnostics, with a team strengthened by 24 recent appointments. More
Former Unilever and Kraft marketer Roger Jackson has launched SenseCheck, an online platform allowing b2b small businesses to give and receive anonymised, honest feedback about each other's marketing plans and campaigns. More
Forrester Research has reported third quarter revenue of $108.6m, a fraction down on last year's figure in like-for-like terms. However, CEO George Colony says demand for services increased during the pandemic. More
Our Data Visualization special issue is published today. Here, in his Introduction, Ipsos co-founder & CEO Didier Truchot talks about clients' need for clarity, AI's potential to change our industry, and why insight professionals should be confident about the future. More
Marcoms giant WPP has appointed former Baidu President and Microsoft China Chairman Dr. Ya-Qin Zhang as a Non-Executive Director on its Board, with effect from 1st January 2021. More
Ipsos has posted revenue of EUR 468.6m in the third quarter of 2020, down 6.2% on a reported basis but just 3.3% on a like-for-like, constant currency basis despite the impact of the pandemic. The group says this reflects 'a renewed stability since June', with recovery month by month. More
Australian employee research firm Blue Provident is merging with its UK partner Feedback Works, and will take the British company's name. More
UK market research budgets experienced another 'marked decline' in the third quarter - the second sharpest since data collection for this category started in the final quarter of 2012 - according to the latest IPA Bellwether Report. More
Medallia's Senior Director of Product Management Vache Moroyan and his team are tasked with building dashboards that are a pleasure for research professionals to work with. Continuing our focus on Data Visualization - interview by Nick Thomas on September 22nd. More
Communications giant Edelman has launched a Data & Intelligence (DxI) multidisciplinary agency, which will house the group's research, analytics and machine learning capabilities. More
London and New York-based eCommerce financing and marketing analytics platform Wayflyer has raised $10.2m (£7.8m) in a seed capital round of investment, which it will use to fund up to one thousand more eCommerce stores, while further developing its proprietary technology. More
In London, Kantar has appointed long-time Procter & Gamble exec Alexis Nasard as Chief Executive Officer, effective 30th December. He replaces Eric Salama, who left the business in February. More
In the UK, Omnicom Health subsidiary Adelphi Research has promoted Elizabeth Kehler to the role of Managing Director. She replaces Rachel Medcalf who has left after twenty years with the company. More
Data-driven customer experience management (CXM) company Merkle has promoted Michael Komasinski from EMEA President to President, Merkle Americas; while his previous role is to be taken by Margaret Wagner. These appointments will take effect January 1st, 2021. More
Tel Aviv, Israel-based Dataloop, which helps business manage the entire data life cycle for their AI projects, has raised $16m, comprising $11m in a Series A round and $5m in a previously unreported seed round. The new money will be used to grow the firm's presence in the US and Europe. More
Continuing our focus on Data Visualization, the LivingLens co-founder talks in-depth with MrWeb's Nick Thomas about family influences; starting, financing, building and selling the business; the huge potential for video and the importance of good data viz. Video version also available. More
Hungary and UK-based social media listening specialist Bakamo has opened an office in Washington DC, which will be led by founder and CEO Daniel Fazekas. More
Continuing our focus on Data Visualization, Debbie Senior, Toluna's VP Product Automation, looks at the 'need for speed', and other factors driving changes in the way we process, share and display data. More
Marketing and CX management company Merkle has promoted Sam Taverner to lead its newly created EMEA Technology Services division. Ben Gott takes over Taverner's previous position as SVP Marketing Solutions Europe. More
US-based Service Management Group (SMG) has partnered with video insight platform Voxpopme, to offer a combination of video feedback and experience management data. More
US and Canada-based patient-focused recruitment specialist Rare Patient Voice (RPV) is expanding to Europe through a partnership with research software firm Q One Tech. More
Big data analysis platform GeoSpock has raised $5.4m in a new round of funding, which it will use to accelerate development and adoption of its dataset. More
Marcoms group Dentsu Aegis Network is to change its name to Dentsu International Limited, dropping a name it acquired with the purchase in 2012 of British-owned Aegis Group. More
Kantar is planning to cut around ten percent of its US staff due to the impact of the pandemic, according to online reports. More
Market research and healthcare translation specialist GlobaLexicon has reported strong growth in the first half of the year, with revenue up 30% and 21 new hires. More
Customer insights firm Vision Critical has changed its name to Alida, and aims to disrupt the global customer experience (CX) industry, taking on the likes of Qualtrics and Medallia. More
In the UK, the MRS (Market Research Society) has launched a new designation, 'International Affiliate', intended as a sign of research excellence and standards observance for research businesses and client side research teams operating outside the UK. More
Technology research and advisory firm Information Services Group (ISG) has partnered with UK-based intelligent automation company Rainbird, to help enterprises automate complex decision-making by modeling human thought processes. More
UK professional body the MRS has noted a slight positive shift in the expectations of companies in the post-Covid world; and has downgraded its earlier call on the government to 'save the sector' to a more modest appeal for investment in infrastructure and innovation. More
Digital marketing services group Kin + Carta has issued a trading update for the financial year ended 31st July, slightly upgrading expectations from an update issued in July. More
UK-based full-service agency Market Measures has launched a Customer Experience (CX) practice called Market Measures 360CX, to be headed by CX specialist Tobin Sparrow. More
From an interview with Paul Twite, Toluna's MD EMEA and LatAm, looking at the company's recent big announcements - rebranding and the launch of Toluna Start. For the podcast, and a fuller write-up including more personal reflections and detail, see the forthcoming Data Viz supplement. More
Consumer intelligence platform Toluna has launched an end-to-end solution called 'Toluna Start', which will now form the core of its business. Users can access the firm's panel of more than 30 million members, uncover and share real-time insights to help fully understand the consumer journey. More
In the UK, full-service insight and strategy firm Davies Hickman Partners is relocating to larger offices in Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire, and aims to offer clients a wider range of thought leadership, new proposition development, and marketing communication research services. More
In the UK, full service agency Vision One Research has relocated its northern office to Mann Island, which overlooks the Albert Dock, situated on Liverpool's historic waterfront. More
In the UK, medical fieldwork business Medicys has launched a division called MediLAB, which will provide linguistics and analysis services for both the company's fieldwork and non-fieldwork-based clients, across all sectors and countries. More
In the UK, specialist MR recruiters Sarah Penny and Inger Christensen have launched 'Daughters of Sailors' a new firm offering insight agencies flexible in-house freelance support with their recruitment. More
Hall & Partners has teamed up with first-party data and insights platform Dynata, whose connected data capabilities and technology will power the ad and brand research specialist's data visualization and storytelling platform, The Hub. More
Digital experience management software firm Sitecore has appointed Steve Tzikakis as Chief Executive Officer, replacing Mark Frost, who will continue as an advisor to the business. Tzikakis will be based in the firm's London office. More
In London, comms specialist The Creative Engagement Group (TCEG) has launched a Behavioural Science unit, headed up by Guy Champniss. More
Brighton, UK-based social media analyst Brandwatch has partnered with Philadelphia, PA-based real-time TV data specialist Kinetiq to provide cross-channel marketing intelligence. More
Marcoms giant WPP has reported a first half loss before tax of £2.58bn, compared to a profit of £409m a year earlier; and reported revenue down 12.3% to £5.58bn, from £6.37bn. Like-for-like (LFL) revenue declined 11.5%. More
In the US, enterprise intelligence company Craft has raised $10m in a Series A round of financing, which it will use to further expand its offices in San Francisco, London, and Minsk, and grow remote teams across engineering, sales, marketing and operations in North America and Europe. More
An overwhelming majority of UK market researchers (96%) say they want to work from home to some extent in the future following the Covid-19 crisis, according to findings from the 2020 Mental Wellbeing in Research Survey. More
Eye tracking hardware and software firm Tobii AB has announced results for the second quarter of 2020, with revenue down to SEK 332 million (US $37.75m) - an organic decline of 6%. More
London-based digital experience analytics firm Decibel has appointed Jason Lund as Chief Operating Officer (COO). More
Digital marketing services group Kin + Carta Europe has announced a number of promotions, including that of Matthew Froggatt, who adds the newly-created role of Global Chief Strategy Officer for the group to his existing responsibilities as CEO of its Incite research division. More
UK-based insights and marketing analytics firm Delineate has expanded to the US with the appointment of former System1 exec Jeff McDonald as CEO of the Americas. More
Research software and solutions company Confirmit has appointed Giles Whiting as its new COO and Rebecca Wright as Head of Legal. More
MR platform Attest has announced four senior appointments in its London headquarters - Andrew Wray, Patrick Hussain, Nia Barnabie and Andy Davis - following 'recent revenue growth of more than 160%'. The firm is also recruiting a number of staff for its New York office. More
Open source data visualization specialist Grafana Labs has raised $50m in Series B funding, and says it will 'aggressively accelerate its product roadmap' in key areas. The firm has also launched an Accelerator Program providing finance and developer access to those building with its software. More
In the US, market research and analytics company GutCheck has named former long-time Nielsen exec Rob Wengel as its new Chief Exec, replacing co-founder Matt Warta who has left the business. More
Comscore has reported an 8% drop in second quarter revenue to $88.6m, but also a strong move towards profitability. Net loss was $10.4m, compared to a $279m loss in Q2 2019; while adjusted EBITDA was $9.2m, against a loss of $3.2m a year ago. More
Research software firm Confirmit has appointed former Dapresy CEO Tobi Andersson as Chief Product Officer, leading its product strategy and vision. More
In the UK, full service agency Relish has helped launch an eco-friendly, breathable face covering brand called Curb Mask, using data from its own consumer research. As CEO Monique Drummond explains: 'If we can innovate for our clients, why not do it for ourselves?' More
Five UK-based research tech firms and associations have launched a non-profit initiative called TSAPI, inviting the market research sector to come together to create an industry API (advanced programming interface) standard for transferring survey data, and then share it globally. More
Tech industry consultancy Gartner has reported a 6% rise in second quarter revenue for its Research division - from $826.1m in Q2 2019 to $875.3m a year later. With currency effects removed, the rise was 8%. Events revenue was wiped out, but the firm says the division will bounce back. More
Ad and innovation testing platform Zappi has divided its executive team into two: the Futures team, which will set the company direction, and manage its vision and values; and the Leadership team, which will focus on day-to-day operations covering revenue, resourcing and efficiency. More
Research and analytics group YouGov has signalled its intent to increase market share in the media sector by bringing in US and European 'heavy-hitters' Tamara Alesi and Julian Newby. More
The UK division of Future Thinking has taken its new parent Savanta's name, following its acquisition earlier this year. More
Technology specialist Forrester Research has announced a 3.5% drop in Research division revenues to $73.6m, in the second quarter. Chairman and CEO George Colony said the company had performed better than expected during a challenging quarter. More
Insight-led healthcare branding and communications consultancy THE PLANNING SHOP has appointed Rebecca Rehder as Global President, to lead the organization across the UK and US. She takes up the position next Monday, and will be based in New York. More
Anti-fraud and brand safety organizations the Trustworthy Accountability Group (TAG) and the Joint Industry Committee for Web Standards (JICWEBS) are to merge under the TAG brand name. More
In the US, Omnicom Health subsidiary Adelphi Research has promoted Ratna Wynn to the position of EVP, Head of Research, Operations and Innovation, with responsibility for all research functions and operations. More
Research & Results, the organiser of the annual Munich, Germany-based trade show for market research, data and insights professionals, has decided to close its whole business because of the impact of the Covid-19 crisis. More
UK-based consumer research agency MMR and Paris, France-based research and marketing intelligence institute Repères have signed a partnership agreement, giving each access to a combined methodological toolkit and increased geographical footprint. More
The UK government is to upgrade its 'Research Marketplace', a 'Dynamic Purchasing System' for public sector buyers to find and commission research agencies. The new c.£300m contract will start in February 2022 and run for four years. More
MR agency quantilope has raised $28m in a Series B found of funding, which it will use to further expand its offering in Europe, and particularly in the US. More
British big data and analytics firm Quantexa has raised $64.7m in a Series C round of funding, which it will use to expand further into North America, Asia Pacific and Europe. More
Ipsos has posted revenue of EUR 786m for the first half of the year, down 13% from last year's EUR 903.4m. The firm says that after a close to flat performance in the first quarter, the second was heavily affected by the 'havoc' wreaked by Covid-19. More
In the US, investment firm Saroras Private Capital has launched a new company called Apollo Intelligence Corporation, focused on tech-driven data and insights solutions for the life sciences and healthcare sectors; and has acquired data collection company SHG as part of it. More
Kantar has announced the launch of 'Project Moonshot', described as 'a major milestone' on the road to an advanced independent platform for measuring ad effectiveness. The initiative includes deals with Google, Pandora, in-game ad platform Anzu, Dish, Pinterest, Roku, Snap, Spotify and Twitter. More
Dentsu Aegis Network is to expand its business transformation specialist Isobar Consulting to India. The launch builds on existing consulting capabilities at agencies Fractal Ink and Isobar India; and the agency will be led by Priyanka Agrawal as Country Head. More
The holding company of Toluna, Harris Interactive Europe and KuRunData is adopting the Toluna name as its principal brand, replacing ITWP which will be phased out. Toluna is celebrating this change and its twenty years in business with a new corporate identity. More
Innovation insights firm Clarivate Analytics has announced the launch of a Global Business Center in Penang, Malaysia, to be led by VP Shankar Nagalingam. Two more such centres are planned, for London and Chandler, Arizona. More
San Francisco-based digital media consultancy MightyHive has launched a global data practice, promising client organizations better understanding of how their customers make business decisions. More
Sir Martin Sorrell's digital advertising and marketing services investment vehicle S4Capital has raised £116m through the issue of 36.8 million shares at 315 pence each. Proceeds from the sale will be used to fund further acquisitions. More
UK market research budgets appear to have fallen sharply during the second quarter of the year, with a net balance of -42.2% of marketing execs recording a drop in spending, according to the latest IPA Bellwether Report. More
London-based crowdsourcing, idea management and 'open innovation' platform Wazoku has raised £1.25m in a new funding round. The company has also acquired US-based innovation firm InnoCentive. More
Former Lightspeed GMI and Research Now exec Martin Filz has been appointed CEO at Australia-based digital research platform Pureprofile Ltd, effective 3rd August; while John Griffin is promoted to Chief Technology Officer. More
Former Central Fieldwork exec Theo Francis has launched a new business, GuineaPig Fieldwork, based in London. More
London-based publisher data platform Permutive has raised $18.5m in a Series B round of funding, earmarked for international expansion. The firm has also added two new execs to its senior team. More
Former Dapresy director Rahul Jerome has launched a private membership community called The Insight Network, exclusively for practitioners and professionals in the research and insights sector. More
In the UK, marcoms group Unlimited has opened a 'Human Understanding Lab', with a focus on the use of behaviour-led science in driving client performance. The lab supports Unlimited's four divisions: Marketing, Communications, Insight & Analytics and Digital. More
Palantir Technologies, the secretive US-based big data firm which helps predict and track events for intelligence agencies and governments, as well as private clients, is raising around $961m in equity funding, with around $550m already sold. More
Experience management company Qualtrics has expanded its partnership with video analytics firm Voxpopme, to help clients access quant and qual feedback side-by-side on one system and obtain a 'more complete' view of their customers. More
In the UK Bob Qureshi, co-founder of i-view, has set up a Viewing Facilities Action Group, offering support and guidance to facility owners who have been forced to pay local authority rent and business rates during the Covid-19 crisis. More
UK survey software firm Merlinco has appointed long-time SwissPeaks exec Simon Stephen as Managing Director, replacing John Tebboth who has held the role for the past twelve years, and who remains as a Board Director. More
Kantar has added the newly created role of Deputy Chief Executive to the role of Chief Financial Officer Ian Griffiths. More
Nine researchers with 'various ethnic backgrounds and industry experience' have joined forces to launch Colour of Research (CORe), a non-profit organisation that will champion ethnic diversity in the MR and insights industry. More
Former Circle Research exec Chris Wells has launched a B2B market research consultancy called Adience, based in New York City. More
Insight marketplace and MR tech provider Cint has expanded its APAC presence with the opening of an office in Singapore. More
UK-based comms management specialist Oak Innovation has partnered with Australian voice data and analytics provider Call Journey, to offer conversation analytics services based on artificial intelligence. More
Gordon Brown, the co-founder of Millward Brown, died peacefully at his home in the UK on Saturday 6th June, after a short battle with dementia. He was 76 years old. More
UK-based data, insights and analytics consultancy STRAT7 has brought together its three agencies - ResearchBods, Bonamy Finch and LiFE - whose names will now all be prefixed with the STRAT7 brand. More
In the US, Google has moved former Yahoo! Labs research head Prabhakar Raghavan into the senior role of 'Head of Search and Assistant', reporting directly to Google CEO Sundar Pichai. More
UK-based insights and data firm delineate has boosted its leadership with the appointment of Wayne Evans in the new role of Chief Information Officer, and the promotions of Product Director James Stewart to CTO and Chief Customer Officer Ben Leet to COO. More
Insight exchange and sample management platform Cint and online survey platform Survey2Connect (S2C) have partnered to launch a new solution called Survey2Connect Audience. Cint has also been selected to automate GfK's sampling operations. More
Business intelligence reporting specialist Taimer has raised $1m in a pre-seed round of funding, which it will use to scale its business management solution and for expansion in the Nordics and other selected markets. More
DIY survey software company SurveyMonkey is combining its customer experience (CX) solutions from two recent acquisitions into one umbrella brand, known as the GetFeedback Suite. More
In the UK, former Specsavers customer insights leader Eddie O'Brien has left to set up a support network called Destination 5.0> which will provide interim insight solutions to clients. More
London-based digital experience analytics specialist Decibel has raised an additional $23m in Series B funding, which it will use to 'double down' on product innovation as North American and European demand grows. More
Kantar Media's Global CEO Andy Brown has left the business, less than a year after WPP agreed to sell 60% of Kantar to private equity firm Bain Capital. Brown's next career move is not yet known, and his previous role has been filled on an interim basis by former Bain exec Serge Lupas. More
UK sector specialist consultancy Cambridge Healthcare Research (CHR) has appointed Chris Stevenson as Chief Executive Officer. More
Milan, Italy-based crowd testing platform AppQuality has raised EUR 3.5m in a new round of funding, some of which will be used for expansion into new European markets. More
London-based data visualisation specialist Brytlyt has raised $4m in a Series A round of funding, which it will use to build its sales operation, enter new markets, and grow its engineering team. More
Ken Østreng, CEO of research software firm Confirmit, has left the company following its sale to Nordic private equity fund Verdane. Tech sector exec Kyle Ferguson has now taken over his role. More
The insights sector is in line for an $18.7 billion loss in value due to the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a new report released by industry body ESOMAR and based on a survey of 2,889 professionals from 127 countries. More
Research software company SurveyMonkey has reported a 29% increase in first quarter revenue to $88.3m, driven primarily by enterprise sales which increased 128% during the period. More
Julian Green, former MD of Kantar's B2B practice, is launching a B2B insight and opinion leader communities firm called Nostradamus Consulting. The company has brought in two former oil and gas industry execs to advise on the development of its first initiative, an energy-focused community. More
Technology researcher Forrester Research has reported a 5.4% rise in first quarter revenue to $106.3m, equivalent to a 2% rise pro forma. Reported revenue for the research division increased 6% to $72.7m, and for advisory services and events 5% to $33.5m. More
Audience measurement firm Comscore has reported results for the quarter ended March 31st, including a 12.5% decline in revenue to $89.5m. However, the firm also turned a $2.5m adjusted EBITDA loss into a $6.4m profit. More
Technology advisory firm Gartner has announced first quarter revenue up 6.1% (at constant currency) to $1.02bn. Adjusted EBITDA jumped 52.8% on the same basis, to $214m. Results would have looked still better but for a pandemic-related slump in its small Conferences division. More
Sir Martin Sorrell's marcoms business S4 Capital has reported a 17% like-for-like increase in first quarter revenue to £71m, while on the same basis gross profit was up 19% to £60.7m. More
UK-based digital marcoms group Next Fifteen Communicationshas named Penny Ladkin-Brand as Chair of the Board, effective 1st February 2021. She will replace Richard Eyre, who remains in the post until the end of the current financial year. More
Research and insight training company the Research Academy has brought forward the start date for its MRS Advanced Certificate online course, allowing workers on the UK government's Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) to use the time to gain a professional qualification. More
Continuing our focus on mobile insights, Brandwatch founder & CEO Giles Palmer talks sifting through 1.5 trillion pages of data; pulling apart the Model-T Ford; and why our industry could grow fivefold in 5 years. Excerpts from a podcast interview by Jamin Brazil of Happy Market Research. More
Pharma and healthcare data giant IQVIA has reported Q1 revenue up 3.7% at constant currency, to $2.754bn, and adjusted EBITDA down slightly to $562m from $587m a year earlier. The firm says the pandemic has affected business but it expects 'a strong recovery' by the end of 2020. More
Nielsen has reported a 0.3% drop in first quarter revenues to $1.56 billion, equivalent to a 1.5% rise on a constant currency basis. It also turned a net profit of $43m in Q1 2019 into a net loss of $18m a year later, although adjusted EBITDA remained positive. More
Long-time Nielsen / Kantar exec Terrance Kent has been appointed CEO of SRDS (Standard Rate & Data Service), which Kantar recently sold to French ad tech company Adwanted Group. More
Marcoms giant WPP has reported a 4.9% fall in first quarter revenue, reflecting the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, and has introduced further cost-saving measures. The group has also applied for a £600m government-backed loan. More
In the UK, the Royal Statistical Society (RSS) has appointed Stian Westlake as its new Chief Executive Officer. He was previously Executive Director of Policy and Research at innovation charity Nesta, and has served as a government advisor. More
Insight exchange and sample management platform Cint has completed its platform integration with P2Sample, which it acquired last year. The combination enables Cint to offer access to more than 100 million respondents. More
Data firm Acxion has promoted Mike Menzer to the role of Executive Vice President and General Manager of its international business. He has relocated to London from New Jersey to take up the position. More
The Board of Northumberland-based insights firm DRG has invited Paul Wealleans, Client Services Director at Panelbase, to take on the leadership of its online research supplier following the sudden death of its founder Angus Webb. More
Peak, which uses artificial intelligence to understand customers and automatically predict what they want, has raised $12m in an extended Series A round of investment. Funds will be used to support growth, for commercial expansion, and to ramp up investment in R&D. More
Ipsos has posted first quarter revenue of EUR 428.7m, up 1.6% from the same period last year; but says its order book in the three weeks from March 30th has seen a significant fall. More
In London, customer data platform Audiens has raised $8m (£6.5m) to support international expansion and strengthen its team in certain European markets. The firm has also named Jonathan Brech as CEO, replacing founder Marko Maras who will now head up product strategy and innovation. More
YouGov has reported a 16% increase in revenue to £76.9m in its half-year (HY) results for the six months to 31st January, compared with HY 2019, when revenue increased 18% to £66.5m. The firm also says it has not yet seen any 'material impact' to the business from the Covid-19 pandemic. More
Continuing this week's focus on 'Insights in the Mobile Age' Andy Chandler, General Manager, UK & Ireland at mobile measurement and fraud prevention specialist Adjust, debunks three fashionable but misplaced ideas from this booming market. More
Market research has been listed as the worst-performing category in the latest IPA Bellwether Report, as UK marketing budgets decline at the fastest rate since the global financial crisis of 2009. More
UK-based media and marketing analytics firm Ebiquity has appointed Nick Waters as Group Chief Executive Officer, following the resignation of Michael Karg last year. More
In the US, international data collection business Schlesinger Group has acquired qualitative technology-led research services provider 20|20 Research for an undisclosed sum. Jim Bryson, founder and former Chair at 20|20, is retiring from the business. More
British engineering legend Rolls-Royce has announced the launch of Emer²gent, an alliance of data experts aiming to support global businesses and governments recovering from the economic impacts of Covid-19. Members include IBM and Google Cloud. More
South West of England-based digital specialist Caffeine Marketing, which also owns Caffeine Market Research, is opening an office in Bristol. More
Angus Webb, the founder and Managing Director of online research supplier Panelbase, died last Wednesday evening from the COVID-19 virus, at a hospital in Spain. He was 45 years old. More
Marketing and MR Agency System 1 has announced that its Chief Financial Officer James Geddes is stepping down on April 20th, after seventeen years with the firm. He will be succeeded by former British Airways exec Chris Willford. More
UK-based medical device MR consultancy Creative Medical Research (CMR) has hired Matt Higgs for a newly created role, Head of Insights, working across both qual and quant methods. The firm has also promoted Lucy Little to Qualitative Research Director. More
In London, live video streaming technology specialist HighTech Development has partnered with online video meeting software developer Whereby, to develop a suite of new products. The first of these tools is a platform for market research focus groups called HT FACE. More
London-based AI-focused venture studio Rewired is looking to make investments of $5m to $30m in US and UK businesses across the machine learning, robotics, bionics, smart sensors, mapping and localisation sectors. More
Marcoms giant WPP has launched plans to make around £2bn in savings, as the impact of the Covid-19 shutdown hits its business. More
US-based healthcare polling company and online physician community Sermo has invited all doctors globally to participate in a Covid-19 Real Time Barometer study, providing a weekly perspective of physicians' insights and perspectives on the crisis. More
Global association ESOMAR is teaming up with MrWeb and its existing partner Women In Research to give data and insights professionals access to the world's largest specialist index of job opportunities, with new packages and offers also launched. More
Jane Frost, Chief Executive of Britain's MRS, has written to the Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak warning of the 'immediate and potentially catastrophic impact' of the Covid-19 crisis on the industry, and asking for further help in protecting it. More
Stockholm, Sweden-based brand tracking and consumer science specialist Nepa has reported net sales up 10.7% (constant currency) in the fourth quarter of 2019 and 7.5% in the full year; but also an increased loss (EBIT) for both periods - a statistic its new CEO is determined to change. More
Customer insights platform UserTesting has raised $100m in new funding, which it will use to increase market share and accelerate investment. The firm has also acquired Norway-based multilingual experience testing specialist Teston, for an undisclosed sum. More
Daniel Wirth has been appointed as CEO of Kynetec and the Kleffmann Group, following the recent announcement that the two agricultural and animal health research specialists are merging. More
With the Covid-19 pandemic now sweeping the world, research charity the MRBA has issued a statement reminding UK employers that it is here to help, including in cases where the industry's casual workers get into severe financial hardship due to the impact of the virus. More
Comscore has completed a second round of discussions with potential buyers including Symphony Technology, according to reports. More
Technology research and advisory firm Information Services Group has reported a 3.6% decline in revenue for the full year to December 31st 2020, to $265.8m. Profit, in the form of adjusted EBITDA, eased off 4.6% to $31.5m for the year, but hit record levels in the last two quarters. More
MR software firm Remesh has raised $25m in a Series A2 round of funding, which will be used to drive expansion of the company and its platform. More
Munich, Germany-based enterprise loyalty specialist Loyalty Prime has raised EUR 5m in a Series B round of funding, which it will use to drive the development of its software, based on artificial intelligence. More
Social media management software firm Hootsuite has partnered with UK-based analyst and insights firm Brandwatch to offer a new 'listening' solution allowing clients to find and analyse key conversations relevant to their brand. More
Cint has added Helene Stafferöd Westerlund as Chief Technology Officer, heading up its global technology objectives as part of its executive team. More
Online community specialist CMNTY corporation has announced a partnership with first-party data and insights platform Dynata, promising to help brands improve audience engagement via a more complete picture of customers. More
UK industry charity the Market Research Benevolent Association (MRBA) is asking for donations for its annual auction, which provides funds to research industry execs and their families who have fallen on hard times. More
Data and marketing services company Acxiom has promoted Chad Engelgau to the role of Chief Executive Officer, based in New York. He replaces Dennis Self, who will stay on as an advisor during a transition period, before 'departing for a new venture'. More
Comscore has reported financial results for the quarter and full year ended December 31st 2019, with revenue and EBITDA declining but some indications in Q4 that a cost-cutting turnaround strategy is taking effect. The firm has also announced a data deal with Comcast. More
Innovation analytics firm Clarivate is to open an office for around 150 staff in Chandler, Arizona, and says it will serve as one of three new Centers of Excellence, alongside locations in London and Malaysia. More
WPP has reported results for the fourth quarter and full year 2019. Improvements from Q3 were not maintained to the end of the year and shares tumbled around 14% on the news. Nevertheless CEO Mark Read said 'substantial progress' was made in the year the group sold a majority stake in Kantar. More
Ipsos has reported a 14.5% increase in full-year revenue to slightly more than EUR 2 billion; with organic, constant currency growth of 3.8%, the firm's best annual performance since 2011. More
In Rotterdam, Netherlands, global consumer agency InSites Consulting has appointed former Haystack Consulting exec Kjell Massen as Business Director; and moved Margot Schuil to the role of Global Client Partner. Niels Schillewaert takes over Schuil's former role as country MD. More
Stockholm, Sweden-based brand tracking and consumer science specialist Nepa has promoted Ann-Christine Fick to the position of Chief Financial Officer, while Michael Wallin joins in the newly created role of Head of Investor Relations. More
London-based 'customer understanding' platform Chattermill has raised £6.2m in a Series A round of funding, which it will use to expand its offices in London and Berlin. New hires will include engineers, data scientists, enterprise sales and marketing experts. More
Oslo, Norway-based data collection specialist Norstat has appointed Mats Beck as Head of its newly established Strategy and M&A unit. More
In the UK, Unlimited's customer relationship marketing specialist Prophecy and B2B specialist DirectionGroup are to be integrated into customer engagement agency TMW. Parent company Unlimited says the move will deliver solutions that focus on the entire customer experience. More
Adam Crozier, former CEO of broadcaster ITV, the Football Association and Royal Mail, has been named Non-Executive Chairman of Kantar. More
US online survey software provider QuestionPro has opened an office in London, with plans to grow it to fifteen people across sales, marketing and customer success during the year. More
Ipsos has announced the acquisition of a majority stake in survey technology provider Askia, and says it will tap the firm's expertise and technology to develop the 'survey platform of the future'. More
Next15's data and insights group Savanta has announced the acquisition of the UK business of Future Thinking, which has 61 staff in offices in Oxford and London. Future Thinking France and the Gemseek division, which employ most of the Group's c.350 staff, are not part of the deal. More
Research, media and events provider Informa Tech is bringing together its analysis and research units into a single entity. Ovum, Heavy Reading, Tractica and most of what was previously IHS Markit's TMT research business will be unified under the new brand, Omdia. More
Consulting group Gartner has reported fourth quarter adjusted revenue up 11% at constant currency, to $1.2bn, with profits also increased. Full year revenue was up 11% on the same basis to $4.2bn. More
French healthcare sector fieldwork agency QualWorld has expanded its presence to twelve countries including Sweden, Poland and India. More
In London, voice technology firm Phebi has introduced a new product, which it claims makes it easy to 'voice-enable' any survey. More
Kenneth Tomaszewski has stepped down from his role as President of NY-based healthcare research specialist KJT Group, and will be replaced by Michaela Gascon, who adds the title of President to her existing one of Chief Operating Officer. More
Memories are short (well ours are anyway) and when we started our summary of 'the MR world in 2002' we expected to find an industry deeply affected by the global downturn of that year. Only when we got reading did we remember that of course, until 2009, research used to be recession-proof! More
Adam Crozier, former CEO of broadcaster ITV, the Football Association and Royal Mail, is said to be discussing the role of Chairman at Kantar. More
Big data giant Cloudera has announced a new CEO. Rob Bearden was previously Chief Executive of rival firm Hortonworks, with which Cloudera merged a year ago. More
Digital advertising industry body IAB UK has hired Elizabeth Lane for the newly created role of Head of Research and Measurement; Dominic Tillson as Head of Industry Relationships and Initiatives; and Antonio Forte as Industry Initiatives Executive. More
UKOM, the body which defines and governs Britain's online audience measurement standard, has appointed Ipsos as its new supplier from January 2021. It replaces Comscore, which has held the contract since 2012. More
Kantar has appointed former ITV plc COO and CFO Ian Griffiths as its new Chief Financial Officer. He will join the company on January 16th. More
This is 2019's last edition of Daily Research News. We wish a very Merry Christmas to all those celebrating it, and a Happy New Year and a great holiday to all readers, clients, contributors, partners and friends around the world. DRNO resumes in the first week of 2020. More
Automotive industry research specialist J.D. Power is to merge with sister company Autodata Solutions, a provider of data and software solutions for the sector. More
Ipsos has partnered with recently formed marketing agency Alchemy-RX in a deal which will bring each company's expertise to existing and potential clients, and expand client access to experts. More
2001, like 1984, was a year for which fiction had given us very specific expectations, and while disappointingly little coasted through the heavens to the strains of the 'Blue Danube', some MR industry giants certainly soared. Here's our review of the year on DRNO. More
Kantar Chief Executive Eric Salama has decided to step down from his role at some point in 2020, after which he will serve as a non-executive Director and Consultant at the company. Kantar has already begun the process of recruiting a successor. More
Harriet Kozak, President of the Philadelphia office of healthcare specialist Research Partnership, is to retire at the end of the year. She is replaced from January 2nd 2020 by Sabera Hyderally, who currently serves as Director of MedTech, North America. More
WPP has announced that Michelle Harrison will move from CEO to non-executive Chair of its Government Practice - which she has led since its inception in 2012 - so as to focus on her role as Global CEO of Kantar's Public division. Global MD Sean Howard steps up to the vacant CEO role. More
Toluna has been awarded a U.S. patent for a new routing algorithm allowing dynamic profiling. The system pre-qualifies respondents on demographics such as country, age, income and education, and cross-references them with other data to establish qualification for a survey. More
Ipsos,60318, Population Services International and Matchboxology won the inaugural Liz Nelson Award for Social Impact, at last night's annual MRS Awards ceremony in London; while Kantar Profiles Division won the overall Grand Prix Award for Greatest Impact. More
Irish-owned business intelligence platform Siren has raised $10m in a Series A round of financing, which it will use to further develop its proposition and expand into new markets. More
UK-based insight industry language specialist RP Translate has been re-named EMPOWER Translate (Global). More
Today it's exactly 21 years since MrWeb was officially launched - a traditional coming-of-age here in the UK. In Internet terms, 21 is ancient really, and we'll do a bit of looking backward over the next few weeks, but we also have major plans for the coming year. Details here - and your feedback wanted! More
London-based Snowplow Analytics, which helps businesses collect and manage their customer behavioural data, has raised £4m in a Series A round of funding. The money will be used to expand its real-time data pipeline capabilities and further expand in the US and Europe. More
Leeds, UK-based business intelligence (BI), data visualisation, reporting, and analytics software developer Panintelligence has raised £4.5m in a Series A funding round, which it will use for expansion globally, with a particular focus on the US. More
Marcoms group Interpublic has created a new practice focused on 'digital responsibility', within its recently formed Kinesso targeting and optimisation company. Acxiom / LiveRamp executive Sheila Colclasure has been hired to head it up. More
London-based company Kin and Carta plc has agreed to acquire US-based Spire Digital, Inc. Both are specialists in digital transformation consulting. More
London-based Decibel, which provides real-time intelligence allowing businesses to measure and improve online customer experiences, has raised $17m in a Series B investment round. Funds will be used to further develop its technology and for expansion across Europe and North America. More
WPP is once again considering acquisitions, in 'faster growing segments such as technology and commerce', according to CEO Mark Read in a call with investors on Thursday. More
In Madrid, WPP Chief Exec Mark Read has opened the marcoms group's latest co-location campus, La Matriz, which is its largest in Europe to date. More
DIY research firm SurveyMonkey has reported results for the quarter ended September 30th, with revenue up 22% to $79.3m. Net loss was $16.3m, slashed from $102.4m a year earlier with operating costs falling sharply, although adjusted EBITDA fell from $17.0m to $11.5m. More
Tech research and advisory firm Information Services Group has announced moderate revenue growth of 2 percent in constant currency terms, to $68.1m in the third quarter. More
Ipsos has launched a self-service research platform called Ipsos.Digital, offering clients simplified access to global research capabilities and insights. More
WPP founder Sir Martin Sorrell's recently launched marcoms business S4Capital has reported third quarter revenue up almost 54% to £56.6m, with a nearly 50% increase in gross profit to £42.1m during the period. The figures reflect rapid organic growth as well as M&A. More
In the UK, industry-owned media auditor ABC has launched an online 'Data Hub' through which users can access current and historic audited data. More
US-based sample solutions provider InnovateMR has opened a new headquarters in Calabasas, California - adding to existing locations in Connecticut, London, Ahmedabad and New Delhi. The firm says its headcount has doubled during 2019. More
Ipsos has reported organic growth of 3% in the third quarter of the year. Reported revenue rose fully 16.7% to EUR 499.4m, driven by the acquisition of units of GfK since last year, and to a lesser extent by that of Synthesio and by currency effects. More
In a trading update for the third quarter, WPP has reported its first like-for-like (LFL) revenue increase of the year - with insight division Kantar sharing in the improvement. Group reported revenue rose 1.9% LFL to £3.29bn. More
Technology researcher Forrester has announced results for the third quarter, with total revenue up 28% to $108.6m, reflecting the acquisition of SiriusDecisions. More
Data-driven performance marketing agency Merkle has promoted Ben Gott to the position of SVP Digital Analytics for the EMEA region, overseeing a team combining the analytics team from its performance marketing agency Periscopix with its existing customer analytics business. More
UK-based specialist insight translation agency RP Translate has closed a £150,000 ($195,000) round of funding, earmarked for the creation of bespoke translation technology for global market research projects. More
For the first time in seven years, more UK marketers told the IPA's Bellwether survey their budgets decreased than increased during the third quarter of 2019 - although the change from the previous quarter was small. Figures for MR were the worst of any sub-sector and the worst in seven years. More
Havas Health & You, the marcoms group's healthcare and wellness arm, has partnered with personalized video content creation platform VidMob to launch a Data Science practice. More
Business research provider B2B International has opened an office in Boston, Massachusetts. More
Continuing our month-long in-depth look at online communities, Nick Thomas talks to InSites Consulting co-founder and CEO Kristof De Wulf about buying UK online research pioneer Join the Dots, its fourth acquisition in 18 months; and about plans for the future. More
YouGov has reported a 17% increase in revenue to £136.5m for the full year ended 31st July. The UK led the way with revenue growing by 31%, while the US also fared well with a 17% rise. More
Marcoms giant Interpublic Group has formed a new division, Kinesso, building on its recent acquisition of Acxiom to create data-based marketing applications focused on trust and security, campaign optimization and precision audiences. More
In London, former Save the Children insight leads Tom Skilbeck and Matt Williams have launched a consultancy called Chemistry Insight, dedicated exclusively to charities, movements and brands that 'seek to do good'. More
UK-based Brandwatch has transformed its leadership team with the addition of Guy Berruyer as Chairman of its Board, Fergus Gloster as an NED, Eva Klein as Chief Customer Officer, Dan Freund as Chief Sales Officer, and Ian Collins as CFO. More
A group of advertisers including EA, Mastercard, P&G and Unilever has launched a global initiative called the Cross Media Working Group, designed to ensure the advertiser's voice is heard in decisions on cross-media measurement. More
Continuing our month-long focus on online communities Stephen Cribbett, CEO and founder of Further looks at projects where communities excel, offering huge benefits over other formats - with case studies of work for Bupa, VouchForMe, Condé Nast and Keyhouse software. More
Market insight consultancy Skopos has made a 'sizeable' investment in UK tech firm HearMe Scientific (HMSL), with the two firms forming a joint venture to focus on the development of apps and platforms for digital engagement and analytics. More
London-based market research and healthcare translation specialist GlobaLexicon has doubled its European Operations Centre capacity in Seville, Spain. More
Richard Millington of FeverBee lives and breathes online communities and has helped build them for everyone from Apple to Lego to the UN, but he's not first and foremost an insights professional. Communities have many other uses - so where do we sit in the bigger picture? More
UK-based marketing and media Plc Ebiquity has announced flat revenue (£35.3m) and profits (PBIT £2.9m) in Interim Results for the six months ended 30th June, citing a 'transitional period'. More
Audience measurement firm Comscore has paid $5m to finalize a settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission, resolving its investigation into accounting and disclosure practices in the two years to February 2016. Former CEO Serge Matta has also made payments to both Comscore and the SEC. More
Continuing our month-long focus on Online Communities, Andy Buckley, Head of Client Solutions at Join the Dots / InSites Consulting argues that communities need to 'step up their game' by giving clients access to a much wider range of methodologies and tools. Includes 3 case study summaries. More
WPP has appointed Keith Weed, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Unilever for most of the last nine years, as a Non-Executive Director, effective from 1st November. More
Brighton, UK-based digital consumer intelligence company Brandwatch has unveiled new flagship product, Consumer Research, representing a '$50m investment' and integrating technology from social media analyst Crimson Hexagon, which it acquired last autumn. More
London-based research and analytics company YouGov has added a new partner in Japan, long-established agency Nippon Research Centre (NRC). The move extends its new affiliate Global Partnerships Programme across APAC. More
On 29th November 1998 MrWeb - publisher of DRNO - officially launched with the appearance of its first job ad. To celebrate our twenty-first birthday we're publishing special supplements on five major growth areas in the sector, beginning this month with online communities. More
Cello Health-owned audience intelligence specialist Pulsar has enhanced its TRAC social media listening tool with data drawn from 5.5 million medical conversations taking place on online physician community SERMO. More
Sir Martin Sorrell's recently formed marcoms business S4Capital has reported revenue of £87.97m for the first six months of 2019 - up an estimated 42%, or 38% in constant currency terms. According to the firm, it is on track to double in size organically by 2021. More
Recently formed group STRAT7 has launched a specialist business strategy offering called STRAT7+, based in Stockholm. Martin Hörnqvist, former CEO of toymaker BRIO, joins to lead it. More
The insight sector around the world including traditional and new areas turned over around $80bn in 2018, according to ESOMAR's annual Global MR report - up from $76bn in 2017. New areas such as data analytics accounted for most but not all of the growth, rising around 10% year-on-year. More
Sample provider P2Sample has partnered with not-for-profit organization Women in Research (WIRe), to launch a study which evaluates the percentage of women in MR executive roles. Across 133 firms analysed, only a third (36%) of exec roles were occupied by women. More
Global CEM Software firm Sitecore has laid off around 70 employees, c.5% of its workforce, according to reports. More
Marcoms giant WPP is to open a new campus in San Francisco, in the heart of the US tech industry, where it will house more than 1,000 people from its companies around the city. More
In London, online community specialist C Space has launched a suite of solutions called 'Customer as a Service' (CaaS), which combines multiple sources of data, technology and commercial consultancy to understand the customer and place them at the heart of the organisation. More
Comscore has disclosed plans to cut a further 8% of its workforce, adding to around 10% made redundant in the second quarter. More
In the UK, the management team of specialist medical device MR consultancy Creative Medical Research (CMR), led by CEO George Ashford, has completed a 'multi-million pound' buyout of the company. More
Online community and survey tech provider Toluna has appointed former MetrixLab exec Nicholas Langeveld as Managing Director for North America. More
Eye tracking hardware and software pioneer Tobii AB must fully divest recently acquired Smartbox Assistive Technology Ltd, after a ruling by the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). More
Comscore Board member Paul J. Reilly has resigned, citing a lack of confidence in its operating strategy and innovation. In the last few days, the company's share price has dropped further to record lows around the $US 1.50 mark. More
Enterprise data and analytics provider LiveRamp has appointed Clark Kokich as Non-Executive Chairman of the Board, replacing Jerry Gramaglia, who announced his intention not to seek re-election in February. More
Marcoms group WPP AUNZ has agreed to sell its entire stake in insight and analytics arm Kantar in Australia and New Zealand, as part of the global sale of Kantar shares to Bain Capital. The deal values the ANZ business at $AUD 168m. More
In London, media researcher RSMB has appointed Chris Mundy as Chief Executive, following Steve Wilcox's decision to step aside from a full-time role at the company. More
Next15's data and insights group Savanta has hired five new US employees while announcing a move to a larger office in New York City. More
Research software company SurveyMonkey has reported a 20% increase in second quarter revenue to $75.1m, driven by a 12% rise in the number of paying users and higher average revenue per user. Net loss was up almost 50% to $18.48m, although adjusted EBITDA was positive at $10.3m. More
Tech markets consultancy Gartner has posted a 7% increase in second quarter revenue to $1.1bn (up 9% on a foreign currency-neutral basis). CEO Gene Hall says the company is well-positioned for sustained long-term, double digit growth. More
UK data regulator the ICO has announced ten projects chosen for the beta phase of its 'Sandbox' service, which supports companies and public sector organisations looking to develop innovative and compliant data-based products and services. More
London-based qual-led insight and strategy specialist BritainThinks has promoted both Cordelia Hay and Anastasia Knox to the newly created position of Associate Partner. Also promoted are Holly Wicks, Michael Allard, Hettie Hill and Katharine Allen. More
Ipsos has generated revenue of EUR 903.4m in the first half of 2019, up 14.9% compared with the first six months of 2018. Organic growth for the half year was 3.0%. More
US-based customer insights platform UserTesting has opened its first international office, in Edinburgh, Scotland, where it has appointed Bruce Hunter as European Regional Vice President. More
Microsoft has tapped its experience of helping business to test the impact of IT changes, to develop a campaign testing service called Experiments, to be offered shortly to users of its ad platform. More
Marcoms giant Dentsu Aegis Network (DAN) is planning to drop the 'Aegis' part of its name and is continuing to streamline its Asia Pacific operations, reports suggest. More
Media and analytics firm Crossmedia Inc. has announced a partnership with former MDC Partners CMO Bob Kantor to launch a collaborative marketing services network called Dawn, with four members agencies already included and more to be added soon. More
ITWP, the parent company of Toluna, Harris Interactive Europe and KuRunData, has hired Michele Morelli as SVP of Global Marketing Strategy; promoted Tsahi Ben-Yosef to SVP of Product Innovation; and promoted Mathilde Lelievre to EVP of Global Operations. More
Buyout firms Court Square Capital Management LP and HGGC LLC are said to be working with investment bank Evercore Inc. to explore the sale of digital data collection specialist Dynata, with reports suggesting the price tag could exceed $3bn, including debt. More
Following Friday's announcement that WPP is to sell 60% of Kantar to private equity firm Bain Capital, more details are emerging of the firm's plans, including possible eCommerce acquisitions and expansion of services like Kantar Marketplace. More
Automated MR platform Zappi and insight marketplace and MR tech provider Cint have announced a partnership to provide 'an integrated technology solution' giving Zappi customers results 'even faster than before, within hours', at much-reduced cost and with 'total control of their data'. More
WPP has agreed to sell 60% of its data, research, consulting and analytics business Kantar to private equity firm Bain Capital, in a deal which values the whole of Kantar at around £3.2bn ($4.0bn). More
London-based market research and healthcare translation specialist GlobaLexicon has hired fifteen new team members in the first half of the year, and announced 20% growth in revenue. More
The partners at pricing and strategy consultant Simon-Kucher have elected Mark Billige, from the UK, and Andreas von der Gathen, from Germany, as co-CEOs for the next five years. They will take up their new positions on January 1st 2020. More
UK-based advisory group Cello Health has opened an office in Berlin, where it has appointed Heike Tombrink as Regional Director, Head of Cello Health Insight Germany; and Matthias Heurich as Regional Director, supporting Digital Innovation. More
Insight exchange and tech platform Cint has announced a strategic partnership with data platform company Syno International, adding to the former's presence in APAC and EMEA, and to the survey audience available for clients of both firms. More
The UK's ICO has issued British Airways with a record fine of £183m for a data breach last year. The penalty is the first to be made public under new rules following the enactment of GDPR, and dwarfs the previous maximum of £0.5m. More
German-based panel solutions and passive metering provider respondi has moved its London office to larger premises in the city. In addition, it has appointed Olga Yakovleva as Account Executive and Amar Sudra as Project Manager. More
In the UK, communications agency Influential has appointed consumer insight specialist Duncan Swan as Head of Research. More
WPP has confirmed this evening it is now in exclusive talks with private equity firm Bain Capital, over the sale of a majority stake in Kantar. More
WPP has sold its 25 percent stake in comms group Chime, the owner of insight firm Watermelon, to Chime's majority shareholder Providence Equity Partners, for £54.4m plus potential future payments. More
Comscore has secured funds from an institutional investor to the tune of around $20m, with potential to grow to $50m. The investor will buy Comscore common stock at just $7.33 per share, close to its current ten-year low valuation, but the funds should strengthen the firm as it continues to 'refocus'. More
Global information services company Experian has appointed Shri Santhanam as EVP and General Manager of Global Analytics and AI, focused on helping the firm to take full advantage of the potential of big data. More
Leeds, UK-based business intelligence and data analytics software developer Panintelligence has opened its first overseas office in Boston, MA. More
In London, the management team at agribusiness pricing, media, data and intelligence company AgriBriefing has bought the company for an undisclosed sum. More
Ycor, a French company owned by Publicis chairman Maurice Lévy, says it has put in its own bid for the Ad Server and DCO units of struggling tech firm Sizmek, higher than that of retail giant Amazon, and with the aim of maintaining an independent option for the industry. More
London-based data sharing software firm Privitar has closed a $40m Series B funding round, for use in accelerating the development of its compliance and privacy-focused products, and scaling rapidly in response to global demand. More
UK-based digital marketing group Be Heard has bought a 20% stake in transformation consultancy Digital Delivery Consulting Limited, which trades as 3pointsDigital (3PD). More
Marketing and MR Agency System 1 has reported flat constant currency revenue of £26.90m for the twelve month period ended 31st March 2019, and says it continues to invest heavily in its new AdRatings product. More
In the US, Comscore's recently appointed Chief Operating Officer Kathryn Bachmann has resigned a month after taking up the position. More
Co-founder Julian Hadfield has left UK- and Australia-based specialist MR recruiter Resources Group, and retired from recruitment after nearly thirty years. More
Vista Equity Partners, a firm co-founded by Robert F. Smith, the richest African-American in the United States, has joined the list of bidders competing to buy a majority stake in WPP's insight and analytics arm Kantar. More
France-based data marketplace operator Dawex has completed a funding round of EUR 5m, supporting global expansion and its ambition to become the 'reference' data exchange. More
Information and analytics firm IHS Markit has exchanged its Technology, Media and Telecoms (TMT) intelligence business for the Agribusiness Intelligence group which was previously part of publishing, information and events group Informa. More
Innovation insights provider Clarivate is extending the role of Executive Chairman Jerre Stead to include Chief Executive Officer. He will take up the position on June 30th, replacing Jay Nadler who becomes a member of the Board of Directors. More
Research software company SurveyMonkey has launched a cloud-based European data centre for new enterprise customers, allowing it to host data for customers located or doing business in the region. More
Kantar has appointed Gregory Aston as Global Head of Research, Digital Advertising Intelligence, based in New York; while Petra Mašínová joins as Global Director for Reputation Intelligence, based in Paris. More
Reports from several sources suggest that WPP has shortlisted private equity investors Bain Capital, Apollo, Platinum and a fourth undisclosed company to submit bids to buy a majority stake in its insight and analytics arm Kantar. More
WPP's data, insights and consulting company Kantar has launched the 'Profiles Network', offering permission-based, GDPR compliant access to around 88 million people in 70 countries. The launch combines panel information from Kantar Profiles Division (formerly known as Lightspeed) with that from 28 additional organizations. More
In the UK, five independent consultants have come together to launch a new research group called Insight Leaders. More
Pharma information giant IQVIA has reported revenue up 7.2% at constant currency for the quarter ended March 31st, to $2.684 billion, and adjusted EBITDA of $587m, up from $547m a year previously. More
Business intelligence, research and events group Informa plc has formally launched a new division, Informa Tech, bringing together research, media, training and events brands from across the group to serve the global Technology community. Gary Nugent serves as the new unit's CEO. More
Technology research and advisory firm ISG (Information Services Group) has announced a decline in revenue for the quarter ended March 31st to $64.8m - down 6%, or 3% at constant currency. The profit measure adjusted EBITDA declined from $5.8m to $3.6m. More
Comscore SVP of Asia Pacific Joe Nguyen has left the company after nearly a decade, as news breaks of an imminent 10% cut in workforce and a possible sale of the business. More
Dynata has partnered with local audience data specialist Eyeota to offer access to hard-to-reach global B2B and consumer audiences at scale. More
Comscore has commenced a strategic review which aims for an initial $20m in cost savings, following a 3.4% fall in first quarter revenue to $102.3m; and an adjusted EBITDA loss of $2.5m, compared with a gain of $3.6m in the prior year period. More
Tech research and advisory firm Gartner has reported an 8% increase in revenue in its Research segment, to $825m for the three months ended March 31st - equivalent to an 11% rise on a constant currency basis. More
Behavioural research specialist EyeSee has opened an office in London, to be run by former Nielsen exec Payal Patel who joins in the role of Director of Business Development. More
Sir Martin Sorrell's recently launched marcoms business S4 Capital has reported a 38% increase in revenue to £40.9m for the three-month period ending 31st March, with gross profit up more than 37% to £32.8m. More
US-based Forrester Research has reported a 33% increase in first quarter Research Services revenue to $72.4m, reflecting the acquisition of b2b researcher SiriusDecisions. More
Australia-based insight and strategy consultancy The Leading Edge has closed its London office, citing 'Brexit uncertainty-related issues' which it says have made clients reluctant to commit to budgets. The firm will now run most client accounts from its Sydney headquarters. More
In the UK, marcoms group Unlimited has confirmed that CEO Michael Richards has left the business, just twelve months into the role. More
WPP founder Sir Martin Sorrell's recently launched marcoms business S4 Capital paid him £140k in salary, bonus and pension contribution, for just over six months' work last year, the firm's annual report reveals. More
Specialist business-to-business researcher B2B International is launching an office in Edinburgh, to be headed up by RM Imogen Williams, who moves from the firm's office in Manchester. More
Ipsos has reported organic growth of 2.4% for the first quarter of 2019, which coupled with acquisitions including Synthesio and parts of GfK drove reported revenue up an impressive 15.0% to EUR 422.1m. More
First quarter revenue less pass-through costs in WPP's Kantar (DIM) division was flat (up 0.1% like-for-like), while the rest of the marcoms group saw declines. Kantar, whose sale process is said to be 'progressing well', saw particularly strong growth in Asia Pacific, LatAm and the Middle East. More
Automated consumer insights platform Zappi has opened a new office in Hamburg, Germany to support clients across Central Europe. More
Next15's data and insights group Savanta has announced a new Americas team, covering the US and Canada. More
Digital marcoms group Next Fifteen Communications has reported net revenue of £224m for the year ended 31st January 2019, with organic growth of 6.4% on a constant currency basis, and pre-tax profit up 23% to £36m. Research division Savanta stood out with organic growth of 30.6%. More
London-based insights agency Network Research has changed its name to 'Motif', and launched a new 'Loyalty Landscape Framework', designed to understand what drives customer loyalty and how it impacts purchasing behaviour. More
Nielsen has launched a Behavioral Sciences Institute, with the aim of educating leaders across industries on 'the power of conscious and nonconscious decision making'. The Institute will sit within, and tap the data library of the company's Consumer Neuroscience division. More
Chief Executive Bryan Wiener and President Sarah Hofstetter are leaving audience measurement company Comscore due to 'irreconcilable differences over how to execute the company's strategy'. More
Business intelligence, research and events group Informa Plc has launched a corporate venture capital fund, which will make early-stage investments in the 'knowledge and information economy'. More
UK-based marketing and media consultancy Ebiquity Plc has announced results for the calendar year 2018, with an effective like-for-like revenue increase of 7% for its continuing business, but underlying profit before tax down £2.7m to £5.2m. More
In London, research software firm Digital Taxonomy has secured what it describes as a 'substantial' round of investment funding, which it will use for further business growth. To support this, the firm has hired recent graduate George Hamza and relocated to offices in the heart of Bloomsbury. More
UK-based brand research agency The Nursery has launched a new division called The Nursery Health, building on its experience working across the Rx, OTC and wellness sectors. More
Technology research and advisory firm ISG (Information Services Group) has announced Q4 revenues up 4% at constant currencies to $67.9m and full-year 2018 revenues up 1% on the same basis to $275.8m. Full year adjusted EBITDA fell 1.4% to $33.0m. More
Sir Martin Sorrell's new group S4 Capital has presented its inaugural results for the period ending 31st December 2018. Pro forma revenue for the company and predecessors was £135.9m, up 58% on 2017; while pro-forma operational EBITDA was £22.4m, up 99%. More
Kantar is dispensing with brands including TNS, Millward Brown, Lightspeed, Worldpanel and IMRB, and from 2nd April will deliver 'all services and offerings under the Kantar brand name'. More
In London, former Flamingo director Hadley Coull has launched an insight and strategy 'collective' called Headz, consisting of a network of independent researchers, strategists and consultants who will work with clients across the tech, media, and gaming sectors. More
WPP founder Sir Martin Sorrell is to receive shares worth around £2.1m from the group's executive performance bonus scheme, nearly a year after leaving the company amid claims of possible misuse of company assets and 'personal misconduct'. More
In the UK, automotive and transport customer insight specialist APD Global Research has promoted Kathryn Courtenay-Evans to the position of UK Managing Director, as Rob Whalley steps down as CEO. Additionally, Karl Fisher moves up to the role of Client Services Director. More
In London, PR group Newgate Communications has set up a Market and Social Research practice, led by Kantar's former Head of Qual, Dan Clay. More
Confirmit may be headed for new ownership, following a court ruling that shares in the research software firm can be forcibly sold. The ruling is an attempt to recover $320m which the company's Norwegian billionaire owner Alexander Vik owes to Deutsche Bank. More
In London, full-service agency Critical Research has hired former RED exec Sam Day as Director, Face-to-Face. More
Kantar is preparing to close its TNS office in Edinburgh by the end of the month, as part of its review of 'strategic priorities'; but two of its former directors, Jim Eccleston and Duncan Stewart, have announced they will launch their own agency, 56 Degree Insight. More
Insight exchange and sample management platform Cint has created a global enterprise solutions team, focusing on clients with 'advanced, high value and technology-led requirements'. Greg Dunbar will lead it, as EVP of Enterprise, joined by Mike Misel as SVP of Enterprise for the Americas. More
WPP expects to announce a deal selling a majority stake in Kantar to an investor by the middle of the year, according to Chief Executive Mark Read. More
Audience measurement firm Comscore has reduced its net loss to $27.2m on a GAAP basis, compared with $71.9m a year earlier, while reporting a 6.2% increase in fourth quarter revenue to $109.3m. For the full year 2018, revenue was up 3.9% to $419.5m. More
WPP has reported a 4.5% decline (1.8% in constant currency terms) in revenue for its Kantar data investment management (DIM) division, for the year 2018. Reported revenue was down from £2.7bn in 2017 to £2.56bn in 2018. More
Ipsos has reported organic growth of just 0.7% for 2018, with currency fluctuations reducing reported revenue to EUR 1.7bn, 1.7% down on the previous year. Q4 revenue was up 4.5% to EUR 535.6m, as the firm consolidates recent acquisitions. More
In the UK, Healthcare Research Worldwide (HRW) has announced that Global MD Caroline Jameson has decided to step down from her role after nearly eighteen years with the company. On 1st April, Jameson will hand over to Christine Dalzell, HRW's current EVP, US Research. More
In the US, programmatic sample platform Lucid has promoted former COO Andy Ellis to the newly created role of Chief Revenue Officer and Managing Director, North America. He has been replaced by Rick Rodgers, while Nicole Patel and Ben Hogg have also been promoted to the exec team. More
Data-driven performance marketing agency Merkle has launched a dedicated 'northern hub' in Edinburgh, to service clients in Scotland and the north of England. More
Sir Martin Sorrell's new company S4 Capital is to open for business in India, with offices in Mumbai and Bangalore, and has brought in former Ogilvy India WW President Poran Malani to lead them. More
Kantar Media has partnered with media management software provider PRgloo, to provide access to the latter's cloud-based CRM platform and enable in-house communication teams to manage, record and analyse all aspects of their relations with journalists and influencers. More
Data company Syno International has opened an office in London, and appointed Allan Shaw as UK Managing Director. More
DIY survey specialist SurveyMonkey has partnered with Microsoft, to help users integrate and visualize business survey feedback and uncover insights, within the tools they are already using. More
US-based research and advisory firm Forrester has reported an 11% rise in research revenues to $62.0m for the fourth quarter of 2018, compared with $56.9m in the prior year period. Full year research revenues were up 6% to $228.3m. More
SurveyMonkey's parent company SVMK has reported a 19% increase in fourth quarter and full-year revenue to $68m and $254m respectively. Meanwhile CFO Tim Maly plans to retire, to pursue his passion for 'climbing, skiing and adventure in the mountains'. More
Enterprise data and analytics provider LiveRamp has reported a 35% increase in third quarter revenue to $80m, compared with $59m in the prior year period. In addition, the firm has expanded its IdentityLink platform with the addition of connected TV (CTV) identifiers. More
In London, MR software industry veteran Tariq Mirza and Kinesis Survey Technologies co-founder Juha Vehnia have opened SampleNinja, a new company promising robust and scalable panel management software solutions, enhanced by AI. More
The UK's Office for National Statistics (ONS) has launched a specialist unit to provide insight on the economic effects of globalisation and multinational enterprises. More
Kantar company Lightspeed has promoted Jackie Blackler and Simon Buckley to serve as Co-Managing Directors, leading the firm's EMEA business from its offices in London. More
London-based marketing personalisation specialist DataSine has raised £4m ($5.2m) in a Series A round of funding. The investment will be used to expand and roll out its Pomegranate SaaS marketing platform, through which brands can personalise their content for different audiences. More
In New York, WPP's media investment arm GroupM has appointed research analyst Brian Wieser as Global President, Business Intelligence (BI). More
Next15's MIG Global data and insights group has combined its research agencies Morar HPI, VIGA, Charterhouse and Circle into one new brand, Savanta. More
Tech industry consultancy Gartner has reported a 7% rise in revenues to $1.1bn for the fourth quarter of 2018 (+12% in constant currency terms), while EBITDA, excluding divested operations, rose 6% to $211m. More
In Brussels, WPP's government and public sector advisory business Kantar Public has appointed long-time Ecorys leader Roelof-Jan Molemaker as Chief Executive Officer Benelux. He will take up his role in March 2019. More
London-based data collection, analysis and advisory services specialist Kudos Research is expanding into mainland Europe with the opening of a new office in Berlin. This new operation will be led by Divisional Director Volker Balk. More
Former WPP boss Sir Martin Sorrell has repaid the company £170k of personal expenses for items such as ski trips, travel for his wife and child, and objects for his home in New York, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal. More
Pricing and strategy consultant Simon-Kucher & Partners has announced 2018 revenue up 23% to $360m, its strongest growth in more than a decade. More
Data collection firm Schlesinger Group has partnered with video analytics specialist Voxpopme for a new service, Schlesinger OnDemand Plus, offering fast access to video data, fast human transcription, video analytics and management, and secure storage of analyzed data for easy future access. More
Trade body the Mystery Shopping Professionals Association (MSPA) has promoted Jill Spencer, Associate Director of UK customer experience specialist ReactCX, to Global Chair. She replaces Rich Bradley, President and CEO of CX Orlando. More
Dynata - which until last week was known as Research Now SSI - has hired former Zappistore exec Tiama Hanson-Drury as Executive Vice President, Product Development; and announced five further changes to the company's executive leadership. More
Research Now and SSI have completed their merger, with the joint business now known as 'Research Now SSI' and led by former Research Now CEO Gary Laben. More
Data-driven performance marketing agency Merkle has appointed Julia Crawley-Boevey as Head of Mergers and Acquisitions for EMEA, and says next year will see its M&A activity in the region 'increasing significantly'. More
YouGov has given Ben Glanville the task of replicating the growth of its UK Data Services offering - including its omnibus - across a number of key markets, including Germany, France and the Nordics. More
In the UK, former ORC International exec Sam Dawson has launched a business called The Engaged Culture Company, which will focus on building employee engagement strategies, helping clients source engagement survey platforms, and measuring 'what matters' through pulse surveys. More
comScore CFO Gregory Fink has been appointed as the company's Principal Accounting Officer Elect, replacing Michelle Spencer, who had only served in the role since last January. No explanation has yet been given. More
British media group the Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT) has shut down its US real estate data intelligence firm Xceligent, following a multimillion-dollar lawsuit with rival CoStar. More
The UK's top 100 individual market research agencies reported 'strong but slowing' growth of 2.8% in 2016, according to the latest League Tables from the MRS (Market Research Society). More
British luxury car and aero engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce has launched a system of innovation hubs called R2 Data Labs, which will use analytics, AI and machine learning technologies to drive design, manufacturing and operational efficiencies. More
Audience measurement firm comScore says it plans to cut 175 jobs, and that COO Cameron Meierhoefer has stepped down. More
London-based analytics software firm Chattermill has closed a £600k round of seed funding, with which to invest in technology and add data scientists, engineers and business developers to its team of ten. More
In London, last night's Market Research Society (MRS) awards ceremony saw The National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) take home both the coveted 'Grand Prix for Greatest Impact' and the 'Innovation in Research Methods' prizes. More
ESOMAR has taken the relatively rare step of warning its members about the activities of a company, following multiple complaints about the late payment practices of Mumbai-based FieldGlobal Market Research Pvt Ltd. More
In the UK, marcoms network the Unlimited Group has combined four of its existing insight businesses to form Walnut Unlimited, which it describes as a 'human understanding' agency. More
All Global co-founder Eva Laparra has joined healthcare research specialist P\S\L Group, as Group President of its online physician fieldwork services arm Medefield. More
Today we are launching a survey of the UK market research industry, in partnership with B2B specialist Circle Research. If you're a UK insights or analytics professional, we want your input! More
London-based healthcare sector MR and marketing platform nuaxia has closed a £0.5m Series A round of funding, to accelerate product development at its technology centre in Budapest, Hungary. The firm has also upgraded its platform, and launched a 'Video Discussion Group' capability. More
Dun & Bradstreet's former UK CEO Christian Erlandson is joining GfK as Chief Customer Officer next Monday. He will take over responsibility for sales and business activities across all regions from CEO Peter Feld. More
UK business Barnett Waddingham - which provides actuarial, administration and consultancy services - has appointed former John Lewis Partnership HR insights leader Peter Meyler as Head of it new Workplace Consultancy team. More
In the UK, MR technology company QuenchTec has promoted Simon Vaarning to Chief Technology Officer, replacing Bjørn Grønli who is taking on the newly created role of Head of Solutions. More
In the UK, full service agency ICM Unlimited has confirmed that MD Andy Wiseman has left the business after five years in the role. At present no information has been given as to the reasons, or his next move. More
Scientific and medical communications network Porterhouse Medical Group has launched a research division, Porterhouse Insights. Fabrice Allum, previously of Double Helix Discovery and McCann Health, joins to lead it as Managing Director. More
UK-based behavioural economics specialist The Behavioural Architects has announced 'four new significant hires' and says it has 'big plans for further expansion in 2018'. More
Leeds, UK-based agency ResearchBods has announced ten recent hires, including half a dozen additions to its in-house development and operations team as it looks to meet increased demand for its insight and behavioural tracking tools. More
US data firm Verisk Analytics, Inc. has appointed former Nasdaq CFO Lee M. Shavel as EVP and Chief Financial Officer. SVP Eva Huston will depart 'to pursue opportunities outside the company' after a three-month handover period. More
London-based nuaxia, which offers market research, marketing services, recruitment and information services to the healthcare sector, has expanded to the US, where it has appointed former Medefield exec Brendan Egan as President, North America. More
WPP's data investment management (DIM) arm Kantar has been accused of holding back payments to suppliers, in a bid to artificially boost its balance sheet in the fourth quarter. More
comScore co-founder Gian Fulgoni has brought forward his retirement date, originally planned for the end of next January, and stepped down as CEO. No reason has been given for this change. More
UK-based research software firm Askia has appointed former FocusVision EMEA MD Richard Collins as its first Chief Customer Officer, managing and developing the company's international client base, and taking overall responsibility for the UK office. More
US-based Information Services Group has announced results for the third quarter of 2017. Revenue rose 30 percent at constant currency to $68.3m, in part due to the acquisition of Alsbridge Holdings in December. More
Health data giant QuintilesIMS has changed its name to IQVIA. From November 15th, shares will trade on the NYSE under the new name and new ticker symbol 'IQV'. More
Shropshire, UK-based virtual reality (VR) company Igloo Vision has opened operations in both the New York and Los Angeles areas, where it will offer access to its '360 degree projection dome' environments. More
Toluna has announced its intention to define and lead a new business concept and market category, 'Insights on Demand', and says it is collaborating with industry thought leaders and creating educational resources to advance its vision. More
Joe Lewis, Head of Insight at the UK's Broadcasters' Audience Research Board (BARB), is leaving at the end of the year to set up his own audience measurement business, Measured Media Consulting (MMC). More
YouGov Group Chief Strategy Officer Alex McIntosh has been promoted to the role of Chief Financial Officer, replacing Alan Newman who is leaving the company at the end of the year. Both McIntosh and COO Sundip Chahal will be given seats on the Board. More
UK-based agency Future Thinking has appointed former Joint UK MD Adele Gritten as (sole) UK Managing Director, following the recent departure of Claudia Strauss. The firm has also restructured and split its client teams. More
DIY research company SurveyMonkey has partnered with insights exchange operator Cint, to provide its users with access to the latter firm's 40 million respondents in 100 countries. More
Edinburgh-based agricultural intelligence firm Agbioinvestor has partnered with agricultural and animal health MR firm Kynetec to develop and market a new market strategy software platform, sigma Select. More
Ipsos grew its Q3 revenue to EUR 434.0m, equivalent to organic growth of 4.9% and representing 'solid recovery'. Due to currency effects - a fall in the value of the US dollar and pound sterling against the euro - the reported figure was up only 0.5%. More
Technology research and advisory company Gartner has reported Research revenue of $653.4m for the third quarter of 2017, a rise of 38% at constant currencies - reflecting its acquisition of CEB. For the group, Gartner reported a Q3 loss of $48.2m, compared with a profit a year earlier. More
WPP's Data Investment Management (DIM) arm has seen third quarter like-for-like revenue fall 2.9%. CEO Sir Martin Sorrell admitted to investors that it had been a 'tough quarter' as the group predicts a 'broadly flat' 2017. More
Technology specialist Forrester Research has reported third quarter revenue up 3% for its Research division and 6% in its Advisory Services and Events wing, for a total of $80.4m (Q3 2016 $77.4m). Pro forma net income fell slightly to $5.6m on substantially increased operating expenses. More
B2B research specialist Circle Research has hired Amanda Boote for the newly created role of Engagement Director, including responsibility for driving global growth and client relationships. More
London-based agency Network Research has appointed Chris Hall as its new Commercial Director. Starting next Monday, he takes overall responsibility for sales and marketing, and for the custom research team. More
comScore co-founder and CEO Gian Fulgoni is to retire at the end of January, shortly after his 70th birthday. Following this will resume his previous Chairman Emeritus role, and provide the firm with advisory services for a further twelve months. More
In the US, Twitter has formally agreed to submit a set of key metrics for accreditation by the Media Rating Council (MRC), which has begun the first phase of the process. More
US-based MR and community intelligence platform provider FUEL CYCLE has teamed up with UK-based video insight specialist Voxpopme to launch a video capture and analysis capability. The partners say this reduces the amount of time required to analyze videos from days to minutes. More
Research software firm Confirmit has appointed Halvor Stokke as Chief Financial Officer, following former CFO Ken Østreng's promotion to President and CEO earlier this year. More
US and Canadian professional bodies the Insights Association and MRIA have written an open letter to Apple, claiming that its new Safari browser poses 'a severe and almost insuperable problem for online marketing research and analytics'. More
WPP has partnered with customer experience management software company Sitecore, which offers tools for collecting customer data and real-time insights using machine learning. More
UK market research budgets appear to have fallen for the ninth successive quarter - but at a much slower rate than previously, according to the latest 2017 IPA Bellwether Report. Meanwhile marketing budgets have risen for a net 10% of companies. More
Edinburgh-based agrochemical and crop protection specialist Agbioinvestor has expanded its team with four appointments; and enhanced its range of services, launching detailed reports about the crop protection and seed industries. More
Omnicom has moved its online community specialist C Space into its Interbrand Group, and at the same time named C Space CEO Charles Trevail as the new Chief Exec of Interbrand. He succeeds Jez Frampton who is retiring at the end of the year. More
UK-based full-service agency DJS Research has opened an office in Leeds, Yorkshire, where Simon Driver will lead the research division and Matthew Coulling will oversee operations. More
Perth, Australia and Bristol, UK-based Painted Dog Research has launched a Data Technology division, led by Director Matt Gibbs, who is based in the UK. Meanwhile former ThinkField exec Andrew Lim has recently joined the company's Data Tech team in Australia. More
YouGov CFO Alan Newman has informed the Board of his intention to retire by the end of the year. The recruitment process for his successor is underway. More
Kantar Media has teamed up with software firm TechEdge to create a dedicated audience analytics software unit, focused on bringing innovative products to market. Andreas Velter will lead the new business, reporting to Kantar Media CEO & Chairman Andy Brown. More
Media group Dentsu Aegis Network has signed a two-year licence to use YouGov's segmentation and media planning tool Profiles for its audience understanding, strategy and activation needs. The group previously used Kantar TGI. More
Along with a host of hardware launches this week, Google has announced the roll-out of the 'Insights Engine Project', including six products using machine learning to promote data visualization and integration. More
The three founders of London-based video ad distribution and tracking platform Unruly are stepping down from their roles, two years on from its acquisition by Rupert Murdoch's media group News Corp. More
Tech consultancy Gartner is 'exploring and evaluating strategic alternatives', including a possible sale, for its CEB Talent Assessment business, formerly SHL. More
UK-based online communities expert Verve has expanded its North American offer, with the appointments of Marlene Kohn as VP Business Development and Kristin Render as Senior Research Manager. Bogdan Bucur, Director of Operations in London, also joins the Verve Chicago team. More
Insights and marketing services holding company Reimagine has appointed Dan Fitzgerald, previously Chief Client and Marketing Officer at Lightspeed, to its leadership team as Managing Partner. More
Research solutions and online data firm Survey Healthcare (SHC) has announced record growth in 2017 to date, including a near 50 percent increase its in production staff, now 35-strong. It has also rebranded, dropping the word 'Universal' from its corporate identity. More
Recently formed research software firm QuenchTec has announced that Chief Executive Allan Shaw is stepping down from his position at the end of December, for health reasons; and that Mark Van Walwyk will replace him as CEO. In addition, Nick Southwood joins as Sales Director for the UK. More
UK firm Ebiquity has announced Interim Results for the six months ended 30th June, with revenue of £44.6m, flat on a like-for-like constant currency basis. The group says its Advertising Intelligence subscription services have returned to growth on the back of two new metrics products. More
comScore has given Wesley Nichols, Paul Reilly and Bryan Wiener seats on its Board of Directors, as part of its settlement agreement with one of its largest shareholders Starboard Value. More
UK-based research provider B2B International has relocated its Asian headquarters in Beijing, to expand its in-house fieldwork capacity. More
In the US, comScore has appointed Joseph Rostock as Chief Information Officer, leading the technology division, and at the same time promoted Yvonne Bigbee to CTO, reporting to him. More
Marcoms group Next15 has reported a 16% rise in half-year revenue to £93.5m (with organic growth accounting for 2%). The firm's data and insights division now accounts for 6% of group revenue, compared to less than 2% two years ago. More
The founders of four market research agencies in Europe and the US - Kerry Hecht Labsuirs, Naomi Gooblar, Martha Llobet and Nikki Lavoie - have formed a collaborative group called The Ignite Collective, offering a range of services to MR buyers. More
Cint has relocated Deputy CEO Richard Thornton from San Francisco back to London, taking the new role of Chief Operating Officer; while Oscar Carlsson has been appointed Chief Innovation Officer, based in San Francisco. Greg Dunbar and James Rogers are also promoted to new EVP roles. More
Montreal, Canada-based research software firm Voxco has hired Askia veteran John Rousay as a member of its global sales team, responsible for expanding the firm's presence in the UK market, while contributing to its growth in North America. More
Last year saw the MR industry experience its highest level of growth since 2010, according to the latest study by international association ESOMAR. More
UK-based pharmaceutical and consumer insight / marketing group Cello has reported a £2.1m fall in revenue to £78.7m for the six months to 30th June 2017. Like-for-like, constant currency gross profit increased 9.3% in the Health division but fell by 5.0% in Cello Signal. More
In the UK, recently launched digital product consultancy Pivot has merged with full-service digital user experience (UX) agency MadeByPi. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
In London, Kantar Public has appointed Grant Fitzner as UK Chief Executive Officer and Michael Davis as Global Chief Operating Officer. More
US-based survey sample firm ProdegeMR has partnered with Lucid, whose Fulcrum distribution channel will aid its expansion in the European market. More
comScore has announced a global roll-out for its free Viewability measurement service, which allows users to measure digital campaigns continuously within and across publishers and ad networks. More
UK-based video data mining and analysis specialist LivingLens has signed a two-year agreement to provide Cello Health Insights with video capture and analytics services. More
Los Angeles-based tech-driven panel company Active Measure has hired former Lightspeed Research exec Bonnie Breslauer for the newly created role of Chief Customer Officer. More
Microsoft has patented a tool called the 'Opinion Search Engine', to help companies collect and understand customer feedback and product reviews across the web, and to help consumers with their product choices. More
The Mystery Shopping Providers Association (MSPA) has elected Jill Spencer, Director of UK-based customer experience research specialist ReactCX, as its President for the next two years. She replaces Yvonne Kinzel of German CEM firm Multi-Value. More
WPP-owned digital data collection specialist Lightspeed has appointed Angie French as Chief Executive Officer, EMEA. She will join on 1st November, taking over from Caroline Frankum who was promoted to Global CEO in April. More
Research data solutions firm SSI has launched a self-service suite of tools, for use by experts and novices. The tools cover everything from sampling and survey building to reporting of results. More
GfK has announced a transformation and investment programme, aimed at sharpening its focus on customer needs, accelerating digitization and getting the company 'back on a sustainable growth path'. Plans include a 'one office per country' strategy. More
COO Alessandra Cama is leaving GfK, resigning with immediate effect after around two years as a member of the company's Management Board. More
Recently-formed research software firm QuenchTec says it has finished integrating the platforms of MARSC and MI-Pro, from whose merger it was born ten months ago; and launched Q_Suite, an end-to-end research platform. More
Digital marketing dashboard and call tracking platform NinjaCat is opening a UK office, boosting its growth in EMEA markets. More
WPP has slashed its full-year growth forecast for revenues and net sales to between zero and 1%, as clients cut their marketing budgets. For the second quarter, like-for-like revenue in the Data Investment Management (DIM) division fell 4.6% to £669m. More
Terry Kent, the former Global CEO of Kantar Media's Ad Intelligence business, has set up an advisory firm for early-phase ad and media startups. More
London-based content provider StoryStream has raised $1.2m in a funding round, and will use it to add artificial intelligence (AI) to its offering. To lead this initiative, former SmartFocus exec Janet Bastiman has joined as Chief Science Officer. More
UK-based marcoms group Creston Ltd will now be known as 'The Unlimited Group' - following the theme of its earlier rebranding of operating companies using the 'Unlimited' suffix. More
GfK has appointed Jutta Suchanek as Chief Human Resources Officer and Benjamin Jones as Chief Technology Officer. Both take on newly created roles, and will become members of the firm's Executive Leadership team. More
Kantar has announced that Richard Ingleton will take over the role of Chief Executive Officer of its Insights Division, from Travyn Rhall who will be leaving the business in November. A spokesperson for the company declined to comment about Rhall's next career move. More
Lightspeed has launched the 'Gravity Network', a partnership arrangement between selected data companies to provide 'a vastly larger pool than traditionally sourced Double Opt-In (DOI) research panels alone'. Partners in the network include Cint, Lucid, Tap Research, P2Sample and Dalia. More
SRKay Consulting Group, a division of London and Mumbai-based SRK Group, has launched a specialist service for companies facing challenges with customer experience management (CEM). 'Serena Way' draws on ' deep customer psychology' and will be rolled out globally. More
Ed Ross, the founder of survey software firm Quantime, died suddenly and unexpectedly in the early hours of Wednesday 9th August. He was 73 years old. More
UK-based healthcare fieldwork agency Just Worldwide has opened an office in Malaysia, where it has appointed KarHui Tan. The firm has also hired Carrie Skinner as Director of Global Fieldwork in its Newtown, Pennsylvania office. More
US organisation GreenBook has beta launched Savio, a platform inspired by the 'gig economy' and allowing users to buy in research expertise to use with online research tools or as a standalone service. Features include ratings and reviews, project management tools and payment processing. More
US research and advisory company Gartner has reported a 34% rise in second quarter Research division revenue (33% at constant currencies), to $613.7m. The result follows the acquisition of talent management insights firm CEB. More
In the US, pharmaceutical MR consultancy Adelphi Research Global has appointed Clarissa Guengant as Vice President of Client Services for the West Coast, based in San Francisco. The firm has also promoted four team members and appointed four Project Associates. More
Toluna has added to its real-time insights platform QuickSurveys with the launch of QuickCommunities, a DIY product for building, creating and recruiting target consumers into a custom community. More
US-based holding company Information Services Group (ISG) has announced results for the second quarter and first half ended June 30th 2017, with revenues up 15 percent at constant currency to $68.0m, in part reflecting an acquisition in December. More
US-based research body the Insights Association has formed an International Chapter, to provide member companies and individuals operating outside the country with enhanced service and support. This is the association's twelfth chapter, and its first outside the US. More
New York-based hedge fund Starboard Value has bought a stake in comScore, aiming to force the company to schedule its first Annual General Meeting in two years. More
In the US, technology specialist Forrester has reported a 1% fall in Research revenues for the three months ended June 30th, to $54.6m. However, a strong performance by the Advisory Services and Events division meant group revenue rose 2.2% to $87.8m. More
Ipsos has reported what it has described as an 'uneventful' first-half year, with revenue of EUR 833.8m, almost unchanged from a year before, and organic growth of just 1 percent. More
The management of UK-based telecoms and IT sector market research agency Rhetorik have bought the firm in a deal supported by a team of UK and North American data tech-focused investors. Terms were not disclosed. More
Health economics data specialist Context Matters and analyst IHS Markit have linked up to launch PriceCurrents, a global pricing tool for the pharmaceutical industry. More
WPP-owned marcoms group J. Walter Thompson (JWT) has launched an internal artificial intelligence solution called Pangaea, through which those in its network can ask questions and get answers from any of the firm's more than 12,000 employees around the world. More
The Stagwell Group has signed a 13-year lease for two floors in One World Trade Center, where it says it will bring together its portfolio of companies including Harris Insights & Analytics and former Nielsen company National Research Group. More
UK-based video insight specialist Voxpopme has partnered with Kantar to provide the latter's clients with access to its video feedback tools. More
UK-based online communities specialist Verve has launched a dedicated Innovation practice, for businesses seeking customer feedback on product and service design. More
WPP-owned digital data collection specialist Lightspeed has promoted Jennifer Carrea to the role of CEO Americas and Global Health, replacing David Shanker who is leaving to 'pursue new opportunities'. More
Market research language and translation specialist Globalexicon has announced its fourth consecutive year of more than 50% growth, after winning several North American and European-based MR, healthcare and consumer clients. More
Global MR groups The Research Club, Women In Research (WIRe) and MrWeb have teamed up to put the world's biggest listing of research job opportunities in front of a hugely expanded audience of potential candidates. The search is also in a new more mobile-friendly format. More
In the UK, customer experience specialist Maru/edr has appointed Damian Miller and Ross Durston as Managing Directors for its Retail and Financial Services divisions, respectively. More
UK-based agency Future Thinking has appointed Mohamed Muhsin as Head of Pharma UK, while Véronique Bonrepaux-Caux joins as Head of Healthcare France. More
DIY research giant SurveyMonkey has unveiled a rebrand and a major upgrade of its products, including a refreshed logo; a new platform, 'People Powered Data'; tools for customer experience data and employee surveys; an integrated version of its Audience product; and a 'Genius' survey design coach. More
WPP-owned digital data collection specialist Lightspeed has been granted a US patent for its 'Honesty Detector' online respondent validation product. More
WPP division Wunderman has launched an artificial intelligence division, tasked with developing enterprise-grade AI solutions for marketers across customer care, acquisition and retention, and product development. More
In the UK, MR and insight company d.fferento/ogy has promoted Mark James to the role of Managing Director, with responsibility for three divisional heads. Meanwhile former YouGov researcher Paul Marshall joins the firm as Insight Director. More
Senior GfK Leader Dr. Gerhard Hausruckinger has resigned from the company after seven years on the Management Board. Meanwhile Christoph D. Erbenich has been appointed as Chief Marketing and Innovation Officer. More
UK-based publishing group Centaur Media Plc is set to dispose of its Home Interest business for £32m, and to acquire business telemarketing agency MarketMakers for an initial £13.4m, thus sharpening its focus on b2b information, insights and events. More
WPP has merged its digital ad agency POSSIBLE with the older and larger Wunderman. POSSIBLE, formed only in 2011, will continue to operate as a standalone brand within its new home. More
The UK's Joint Industry Committee for Web Standards (JICWEBS) is changing from a part-time entity into a limited company operating full-time, in a bid to tackle online ad fraud and promote brand safety. More
British Airways has named Carolina Martinoli as its new Director of Brand and Customer Experience. She will take up the role in August. More
Companies' intangible assets - including the value of their brands, reputation and employee skills - should be included on balance sheets in financial reporting, according to a growing lobby of experts from both multinationals and consultancies. More
Nielsen has unveiled a 'Connected System' promising FMCG and retail decision-makers analysis of 'what's happening in the market from every angle', and designed to 'foster collaboration and align organizations'. The System integrates Nielsen data with data from partner companies. More
UK-based Informa Group has appointed oncology specialist Richard S. Veal as Global Director of its Pharma Consulting division. More
Health data giant QuintilesIMS may be looking to divest its contract sales business for as much as $1 billion, according to a report from Reuters. More
Croydon, South London-based healthcare MR and fieldwork firm FieldBox has opened a new viewing facility. More
comScore's Chief Technology Officer Michael Brown is to leave the company, as a restructuring exercise combines the technology and product teams into a group reporting to COO Cameron Meierhoefer - according to a filing. More
Informa subsidiary Agribusiness intelligence has launched an agricultural insight platform, IEG Vu, focused on the processed food and soft commodity markets; and has recently added more than twenty new analysts to its team. More
Pharma sector forecasting and insights specialist J+D Consulting has partnered with Seigo Maeda, founder of SDMJ Consulting in Japan, to support its global expansion plans. More
comScore has expanded its Board of Directors from seven people to twelve. The new arrivals are Lisa Gersh, Joshua Peirez, Mark Harris, Jacques Kerrest and Susan Riley. More
More than a fifth (21.3%) of WPP investors voted against or abstained on the issue of CEO Sir Martin Sorrell's £48m pay package, at yesterday's AGM. However, this was an improvement on the 34% of investors who rejected the pay deal last year, and almost 60% who were against it in 2012. More
Seattle-based online qual firm Discuss.io has opened an office in London, where it has appointed former Kinesis Survey Technologies MD Tariq Mirza as Managing Director, Europe. More
Online insights exchange Cint has opened an office in Hong Kong, where it has appointed Ronald Leung as APAC Regional VP of Supply and Heather Hughes as APAC Regional VP of Partnerships and Alliances. The firm has also made hires in the US and UK. More
Former shareholders of Rentrak could receive around $19m to settle claims relating to the effect on share price of comScore's accounting investigation last year. The proposed settlement is currently seeking preliminary approval from a judge in Oregon. More
UK-based firm Sample Answers has announced that Managing Director Phil Bird will be leaving the business on 30th June 2017, eighteen months after joining. He moves to ITWP, the holding company of Toluna and Harris Interactive. More
Business information and events group Informa has expanded and restructured its Business Intelligence division, as it combines with the brands and businesses acquired from New York-based Penton Information Services last November. More
Data-driven business intelligence consultancy Future Thinking and its data science sister agency GemSeek have opened an office in Dubai. More
In the US, Harris Insights & Analytics (formerly Harris Interactive) has appointed long-time WPP execs John Gerzema and Will Johnson as co-CEOs, while Jonathan Gardner joins as Chief Operating Officer. More
GfK has reported a 2.4% drop in first quarter group sales to EUR 352m, while the profit measure EBITDA fell 34.3% to EUR 29.4m. More
Digital data collection specialist Research Now has launched an automated research solution called SmartAR, promising completed surveys in a matter of days. More
In the UK, digital audience platform MPP Global has raised £12m in a Series B round of funding, which it will use to expand into new geographic markets and further develop its technology. The firm has also appointed former Mimecast COO Keith Wallington as Chairman. More
Ken and Trish Parker, the founders of qual specialist the Discovery Group, have retired after selling the business to four company directors. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
WPP CEO Sir Martin Sorrell's pay for 2017 will fall by around £22m in 2017, with further drops scheduled for 2018 and 2021. The firm, whose high-paying 'Leap' scheme had in any case expired this year, notes that it 'understands share owners' increasing discomfort' with levels of 'reward opportunities'. More
Healthcare specialist Research Partnership has expanded its US capabilities, with the opening of new offices in San Francisco and New York. More
Ipsos has recorded first quarter revenue of EUR 390.1m, representing organic growth of 1%, and says sales activity indicates this will increase in subsequent quarters. The group plans to announce a new programme of transformation at its June 6th Investor Day. More
WPP has reported a flat quarter, with group like-for-like revenue up 0.2%. In the Data Investment Management division, Kantar, like-for-like revenue once again trailed the rest of the group, down 3.4%, despite strong growth in net sales in the UK, Latin America and Africa. More
US technology specialist Forrester Research has reported a 3% drop in its first quarter Research revenues, to $51.7m. Overall first quarter group revenues were down slightly from $77.4m to $77.2m. More
comScore is to offer a free viewability measurement service, with data for display video, and mobile inventory compatible with metrics from its flagship vCE service. More
UK-based video data mining specialist LivingLens has partnered with Qualtrics to make its video capture and analysis available on the latter's Experience Management Platform. More
In the US, healthcare MR consultancy Adelphi Research Global has appointed Paul Teta as Chief Methodologist and Ted Noga as Director of Advanced Analytics. The firm has also hired three new project team members and promoted five existing employees. More
Digital data collection specialist Research Now has hired former WPP / Kantar exec George Pappachen for a newly created position, EVP Corporate Development & Strategy. More
UK market research budgets appear to have fallen for the seventh quarter in a row, according to the latest Bellwether Report by the IPA. However, respondents were very positive indeed about other marketing spend. More
US-based survey technology firm Qualtrics has raised $180m in a Series C round of funding, valuing the business at $2.5 billion. More
US-based sampling automation provider Lucid has raised $60m in a minority investment round led by private equity firm North Bridge Growth Equity. The funds will be used for further product development and to expand the team. More
GfK has appointed three new members to its Supervisory Board: Thomas Ebeling, Johannes P. Huth and Philipp Freise, following its agreement with investment group KKR which is now its partner in running the global group. They replace Peter Goldschmidt, Aliza Knox and Bruno Piace. More
Leeds, UK-based agency ResearchBods has added ten new 'Bods' to its staff so far in 2017, growing all departments in response to new contract wins. It has also promoted Tabita Razalia to Head of Project Management. More
In the UK, former GfK director Andy Stillwell has launched a specialist business-to-business market research agency called InsightB2B, which will integrate market data with analysis of buyer behaviour. More
Kathryn Gallant has been promoted to the role of Chief Executive of Cello Health Insight US, and Angie Wheeler to that of President USA. In addition Justine Trinidad, Ed Geiselhart and Kaity Arctander have joined the firm's client facing team. More
Research technology and panel exchange operator Cint has hired former Nasdaq director Johanna Isander for a newly created position, Chief Human Resources Officer, supporting its global growth and talent management initiatives. More
In the UK, iCube Marketing founders Chris Horne and Mike Heisig have launched an online self-service MR platform called researchengine.org, offering users access to 'ready to use' products which deliver insights at speed. More
Academic publisher SAGE has partnered with the Institute for Policy Research at the University of Bath to launch the Public Data Lab, which will facilitate research, engagement and public debate around the future of the data society. More
Big data firm Cloudera has filed for an IPO, aiming to raise another $200m to add to around $1 billion in private investments received in previous years. More
In the UK, former FreshMinds Head of Digital Innovation Chris Leo has launched a digital product consultancy, Pivot. More
After twelve years at marcoms holding company Creston, Barrie Brien has decided to step down from his role as Group CEO, to seek 'new challenges'. The Board will continue to be chaired by former Havas CEO Iain Ferguson. More
In the UK, former YouGov Head of Research Michael Wagstaff is joining full service agency Cambridge Market Research as Managing Director on 1st April. He will replace Paul Beresford, who becomes company Chairman. More
London-based polling and research specialist ComRes has launched a new division, which will focus exclusively on supporting organisations following the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union. More
Online community and survey tech provider Toluna has hired Jay Rampuria to lead global business development for both itself and parent company ITWP. More
YouGov has reported a revenue rise of 24% to £51.4m for the six months to 31st January 2017 - equivalent to 8% on a constant currency basis. The rise was driven by 'strong growth' in the firm's subscription-based Data Products and Services business. More
Interpublic innovation arm IPG Mediabrands has appointed Arun Kumar as its first Chief Data & Marketing Technology Officer. He takes up the new position alongside his existing role managing global operations at sister company Cadreon, which focuses on data, tech, insights and activation. More
UK-based pharmaceutical and consumer insight and marketing group Cello has reported a 5.4% rise in group revenue to £165.3m for the year ended 31st December 2016 (2015: £156.7m), driven by increases in both its Health and Signal divisions. More
UK-based online community specialist LRWTonic has appointed five new members of staff at its offices in London. More
UK-based research industry software firms E-Tabs and Askia have announced a strategic partnership which will offer a revolutionary dashboard designer application for market research. More
London-based online community specialist Verve has relocated its Romanian office to larger premises, to accommodate its growing team. More
WPP-owned digital data collection specialist Lightspeed has promoted Caroline Frankum to Chief Executive Officer, replacing David Day who is leaving for a role in the UK Foreign Office. Nick Nyhan becomes Chairman. More
In the UK, the Market Research Society (MRS) has appointed Aviva Global Inclusion Director Jan Gooding as its new President. More
Sir Martin Sorrell has cemented his place as comfortably the highest paid exec in the UK's FTSE 100 companies, securing just under £41.6m in this year's pay award under the now-expiring performance-related 'Leap' scheme. Then again, what's a pound worth nowadays? More
IBM and Salesforce have entered a global strategic partnership to deliver joint solutions using artificial intelligence. A new practice within IBM Global Business Services will help clients rapidly deploy tools combining IBM Watson's big data with Salesforce Einstein's customer insights. More
Research and consulting firm Information Services Group has announced results for Q4 2016 and for the full year. At constant currency, full year revenues rose 4% to $216.5m, while the profit measure adjusted EBITDA fell 12% to $19.9m. More
GfK has appointed consumer goods industry exec Peter Feld as its new Chief Executive Officer. His predecessor Matthias Hartmann resigned last August due to 'differing views' on the long-term direction of the business between himself and majority shareholder GfK Verein. More
In the US, not-for-profit organization Women In Research (WIRe) has appointed former FocusVision exec Michelle Andre as its first Managing Director, responsible for organizational development and oversight, fundraising, marketing, and assisting with long-term planning. More
After ten years as an independent entity, BDRC South Africa has been renamed BDRC Africa and moved back into closer alignment with the group. More
Manchester, UK-based Join the Dots has reported revenue growth of 26%, to £9.8m for 2016, matching its growth rate for each of the two previous years. More
Chartered Accountant and investor Sarah Butler has opened a viewing facility, The Buzz Rooms, in Greater Manchester, UK. The new set-up is housed in the headquarters of Infinity Asset Management, of which she is a co-founder and partner. More
Marcoms giant WPP has reported like-for-like falls in revenue for its Data Investment Management (DIM) arm Kantar, of 1.6% in the fourth quarter and 0.9% for the full year. However like-for-like net sales, which WPP has long said are a better indicator, rose 1.5% and 0.9% respectively. More
Andy Dexter, the founder of Truth Consulting and Principal at innovation agency Neon & Vine, has set up a collaborative initiative called Culturise, to help businesses and brands re-establish trust, authenticity, and social and cultural relevance. More
Online community and survey tech provider Toluna is planning to increase the size of its respondent community by 20 per cent during the second half of 2017, and has hired Kyle Kim-Hays as EVP for Global Digital Marketing, responsible for the push. More
UK firm OnePoint Global is making the source code for its mobile survey platform available on a Software as a Service (SaaS) basis, allowing clients to build their own survey solutions, integrate survey modules into their existing platforms, or take a 'white label' approach. More
US-based MR industry management consultancy Cambiar has announced a strategic alliance with London's Keen as Mustard, which advises MR firms on their marketing strategy. The alliance will focus on clients in the UK, US and EMEA. More
Link, the long-established ad copy testing solution developed by Kantar Millward Brown, has completed an audit by the Marketing Accountability Standards Board (MASB), recognised in the industry for assessing connections between marketing activities, metrics and financial performance. More
Ipsos has reported 2016 revenue of EUR 1,782.7m, virtually the same as in 2015 but representing 3 percent organic growth - currency effects cancelled out the growth in the Euros figure. More
comScore CEO Gian Fulgoni has told investors the firm expects the public release of its ExtendedTV product sometime in 2017; and a return to stock exchange listing in the summer. Fulgoni also expressed disappointment with the spread of the flagship vCE product. More
Business information firm GlobalData Plc (previously PDM) has announced final results for the calendar year 2016, including group revenues passing £100m - including organic growth of 24% and the effect of major acquisitions. Adjusted EBITDA increased by 71% to £20.6m. More
European sampling solutions provider Bilendi has appointed former Ipsos exec Daniel Cunill as UK Panels Director, leading the team and strengthening the UK and European offer. He will also lead development of the firm's mobile offering. More
Animal health and agriculture researcher Kynetec has appointed Richard Jameson to its leadership team as Executive Director of Global Custom Research. More
Bonn, Germany-based pricing and strategy consultancy Simon-Kucher & Partners has announced further rapid expansion, and an ambitious long-term growth target - aiming to double in size to 2,000 staff by 2023. More
IOVOX, a UK-based specialist in call analytics software, has secured $10m in Series A funding, for use in US expansion and to widen its product offering beyond inbound marketing to the full range of calls taken and made by client companies. More
WPP ad group Y&R has set up a technology and business division which will access group services such as B2B brand analysis from the BrandAsset Valuator, and a social media listening capability for insights on the behavior of business decision-makers. More
GfK shareholders have accepted an offer from US-based private equity firm KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) for 18.54 percent of the business. The buy is part of an agreement with majority shareholder GfK Verein to support the group's long-term growth strategy. More
New York-based agency SIS International has relocated its London office from the Strand to Southwark, in order to expand its team and fieldwork capabilities. More
In the US, research and advisory group Forrester has reported a 1 per cent rise in revenue in its Research division, to $54.2m for the fourth quarter of 2016. Total group revenues were up 3.0 percent to $83.4m. For the whole of 2016, group revenue rose 4.0 percent to $326.1m. More
Cello-owned agency Breaking Blue Research has set up an Advanced Analytics team in London, led by Research Manager Dan Luca. More
WPP has formed a new sub-holding company called WPP Health & Wellness, which will work with group companies such as Kantar, GroupM and Wunderman to use data to deliver behaviour change and better health outcomes. More
comScore has announced that it is unable to meet the February 23rd deadline to file late financial reports and regain compliance with Nasdaq's listing requirements, and warns that this may result in its stock being delisted from the exchange. More
Technology research and advisory company Gartner has reported a 9% increase in fourth quarter 2016 group revenue, to $703.2m, driven by Research revenue which was up 15% at constant currencies, to $478.8m. More
In New York, full service agency ORC International has hired former Nielsen marketer Ana Mackay-Sim as Chief Marketing Officer, responsible for overseeing brand and revenue-building marketing initiatives globally. More
MR presentation and reporting specialist Dapresy has promoted Fredrik Osterberg to the role of Managing Director, Europe, while appointing former Cambiar exec Beth Rounds as its Chief Marketing Officer. More
GfK has launched a unit called Supercrunch, which will offer clients a new type of automated, user-defined analysis to support marketing decisions. The division will be led by Norbert Wirth, who previously served as the group's Global Head of Data and Science. More
Research software firm Confirmit has promoted CFO Ken Østreng to the role of President and Chief Executive Officer. He replaces Henning Hansen who, in his own words, has resigned to focus on other priorities, spend more time with his family, and 'start a new chapter'. More
Polling and research specialist ComRes has opened a practice dedicated to helping organisations evaluate and develop internal comms and employee engagement strategies. The firm will also launch a Faith Research Centre later in the year, to improve understanding of religion and belief. More
Chime Insight & Engagement Group has appointed nine new members of staff, including former Northstar Research exec Jack Miles as Insight Director, heading qual and quant projects across a range of sectors. More
In a trading statement issued today, GfK said that both sales and adjusted income had fallen in 2016, in part as a result of negative currency effects. More
Financial brokerage and FTSE 250 company TP ICAP has acquired assets of MR, analytics and business consulting firm Burton-Taylor International Consulting LLC, via its data & analytics division. Founder and Managing Partner Douglas Taylor will join TP ICAP. More
WPP's Warren, New Jersey-based healthcare data company Lightspeed All Global has been renamed Lightspeed Health. More
nuaxia, the new venture from former Synovate UK CEO Peter Chopra, has officially rolled out of stealth with the launch of a short multimedia survey platform for healthcare professionals. More
UK consumer and MR consultancy Incite has relocated Principals Jenni Forbes and John Tearle from its London HQ to its office in San Francisco. The firm has also hired Caroline Aulis in its New York office, which will move to larger premises by the end of the first quarter. More
Around forty percent of marketers in a new survey say they will be carrying out independent audits of Facebook's audience metrics, following the social network's recent measurement problems. More
WPP-owned digital data collection specialist Lightspeed has partnered with mobile video MR specialist Voxpopme to launch a service called 'Video Answers', which captures and analyses open-ended video comment during the survey process. More
After more than 39 years at NOP and GfK, almost all of them spent running the Social Research department, Nick Moon has left the global group and will offer his services as a consultant, under the name of Moonlight Research. More
Paragon Partnerships, a body set up by a group including major corporates, research firms and MR associations, has announced a joint initiative with worldwide research network GRBN, to help provide quality data and insights to governments and others who work towards the UN's 17 'Global Goals'. More
French fieldwork company Made in Surveys has opened new viewing facilities in Birmingham, UK, adding to its existing resources in the French cities of Paris, Lille and Lyon. More
UK-based mobile video MR specialist Voxpopme has partnered with US emotion measurement specialist Affectiva to enable clients to analyse facial expressions in new and existing video feedback. More
Westminster, London-based agency ComRes has appointed former Fujitsu executive Simon Carter as CEO, and says it will announce the launch of two new business practices later this month, a Faith Research Consultancy and an Internal Communications Practice. More
US market research associations CASRO and MRA have completed their merger, forming the Insights Association. More
Founder Richard Sheldrake is leaving Perspective Research Services and its parent, BDRC Group, for 'personal lifestyle reasons'. More
Twitter has followed Facebook in announcing errors in the way it measures ad traffic. Reports suggest a bug in the microblogging firm's Android app inflated video ad metrics by up to 35 percent. Facebook itself has held talks with the MRC on a possible audit of its methods. More
This is the last edition of Daily Research News for 2016. We wish all our readers, clients, contributors and friends around the world a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. More
Former Synovate UK CEO Peter Chopra is opening a new business called nuaxia, offering market research, marketing services, recruitment, and information services to the healthcare sector. The firm has already closed a £1m seed round of funding. More
Shareholders of UK-based marcoms group Creston have voted to accept the acquisition offer of fund manager DBAY Advisors. More
MR language and translation specialist GlobaLexicon has opened an office in Chicago, to extend coverage across all North American time zones and increase the capacity of its team following a number of client wins. More
Carlos Harding, the Deputy CEO of Ipsos, died suddenly of a heart attack last Friday morning. He was 69 years old. More
US private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) is launching an offer for a substantial minority stake in GfK, and has entered an agreement with its majority shareholder GfK Verein to support the group's long-term growth strategy. More
comScore co-founder Magid Abraham has resigned from the company's Board of Directors, to concentrate on his role as Executive Chairman of wearable technology developer APX Labs. More
Kantar TNS was one of the big winners at last night's MRS Awards, taking home the Grand Prix for Greatest Impact; the MRS/BIG Award for B2B Research, alongside digital data collection arm Lightspeed; and the awards for New Consumer Insights and Social Media Research (the latter with Unilever). More
Former Quintiles CEO Tom Pike, who led the company through its recent mega-merger with IMS Health and is now the combined firm's Vice Chairman and President of R&D Solutions, is to retire. His replacement will be Richard Staub III, while Paul Spreen will rejoin as EVP and Chief Customer Officer. More
In London, full service researcher BDRC has appointed Andrew Lea as Experience Design Director, to launch and lead its new Digital User Experience (UX) and Usability division. More
WPP's media investment arm GroupM has brought together all its data, analytics and digital services in a new suite of products, [m]PLATFORM, creating what it claims is the ad industry's 'most powerful collection of data, technology and expertise for audience addressability'. More
Newly merged health data giant QuintilesIMS is collaborating with a number of global pharmaceuticals firms to develop better insights into how cancer treatments are used in a real-world setting across key European markets. More
Kantar Retail is partnering with Peopleway, a firm specialising in helping clients to measure and continuously improve the business impact of their people development activities. More
In the US, Joan Lewis has resigned from her role as Chair of comScore's Board, and has been replaced by former US Postmaster General William Henderson. More
IBM Watson has launched a new Internet of Things (IoT) consulting service, staffed by 1,500 consultants, data scientists and design and security experts at its IoT headquarters in Munich, Germany and in eight other IoT centres in Asia, Europe and the Americas. More
Quadrangle has undergone a restructure involving the promotion of Adrian Ward and Jenny Betteridge to Director roles, creating two client-facing teams, and re-defining the role of the partners with a focus on mentoring directors and supporting the teams. More
German-based product, pricing and marketing strategy specialist Simon Kucher & Partners has named sixteen new partners, who will take up their new roles on January 1st. More
The Mozilla organisation has launched a new browser, Firefox Focus, which blocks third party tracking software by default and allows users to erase sessions with a single tap. More
Audience measurement firm comScore has been granted more time to regain compliance with the listing rules of stock exchange Nasdaq. More
Ipsos has announced changes in its ownership structure, designed to simplify it and ensure the company's independence over the long term - following the death in December 2014 of co-founder Jean-Marc Lech. More
A sharp fall in income for GfK's Consumer Experiences segment (-7.4%) more than balanced growth in Consumer Choices (+5.4%) in the first nine months of 2016, giving GfK as a whole a 1.7% organic decline in sales. Third quarter sales fell to EUR 355.3m while EBITDA dropped by around a quarter to EUR 43.3m. More
Stamford, CT-based research and advisory group ISG has announced financial results for the third quarter, ending September 30th, with revenues of $51.9m - up 2% at constant currency. A 6% decline in Europe was matched by rises of 5% in the Americas and 8% in Asia Pacific. More
UK-based online communities specialist Verve has appointed Marie Patenio as leader of its Chicago office, as Tim Martin returns to London from his secondment. The firm has also announced five further appointments in Chicago and Toronto. More
In London, independent agency Firefish has launched a specialist insight communications and activation agency called Insider, headed by John Sayers who previously led Firefilms, the firm's in-house insight film unit. More
Research software firm Confirmit has partnered with video-based insight specialist LivingLens, to offer video capture and analysis within its Horizons platform, for use in market research studies, voice of the customer (VoC) and voice of the employee (VoE) programmes. More
London-based BI, events and academic publishing group Informa has issued a trading update for the nine months ending 30th September, including the news that its Business Intelligence division has put an end to its 'long trend of revenue declines'. More
comScore has been awarded MRC accreditation for its Sophisticated Invalid Traffic (SIVT) detection and filtration methodology, for both desktop and mobile traffic. More
Technology analyst Gartner has reported a 16% rise in third quarter Research division revenue to $461.5m - or a 17% increase excluding the impact of foreign exchange. More
In London, IT, healthcare and B2B MR firm RONIN Development Corporation has been sold out of administration as a going concern to creative digital marketing agency Fat Media. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
Digital data collection specialist Research Now has appointed former Kantar Retail exec Mayer Danzig as SVP of Product Management, responsible for overseeing the Product team and helping define and develop the next generation of product offerings. More
In the UK, Southend, Essex-based outsourced customer management services firm Ventrica has expanded its contact centre to 330 seats, and says it is planning to create 200 new jobs to meet both increased client demand and future expansion. More
WPP's Data Investment Management arm has reported a 12.1% increase in third quarter revenue to £655m, reflecting the lower value of the pound. On a like-for-like basis, DIM revenue fell 2%, while other divisions averaged more than 4% growth. More
Manchester, UK-based researcher Amy Middleton has launched a company called BEAM Fieldwork, providing a bespoke approach to fieldwork for research projects across the country. More
Netherlands-based customer and employee feedback specialist Mopinion has expanded its Sales and Marketing teams with the appointment of seven new employees. More
Ipsos has reported a 0.9% increase in third quarter revenue to EUR 431.7m, with organic growth a 'satisfactory' 3.2% during the period. More
Technology specialist Forrester Research has reported a 4% rise in third quarter group revenue to $77.4m (compared with $74.8m in the prior year period). Within its Research division the increase was only 1%, to $52.7m. More
Research software firms MARSC and MI Pro have announced a merger, forming QuenchTec. The new company promises 'next generation insight tools' to give researchers more agile and automated insight processes. More
Automated MR platform ZappiStore has raised £12m from Amsterdam-based venture capital firm Prime Ventures, which specialises in European tech companies. More
From today, DRNO will be adding a new section focusing on more news of actual surveys - from project wins to interesting fieldwork and results. See the link above for 'Survey Briefs'. We're also, for the first time, offering advertisers a chance to sit at the very top of the news email, for one day. More
US-based survey technology firm Qualtrics has appointed Microsoft veteran Zig Serafin as Chief Operating Officer, leading operations in the run up to a planned IPO. More
In the UK, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has hired Tom Smith, co-founder of OCSI (Oxford Consultants for Social Inclusion), as Managing Director of its newly launched Data Science Campus. He will take up the position in January. More
In London, former Kadence execs Paul Donnelly and Colm Russell have set up an international data collection agency called Dynamic Fieldwork. More
Thomson Reuters has opened an innovation lab in Cape Town, South Africa, to drive creative conversations with its customers and partners, while collaborating and co-creating with startups. More
Marketing spend in the UK looks to be rising, despite the climate of uncertainty created by the Brexit vote in June, according to the IPA's quarterly Bellwether Report. More
Research Now has struck a deal with digital tech services company GlobalLogic, which the MR firm says will increase the quality and speed of its service delivery. More
UK-based market research translation and language services provider GlobaLexicon has expanded its internship programme, which has already brought no fewer than 50 interns to the company over three years. More
Insight and brand strategy consultancy Flamingo has launched a new division dedicated to healthcare and pharmaceutical clients, and appointed former Hall and Partners exec Lee Gazey to lead it. More
In Westlake Village, California, former Cint US MD Michael McCrary has launched PureSpectrum, a new global marketplace for buyers and sellers of online sample. The company is backed by strategic investments from Research Now and Critical Mix. More
Paris-based customer service consultancy Academie du Service has opened an office in London, led by co-founder and Partner Claire Bonniol. More
Tim Britton has left his role as Head of Strategy & Transformation for PwC's r2i global data research and insight centre, to take up the position of Managing Director of the Open Research Group at academic publishing company Springer Nature. More
Online community and survey tech provider Toluna has expanded its presence in Latin America through the opening of its first office in Brazil, led by Luca Bon as Sales Director. More
In London, digital marcoms group Next15 has launched a data collection agency called Viga, led by former Research Now exec Lewis Reeves. More
Steve Aukers, former CEO of research firm J. Reckner Associates, has joined UK-based video analytics firm Big Sofa as President & CEO, North America. More
UK-based Chime Insight & Engagement has made more than two dozen new appointments across the business, including former Sainsbury's Customer Insight Manager Simon Rawlinson as Insight Director. More
Leeds, UK-based full-service agency Boxclever has launched a new company called Whizzbox Analytics, providing a dedicated team of analysts who will work alongside agency clients at each stage of the research process. More
WPP's Kantar has unveiled a new global operating brand, pooling expertise to offer advice on the delivery of public policy, services and communications. More
Redshift Research founders Jane Hales and Guy Washer have partnered with former colleagues Jessica Bunce and Andrew White, to set up a new London-based agency called Sapio Research. More
Interpublic-owned marketing network McCann Health has launched a business called 'Consulting at McCann Health', which will offer market research through sister agency Double Helix, as well as services such as business strategy and development of digital solutions. More
In London, Chime Insight & Engagement Group (CIE) has hired long-time GfK exec Pam Armstrong for the newly created role of Managing Director of its Opinion Leader and Chime Insight & Engagement businesses. More
Bryan Atkin, co-founder of UK research group RS Consulting, has died after a battle with leukaemia. He was 72. More
Google has acquired location-based analytics firm Urban Engines, which will be incorporated into its Maps product. More
Northumberland, UK-based success story Dipsticks Research has rebranded, bringing together no fewer than seven group companies under the new umbrella brand of DRG. More
Viewing facility firm i-view London has moved to a new, larger purpose-built location on The Strand, where it has promoted Belma Lugic to the newly created role of Studio Director, and Sam Grey to Studio Manager. The firm has also made four new hires. More
London-based polling and research specialist ComRes has opened an office in Shanghai, where it has appointed former Capita exec Marc Hardwick as Commercial Director. More
Omnicom-owned ad agency BBDO has appointed former MEC digital analytics head Sharona Sankar-King for the newly created role of Head of Marketing Science, based in its New York office. More
In the UK, insight and innovation consultancy FreshMinds has appointed Jason de Klerk as Head of Quantitative Research, Maeve O'Dwyer as a Senior Consultant, and James Wallis as a Consultant. The firm has also hired a number of Associates. More
Edinburgh big data analytics firm Aquila Insight has geared up for further rapid expansion with a move to larger offices, still within the technology incubator Codebase on Lady Lawson Street. More
WPP's data investment management division Kantar has re-branded its twelve operating businesses with a unifying prefix, for example 'Kantar TNS' and 'Kantar Millward Brown'. The exception is digital data collection specialist Lightspeed GMI, which now reverts to its original name Lightspeed. More
Bloomberg Media has hired former Dentsu Aegis Network exec Michelle Lynn as Global Head of Data Science and Insights, responsible for leading initiatives, and managing Data and Research teams globally from its office in New York. More
Marcoms group Dentsu Aegis Network has hired Stefan Bardega as UK Chief Executive of its digital marketing agency iProspect. He replaces Chris Whitelaw, who was promoted to the post of EMEA President and Global Commercial Director at the beginning of this year. More
MR language and translation specialist GlobaLexicon has reported its third consecutive year of over 50 percent revenue growth, and says it has increased its headcount from 39 to 61 in the past twelve months. More
Audience measurement firm comScore says it will request a hearing to discuss a return to compliance with NASDAQ requirements, after a notification from the exchange's Listing Qualifications Department that its shares will otherwise be suspended in a week's time. More
London-based Video data tech company Big Sofa has appointed former FocusVision EMEA MD Richard Collins to the newly created position of Chief Customer Officer, responsible for managing its global client base. More
Family-owned agricultural and industrial commodities giant Cargill has appointed CPG veteran Chuck Gitkin in the newly created role of CMO of its North America protein business - with a remit to help shift its focus to a customer-centric, insight-based strategy. More
In the US, pharma data giant IMS Health and healthcare consultancy Quintiles have confirmed details of the new senior management team to be established following their planned merger. More
Research technology and panel exchange operator Cint has opened an office in San Francisco; its fifth location in the US and second on the west coast. Deputy CEO Richard Thornton is relocating from London to head up the new office and build the team. More
Digital data collection specialist Research Now has opened a new office in India, based in the Cyber City business hub in Gurgaon, near New Delhi. More
European ad visibility analyst Meetrics has completed a third funding round, which it will use to open offices in Italy, Poland and the Nordic countries. More
YouGov has announced the opening of a new office in Chicago, as part of its continued expansion across the US. More
GfK's majority owner GfK Verein has dismissed a report published in German weekly magazine WirtschaftsWoche, which claimed the company may be considering putting itself up for sale. More
GfK may be considering putting itself up for sale, alongside other options, according to reports in German weekly magazine, WirtschaftsWoche. More
WPP continues to buy comScore shares, with another 120,000 purchased this week at an average cost of $28.39 per share. More
The Supervisory Board of GfK has elected Ralf Klein-Bölting as its new Chairman - he succeeds Dr. Arno Mahlert on September 13th. More
WPP has reported Q2 revenue of £3.46bn, up 3.5% in like-for-like (LFL) terms. Net sales, the group's preferred measure, rose 4.3% on the same basis. As in previous quarters data investment management (DIM) lagged other divisions, with LFL revenue down -0.4% and net sales up 2.0%. More
WPP has acquired a further 120,000 shares in comScore, split evenly between Friday and Monday, for around $27.25 apiece. More
US-based sampling automation provider Lucid has launched an independent, third-party-verified quality assurance and measurement program, which allows market researchers to test multiple characteristics of more than 40 major sample panels. More
Marcomms giant WPP has resumed its buying of comScore stock, with the purchase of a further 120,000 at c.$26 apiece last week. The measurement firm's share price has dropped by a third since January this year. More
Marketing group Enero - the parent of insight agencies Jigsaw and The Leading Edge (TLE), has followed strong 2016 results with an announcement that it is back in the mood for acquisitions - following a seven-year period in which it battled for survival. More
WPP CEO Sir Martin Sorrell has once again topped the High Pay Centre index of FTSE 100 chief executives, after his remuneration package soared from £43m in 2014 to £70.4m. More
Research and advisory group ISG (Information Services Group) has reported a 13% increase in second quarter revenue to $60.4m, compared with $53.4m in the prior year period. More
GfK has announced that its results for the first six months of the year are 'below prior year's financials for the same reporting period', and warns it is no longer likely that group sales growth will outperform the market. More
Online MR software company Confirmit and predictive dialing specialist Sytel have jointly developed a series of new CATI features (Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing), promising improved productivity and flexibility. More
US-based IT industry analyst Gartner has reported a 17% constant currency increase in second quarter revenue for its Research division, to $449.2m. More
Hyatt Hotels Corporation has appointed former Kraft Foods insight exec Jen Acerra as Vice President, Global Brand Research and Insights, leading the group's global MR team. More
IT industry specialist Forrester Research has reported a 5% increase in second quarter Research division revenues to $55.0m from $52.6m in the prior year period, while revenue rose by 9% from $30.2m to $32.8m in its Advisory Services and Events arm. More
Ipsos has reported first half 2016 revenue of EUR 833.6m, equivalent to 3 percent organic growth once currency effects are excluded. The result is an improvement after a flat 2015. More
In London, tech market research company DigitalMR has appointed Maksim Sipos as its first Chief Technology Officer, responsible for the adaptation and technical delivery of its listening247 and communities247 tools, and its DIY software-as-a-service offering. More
Liverpool, UK-based data firm Ruler Analytics has received a 'six-figure' investment from The North West Fund for Digital & Creative, managed by AXM Venture Capital. Funds will be used to recruit, scale infrastructure and roll out the firm's product internationally. More
comScore co-founder Magid Abraham has resigned as Executive Chairman of the Board, to focus on his new role as Executive Chairman of wearable technology developer APX Labs. He will remain on the comScore Board for the remainder of his term, which expires in 2018. More
In the UK, IAB Chief Executive Guy Phillipson is stepping down from the role next January, after twelve years heading the industry body. He says he plans to stay involved in the media sector through advisory and non-exec roles. More
Global communication agency Lewis has launched an analytics division called Observa, providing clients with a modular suite of tools to uncover audience intelligence, brand reputation, media and influencer relations, as well as market opportunities. More
Mystery shopping and performance improvement firm Grass Roots has teamed up with Enterprise Feedback Management (EFM) specialist QuestBack to launch a packaged survey solution called Tune, to enable brands to listen to and act on customer feedback. More
German-based product, pricing and marketing consultancy Simon-Kucher & Partners has announced first half revenue of EUR 116 million, up nineteen percent versus the first half of 2015. More
WPP Chief Executive Sir Martin Sorrell, 71, and his wife Cristiana are expecting their first child together in November. More
Kantar Health is expanding its presence in Israel, where it has named Kobi Sharon as Vice President, Client Consulting. The move reflects rapid growth in the country's hi-tech life sciences industry. More
Sir Martin Sorrell and other senior figures from the marketing and ad industry have been reacting to Britain's decision to leave the EU, most with alarm but some mixing this with relish for the challenge and possible long-term opportunities. More
MR presentation and visual analysis specialist Dapresy is opening a London office, its first in Britain, and has appointed Marc Chester as Director, UK. More
UK-based medical MR firm Field Scope International has opened an office in New York, adding the US to its existing broad coverage of Western and Eastern European markets. More
The founders of wealth intelligence specialist Wealth-X are to step down in September 2016 from their roles as CEO and President. Chief Commercial Officer Marc Cohen and CFO Richard Green become Co-Presidents, while Prasanth Ramanand and Christine Noh join in senior roles. More
In the UK, employee engagement and staff survey specialist IBM Kenexa has partnered with business transformation firm Emenex, to deliver end-to-end survey and consultancy services based on its Smarter Workforce suite of products. More
London-based Shift*Base Research has appointed former Forrester Research veteran Christine Overby as Chief Executive Officer. More
Microsoft is to buy LinkedIn Corp for $26.2bn in cash, a premium of just under 50 percent to its Friday closing share price. The firms say LinkedIn will retain its distinct brand, culture and independence. More
In a trading update, WPP says its Data Investment Management division Kantar returned to like-for-like growth in April, after a flat first quarter. Net sales were up 5.8 percent at constant currency, or 0.3 percent like-for-like. For the Group as a whole, the comparable figure was 3.1 percent. More
Around a third of WPP shareholders voted against CEO Sir Martin Sorrell's proposed £70m pay package at yesterday's annual general meeting in London. More
Marcoms group Creston's Communications & Insight team has reported a 12% revenue increase in revenue to £62.9m for the year ending 31st March 2016, with like-for-like revenue up 2% to £57.5 million and an acquisition accounting for much of the rest. More
Kinesis' European MD Tariq Mirza has left the business, following its recent takeover by US research technology and services group FocusVision. He is now looking for his next challenge. More
Global airline alliance SkyTeam has launched a customer feedback tool called the SkyPriority Audit App, through which passengers can rate their travel experience. More
Netherlands-based data collection firm GDCC has appointed Simon Glanville as Managing Director of its newly established 60-seat CATI facility in London. More
After three - relatively - quiet years, City of London analysts believe WPP boss Sir Martin Sorrell will face increased shareholder opposition to his £70m salary and shares package at next Wednesday's Annual General Meeting. More
In the UK, big data analytics firm Aquila Insight says it has doubled year-on-year turnover for the third consecutive year since launching in 2012, growing to £4.2m for the year 2015/16. The firm is planning the launch of its first international office later this year. More
London-based opinion and behaviour specialist BritainThinks has appointed former Ipsos MORI Head of Environment Research Edward Langley as Research Director, to expand its own environmental practice. More
London-based 'high-volume' MR and consumer insights platform Attest has launched out of beta. The firm has also appointed former WPP executive Justin Cooke and former Which? Chairman Paddy Barwise to its Advisory Board. More
London-based consultancy FreshMinds has promoted Catherine Crump to the position of Chief Executive Officer, replacing co-founder Caroline Plumb who moves into the role of Executive Chair. More
Not-for-profit networking organization Women in Research (WIRe) has appointed Market Research Society CEO Jane Frost and Kantar Group CEO Eric Salama as new members of its Advisory Board. More
WPP digital data collection firm Lightspeed Group has hired former Hall & Partners EMEA CEO Caroline Frankum with the same title, plus a seat on the Board. She will replace Martin Filtz, who moved into the post of CEO, Asia Pacific in January. More
London-based data science start-up Black Swan has appointed Jeff Headley, formerly Global Head of Personalisation at dunnhumby, as US Managing Director, based in its New York office. More
Two agencies have given updates on their (potentially rather different) accounting headaches. comScore says its internal investigation into accounting irregularities should be completed next month; while separately, Cello Group has settled a VAT dispute with an agreement to pay a total of £5.3m. More
GfK has achieved 'moderate' organic growth of 0.9% during the first quarter of the year. Currency effects meant the reported sales figure declined 0.6% to EUR 360.5m versus Q1 2015. The firm's Consumer Choices sector grew strongly while 'Consumer Experiences' revenue fell. More
Research data solutions and technology firm SSI has launched a service called Smart Cell Sample, centred on a cell phone database of 480 million numbers, through which researchers can target US participants by geographic and demographic variables. More
In the UK, customer experience management specialist KPMG Nunwood has promoted Tim Knight to the position of Managing Director, replacing co-founder Phil Rushfirth, who has left to 'pursue new interests'. More
Healthcare fieldwork agency Just Worldwide has opened an office in Japan, adding to existing operations in the US, UK, Italy, Poland and Singapore. More
US-based online physician community SERMO has grown its platform to nearly 600,000 members in 30 countries, with the addition of physicians in Germany, Austria, Poland Switzerland, Greece and Hungary. More
Stamford, CT-based Information Services Group has announced revenue flat at $49.9m for the quarter ended March 31st. The profit measure adjusted EBITDA fell from $4.6m to $3.3m, reflecting investment in new opportunities - forecasts the year were raised. More
London-based opinion and behaviour consultancy Britain Thinks has hired former Treasury and Prime Ministerial adviser Spencer Livermore as a Partner, with a remit to build a new strategy consulting offer for the firm. More
Online community and survey tech provider Toluna has reported a 20 percent increase in staff numbers, supporting 'mass customer adoption of its digital research platform'. More
There may be no timescale set, but WPP has confirmed that it is beginning to think about who may eventually replace CEO Sir Martin Sorrell, including internal and external candidates. More
WPP has reported first quarter revenue of £3.076bn, up 5.1% in like-for-like terms. Net sales - its preferred measure - rose 3.2%. As in recent quarters however, insight division Kantar performed less well than other units, with like-for-like revenue and net sales figures flat (up 0.5% and down 0.1% respectively). More
Technology-focused Forrester Research has announced first quarter revenue of $77.4m, up 3 percent on Q1 2015. More
Ipsos has announced organic growth of 3.7 percent for the first quarter of 2016, with revenue rising to EUR 386.9m, its best result for some time. The rise 'concerns all regions', with revenue up 4.6% in emerging economies and up 3.3% in developed markets. More
Nielsen has launched a new service, the Total Channel Solution, promising its clients the ability to 'unify' all their data sets - proprietary and third party, across multiple platforms - and get 'a full picture view of all factors affecting their business '. More
Acxiom subsidiary LiveRamp has expanded its data onboarding service to the UK, France and Canada. Last week the firm appointed Jeff Smith as its new CMO and teamed up with DigitasLBi. More
Translation service provider GlobaLexicon has hired ten new staff to strengthen its offer in market research and other sectors. The firm has also completed a rebrand. More
In the UK, WPP firms Millward Brown and Kantar Worldpanel have partnered to develop a new solution called Sales Insights, which allows clients to evaluate digital marketing campaigns simultaneously on two measures: brand uplift and actual sales. More
The Media Rating Council (MRC) has accredited the Audience module in comScore's vCE 2.0 tool. Now, with both its Audience and its Validation modules accredited, the firm claims to be the first to offer an MRC-accredited viewable GRP for desktop display and video campaigns. More
Research consultancy Kadence International is relocating Singapore MD Greg Clayton back to the UK in May, to take up the role of Managing Director for UK/Europe. Replacing him in Singapore is Insight Director Phil Steggals, whose current position will be taken by Patrick Young. More
The European Parliament has adopted new data protection legislation, following four years of sometimes tortuous negotiation. Meanwhile European data regulators have expressed doubts about the Privacy Shield framework for data transfers with the US, laid out in February. More
US-based data collection agency Azure Knowledge Corporation continues to expand with the launch of offices in Sao Paulo, Brazil and Moscow, Russia; and has appointed Danielle Ribeiro de Souza and Ernest Khodzhaev, respectively, to lead them. More
Dublin, Ireland-based research agency Behaviour & Attitudes has promoted Luke Reaper to the position of Managing Director, replacing Ian McShane, who becomes Executive Chairman. More
US-based sampling automation provider Lucid has appointed former Research Now MD Ben Hogg as Managing Director, EMEA; while promoting Brett Schnittlich to the role of President and CTO, and Andy Ellis to Chief Operating Officer. More
In the UK, a team of five independent consultants has set up a 'virtual consultancy' called The Measurement Practice (TMP), to help in-house and agency comms teams maximise the insight and value from their communications research programmes. More
Media services division Omnicom Media Group (OMG) has unveiled a new data-driven marketing agency network, Hearts & Science; and appointed Scott Hagedorn - formerly Chief Executive of its analytics division Annalect - as its CEO. More
UK-based research company Join the Dots has announced 2015 revenue of £7.75m, an annual increase of 27%. More
WPP division MEC has launched a specialist content division, MEC Wavemaker, pulling together its diverse existing services in the area into one unit. The insight- and data-driven unit will operate initially in ten markets across Europe, Asia and the Americas, and will be led by MEC's global COO Alastair Aird. More
Media and comms research specialist Millward Brown has launched a new version of its Link ad copy-testing solution, allowing B2B marketers to assess the performance of their ads against brand and sales objectives. More
UKOM, the cross-industry organisation set up to oversee the measurement of online audiences, has appointed Microsoft veteran Julie Forey as its first Director of Insight. More
In London, predictive analytics specialist Black Swan Data has appointed former Edelman Berland COO James 'JT' Turner, to establish a new Insights division. More
US-based DIY research company SurveyMonkey has launched a mobile app insights platform, providing app publishers with data on more than a thousand mobile apps ad well as the overall app economy. The launch follows the acquisition of app data start-up firm Renzu. More
Global panel marketplace provider Cint has promoted Richard Thornton to the position of Deputy Chief Executive Officer. His remit includes driving corporate business development in future markets. More
Millward Brown has appointed former Warc CEO Louise Ainsworth as Chief Exec in the UK. She replaces UK MD Dale Beaton, who is transferring to the role of SVP Global Practice Lead. More
Four former Hall & Partners execs have launched a new London-based qualitative agency called Compton+Dean, focusing on brand and communications research. More
Global panel marketplace provider Cint has appointed Greg Dunbar as Vice President of Sales, EMEA, based in London, and Dag Magni as Chief Financial Officer, based in its Stockholm headquarters. More
Winchester-based Marketing Sciences Unlimited has opened a London office, at the HQ of parent company Creston, in Soho. More
UK research and TV production company Vox Pops International (VPI) has relocated to larger premises in Ewell, Surrey, and will provide a number of new services to existing and potential clients. More
UK-based online research agency YouGov plc has announced interim results for the six months ended 31st January 2016, showing revenue of £41.5m, up 13% at constant currencies, and adjusted profit before tax up by 42% to £5.0m. More
WPP is linking the panels and other data sources of its Kantar / DIM division with the expertise and planning tools of its GroupM media investment management division, to launch LIVE Panel. The new consumer and media insight solution will help advertisers develop and measure 'precise and targeted' media plans. More
UK-based pharmaceutical and strategic marketing group Cello has announced a 7.4% fall in revenue to £157.3m for the calendar year 2015. However, profits and earnings per share rose and the Group says it has made a good start to 2016. More
Data-driven marketing agency Merkle has reported 2015 net revenue of $435m - up 14% on the previous year. Growth reflects a number of acquisitions designed to expand the company's global reach. More
WPP's Data Alliance has expanded its reach to Jakarta, Indonesia, to meet demand from local agencies and clients - and has appointed Wijaya Santoso to lead it. More
Digital data collection specialist Research Now has appointed former WPP exec Gary Laben as Chief Executive Officer, replacing Kurt Knapton who resigned last October. Meanwhile John Rothwell has added the title of President to his existing role as Chief Operating Officer. More
The UK's 'professional research and evidence market' has grown massively in the last three and a half years to an annual turnover of £4.8bn - up 62% - and a workforce of 73,000 professionals, according to a report by PwC for the MRS. More
WPP Chief Executive Sir Martin Sorrell has received shares worth £60m, according to reports. With salary and annual bonuses the figure is 'likely to approach £70m'. The share award is triggered by the group's success in outperforming both its peers and the FTSE 100 over five years. More
Former YouGov UK CEO Tim Britton is joining consultancy PwC to lead strategy and transformation in its r2i research and insight centre of excellence. More
In London, news publisher the Financial Times has appointed Sacha Bunatyan as Global B2C Marketing Director, responsible for expanding audience reach, reader engagement and paid-for readership numbers. More
Research process outsourcing specialist Azure Knowledge Corporation has added an office in London, and says it plans further openings in Moscow, Sao Paulo and Shanghai. More
Shares in audience measurement specialist comScore plunged 35% to $26.52 yesterday, after the firm disclosed that its Audit Committee has not finalized an ongoing review of 'certain potential accounting matters'. More
WPP has reported total 2015 revenue up 5.3% on a like-for-like basis, with headline EBITDA of £2.002bn, up 7.7% at constant currency. Revenue in pounds was up 6.1% to £12.235 bn. The insight-focused 'data investment management' division (DIM) remained flat for the year, although slightly improved in Q4. More
Kantar has chosen Cross-Tab Group to be its outsourcing partner in India, in a four-year deal worth up to $25m. Ashwin Mittal, Cross-Tab Group President, described the contract as a 'significant milestone' in the firm's fifteen-year history. More
Digital marketing agency AnalogFolk has launched a global data solutions business, based in London, where it has appointed former Havas helia execs Ben Silcox as Chief Data Officer and Mark Barry as Head of Business Solutions. More
Technology specialist Forrester has reported revenue of $313.7m for the full year 2015, $81m of it in the fourth quarter. In constant currency terms Research revenues rose 5 percent while advisory services and events were up 2 percent. More
In London, former Hall & Partners and Research Now exec Ashley Walker has launched a consulting firm, Culture Engineers, which will help clients develop their organisational culture as a principle source of competitive advantage. More
Manchester-based agency Join the Dots has opened an office in Singapore, its first outside the UK. Karen Schofield, previously the company's Innovations Director, will head it up as MD, Singapore. More
Frank Møllerop, CEO of Enterprise Feedback Management specialist Questback is moving to work in the company's New York office this month, reflecting an increased focus on expansion in the US market. The firm says its enterprise revenues rose 40% in 2015. More
UK-based full service research agency Trinity McQueen has announced another year of double-digit growth, with turnover up 13 percent to £4.48m in the 12 months ending September 2015. The firm also has eight new recruits. More
UK-based consumer insight and brand consultancy Nutshell has teamed up with SaaS analytics provider Zizo, which it says aims to improve commercial ROI on insight spend. More
Belgian-based advanced analytics company solutions-2 has changed its name to boobook (a type of small Australian owl), and says its team aims for a 'more distinctive' positioning as 'advanced analytics and smart online reporting experts in a rapidly evolving market'. More
Kantar has moved Adrian Gonzalez into a broader group role in charge of its Consumer Insights businesses - he was previously CEO of Millward Brown's Africa, Middle East and Asia Pacific (AMAP) region. TNS APAC CEO Chris Riquier is among those leaving the business in the restructure. More
IT industry research and analysis specialist Gartner has reported a 10% rise in fourth quarter revenue to $643.8m, driven by a 13% revenue increase in its Research division to $420.5m. For the full year 2015, Research revenue was up 10% to $1.58bn. More
UK-based web analytics platform Decibel Insight has expanded to the US with the opening of new offices in Boston, MA and Austin, TX. More
UK-based medical MR firm Field Scope International has opened an office in Belgrade, Serbia, from where it will provide respondent recruitment and telephone interviewing services. More
Data and analytics solutions firm Annik has re-established itself in the UK with the launch of an office in Bracknell, Berkshire. Jonnie Prior joins to lead the office after twelve years at Microsoft UK. More
Artesian Solutions, a UK-based provider of customer engagement and sales acceleration software, has opened its first overseas office, in Boston, MA, USA. Newly appointed VP of Sales Tom Beriau is joined in the US by co-founder Mike Blackadder, who will relocate. More
GfK returned to organic growth (up 1.1%) during the 2015 financial year, after a decline of 2.0% the previous year. Reported sales increased by 6.3% to EUR 1.54bn (from EUR 1.45bn). More
UK marcoms group Chime Communications has appointed former Diageo CEO Paul Walsh as Chairman, replacing Lord Davies, who has stepped down following the firm's acquisition by WPP and buyout specialist Provident Equity Partners last summer. More
The management team of UK-based Illuminas has completed a management buyout (MBO) from former parent company MSQ Partners. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
In The Netherlands, research software firm Nebu has appointed Otto van Linden as Managing Director, responsible for the day-to-day running of the company. In this role, he will free up CEO Eric van Velzen to focus on the market, customers and promoting Nebu. More
London-based mobile research and sample specialist On Device Research has promoted Nader Kobeissi to the newly created position of Global Managing Director. More
UK-based online communities specialist Verve has announced twelve promotions, and the appointment of Jodie Chamberlain as Research Manager in its recently-opened northern office. Existing staff Warren Lister, Olly Robinson and Ana Garcia all become Director / RDs. More
Online community and survey tech provider Toluna has expanded its presence in the Asia Pacific region with the opening of its first office in Malaysia. The new operation will be led by Christine Tan, Senior Director, Southeast Asia. More
Kantar Health has promoted Michel Murino to the newly created role of Chief Executive Officer for Europe. More
Fieldwork specialist KeyQuest Health has moved into new UK headquarters in Richmond, Surrey. The firm has also appointed Vasilis Tzikas as a Project Co-ordinator in the UK, and promoted Kelly Bowe to Project Director in the US. More
In the UK, specialist healthcare data collection firm Fieldwork International has appointed Kerensa Bindoff as Deputy Head. More
Palo Alto, CA-based DIY online survey platform SurveyMonkey has appointed Zander Lurie as its new Chief Executive Officer, less than six months after hiring former HP exec Bill Veghte to replace CEO Dave Goldberg, who died suddenly last May. More
Market research budgets fell for many companies in the final three months of 2015, according to the most recent IPA Bellwether Report of UK marketing expenditure. Respondents reporting a fall in MR budgets outnumbered those reporting a rise by an even bigger margin than in Q3. More
US-based data collection specialist Azure Knowledge Corporation has appointed former MRops MD and Ronin General Manager Rafal Gajdamowicz as Managing Director of its European business, based in London. More
Canadian retail analytics software provider Askuity has closed a $2m Series A round of funding, led by existing investor dunnhumby Ventures. More
UK-based sampling agency Sample Answers has appointed Phil Bird, previously DP Director and Head of Data Development and Delivery at GfK NOP, as its new Managing Director. More
GfK has announced that based on its financial performance for the first eleven months of this year, it is no longer likely to achieve its predicted annual guidance for AOI margin (adjusted operating income based on sales). More
WPP-owned online panel provider Lightspeed has announced the promotion of Martin Filz to Chief Executive Officer, Asia Pacific, effective January 1st, 2016. President and Global CEO David Day will temporarily take over Filz's former role as CEO for EMEA. More
MR software developers E-Tabs and Merlinco have teamed up to offer users a seamless transition between analysis and reporting of research. More
This year's MRS Awards saw UK charity StreetInvest carry off the President's Medal for its 'Growing up on the Streets' project, which has recruited street children in three African cities to provide observations on their experiences and those of other young people in their network. More
London-based agency IFF Research has announced eight appointments and says it is gearing up for more recruitment in the New Year, to meet 'ambitious growth plans for 2016'. More
More than one-third of insights providers agree with the statement that '50% of full-service market research suppliers will be out of business within five years', according to findings from the latest GreenBook Research Industry Trends Report (GRIT) *. More
In the UK, the Market Research Society (MRS) has published its Annual League Table, with data drawn from 86 eligible organisations generating a combined turnover of more than £2.7 billion. The figure represents overall year-on-year growth of 4%. More
Ad software firm Phorm has partnered with behavioural targeting specialist Insomnis to develop a new service called 'Hover Rate', telling advertisers how many Internet users have hovered their cursor over, but not clicked on, their display ads. More
UK-based healthcare market research specialist Narrative Health has opened a US office in New York, which will be established and led by former Cello Health Insight exec Avanti Ananthram. More
Manchester, UK-based research agency Join the Dots has taken on eight new graduates, the third wave of its annual Graduate Development Programme. It has also hired former TBWA exec Hollie Clark, who will design creative strategies for global brands. More
Global marketing activity continued to grow in November, with European execs the most optimistic and those in the Americas least so, according to the Global Marketing Index (GMI) compiled by World Economics. More
Former Millward Brown Ireland CEO Richard Waring and marketer Dan McGuiness have launched an online marketplace called the Research Exchange, to connect buyers and suppliers of market research. More
Marcoms group Creston has reported an 8% increase in revenue to £40.3m for the six months ended 30th September 2015, while its Communications & Insight division saw revenue rise 14% to £30.6m and headline PBIT increase by 24% to £4.0m. More
Mobile video feedback specialist Voxpopme has announced a partnership with US-based customer experience optimisation firm InMoment, adding the former's video capture and analytics capabilities to the latter's Voice of Customer (VoC) platform. More
UK-based InsightBee, a service which gives access to the desk and primary research skills of a network of consultants via an online interface, has announced a partnership with independent consultant network MBA & Company. More
UK-based research agency B2B International has launched an advice and consultancy division, and says it is looking to accelerate its expansion. More
US-based company Information Services Group has announced constant currency revenue growth of 4% for the third quarter of 2015, led by strong performances in Asia Pacific and parts of Europe including the UK and the Nordic countries. Reported revenue was $51.4m. More
GfK has reported 0.7% organic growth for the third quarter, with sales in Euros up 4% to EUR 371.4m. For the first nine months of the year, the group saw sales rise 6.0% to EUR 1.118bn - up just 0.4% in organic terms. More
UK-based business intelligence specialist Future Thinking has appointed former 2CV exec Alex Lomizov to drive its advanced analytics business across all teams and locations, with the title of Head of Analytics. More
In the UK, industry-owned independent measurement body the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) is launching a monthly Newsbrands service in December, reporting print and digital figures together for the first time. More
Recently named Tory peer Lord Gilbert of Panteg is joining the Reputation and Strategy division of UK research agency Populus, as a Consultant helping to develop research-led campaigns for clients. More
The EU says it expects to replace and improve upon its suspended Safe Harbor agreement with the US within three months; the US FCC continues to consider issues surrounding Do Not Track and TCPA; and some telephone researchers find ingenious ways to survive the latter. More
Focusing in on its role as an all-round audience measurement firm, comScore is selling its BI service Digital Analytix to Adobe; entering a strategic partnership with streaming service Spotify; and launching a household media measure called the 'Total Home Panel'. More
comScore has reported third quarter results for 2015, with revenue up 13% to $92.4m vs Q3 2014, and a slightly larger rise in the profit measure adjusted EBITDA, which rose 16% to $23.4m. More
US-based IT industry researcher Gartner has reported an 8% increase in revenue for its Research division - to $396.2m from $365.3m in Q3 2014. More
In New York, tech media and services company IDG Communications has partnered with Google to introduce a new program which the firms claim will provide 100% viewable ads. More
In London, BDRC's telephone and online research agency Perspective Research Services (PRS) has split its qualitative and quantitative offerings to create two new divisions, and promoted Ger-Jan van der Maten and Tom Stacey to lead them. More
McGraw Hill Financial is considering selling its US-based auto research specialist JD Power and Associates for up to $1 billion, according to an exclusive report published by Reuters. More
Technology consulting specialist Forrester Research has reported a 3% increase in Research revenue to $52.2m for the third quarter, compared with $50.6m in Q3 2014. However, on a constant currency basis, Research revenue rose 7%. More
Santa Cruz, California-based SaaS business intelligence platform Looker has opened an EMEA headquarters in London, to support client demand for its solutions across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. More
Research and branding consultancy The Sound has appointed nine new members of staff across its offices on three continents. More
WPP has reported like-for-like revenue up 4.6% for Q3 2015. The insight division, known as 'Data Investment Management', was among those 'improving versus the second quarter' but once again was the only one to report a slight decline in revenue. More
London-based viewing facility firm i-view has opened a new operation in the centre of Warsaw, Poland through a partnership with full service local agency Stratega Research. More
Ipsos has reported a 3.7% increase in revenue to EUR 428m for the period from July to September, but at constant scope and exchange rates this equates to a fall of 2.2%. The decline cancels out a small real-terms rise in the first half of the year. More
The UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) is restructuring its leadership along more collective lines, as it both gears up for forthcoming changes in EU data protection law and reacts to recommendations in the high profile Leveson enquiry. More
In the UK, market research recruitment consultant Sarah Penny has set up her own company, Penny Cross Recruitment Ltd. More
UK fieldwork services company People for Research has combined its user testing lab and focus group facility under a new name, User Viewing, and moved the facility to a central Bristol office space, just off Queen Square. More
Digital data collection specialist Research Now is looking for a new President and CEO, following Kurt Knapton's decision to resign for personal reasons. He will remain on the Board of Directors once his successor has been identified. More
London-based video ad distribution and tracking platform Unruly is set to open an office In Tokyo as part of its global expansion plans. Separately, Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, has appointed Unruly co-founder and CEO Sarah Wood as a technology ambassador for the city. More
In London, Kantar public sector division TNS BMRB has appointed Hazel Wilkinson and Sally Panayiotou as Directors in its Policy and Communications practices respectively. More
In London, GfK has hires James Howitt for the newly created role of Digital Lead, UK, driving the promotion of its digital media research capabilities and solutions. More
YouGov has reported a 13 percent revenue rise - including organic growth of 11% - in preliminary results for the year ended 31st July. The year saw strong growth in new markets France and Asia Pacific; and a higher proportion of revenue from favoured product lines. More
WPP has increased its holding in struggling Australian group STW Communications, owner of a number of data and MR agencies. More
WPP has appointed the UK government's Deputy Director of Communications Sean Larkins as Director of Consulting and Capability, leading a new consultancy offer within its Government & Public Sector Practice. More
In the UK, online communities specialist Verve has opened a Northern office in Leeds, and appointed Bryony Hughes to lead it. Ten more staff have also joined the company in its offices in London, Chicago and Iasi (Romania). More
UK-based MR staffing specialist CSA Recruitment has closed its doors for the last time after nearly twenty years serving the industry. Proprietors Caroline and Clive Warren will pursue business interests outside recruitment and the market research industry. More
Cello-owned co-creation agency FACE has appointed six new consultants in New York and London, following several new clients wins in the digital sector. More
London-based opinion research specialist BritainThinks has appointed former Shelter exec Julia Pitman as Associate Director, tasked with building the firm's Charity practice. More
Kantar has moved Efrain Ribeiro into the role of company-wide Chief Research Officer, replacing Renee Smith who is leaving to join Colorado-based research company GutCheck (see today's DRNO). Ribeiro will take up the new role on November 1st. More
WPP's Government & Public Sector practice has launched a 'hub' in Sydney, Australia, offering communications and research services for public sector clients in the ANZ region. More
GfK has announced it now has all the assets needed to fully evaluate ads across media - including at a brand impact level. This involves the actual measurement of individual exposure to ads, as well as attribution of those exposures across multiple devices and different ecosystems. More
GfK has announced that Debbie Pruent will retire at the end of December, and will be replaced by David Krajicek as Chief Commercial Officer for the Consumer Experiences sector. In addition, Alessandra Cama will take up the new role of Chief Operations Officer. More
According to reports in the press, WPP is the last remaining bidder for Tesco's data business dunnhumby. More
London-based online community specialist Verve has opened an office in Chicago, supporting a new Fortune 50 client in the area; and has moved Tim Martin, VP Research & Consulting there with a remit to rapidly build a team. More
Latin American media measurement specialist IBOPE Media is to be rebranded in the region as Kantar IBOPE Media, following the WPP division's recent investment. More
US-based Civicom Marketing Research Services has opened an office in London, to support client qual research needs across the UK and EU. More
UK-based health and consumer marketing group Cello has reported a 50% drop in pre-tax profit to £1.7m for the six months to the end of June, driven by investment in its US operations and a £1.1m provision made for an ongoing case with the UK tax authorities. More
Online community and survey tech provider Toluna has received a $10m investment from its holding company ITWP Acquisitions, for use in promoting its QuickSurveys DIY online consumer insights platform. More
IBM has hired former Thomas Cook CEO Harriet Green to lead its newly launched Internet of Things (IoT) business unit, which will bring together its strengths in big data, advanced analytics and cognitive computing. More
Guildford, Surrey-based healthcare MR and fieldwork operations firm FieldBox has hired Phil Thorpe as its first Managing Director. More
European auto industry information provider Deutsche Automobil Treuhand (DAT) has partnered with GfK to create a range of new products for car dealerships, manufacturers, importers and end consumers. The pair will also develop joint services covering the entire life cycle of a vehicle. More
Two former eBay researchers, Nicolas Bulois and Barbara Langer, have set up a new agency, Insight Angels, offering 'flexible freelance support' to clients and agencies. More
US-based predictive analytics specialist DxContinuum, Inc. has announced a Series A investment round of $4m. More
WPP has extended its strategic partnership with marketing software giant Adobe, to provide solutions to clients through six specialist WPP agencies called 'the WPP-Adobe Alliance'. Separately, WPP boss Sir Martin Sorrell has spoken about the 'very low standards' of some online audience measures, including Facebook's. More
In the UK, two major brands have underlined their focus on customer experience - British Airways with an appointment and Morrisons via an announcement by the CEO; while a third, publisher Trinity Mirror, has raised eyebrows with a new analytics-led business approach. More
British online audience measurement body UKOM has appointed Ian Dowds as its first CEO. More
Research software firm Confirmit has developed a location and beacon triggering solution, to help clients understand 'in-the-moment' customer behaviour. The company has also ammounced its official launch in Australia. More
Online research company Lightspeed GMI has announced a global roll-out for its survey programming platform, QuestionArts, backed by a newly strengthened leadership team. More
Survey technology firm CFMC has changed its name to that of its existing major brand, Survox, in line it says with the evolution of the industry and of its own go-to-market strategy. More
Kerry Sette has joined Ogilvy Public Relations (Ogilvy PR) as EVP / Research Director of its Research Group, based in New York. More
The Publishers Audience Measurement Company (PAMCo) - the replacement for the UK's NRS - has appointed Ipsos MORI to provide the published media industry's new audience measurement service; and has named Aviva Group Brand Director Jan Gooding as its new Chair. More
The UK's Financial Times (FT) has promoted Tom Betts for the new role of Chief Data Officer. He also joins the publisher's Executive Board, which oversees its global strategy and performance. More
In the UK, Dipsticks Research has promoted Judith Welford to the role of Head of Brand and Communications Research; and has appointed Steve Gray to oversee its FMCG Insights arm, and Paul Stallard as a Non-Executive Director. More
In the UK, specialist MR staff recruiters Bridget Barry and Stephanie Fairbank have set up a new agency, Pollen Recruitment, which launches today. They are immediately joined by James Handley, formerly of Kantar and Australia's Hudson Global Resources. More
WPP CEO Sir Martin Sorrell is urging Rentrak and comScore to join forces and find a solution to what he describes as 'faulty measurement' of digital ad views and viewability. More
In London, digital marketing agency and online buzz measurement specialist iCrossing has promoted Chief Strategy Officer Mark Iremonger to the role of UK CEO, replacing Paul Doleman who is leaving the business. More
WPP has reported that revenue in its Data Investment Management (DIM) arm fell slightly (0.3%) to £1.173bn during the first half of the year, from £1.176bn in last year's first six months; while DIM headline profit before tax rose 11.7% to £100.6m from £88.1m a year earlier. More
In New York, managed analytics firm Ugam has partnered with mobile and online survey technology provider OnePoint Global to enhance its mobile and SMS survey capabilities. More
UK-based marcoms group Chime has announced revenues down 7% to £184.5m, with profit before tax slumping from £9.57m in H1 2014 to just £1.41m. Much of the drop hinged however on difficult comparatives and the effect of cyclical sporting events, and the insight division CIE was solid. More
In London, DIY survey software firm Qualtrics has appointed Ian McVey as Head of Enterprise Sales for Northern Europe, responsible for setting up and staffing the business in the UK. More
Kantar Health has partnered with Tel Aviv-based technology company Data2Life, to mine big data sources and deliver better information on drug safety. More
GfK has reported organic growth of just 0.3% in the first half of 2015. Reported sales climbed 7.1% to EUR 747.2m, but almost all this increase resulted from the weak Euro. Adjusted operating income rose 3.7% to EUR 71.2m, and CEO Matthias Hartmann sales should pick up in the second half. More
European EFM solutions provider Questback has announced it is raising some £12m in capital from existing investors, in order to support an ambitious programme of expansion. More
Ipsos MORI has appointed former Kantar Health MD Jim Needell as Managing Director, Marketing. More
A busy two weeks for Google: alongside the high profile announcement of a new CEO and the creation of a parent company, Alphabet, the search and advertising giant has signed new metrics deals with comScore and Nielsen, and registered a new ad viewability patent. More
UK-based full service researcher Incite has opened an office in San Francisco and appointed Kevin Waters as its Managing Director. More
Marcoms giant WPP is planning to bring together its agencies in eleven locations in Madrid, Spain, into the former Telefonica headquarters in the Chamberi neighbourhood of the city. The move brings more than 40 companies and around 2,500 people under one roof. More
Digital measurement specialist comScore has reported a 16% pro forma increase in second quarter revenue to $91.3m, and first half revenues up 15% to $178.3m. More
Hertfordshire, UK-based data collection agency QRS Market Research is celebrating its 40th anniversary with a move to larger offices in Welwyn Garden City, on Friday this week. More
London-based IFF Research has announced five new hires - Sara Dobie and Sam Morris as SREs, graduate trainees Conor Healy and Jeffy Henderson, and Mark Lynch as Marketing Executive. Three employees are also promoted. More
Enterprise Feedback Management (EFM) software firm Questback has appointed Edward Chatham to lead the company's growth in the UK market research sector. More
Pharma research giant IMS Health has reported second quarter revenue up 5.2% on a like-for-like basis, allowing for currency changes and the acquisition of assets of Cegedim. Reported revenue was up 12.0% to $742m, equivalent to a 24.6% rise at constant currency. More
In the US, IT industry analyst Gartner has reported a 5% increase in second quarter revenue to $547.9m, amounting to a 12% increase at constant currency. More
Analytics pioneer dunnhumby has launched a new division to bring its customer science techniques to the US healthcare sector. More
US data collection firm SHC Universal has appointed former Kantar senior exec Hilary Fischer as SVP - New Venture Acquisition. In this role, she will focus on global product development and corporate acquisitions, while expanding the business development team into Europe. More
Ipsos has reported half-year revenues up 10.2% in Euros to EUR 832.9m. Given that the Euro has lost around 20% of its value against the dollar and 10% against the pound in the last 12 months, this equates to a real-terms decline of -0.4%. Profit measures showed a slight improvement. More
Microsoft has launched Pulse for Market Research, part of its Bing Pulse audience engagement division and billed as 'a [free] self-service solution for surveys, live content rating, and moderated response groups of any size'. More
Canada-based privacy specialist Nymity is to open a European headquarters in London, helping companies comply with fast-changing privacy and data protection laws including the upcoming and long-awaited / delayed EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). More
British-based technology company Privitar, a specialist in big data security, has closed a seed funding round of more than $1m from investors including the two most recent former CEOs of Reuters. More
UK marketing budgets grew again in Q2 2015, according to the latest IPA Bellwether report, but marketers' general confidence declined due to company prospects and general doubt about the global economy. The picture for MR budgets improved slightly from April's report. More
Big data firm Zeta Interactive has closed a $125m round of financing, which it will use to expand its platform and its engineering and analytics team; grow its market in the US, UK and elsewhere; and accelerate its acquisition strategy. More
ISP-level ad targeting company Phorm has announced change at the top as it enters a new phase in its development. Out goes company founder and long-time CEO Kent Ertugrul, along with CFO Andy Croxson, and in comes former Arbitron exec Timothy Todd Smith as the new Chief Exec. More
Welsh agency Beaufort Research has been bought by its management, with the help of a £220,000 loan from Finance Wales and funding from Bibby Financial Services. Directors and new owners Fiona McAllister and Chris Timmins have run the company since founder Peter Stolle retired in 2007. More
Piers Leonard, Research Manager at social media research specialist FACE, has died after a battle with leukaemia. More
German-based product, pricing and marketing consultancy Simon-Kucher & Partners has announced further rapid growth in the first half of 2015. At £72m, revenue was 17 percent up on the same period last year. More
Two months after its launch, global alliance The Digital Insight Network has announced five new partner firms, based in the USA, Russia, Italy, Poland and Austria. More
Networking giant Cisco has committed to invest more than $1 billion in multiple digital projects in the UK over the next three to five years. This includes $150m on Internet of Everything (IoE) start-ups. More
WPP-owned Kantar is consolidating its activities in Israel by transferring Millward Brown's country license to TNS. The group says this will help it expand its presence in the market and provide better service both for local and global clients. More
Yorkshire-based full service research and marketing insight consultancy McCallum Layton plans to recruit at least twenty new members of staff for its CATI unit, following a major client win. More
Israeli social media analytics business Twtrland has rebranded as Klear, and has raised $1.5m in funding, quadrupling its total investment to date. The company says it will focus the cash on marketing and sales, principally in the UK and US. More
WPP has taken steps to become the first international marcoms group to conduct business on the island of Cuba. More
Ipsos has brought together several of its retail measurement services to form a new Market Measurement business unit, which will be managed globally. More
UK-based RS Consulting, part of the Cello Group, has rebranded as Bright Blue. The new brand unites and replaces the four separate identities which have until now made up the RS Group - Consensus Research, Leapfrog, mruk and RS Consulting. More
Glen Westlake, the founder of Birmingham, UK-based business analytics company IT Performs has sold the company to SAP consultancy firm itelligence Business Solutions in order to focus on a new company, Kairos, specialising in cloud-based predictive analytics. More
Managed analytics company Ugam has expanded its technology team to thirty staff, adding eight over the last few months. More
In the UK, big data and sentiment analysis specialist Digital Contact has raised £2.4m ($3.8m) in investment funding, which it says will be used to increase the efficiency of its analytics engine. More
Recently formed London agency Red Dot Research has rebranded as 3GEM Research and Insights, aligning itself with a sister company, 3GEM Media, specialising in PR. More
New York-based ad tech company AppNexus has agreed to acquire RealMedia Latin America (RMLA) - its fifth company buy in twelve months - giving it a strong foothold in the continent. Separately, AppNexus has joined comScore's 'Trust' initiative and launched a new tool. More
In the UK, publisher and conference organiser Solar Media has hired Finlay Colville, previously Head of NPD Solarbuzz, to lead its recently formed Solar Intelligence division. More
Business information giant Dun & Bradstreet is selling its entire Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) business to a private equity firm, for around $AUD 220m. More
Around 20% of WPP's investors refused to endorse CEO Sir Martin Sorrell's £43m pay package at this afternoon's Annual General Meeting - quite a lot, 'though quite a lot fewer than in some previous years. More
TNS has appointed David Lansanah as Global Head of Innovation and Product Development. He will initially be based in London, before relocating to Singapore later this year. More
Marcoms group Creston has reported a 5% increase in annual revenue for its Communications & Insight businesses, to £56.2m. However, headline profits before interest fell slightly to £8.1m from £8.3m last year, due in part to the weakening Euro. More
According to reports in the UK press, marcoms giant WPP will face a shareholder rebellion over CEO Sir Martin Sorrell's £43m pay package at tomorrow's AGM. More
In the UK, the ABC (Audit Bureau of Circulations) has announced that CEO Jerry Wright will be stepping down from the post at the end of 2015, after seven years with the organisation. More
WPP's audience profiling and targeting division Xaxis has launched a new 'mobile-first' performance ad business called Light Reaction, which will combine Xaxis data with scientific insight into how audiences perceive, relate and react to ads. More
UK-based financial services research specialist Bdifferent has expanded to Asia with the opening of an office in the Marina Bay Financial Center in Singapore, to be led by Jessica Tuan Shepherd. More
Mobile segmentation and analytics specialist Swrve has opened a European Data Centre, where it will retain customer mobile data within the borders of the European Union, to eliminate the risks associated with transferring app users' personal data overseas. More
Full service agency Northstar Research Partners has opened an office in Jakarta, Indonesia, and plans further locations in China and India. Meity Rahtomo will lead the new hub as Managing Director ASEAN. More
Surrey, UK-based MR community and panel management tech company MARSC has announced a partnership with New York-based MR software and solutions firm thinqonline. More
WPP has promoted Tamara Ingram to the new position of Chief Client Officer, overseeing more than 50 client teams and all the marcoms giant's global accounts. More
US-based DIY survey software firm Qualtrics is to create an additional 100 jobs at its European HQ in the centre of Dublin, where it will employ up to 250 staff by the end of 2016. More
KPMG Capital, the venture fund belonging to accounting and advisory giant KPMG, has invested in data mining and predictive modelling firm SDART, while also providing funding for KPMG proprietary solutions Astrus and Customer Compass. Terms of the deals were not disclosed. More
Market research language and translation service provider GlobaLexicon has opened an office in Antwerp, Belgium, to service a growing client base in the Benelux region. More
UK-based Voice of the Customer specialist eDigitalResearch has announced record 25% growth in its annual turnover, to 'just shy of £10m' for the 2014/2015 financial year. More
SSI has launched a geo-location product, SSI Proximity Sample, which integrates with its mobile data collection app QuickThoughts and survey quality tool QuestTest to provide an end-to-end mobile survey solution. More
WPP has acquired a majority stake in London-based and data-driven sports marketing agency Two Circles Ltd, and will immediately incorporate it into ESP, a new global agency within GroupM serving rightsholders from the worlds of sports and entertainment. More
Digital agency group Razorfish Global has appointed former Gravity4 exec Samih Fadli as its first Chief Intelligence Officer, based in Seattle and leading its fast-growing Data Intelligence Practice. More
London-based MR recruitment agency Sparkle Recruitment has announced a partnership with veteran Australian market research recruiter Andy McLellan of AML Resources. More
A number of research organisations have come together to lead a new industry initiative called 'Insights 2020 - Driving Customer-Centric Growth', with the aim of studying the future of market research, insights and analytics strategy, structure and capability. More
GfK has reported first quarter sales of EUR 362.5m, an 8.2% rise of which 6.8% is the result of currency effects, and just 1.3% is organic growth. However, operating income and margins were up. More
UK-based call centre 1 Stop Data has opened a branch in Austin, Texas, which will offer services to North American agencies, while working with existing sales partners across the US. More
Technology specialist Gartner has reported a 5% increase in first quarter revenue to $471.2m, with the profit measure normalized EBITDA falling 5% to $80.7m. Separately, the Board has authorized $1.2bn for share repurchase. More
In London, news and information services provider CNN International Commercial has hired former IDG UK exec Rob Bradley for a newly created role, Head of Digital Advertising Sales and Data. More
WPP-owned direct and interactive marketing network OgilvyOne has appointed Yi Lin as its first Chief Data Officer in China. More
Research-led media group Light Reading has launched its first region-specific research service, focusing on Africa and the Middle East (AME). More
In the UK, MR training and consultancy organisation the Insight Management Academy has appointed former Barclays Bank customer analysis specialist James Wycherley as Chief Executive Officer. More
Digital audience measurement firm comScore has announced the acquisition of California-based digital ad analytics specialist Proximic; and has reported first quarter revenue up 14% to $87.3m, and the profit measure adjusted EBITDA 25% higher at $21.3m. More
TNS has announced a number of leadership changes in Asia, including the promotion of former CEO Greater China Chris Bonsi to the newly created role of Chief Client and Insights Officer for the APAC region. Grace Liu, MC Lai and Jon Foged also earn promotions while Narelle Burke joins as HR Director. More
SurveyMonkey CEO Dave Goldberg died on Friday whilst on holiday in Mexico with his family, apparently as a result of an accident in the gym. He was 47. More
Sir Martin Sorrell, the CEO of marcoms giant WPP, received a 44% increase in 2014 pay, bringing his salary package to almost £43m. This makes Sorrell the highest-paid FTSE 100 CEO, with a pay package more than twice the size of the second highest earner*. More
WPP-owned marcoms network J.Walter Thompson has launched a global business intelligence practice, offering a combination of research, innovation and data analytics across its global network. More
Tech specialist Forrester Research has reported first quarter revenue up to $75.2m from $73.1m in Q1 2014. Revenues from the Research division were up 2% to $51.9m from $50.8m, while Advisory Services and Events revenues rose 5% to $23.3m from $22.2m a year earlier. More
UK-based companies Creston Group and Future Foundation have partnered to combine the former's market research and neuroscience services from its ICM Unlimited, Marketing Sciences Unlimited, and Walnut Unlimited companies, with the latter's consumer trends and insight offer. More
A group of six independent research companies have set up an international association called The Digital Insight Network, focusing purely on digital methodologies. Members will share best practice and innovations, and assist each other with global research projects. More
In Cincinatti, staff from dunnhumbyUSA, the joint venture between retail analytics pioneer dunnhumby and grocery giant The Kroger Co., are being moved into a new agency. To be known as 84.51°, this will be wholly owned by Kroger, will use dunnhumby's tools under licence, and will employ around 500 people. More
Pharma data giant IMS Health has announced results for the quarter ended March 31st, with revenue up 7.0% at constant currency, to $632m and profit also jumping - adjusted EBITDA was $216n, up 9.8% at constant currency. More
UK-based Chime has announced eight new appointments in its Insight & Engagement Group (CIE), spanning its Facts International, CIE Commercial, Watermelon, Cherry Picked and Opinion Leader businesses. More
In the UK, former Future Thinking co-owner Andrew Tharme has set up a new venture called AJT Bizdev Consulting, to help insights, analytics and research technology agencies grow their businesses. More
WPP has reported like-for-like first quarter revenue growth across all its business sectors except for the Data Investment Management (DIM) division, where revenue fell 1.4% to £558m from £566m in the prior year period. More
Ipsos has reported 0.8% organic growth in revenue for the first quarter of 2015 - though measured in Euros revenue was up 10.6% to EUR 379.6m. More
Digital research consultancy Mavens of London is opening a US headquarters in San Diego, California, and a Latin American base in Sao Paulo, Brazil. More
US-based online survey and analysis tool provider SurveyGizmo has opened a support office in London, as part of its plan to extend its services to international markets. More
UKOM, the cross-industry organisation set up to oversee the measurement of online audiences, has renewed comScore's contract to act as its exclusive partner for online media audience measurement in the UK. More
GfK has named Ben van der Werf to succeed company veteran Richard Jameson as head of its Consumer Experiences business in the UK, plus the Nordics and Baltics. Jameson leaves in mid-May after more than 25 years at the firm, to pursue as yet unspecified 'new opportunities'. More
WPP's Data Alliance has expanded its reach to Sub-Saharan Africa, with the opening of an office in Cape Town led by former VP of Strategy and Operations Devon Tighe. More
The IPA's latest Bellwether survey of marketing executives indicates a further upward revision to UK marketing budgets during the first quarter of 2015, but says spend on market research fell by 1.3%, having risen 0.6% in the previous quarter. More
Marcoms giant WPP has launched a consultancy called Gain Theory, which brings together analytics, technology solutions, and consumer research and insight capabilities from around the group. More
Twitter is planning to cut off access to its data 'firehose' - the stream of tweets and related information it currently provides to third party vendors. More
Online community and survey technology provider Toluna has appointed Ludovic Milet as Managing Director, APAC, based in Hong Kong and leading the business across the region. More
IBM is to invest $3 billion over the next four years to establish an Internet of Things (IoT) unit, which will capitalize on the company's expertise in gathering, combining and making sense of real-time data gathered from a variety of sources. More
UK-based agency SPA Future Thinking has dropped the first part of its name, as it prepares for 'aggressive' expansion. More
UK-based research group RS Consulting has announced seven promotions, including Lorena Arrospide, Rhiannon Jones and Danielle Rodgerson who all move from Senior Research Consultant to Research Manager. More
Today we're launching a new recruitment site, 1potato, dedicated to opportunities for data and analytics professionals. Many readers and users of MrWeb / DRNO have been asking for something like it for years, and with the big data / data science boom, the time should be ripe. More
In the UK, Chime's Insight & Engagement Group (CIE) has restored its revenues to the record 2012 level of £13.6m, after a substantial drop to £11.0m in 2013. More
Manchester, UK-based agency Join the Dots has reported a 25% rise in annual revenue to £6.1m, driven by both existing clients and a number of new community contracts. More
Research software company Confirmit has partnered with translation specialist Language Connect to develop a solution called Connect Survey. The tool promises to save time and money for those co-ordinating MR and VoC programmes in multiple languages. More
Bristol, UK-based People for Research has relocated its Usability and MR Participant Recruitment team to larger premises in the city, following a second consecutive year of business growth. More
UK-based online research firm YouGov has announced interim results for the six months ended 31st January, with revenue up 11% year-on-year to £36.2m - up 10% in organic terms - and adjusted profit before tax up from £3.0m to £3.5m. More
Customer and employee research specialist ORC International has appointed brand and innovation specialist Kevin Ford, previously Director of Research at NatCen, in the newly created role of Head of Markets and Products Research in Europe. More
UK-based MR agency Trinity McQueen grew its turnover 17% to £3.98m in the year to 30th September 2014. The rise follows a very impressive year in 2012-13, in which turnover was up 39%. More
UK paper The Financial Times has hired Havas content chief Renée Kaplan for the newly created role of Head of Audience Engagement. She will take up the post in May. More
The World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) has appointed Barclays Bank marketer David Wheldon as its new President for a two-year term, replacing Pernod Ricard CMO Martin Riley who has held the post since 2013. More
New York-based social media analyst Dataminr has raised $130m in growth capital in a Series D financing round led by Fidelity Management and Research Company. More
Pharma MR specialist Instar has appointed Art McKee in Philadelphia to head up its new US business unit, and Manfred Eberlein in Hamburg to oversee its new European business division. The firm has also hired ten new research and delivery team members. More
Research and advisory group ISG (Information Services Group) has reported fourth quarter revenues of $53.2m, up 4% at constant currencies. Full-year revenue was flat at $209.6m, with growth in Europe balancing declines in the Americas and Asia Pacific; but adjusted EBITDA rose 5% to $23.2m. More
London-based online community specialist Verve has received an undisclosed amount of series A funding in a round led by investment firm Subito Partners, whose founders Geoff Westmore and Neil Brown join the Verve Board. More
TNS has promoted Andy Turton to the position of Head of Automotive for the Americas, based in Los Angeles. More
Investment continues to flow into analytics companies: VoC predictive analytics firm First Insight, location-based social media specialist Geofeedia, people analytics company Culture Amp and prospect scoring firm Growth Intelligence have all announced funding wins so far in March. More
WPP has announced preliminary results for 2014 including like-for-like revenue up 8.2%, like-for-like net sales up 3.3%, and good profits - EBITDA grew 7.5% at constant currency. However like-for-like revenue in the firm's insight or 'Data Investment Management' division (DIM) was up just 0.6%. More
UK-based BDRC Group has reported a 17.8% increase in turnover to £24.5m for the twelve months ended 30th September 2014, compared with £20.8m the previous year. Gross profits climbed 19.4%. More
In London, Kantar public sector division TNS BMRB has promoted Mark Peters to the position of Managing Director, and Sarah Cheesbrough to Head of Policy. More
MR agency B2B International has expanded its UK headquarters in Bramhall, Manchester and revealed a five-year plan to double its annual turnover to £15m. More
European-based Bilendi, which combines MR and online loyalty services, has agreed to acquire the Springboard UK access panel from Vision Critical, strengthening its online panels offering in the UK. More
This month sees the return of the annual auction to help researchers who have fallen on hard times, run by the UK's Market Research Benevolent Association (MRBA). Prizes include MR conference and football tickets, as well as access to the culinary skills of one of the industry's best known salespeople. More
MR language and translation specialist GlobaLexicon has taken an additional floor at its Camden High Street, London headquarters, in preparation for an increase in headcount. More
Ipsos has brought together its brand communication, advertising and media businesses under a new division called Ipsos Connect, which has replaced legacy brands Ipsos ASI and Ipsos MediaCT. More
Ipsos has reported a 2.2% increase in fourth quarter revenue to EUR 500.7m - a rise it describes as a 'timid return to growth' reflecting more favourable foreign exchange trends - and 'slight' organic growth of 0.8%. More
Cheshire-based full service agency DJS Research has appointed seven new members of staff, and promoted six of its existing team. More
London-based BDRC Group has launched BDRC Americas, a joint venture with Washington, DC-based full service researcher Fusion Analytics, which merges into the new company. More
In London, Basis Research has appointed Dr Sarah Jenkins, formerly Head of Qualitative in Ipsos MORI's MediaCT division, as a Senior Director to lead and develop its media, content and technology offer. More
Pharma research and data giant IMS Health has announced results for the quarter and year ended December 31st 2014, including revenue up 6.2% to $678m in Q4 and 5.9% to $2,641m for the full year on a constant currency basis; and adjusted EBITDA up 8.5% and 9.5% respectively. More
YouGov has confirmed former Chief Strategy Officer Alex McIntosh as its new UK CEO, replacing Tim Britton. More
Language Connect, a specialist in language translation and communication services for the market research industry, has opened an office in Singapore, where it has appointed Baxter Tan as Executive Director. More
In a deal with some similarities to the recent US tie-in with Rentrak, WPP is to take a 15% to 20% stake in comScore through its Kantar data and insight arm, while comScore acquires a number of Kantar assets in Europe. More
Digital measurement specialist comScore has reported a 19% increase in its four quarter 2014 revenue to $89.1m on a pro forma basis, while full year revenue increased 18% to $325.2m. More
Technology specialist Forrester Research has reported a 5% increase in Research revenues to $53.8m in the fourth quarter of 2014. The group's Advisory Services and Events revenues rose 3% to $26.9m. More
Digital data collection provider Research Now has made a number of changes in its executive leadership team, including the promotions of John Rothwell, Kathy Rowley and Melanie Courtright to C-suite and EVP roles. More
US online sample and research operations company Market Cube has set up an office in London, where it has appointed former Lightspeed Research exec Roy Patel as European Regional Head. More
UK-based Kadence International has reported a 14% increase in gross global half year revenues to $16m, driven by growth in its US and Indian operations. More
In the UK, 70,000 members of cashback and rewards site Quidco have been integrated into the OpinionHub platform run by panel marketplace operator Cint. More
In the UK Simon Marquis, Chairman of the National Readership Survey (NRS), is stepping down from the role at the end of the year, to 'make way for new blood' and a new system of governance across the sector. More
Tech research firm Gartner has reported a 12% rise in fourth quarter 2014 revenue to $584.0m, compared with Q4 2013. Revenue in its core Research division also increased 12%, to $373.4m. More
Public sector research specialist Richard Abraham has relocated from the UK to Sydney, Australia, to take up the role of Director - Social & Government at TNS. More
Marcoms group Creston has issued an interim statement for the third quarter, reporting group revenue up just 1% year-on-year, resulting it says from a combination of client budget cuts and project delays within its UK health business. More
LA-based research technology company uSamp is changing its name to Instantly, Inc. While planning substantial investment in its sample business, the firm says the new name will allow it to grow this in tandem with its burgeoning insights platform. More
GfK has reported a 2.9% drop in annual sales to EUR 1.451 billion from EUR 1.495 billion the previous year. Currency effects accounted for a 0.9% reduction: in organic terms, sales were down by 2.1%. More
London-based newspaper marketing body Newsworks has embarked on the second phase of a formal process to find suitable partners for a new audience measurement system. More
Colin Strong, UK Head of Industry, GfK, is leaving at the end of March after nineteen years with the business, to join online communities specialist Verve in the newly created position of Managing Director of Verve Ventures. Meanwhile GfK has announced three senior appointments of its own. More
The Havas Creative Group is merging its data agencies Havas EHS and Havas Discovery into a new brand called Helia, which will have combined data-related revenue of more than $70m, and 700 staff including more than 200 data scientists. More
In the UK, industry body the Market Research Society (MRS) is marking Data Privacy Day by reporting nineteen organisations to the Information Commissioner's Office for 'selling under the guise of research'. More
Private equity firm Court Square Capital Partners is to acquire an undisclosed number of shares in digital data collection specialist Research Now from a group of the latter's shareholders. Financial terms of the transaction have not been released. More
The year 2015 is starting with marketers in buoyant mood, according to the Global Marketing Index (GMI) compiled by WARC sister company World Economics. Individual ratings for trading conditions, marketing budgets and staffing levels all showed positive movement. More
In the US, Ipsos MarketQuest President Matt McNerney has left the group to pursue other opportunities. McNerney joined Ipsos seven years ago as President of its Loyalty Division. More
British Airways has restructured its marketing team, according to reports, giving the new role of Head of Customer - including research and insight, customer service transformation, innovation and brand proposition - to former Head of Marketing Abigail Comber. More
TNS has promoted Anjali Puri to the position of Global Head of its Qualitative practice, replacing Rebecca Wynberg who will move to a non-executive position as Chair of TNS Qualitative. More
In the UK, MR technology consultancy Data Liberation has appointed industry veteran Pat Molloy as Chief Executive Officer, replacing founder Chris Morgan, who has moved to the role of Chairman and COO. Separately, Daniel Bailey becomes CTO and Deborah Whitworth CFO. More
YouGov UK CEO Tim Britton has left the company after seven years, to pursue 'the next stage of his career'. He is replaced on an interim basis by Chief Strategy Officer Alex McIntosh. More
Netherlands-based data collection software developer Nebu has partnered with MR software, services and solutions provider thinqonline, to establish a presence in the US. More
Healthcare fieldwork firm M3 Global Research has announced the appointment of eleven new members of staff - nine in the US and two in the UK. More
SPA Future Thinking's French subsidiary has launched a pharmaceutical healthcare division called Future Thinking Pharma, in Paris, which will be led by Béatrice Chemla, the founder and CEO of healthcare MR agency Listening Pharma. More
UK-based business-to-business agency B2B International has opened an office in Singapore - its third location in the Asia Pacific region. More
In Edinburgh, flight search engine and travel comparison specialist Skyscanner has appointed Adam Drake as its first Chief Data Officer, in charge of a newly created Data Science team. More
Desiree Lopez has been promoted to the position of Chief Executive Officer of public sector specialist TNS BMRB, along with a seat on the TNS UK Board. More
UK-based research innovator BrainJuicer Group has announced senior internal promotions in the Americas and Europe and the opening soon of an office in Miami. More
London-based online communities specialist Verve has announced rapid growth in the final quarter of 2014 - detailing no fewer than 22 appointments - and ambitious plans for 2015. More
London-based online research software and services provider Dub is relocating to new offices off City Road at the beginning of January, in preparation for an increase in headcount. More
WPP has appointed Smith & Nephew Chairman Roberto Quarta as a non-executive Director and Chairman-designate, succeeding Philip Lader. He will join the Board on 1st January 2015 and offer himself for re-election at the group's AGM in June. More
DIY survey software firm SurveyMonkey has raised $250m in an equity funding round, which it will use to pursue future M&A transactions and to enable existing investors and employees to sell some of their equity. According to reports, the funding values the firm at $2 billion. More
In the UK, panel exchange operator Cint has partnered with research agency Opinium to roll out the latter's IFA (independent financial advisor) panel through the OpinionHUB marketplace. The deal gives Cint its first specialist B2B panel in the country. More
Simpson Carpenter co-founder and automotive research veteran Derek Carpenter is to retire at the end of the year, the company has announced. More
US research organisation CASRO has launched a Safe Harbor Program to help research companies comply with US-EU privacy regulations. More
According to the Market Research Society's latest Annual League Table, the UK MR industry grew 2.5% in the past year. The society says this demonstrates that the research industry is now recovering from the impacts of the recession. More
Customer, employee, and market strategy research specialist ORC International has launched an online communities division, and appointed former Communispace exec Jennifer Adams to lead it. More
Attendees at last night's MRS Awards ceremony in London saw Ipsos MORI and biopharma client Amgen scoop both 'The Grand Prix Award for Greatest Impact' and the 'Healthcare Research' prizes for their work highlighting patient experience for Psoriasis sufferers. More
WPP has extended its relationship with IBM, to expand its use of big data and analytics, and develop new digital services that will be run and managed within a global hybrid cloud infrastructure. More
Ipsos has announced that its Co-President Jean-Marc Lech died this morning in Paris, after suffering from a 'serious health issue' since the summer. More
Trade association The British Marine Federation (BMF) has appointed Alastair Wilson to head its Statistics and Market Research service. More
Marcoms holding group Creston has reported a 5% increase in half year revenue to £37.3m, and announced an international partnership with German-owned Serviceplan Group. More
In the UK, healthcare researchers Martin Schlaeppi and Craig Scott have launched Greensand, a new agency focused on the medical device market. More
In the UK, River Research co-founder and Partner Julian Kenway has left the company after six years to join SPA Future Thinking as its new Commercial Director, leading business development across all areas of the company. More
TNS has announced the appointment of Will Galgey, formerly of The Futures Company (TFC) as UK CEO from mid-January 2015, following the departure of Maureen Duffy earlier in the week. Separately, Michelle Harrison will become Global Head of Political and Social at the beginning of the year. More
UK-based Kadence International has officially opened a Middle East office, in Dubai, which will be staffed by local quant and qual researchers. The company is also planning to open a second office in the region, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. More
Survey technology firms Qualtrics and CFMC have partnered to enable users to conduct online and phone surveys concurrently or consecutively. More
Business information and events group Informa has agreed to buy US trade show operator Hanley Wood Exhibitions for £237m; and is consequently considering 'alternatives' for its Consumer Information and Forecasting businesses. More
In the UK, the ABC (Audit Bureau of Circulations) has announced that comScore, DoubleVerify, Integral Ad Science and Moat are the first four firms to receive its new viewability certification; and will be included in the body's first viewability products comparison report. More
Cinema research expert and AIMRI Company Secretary Richard Chilton died suddenly on Tuesday 4th November, at the age of 83. More
Marcoms holding company Creston plc has created a new umbrella brand called Creston Unlimited, adding the suffix to the names of all its group companies including ICM and Marketing Sciences. More
In the UK, MD Maureen Duffy has left TNS after less than three years in the role. Reasons for the departure are not yet known. Global CEO Richard Ingleton is stepping into the role until a UK replacement is found. More
Sydney, Australia-based Q Research Software has opened an office in London, which will be led by former Infotools director Nigel Cartman. More
Research technology and panel exchange operator Cint has announced a new strategic global relationship with DIY online research firm SurveyMonkey. More
Information Services Group has announced third quarter revenue up 3% in constant currency terms, to $53.3m. Revenues in Europe rose strongly (up 10% to $19.7m) while elsewhere they were flat or fell back. More
Technology research and analysis specialist Gartner has reported a 15% increase in third quarter revenue to $470.9m. For the Research division specifically, revenue was also up 15%, to $365.3m. More
UK-based 72Point, the parent of OnePoll, is expanding to the US market with the launch of an office in New York, offering a range of content-led marketing and social media products. More
UK-based MR support agency Research Runner has partnered with marketing services consultancy Magnificent Stuff, in order to provide its clients with a full range of digital and print marketing services. More
Marketing services network WPP has reported a slower than expected 3.1% rise in third quarter revenue to £2.76bn. Reported revenue in its Data Investment Management division fell 4.7% to £588m, but allowing for currency effects and acquisitions, like-for-like revenue growth was 0.5%. More
Technology specialist Forrester has reported an 8.3% increase in third quarter revenue to $75.4m, with research division revenues up by a more moderate 2%, to $50.6m. More
Industry association ESOMAR has elected Laurent Flores as its new President for the two-year term from January 2015 to December 2016. He will be supported by newly elected Vice President David Smith. More
Sampling, data collection and analytics specialist SSI has announced a deal with air loyalty program Avios, which will offer the latter's collectors the option to join SSI's B2B inSSItes panel. More
In the UK, the Health and Social Care Information Centre has extended NatCen Social Research's contract to deliver its Health Survey for England study for four more years until 2019. NatCen will deliver the survey in collaboration with University College London. More
Ipsos has reported third quarter revenue of EUR 412.7m, representing marginal organic growth (0.2%) year-on-year. The decline in reported figures slowed to 1.4%. More
WPP firm Ogilvy & Mather has launched a Global Center of Data Excellence it calls 'OgilvyAmp', to help clients develop innovative approaches for using their data. More
UK-based medical fieldwork specialist KeyQuest Health (KQH) has opened an office in New Jersey, US. The new operation is led by Miina Rafinski, who previously served as Client Services Director at Olson Research. More
In the UK, newspaper and consumer magazine publishers have issued a time frame for their audience measurement review, with the aim of testing a new multi-platform system from mid-2015 and rolling it out from early 2016. More
Charles Pearson, co-founder of Guildford, Surrey-based EasyInsites, has left the firm to lead client development in North America for community panel specialist Verve. More
UK-based agency RSM has released results from its six-monthly survey of research professionals. Among the findings, the agency notes strong support for the value of, and confidence in the continuing use of, 'traditional' methods of data collection. More
In the UK, marketing budgets were revised up for the eighth consecutive quarter, reflecting continued confidence in the business outlook, according to the Q3 2014 Bellwether report from ad association the IPA. More
Kantar public sector division TNS BMRB has made two senior appointments, Keith Bolling as Head of National and Official Statistics Surveys and Gillian Prior as Head of Longitudinal Studies - on the back of strong growth in the two areas. More
Business information and events group Informa has announced that Alfred Moellenbeck, MD of its Euroforum subsidiary for the last 25 years, will retire at the end of 2014. His role will be filled by Ann-Marie Brems, reporting directly to Andrew Mullins, CEO of the group's Knowledge & Networking Division. More
Online research specialist YouGov has reported preliminary results for the year ended 31st July 2014, with revenue up 10% in constant currency terms, to £67.4m, and adjusted profit before tax rising 12%. More
DIY online research firm SurveyMonkey has announced a new app, allowing users to send and analyze surveys from within the widely used Salesforce platform. More
IBM has opened a New York HQ for its recently-launched Watson Group, housing more than 600 staff of the new self-service analytics division; and unveiled the first five 'Watson Client Experience Centers' for client support and training, in the cities of Dublin, London, Melbourne, Sao Paulo and Singapore. More
Business information veteran Dun & Bradstreet has announced a partnership with Lattice Engines, a provider of cloud-based predictive marketing and sales applications, promising clients the ability to identify the customer and prospects 'most ready to buy'. More
UK group St. Ives Plc has reported a 3% annual increase in revenue to £327.6m, providing what it calls 'clear evidence' of the success its strategy to move into marketing services through a major M&A push. More
Omnicom-owned brand and comms research specialist Hall & Partners has teamed up with the UK's IPA and America's 4A's to capture the ad industry's views on what makes great advertising. More
Voice-of-customer specialist eDigitalResearch has partnered with analysis software firm Lexalytics, to develop a new real-time text analytics tool. More
Facebook has launched a cross-device user tracking ad product, based on the Atlas software it acquired from Microsoft earlier this year. Meanwhile Ello, a social network which spurns advertising, is reportedly adding as many as 35,000 new users an hour. More
London-based online communities specialist Verve has opened an office in Toronto, and has appointed former Research Now exec Suzanne Costa to lead it. More
In the UK, automotive intelligence specialist EurotaxGlass's Group has appointed Informa veteran Lindsey Roberts as Chief Executive Officer. She will take up her new role on 22nd October. More
San Mateo, CA-based social media analytics specialist Viralheat has opened a European office in London, where it has appointed John Hayes as Marketing Director. More
New York-based ad technology firm AppNexus has received $25m in funding from WPP, and in turn, has agreed to acquire the Open AdStream (OAS) ad serving platform from the marcoms giant's audience profiling and targeting division Xaxis. More
Online research specialist BrainJuicer has reported a 'relatively flat' first half year, with a 4% rise in revenue to £11.2m (H1 2013: £10.8m). A decline in US and UK turnover was more than compensated by strong performances in Asia, continental Europe and Brazil. More
In the UK, not-for-profit body NatCen Social Research has appointed former Kantar Head of Field Sophie Ainsby to lead its 1,200 strong field force. More
Insight and marketing services group Cello has had what it describes as 'an excellent half year', with revenue up 9.4% to £78.3m, and a 14.8% rise in gross profits to £39.5m. More
UK data collection agency QRS Market Research has completed a management-led buyout of retiring MD and shareholder Sam Adby. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
London-based online communities specialist Verve has announced seven more hires, including former GfK execs Rich Preedy and Olly Robinson who will help drive the expansion of its International service. More
TNS has added three senior members of staff to its Qualitative practice, including former Opinion Leader exec Sarah Morris (nee Houghton), who joins as Head of TNS Qualitative. More
Incite has appointed former TNS Chief Development Officer Matthew Froggatt as Global Head, replacing Group MD Roger Banks who will retire from the business in February 2015 after 8 years in charge. More
Online research tech company uSamp has opened an office in Frankfurt, Germany and hired Susanne Minneker and Catherine Gibbon who will be based there. More
The global research industry grew faster than inflation in 2013, with turnover for 'traditionally defined MR' passing the $40bn mark, according to ESOMAR's annual report, just released. More
UK-based agency SPA Future Thinking has restructured its senior management team, promoting Richard Barton to Group Managing Director, with four new divisional MDs - Steve King, Neil Aulton, Chris Bland and Claudia Strauss - working under him. More
Oslo, Norway-based fieldwork group Norstat has promoted Matt Reynolds to the position of Managing Director for the UK market. The firm has also appointed Elisabeth Sampaio as Senior Project Manager in the UK. More
Market research software firm Askia has opened an office in Los Angeles, where it has named SPSS veteran Jamey Corriveau as Director of US Operations. More
Business information provider Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) has appointed AOL's former Global CTO Curtis Brown as Chief Information Officer (CIO), responsible for the firm's portfolio of technology, proprietary data and related intellectual property. More
UK-based full service research provider BDRC has opened an office in Jakarta, Indonesia, and expanded Piers Lee's role to include oversight of the new operation. The firm has also added two new members of staff to its senior management team in Asia. More
Recently formed strategic consultancy Millward Brown Vermeer has launched in Australia, and appointed Caspar Wright as Managing Partner there. More
CIE, the Insight & Engagement Group within UK firm Chime, has reported first half operating profit up 22% to £1.4m, and a 5% increase in operating income to £4.2m. However, revenue was flat at £5.37m compared with £5.35m in the prior year period. More
WPP's data investment management division (DIM) has reported Q2 net sales of £436m and revenue of £611m, the latter up 2.6% in like-for-like terms but well below the overall group growth of 10.2%. More
WPP's healthcare data company All Global has been integrated into the group's online panels specialist Lightspeed Research, allowing combined access to general population panels and physician and payor panels. More
In London, KPMG and Imperial College have partnered to create the 'KPMG Centre for Advanced Business Analytics', fuelled by a $20m investment from the management consulting giant. More
Global marketers' confidence fell in August despite overall conditions improving across the sector, according to Warc's latest Global Marketing Index (GMI). More
London-based online research 'app store' platform ZappiStore has officially opened an office in Boston with the appointment of former GMI exec Ryan Barry as Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, North America. More
Nielsen has promoted Steve Hasker to the role of Global President, overseeing its business across the media sector, in addition to leading its product portfolio across both Watch and Buy segments. More
San Francisco-based audience measurement and digital advertising firm Quantcast has promoted former Yahoo! exec Matt White to Managing Director of its UK operation, replacing Phil Macauley who has moved up to the position of EMEA MD. More
Panel exchange operator Cint has relocated to new premises in Nishi-Shinjuku, Tokyo, where it has appointed Arianne Dumayas as Project and Customer Support Manager. More
In the US, customer experience management (CEM) software firm Medallia, which last week partnered with TNS, has received $50m in funding from its existing sole institutional investor, Sequoia Capital. More
Online research specialist YouGov has promoted Sundip Chahal to the newly created role of Group Chief Operating Officer. More
London-based online research 'app store' platform ZappiStore has commenced operations in Singapore and will open an office there in the first week of November. A Boston office will also be opened, later this month. More
GfK has reported a 1.6% organic decline in sales for the first half of 2014, to EUR 697.9m, magnified to 4.2% by currency effects - but says that it is now seeing the positive effects of the 'strategic realignment' plan it has been pursuing. More
US-based holding company Information Services Group (ISG) has announced results for the second quarter and first half ended June 30th, with revenues down 3% year-on-year in constant currency, at $54.9m. More
Online analytics provider Webtrends has lost two senior execs, Bruce Kenny and Eric Butler, having recently shuffled and strengthened its team with three VP level hires and two promotions. More
Digital ad solutions firm Rocket Fuel Inc. is to acquire New York-based online audience targeting firm [x+1] for a neat $100m in cash plus 5.4m shares of its own common stock, valuing the deal at around $230m. Rocket Fuel also reported second quarter revenue up 70% year-on-year to $92.6m. More
UK based consultancy The Futures Company is opening an office in Shanghai, its second Asia-Pacific location after Singapore - and appointed former Ogilvy & Mather exec Kunal Sinha to lead it. More
UK-based research firm Incite is moving its US operations to larger premises just one year after launching them, and has appointed two execs to boost the team. More
IT research and consulting firm Gartner has reported second quarter revenue of $519.8m, up 17% year on year, or 16% excluding currency effects. Profits jumped likewise: normalized EBITDA also rose 17%, to $105.0m. More
Resurgent UK firm Nunwood has reported 23 percent growth in first half sales to £5.3m, from a disappointing £4.3m in H1 2013. A list of big client wins has been matched by a £1m investment in its Fizz: Experience Management reporting technology and £330,000 in its Customer Experience Excellence Centre. More
GroupM, the global media investment management operation within WPP, has promoted Harvey Goldhersz to the new role of Chief Data Officer and CEO of GroupM Analytics, and Phil Cowdell to replace him North America CEO of its MediaCom subsidiary. More
ORC International is to join two partner firms in 'a next generation marketing services company' with annual revenues of c.$400m, following the acquisition of marcoms group Engine by ORC's Chicago-based backers Lake Capital. Partner firms will keep their separate identity. More
German-based consulting firm Simon-Kucher & Partners has reported first half revenue growth of 14 percent to EUR 82.5m, and says it made 80 new hires, raising its headcount to 720. More
US technology research and consulting firm Forrester Research has reported second quarter revenue of $82.9m, up 5% from $79.0m 12 months previously. Revenue for the Research division rose more slowly, up 2% to $52.3m. More
Nielsen has reported a 15% increase in second quarter 2014 revenue to $1.59bn - excluding acquisitions the figure was still a very respectable 4.4%. Q2 profit fell to $76m from $426m due to fees for re-financing long-term debt, but Adjusted EBITDA was up 16.2% to $460m. More
UK-based online community specialist Verve has appointed former GfK exec Ryan Garner to head up its Personal Information Economy proposition, while recruiting six other new members of staff. More
UK-based full service provider BDRC has officially launched a digital research agency called Alligator Research, led by former Toluna director Suzy Hassan. More
Pharma research giant IMS Health has reported a 6.1% increase in second quarter revenue to $662m. However, due to a number of one-off charges and expenses the firm suffered a Q2 net loss of $200m, compared with net income of $8m in the prior year period. More
In London, Kantar has invested an undisclosed amount in self-service online research 'app store' platform ZappiStore. More
Ipsos has reported a 5.9% drop in first half revenue to EUR 756m, with currency effects responsible for most of the fall (5.1%). In organic terms, second quarter decline all but wiped out the modest gains of the first quarter, giving overall H1 organic growth of 0.1%. More
UK-based media and marketing insights specialist Ebiquity has reported total revenue growth of 8% at constant currency - reported revenue was up 7.2% to £68.5m (2013: £64.0m). The firm has also announced a business restructure. More
The UK's newspaper industry is to appoint a strategy consultant to advise on the building of an audience measurement system to reflect the way people now read newspapers - across print, laptops, tablets and mobile. More
UK-based agency SPA Future Thinking has launched a Financial Services practice comprising a team of ten staff, led by Research Director Annabelle Truscott. More
UK-based Intellection Software has appointed Wojtek Kokoszka as Commercial Director and Charlotte Atkins as COO, plus ESOMAR President Dan Foreman as a Non-Executive Director. More
UK-based online community specialist Verve has partnered with MR agency InsightAsia to meet client demand for full service quant and qual community panel research across Asia. More
ITWP, the parent company of online community and survey technology provider Toluna, has acquired Harris Interactive's European arm from Nielsen. As part of the deal, Nielsen will take a minority share in ITWP. More
In the UK, two former Lancaster University researchers have launched a language analysis service for marketers, called Relative Insight. Their technology was originally developed to help catch criminals through the analysis of the language they used in their online conversations. More
Global marcoms network Publicis Groupe has set up a new digital agency called ROAR, offering a full range of user experience, strategy, creative, media and analytics services. More
Netherlands-based community research software provider CMNTY has opened an office in London, and has appointed Alastair Macmillan to lead it. More
Customer and employee research specialist ORC International has opened an office in Sevres, south west of Paris, where it has appointed former Ipsos exec Anne Lavielle to head up the new operation. More
Global business research agency B2B International has opened an office in Düsseldorf, citing Germany as its largest market outside the UK and the US. More
UK-based Trinity McQueen (formerly Brass Insights) has appointed former Illuminas exec Mike Roderick as Research Director, tasked with expanding the agency's activities in the financial services, utilities and B2B sectors. More
UK research firm Cello Health Insight has launched a continuous staff development programme called BUILD, and promoted Leyla Itani and Helen Porter to lead the initiative. More
WPP-owned firm The Data Alliance has partnered with location analytics specialist Factual, giving WPP group companies access to data that maps the known location of mobile phones to physical places, including more than 65 million businesses in 50 countries. More
Community panel specialist Verve has opened a dedicated survey programming office in Iași, Romania, headed by Senior Survey Programmer Eugen Tuchendria. More
The UK's research industry returned to growth in 2013 after four years of contraction, according to results from the annual survey of agencies by the Market Research Society (MRS). More
London-based mobile research and sample specialist On Device Research has hired former Ipsos director Nader Kobeissi as Managing Director for the MENA region, launching the company's new Dubai office. More
Employee-owned MR provider Illuminas has reported a 27% revenue rise to £10m for the year ended February 2014. The firm has also appointed Steven Maskell as Senior Vice President in its New York office. More
Creston's insight division - which comprises Marketing Sciences and ICM - has reported a 7% increase in annual revenue to £12.9m. The remainder of the Group by contrast saw a slight decline in revenue and profit. More
UK-based insurance specialist Litmus Analysis has recruited Robin Dicks as a Partner for a new market research and analysis venture, Litmus Research Associates. More
mruk, the social research firm within RS Consulting group, is returning to Scotland with the opening of a new office in the centre of Glasgow, to support a growing number of Scottish clients. More
European-based MR and online loyalty specialist Maximiles is to rebrand as Bilendi, 'putting data insights firmly at the centre of its two core activities' as it looks to double the size of its research arm by 2016. More
UK firm The Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) has partnered with Dutch consulting engineer Fugro, integrating its own survey and consultancy services with Fugro's data on highway condition and construction for the benefit of global clients. More
Former Stopgap recruiters Kathy King and Janet Chambers have launched their own recruitment agency, Sparkle, which will work on permanent and freelance market research and insight roles at all levels. More
London-based B2B specialist BDRC Group has promoted Richard Sheldrake to the newly created position of Chief Operating Officer. More
Enterprise data and analytics company Acxiom has sold its UK call centre outsourcing operation 2Touch, to European business process outsourcing provider Parseq. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
George Terhanian has left Toluna to join consumer specialist The NPD Group in the newly created role of Group President and Chief Research and Analytics Officer. More
Global online sample aggregator EMI Research Solutions has opened its first European office, in London. More
US ad analytics and trading tools provider Yieldex has opened of an office in London, and appointed ad industry veterans Mark Williams and Nigel Edmund-Jones to kick-start its European business. More
Social media and text analytics specialist Texifter has entered a strategic partnership with DIY research firm SurveyMonkey, helping the latter's users get to grips with verbatim-heavy survey responses. More
Machine data analytics specialist Sumo Logic has raised $30m in a funding round, and will use it for geographic expansion into the EMEA and Asia Pacific regions. More
Kantar-owned research technology and panels firm GMI (Global Market Insite) has opened a new office in Frankfurt, and appointed Key Account Director Norman-René Schwalme to lead it. More
Optimism among marketing execs remains high, according to the May wave of the Warc Global Marketing Index (GMI), with respondents generally upping their forecasts for marketing budgets and positive about trading conditions. More
In the UK, Jim Easton, former CEO of customer and market insight specialist AMR International, has launched a new consulting firm, Plural Strategy Group, focusing on media, events, agribusiness and software markets. More
UK-based Voice of the Customer specialist eDigitalResearch has reported a 20 percent rise in annual turnover to £7.5m, and says it has employed an additional 30 new members of staff over the past twelve months. More
Stockholm-based panel exchange operator Cint has boosted its UK customer service and sales teams with three new hires and the promotion of Jane Attale (nee Mills) to the leadership role of UK Sales Director. More
Ipsos' MediaCT division, which specialises in measuring how consumers use and respond to media across different platforms, has opened a Data Science Hub in London. The new initiative is led by Neil Farrer, who takes on the role of Chief Data Science Officer. More
GfK has announced results for the first quarter, with an organic decline of 0.7% in sales, reported as EUR 334.9m, a decline of 3.5% due to currency effects. However the Group said it achieved 'a significant increase in all profit indicators', and has confirmed its forecast for the year. More
Customer intelligence integrator Innometrics has announced a $5m Series A funding round, earmarked for sales and marketing to support rapid expansion of its European operations, as well as enhancements to its Profile Cloud solution. More
Digital data collection specialist Research Now has announced that MD, Americas Craig Stevens is to leave the business after a decade to pursue new opportunities, and that John Rothwell will step into his shoes. More
Cello Group has acquired healthcare communications agency iS Healthcare Dynamics for an initial c.£2.5m in cash and shares and additional performance-related payments of up to £3.3m. At its AGM today, the Group also reported 'strong trading in the first quarter'. More
John Pullinger, currently the House of Commons Librarian and DG of Information has been appointed as the new Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, and National Statistician, succeeding Jil Matheson who retires at the end of June 2014. More
Online research innovator BrainJuicer has warned in an AGM statement today of an increase in its costs, resulting from increased share based payment charges and the expansion of its account management teams to support long-term growth. Shares were down 21% as of Monday morning. More
Global recruitment firm Aspire Global Network is bringing all its companies - including UK-based MR specialist RP Cushing - under the single brand of Aspire. More
Cheshire, UK-based agency DJS Research has announced its twelfth consecutive year of growth, with revenue up 32% to £2.9m. More
Digital audience measurement specialist comScore has announced that its Chief Financial Officer, Kenneth Tarpey, will retire in August this year. The firm is currently seeking a successor. More
Research and advisory firm Information Services Group (ISG) has announced results for the quarter ended March 31st. Revenues slid 5% to $48.2m (reported and constant currency), with a sharp rise in Europe (up 15% to $19.8m) more than counterbalanced by falls of 14-15% in the Americas and Asia Pacific. More
In the US, Experian has named Eric Haller Executive Vice President of its data experimentation and innovation arm Experian DataLabs. Haller will lead the division globally as it expands beyond the US to London and Sao Paulo, Brazil. More
In London, former Nunwood leader James Walker is joining PwC-owned management consultancy Strategy& as Lead Partner - Demand Analytics, in charge of the firm's EMEA Customer Insight Marketing Analytics Center of Excellence. More
In the US, former Ford Motor Co. Market Research Analyst Mark Fields is to become the company's ninth President and Chief Executive Officer, when Alan Mulally retires in July. More
Tech sector researcher and analyst Gartner has reported a 12% increase in its first quarter Research revenue to $348.1m, compared with Q1 2013. More
Former Citigroup CEO Vikram Pandit has been named Chairman of TGG Group, a consulting firm focused on behavioral economics and big data, whose co-founders include Freakonomics author Steven Levitt and economist Daniel Kahneman. More
US technology specialist Forrester Research has reported a 1% rise in research division revenues to $50.79m in the first quarter 2014. More
WPP CEO Sir Martin Sorrell saw his annual pay package rise by nearly two-thirds to £29.8m in 2013, from £17.5m the previous year, boosted by a plan linked to the company's share price and performance. More
Digital measurement specialist comScore has reported a 14% increase in first quarter revenue to $76.9m, from $68.9m a year previously, while the firm's net loss fell to $782k from $2.0m. More
WPP's Data Investment Management (DIM) division saw revenues fall 3.8% to £566m in the first quarter of 2014, while net sales dropped 4.5% to £406m. More
Ipsos has reported a 4.5% drop in revenue to EUR 343.3m in the first quarter of 2014, compared with EUR 359.6m a year previously. However organic growth - at constant scope and exchange rates - was 1.5%, in line with the performances recorded in the third and fourth quarters of 2013. More
UK insight and communications group Creston says it is expecting a drop in revenue to £74.8m for the year ended 31st March 2014, compared with £75.2m a year earlier. More
IPA's Bellwether Report for the first quarter of 2014 shows a record number of UK firms reporting rising marketing budgets, completing a year of sustained improvement for the sector. More
Online community and survey technology provider Toluna is integrating BrainJuicer's proprietary emotion measure FaceTrace into its global survey platform. The upgrade will allow clients to gauge emotional reactions to stimuli such as products, web sites, packaging and ads. More
Creston-owned full service agency ICM has promoted Head of Qualitative Research Iain Carruthers to its Board, and given existing Director Alex Knight a wider remit as Insight Division COO and CFO. More
Alex Yoder, former CEO of online analytics pioneer Webtrends, has joined UK-based media and marketing insights specialist Ebiquity as Chief Executive Officer, Americas. More
Online panel specialist Research Now has appointed BlueKai co-founder Michael Bigby as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and a member of its Executive Leadership team. More
US business intelligence (BI) tech firm Decisyon has received $22m in Series B funding, for use in supporting its expansion plans in the US and Europe. More
Palo Alto, CA-based DIY research specialist SurveyMonkey is moving its European headquarters to Dublin, where corporation taxes are far lower than in the UK. The firm will hire 50 new members of staff in Ireland, and relocate its international team there from its office in Lisbon. More
WPP's Data Alliance practice has partnered with publisher eMarketer, to provide all WPP operating companies with access to the latter's global database of digital marketing research data. More
Marcoms giant WPP has launched a global Government & Public Sector Practice to drive 'excellence' in government communications. The new initiative is led by Dr Michelle Harrison, who is also CEO of the group's TNS BMRB agency. More
London-based business information and events group Informa has merged its technology consultancy Ovum with Informa Telecoms and Media Research, under the Ovum name. More
Video analytics firm Vidiro, ebook consumption and reader behaviour specialist Jellybooks, and GPS-driven retail offer app Tempster are among the winners of the 'Digital Innovation' competition organised by government-funded IC Tomorrow. Winners receive funding and mentoring. More
TNS has promoted Ignacio Galceran to the newly created role of Chief Client & Offer Officer - Americas, while also promoting five staff to become 'Americas Practice Leaders'. More
Enterprise analytic data management firm Cloudera has announced another $740m in financing, this time from chipmaker Intel, which becomes an 18 percent shareholder in the booming firm. More
Custom pharma research specialist Double Helix is celebrating its tenth anniversary in the US with the opening of an office in San Francisco, and has appointed Madeline McMahon to head it up. More
Online research specialist YouGov has reported a 9% increase in revenue to £32.6m for the six months to 31st January, while adjusted operating profit was up 31% to £2.9m. The company made a loss of £400k, reportedly because of costs relating to two acquisitions made during the period. More
UK-based medical market research agency Purdie Pascoe has expanded to the US, appointing former Ipsos Healthcare exec Muhammad Asim as Senior Vice President in Chicago, and Josina 'Hector' Habegger as an Associate Director in San Francisco. More
Despite a drop in annual revenue from £13.6m to £11.0m, Chime's Insight and Engagement (CIE) division has reported a 19% rise in operating income to £9.1m for the year 2013, while operating profit increased 29% to £2.8m. More
In the US, online research community builder Communispace has launched a new business unit dedicated to healthcare clients; and has named VP Corey Schwartz as its Managing Director. The firm says more such 'sub-brand' launches may be in the pipeline. More
Online community and survey technology provider Toluna has opened an office in Seoul, Korea, where it has promoted Kayne Park to the position of Country Director. More
IC Tomorrow - which is part of the UK government-funded Technology Strategy Board - is launching a 'data innovation' contest, offering five small companies the chance to win up to £25k each for ideas which will help businesses extract value from data. More
uSamp co-founders Matt Dusig and Gregg Lavin have launched a new firm called Innovate, which they say will 'pinpoint' global panelists on demand and deliver sample via connected APIs. More
In the UK, Chancellor George Osborne has announced funding of £42 million over five years for a new institute dedicated to ensuring Britain 'leads the way' in the use of big data, named after Second World War codebreaker and computing pioneer Alan Turing. More
US firm IHS, the new owner of automotive researcher R.L. Polk, has reported results for the quarter ended February 28th 2014, with revenue up 37 percent to $524m, including organic revenue growth of around 5 percent. More
US-based big data specialist Cloudera has raised another huge round of funding, adding another $160m to its coffers and more than doubling the total raised to date. More
UK-based insight and marketing services group Cello has reported an 18.2% increase in revenue to £159.7m for the year to 31st December 2013. More
Irish business intelligence (BI) consulting services company DNM Analytics has invested $1.8m in a first North American office, in Toronto. More
Technology industry execs Barry O'Sullivan, Joe Smyth and Dan Arra have set up a platform called Altocloud, which uses analytics and machine learning to produce personalized customer communications. The firm has bases in Galway, Ireland and Silicon Valley, USA. More
Roger Banks, the UK MD of consumer specialist Incite, has been promoted to the role of Group Managing Director, following growth in the firm's international business. Director Peter Kneale has taken over Banks' previous role in the UK. More
In the UK, the Market Research Benevolent Organisation (MRBA) is hosting its annual online charity auction, to raise funds for industry personnel who are in need of financial help. More
Former GMI/Lightspeed operations exec Mitra Asilzadeh has set up a new firm called Smart Outsourcing and Consultancy (SOC), providing online market research, survey programming and data analytics services, along with sample procurement via specialised panel companies. More
WPP Chief Exec Sir Martin Sorrell has received 1.78m shares, worth around £22.7m, under the company's now-discontinued long-term incentive plan, LEAP. More
Research and advisory firm Information Services Group (ISG) has reported an 8% increase in fourth quarter revenues to $53.4m, and a 10% rise in full-year revenues to $211.0m. More
Netherlands-based online research and marketing analytics firm MetrixLab has reported a 22% increase in annual revenue to EUR 49m ($67m), with revenues up 25% in the UK. More
In London, Omnicom-owned brand and communications research consultancy Hall & Partners has promoted Abigail Stuart to the newly created role of Global CEO of its Health division. More
Former Ipsos MORI CEO Mike Everett has moved to business psychology consultancy YSC as Global Chief Operating Officer. More
UK policy and strategy consultancy ComRes has appointed Tom Mludzinski to the new post of Head of Political Polling, effective today. Previously Deputy Head of Politics at Ipsos MORI, Mludzinski will lead ComRes's Political and Media Team. More
Greenberg Quinlan Rosner (GQR) has announced the opening of an office in New York City; and the appointment of Graeme Trayner, formerly a Partner at Brunswick Group in London, as VP leading the office and the firm's corporate consulting practice worldwide. More
In London, community panels specialist Verve has reported a strong start to 2014, including the arrival of twelve new team members. More
UK-based marketing services group Cello has unified its health-oriented agencies under the Cello Health brand, bringing together five existing businesses. More
ORC International has re-located its Singapore office to bigger premises in preparation for the launch of its new Strategy Research practice, which will focus on helping businesses drive organizational growth across the Asia Pacific region. More
UK-based mobile market research technology developer Sumo Insight has raised an undisclosed amount of venture capital from B2B start-up accelerator Collider. More
WPP's Data Investment Management Division (DIM) has reported a 3.6% increase in annual revenue for 2013. More
Ipsos has reported a 4.3% decline in annual revenue to EUR 1.71bn, from EUR 1.79bn in 2012. The company blames the fall on exchange rates, its partial withdrawal from Eurozone countries like Greece and Portugal, and the sale of its Los Angeles-based film testing arm. Organic growth was 0.8%. More
London-based mobile research technology specialist Lumi Mobile and its audience response and voting systems business IML Worldwide are now to be known simply as Lumi, following their recent merger. More
UK-based consultancy FreshMinds has appointed former Interbrand exec Andy Maher as Chief Operating Officer; Su Gill as Finance Manager; and Natasha Wallace and Catherine Caporn to senior roles in its insight and strategy teams. More
UK-based researchers in RSM's 6-monthly survey are increasingly optimistic about research spend and about the economy in general; and are increasingly likely to have worked with at least one emerging technique, in an industry seen as changing rapidly. More
UK-based business information and services firm Progressive Digital Media Group Plc has announced a 6.3 percent rise in revenue to £57.3m in the year to December 31st 2013. More
UK-based researcher Vision One has opened an office in Willenhall, near Birmingham - its third location, for use as 'a platform to grow its market share in the Midlands'. More
GfK has extended CEO Matthias Hartmann's contract by a further five years, to 30th November 2019. More
Mobile research technology firm OnePoint Global has opened an office in Madrid, where it has appointed former Ipsos Loyalty exec César Rodriguez as Sales Director for the Iberia market. More
Online analytics pioneer Webtrends has named former Coremetrics CEO Joe Davis as its latest Chief Executive, just five months after appointing David Mitchell to the role. More
San Francisco-based Peanut Labs has set up an office in London, from where it will offer social media sampling services across the UK, France and Germany. Will Carroll and Lewis Reeves join from sister company Research Now, to lead the new office. More
In London, research and strategy consultancy Quadrangle has promoted former MD Dr Nick Baker to the role of Group Chief Executive. More
Media measurement specialist Salience Insight has appointed former Pulse Train CEO Pat Molloy as Consulting Chief Information Officer, charged with streamlining and integrating the group's technology. More
Technology specialist Forrester Research has reported a 3% rise in Q4 revenue to $77.5m, despite a 1% revenue drop in its biggest division, Research, to $51.4m. The latter was driven by an 'expected' contraction in the firm's syndicated data business. More
Marketing services giant Omnicom has merged its advanced analytics and predictive modelling agency The Modellers into its ad and brand research specialist Hall & Partners. More
UK insight and communications group Creston plc has issued an interim management statement for the last quarter of 2013, reporting an increase in headline profit (PBIT) and a levelling out of its revenue, which had dropped four percent in results for the previous six months. More
GfK's sales have dipped back below the EUR 1.5 billion mark, not helped by a strengthening of the currency: the 2013 figure fell by 1.3%, from EUR 1.514bn in 2012 to EUR 1.495bn in 2013 despite modest organic growth of 0.8%. Adjusted operating income crept up by 1.5% to EUR 190m. More
Market research firms Fieldwork Network, i-view London, Viewpoint Europe, and Estudio Silvia Roca have joined forces to create an international alliance called FIVE Research, which aims to provide MR services across 'any city, any methodology, anywhere in the world'. More
Paris-based social media monitoring and competitive intelligence firm Digimind has opened offices in Singapore and London, as the first phase of a three-year international expansion plan. More
In London, online panel specialist Research Now has promoted Ben Hogg to the position of Managing Director of EMEA, Portfolio Companies. More
US-based fieldwork firm Schlesinger Associates has launched its online service Schlesinger Interactive in Europe, led by James Sallows, who joined the company in September. More
German product, pricing and marketing strategy specialist Simon-Kucher has reported a 5% 2013 revenue increase to £125m, driven by double-digit growth in the banking, consumer goods/retail and industrial / machinery sectors. More
ESOMAR President Dan Foreman has been appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors at online DIY market research platform ZappiStore. More
Millward Brown has signed a multi-year deal with emotion measurement specialist Affectiva to integrate the latter's Affdex automated facial coding as a standard feature in all MB's 'Link' ad copy testing services. More
Insight and marketing group Cello has recorded double-digit 2013 revenue growth in its Health and Consumer divisions, according to a trading update. More
London-based research firm YouthSight has relocated its offices from Highbury and Islington to a Shoreditch site close to Tech City. More
Angus Reid, the Executive Chairman of research community and survey tech firm Vision Critical, sold $10.5m worth of company shares last month, in a move which one analyst is claiming 'clears the deck' for a potential IPO. More
Expanding UK-based agency BDRC Continental has created two new divisions, Commercial and On the Move, and promoted Ian Stevens and Matt Costin, respectively, to lead them as Managing Directors. Five other promotions include Richard Smith, who becomes a Director and joins the Board. More
UK-based online specialist BrainJuicer has reported a 17% increase in revenue to £24m for the year ended 31st December 2013. Pre-tax profit for the period will be around £3.5m, compared to £1.5m in 2012 and £2.8m in 2011. More
Global information services company Experian has selected CEO Don Robert to become its new Chairman, following the resignation of co-founder Sir John Peace, who will step down from his role by the 2014 AGM. CFO Brian Cassin will succeed Robert as CEO. More
Diane Hessan, President and CEO of online community specialist Communispace, is to move into the role of Chairman, and has named co-creation expert Charles Trevail as her successor. More
UK analytics firm Ebiquity has confirmed it is no longer considering the sale of its business; and has itself acquired Hong Kong-based China Media Consulting, the holding company of the CMCG Group, for an initial sum of $HK 20m (c.£1.6m). More
Research community and survey technology specialist Vision Critical has secured a $3.5m share investment from Difference Capital Financial. The firm has also appointed former OMERS Ventures MD Derek Smyth as its first ever Chief Revenue Officer (CRO). More
UK-based insight and communications group Creston has hired former TNS CEO Pedro Ros for the newly created role of Head of Strategic Insight. More
Mobile research technology firm OnePoint Global has opened an office in France, and has appointed former Annik Principal Consultant Gary Stocks to lead the new venture. More
Manchester, UK-based consumer insight agency Join the Dots has promoted Research Operations Director Paul Child to the role of Talent Director, responsible for the management, promotion and direction of its newly established in-house learning centre, the 'dotacademy'. More
UK-based insight and communications group Creston Plc has announced the retirement of CEO and founder Don Elgie, with effect from 31st March 2014. Elgie will 'pursue a career of non-executive roles', and will be succeeded by current COO and CFO Barrie Brien, who has been with the Group since 2004. More
In Nice, France, four pharma research colleagues from WorldOne have launched a new independent fieldwork agency, QualWorld, specializing in qual market research for the healthcare industry. More
Healthcare fieldwork firm M3 Global Research has opened a new office in Rochester, New York, while appointing four new members of staff in the US and five in London. More
Former Paddy Power Insight Director Danny Russell has joined mobile phone giant Telefónica O2 as General Manager of Business Intelligence. The firm has also made two other senior appointments in its marketing team, which is led by Marketing & Consumer Director Nina Bibby. More
Peter Rigby has retired as London-based business information and events group Informa Plc - whose subsidiaries include research firm Datamonitor - to be replaced by Stephen A. Carter. Group Finance Director Adam Walker has also left the company with effect 31st December. More
TNS South Africa CEO Karin Du Chenne is handing over her role to Rob Powell, and relocating to Istanbul where she will take up the position of Regional Director Business Development for AMME (Africa, Mediterranean and Middle East). More
GfK has reported that a EUR 112.5m adjustment to goodwill on acquisitions is likely to result in a 'significant impact' on its consolidated income. More
UK-based insight and communications group Creston plc has announced that Keith Bates is to step down from the role of Head of Creston Insight, seeking 'new challenges' outside the Group. More
Palo Alto, CA-based DIY research specialist SurveyMonkey is scouting around various German cities in search of a potential location for a new office. More
In London, online sampling and technology company uSamp has promoted Ben Leet to the position of Managing Director for Europe, following the departure of Gaelle Norman who has returned to France to set up her own market research support consultancy. More
In the UK, Katariina Hannelius has left specialist recruiters RPCushing after almost nine years, to set up her own consultancy, Hannelius Recruitment, focused on the market research sector. Former colleague Inger Christensen joins her. More
Former Ipsos MORI Operations MD Yusuf Ramadan has opened a consultancy called INOSEER, based in central London, to provide ops expertise to market research companies across the UK. More
uSamp co-founders Matt Dusig and Gregg Lavin have confirmed that they have left the company to 'explore new opportunities'. More
London-based mobile research and sample specialist On Device Research has appointed former Research Now director Martin Tomlinson as Managing Director of its Singapore office, in charge of the South East Asia region. More
UK-based sampling agency SampleAnswers is looking to expand after an injection of cash from private investment partnership EXIMS. Meanwhile MD Neil Whelpton is leaving, and Abdi Mohamed has joined as group Technical Operations Manager. More
Predictive analytics company Blue Yonder is to open a 'Data Science Academy' (DSA) in Europe early next year, with the aim of training execs to 'identify Big Data opportunities within their own companies.' More
European banking group Santander has appointed its first UK Chief Marketing Officer, Keith Moor, responsible for all UK marketing activity across the company. More
UK-based insight and comms group Creston has reported results for the six months ending 30th September. Overall revenue fell 4.0% year-on-year to £35.7m, and headline EBITDA from £5.4m to £4.6m, but the Insight division grew revenue by ten percent to £6.1m and improved profitability. More
Hard to believe, but on Friday 29th November, DRNO's publisher MrWeb is celebrating 15 years in business. More
Confirmit has announced strong results for the third quarter of 2013, with 'solid double digit revenue growth' and particularly impressive growth in multi-year contracts, up 130 percent for the year as a whole. More
London-based research firm YouthSight continues to expand with the appointment of Josephine Hansom as Head of Brand, Policy and Professional research, plus other appointments and an office move. More
Marketers around the world are growing in confidence, according to Warc's latest Global Marketing Index (GMI). The overall index hit a two year high - climbing three points to 57.8 from 54.8 in October, on a scale where values above 50 indicate a positive trend. More
Online DIY survey specialist SurveyMonkey has launched Enterprise, an enhanced version of its survey product promising organisations the ability to bring individual users into a centrally managed system. More
GfK has reported a 4% drop in sales to EUR 361.4m during the third quarter 2013, from EUR 376.7m in Q3 2012, driven by what the firm describes as the 'considerable impact' of negative currency exchange effects. Like-for-like, sales were down by around 1.5%. More
Harris Interactive has reported 'flat' first quarter fiscal 2014 results, with revenue down 1.9% to $32.4m, from $33m in the prior year period, driven by declines in the US and German operations, offset by results in Canada, France and the UK. More
In London, research technology firm Cobalt Sky has promoted Mike Wooderson to the role of Managing Director, replacing Raz Khan who becomes Chairman of the company. More
Full service agency Northstar Research Partners has opened a new Insights practice in London, and hired Noah Roychowdhury as Principal, with a remit to broaden the firm's range of market research and brand consultancy services. More
UK-based IT and telecoms industry research specialist The Business Advantage Group has opened an office in San Francisco, where it has appointed Bill Gordon as Vice President of Business Development. More
In the UK, GfK has appointed former TNS mystery shopping leader Oli Bailey as Business Development Director for its own Mystery Shopping division. More
UK-based insight and innovation consultancy The Futures Company has opened an office in Singapore, which will act as a hub for clients across Asia Pacific. More
Glasgow-based industry body the Customer Contact Association (CCA) has launched the CCA Research Institute, which it says will provide bespoke research, intelligence and insight on trends in customer contact and service operations. More
In London, management consulting giant KPMG has launched a £66m fund that will invest in big data and analytics businesses through acquisitions and technology partnerships. More
Google is working with a number of its advertising clients on the use of Nielsen's Online Campaign Ratings (OCR) in the assessment of YouTube campaigns. The search giant, which already partners with comScore's vCE, said it was offering clients 'objective, credentialed, third-party measurement options'. More
Czech Republic-based 'prescriptive analytics' company Futurelytics Inc has closed a seed financing round of $800k, earmarked for faster product development, new strategic partnerships and international expansion, initially to the US and UK. More
Research and advisory group ISG (Information Services Group) has announced third quarter revenues up 11% to $51.4m, fuelled by 19% growth in Europe. More
Echo Research founder and former CEO Sandra Macleod has joined corporate reputation and brand research consultancy Reputation Dividend as a Partner and Director. More
Technology research and analysis specialist Gartner has reported an 11% Q3 revenue rise in its Research arm - to $316.5m. For the group as a whole, revenue increased 10% year-on-year to $410.7m. More
Mobile research technology firm OnePoint Global has opened an office in Amsterdam, where it has appointed former Ipsos EFM Head Otto Vroegop as Sales Director, Netherlands. Separately, the firm has hired past Ipsos MORI exec Ben Phillips as Sales Director, UK. More
Online MR software company Confirmit has partnered with customer-centric consulting firm Futurelab, allowing both companies to offer an enhanced portfolio of customer experience management (CEM) services and solutions to businesses across Europe. More
UK-based research and consulting firm Populus has reported a 52% increase in revenue to £5.86m for fiscal year 2013. During the period, pre-tax profits rose from c.£360k to just under £550k. More
Manchester-based consumer research agency Join the Dots has moved to a new head office in the city, reporting £1 million of new client business and 20% growth in 2013. More
Global business research agency B2B International has introduced a new positioning statement, 'beyond knowledge', to define its ability to offer market intelligence gleaned from research, combined with 'opinions, actionable recommendations, and strategic direction'. More
WPP has reported third quarter revenue growth of 3.2% in its 'Data Investment Management' (DIM) businesses, to £617m, and growth of 2.6% to £1.8 billion for the first nine months of the year. More
Technology specialist Forrester Research has met its revenue guidance for Q3, with revenue up 1.6% year-on-year to $69.6m. However, revenues from its majority Research division fell 1% to $49.8m. More
Ipsos has announced a 5% drop in third quarter revenues to EUR 418m (Q2 2012: EUR 440m) - the result of a 6.8% negative currency effect. The decline was partly offset by 1.8% organic growth during the period. More
Mobile research technology firm OnePoint Global has appointed Rob Huijboom as Chief Commercial Officer, to build and lead the firm's global sales team, and open eight new offices around the globe. More
YouGov's Middle Eastern subsidiary has expanded its team in Dubai with five new staff, including Ali Draycott who joins as Commercial Director MENA. Also joining are quallies Milos Bugarcic and Hend Abdel Sattar, and quant researchers Isaac Thiga and Nidhi Sharma. More
UK-based fieldwork agency Field Initiatives has moved from its Barnet, Herts home of twenty-five years to new offices in Central London. More
London-based research technology firm Lumi Mobile has been selected as one of the first tech companies to join the government and private sector-backed 'Future Fifty' scheme, set up to support high growth companies in the UK. More
Online research and polling firm YouGov has reported an 8% rise in group revenue to £62.6m for the year ended 31 July 2013. UK, US and Middle East companies all saw substantial growth. More
London-based brand and comms research specialist Hall & Partners has launched a Global Brand and Marketing team, to help client-facing staff translate big data insights into 'visually interesting' ways to share a client's story. More
Stockholm-based panel exchange operator Cint has made nine appointments to support its global expansion plans. More
Manchester, UK-based marcoms agency Foundry Communications has appointed former McCann strategist Julie Neilson to lead its Research & Planning division. The firm has also opened 'virtual offices' in Dundee and Birmingham, and affiliate offices in Europe, the US and Asia. More
In the UK, oil and gas production and power generation company Centrica Energy has appointed former IoD Senior Economic Advisor Corin Taylor as Head of Communications Research. More
Big data firm Pursway, which tracks the influence of opinion leaders on purchasing habits, has raised $7.2m in funding, earmarked for expansion and for speeding up product innovation. More
Mobile research technology firm OnePoint Global has initiated a recruitment drive to fill 45 new positions in its Development and Innovation teams. The firm is also launching the OnePoint Global Innovation Centre (OPIC). More
UK consultancy FreshMinds Research has merged with its sister social and digital agency FreshNetworks. The new innovation consultancy formed will be known simply as FreshMinds and will offer a combination of research, predictive data analytics and digital strategy services. More
US-based Truven Health Analytics has opened an office in Singapore, led by Sandeep Makhijani who joins as Regional Director Asia Pacific. More
US-based Qualtrics, which provides software for DIY data collection and analysis, has expanded to Europe with the opening of an office in Dublin, Ireland. The firm has also confirmed plans to create 150 new jobs in the EMEA region within the next 36 months. More
UK-based research consultancy Incite has announced a number of appointments in its recently opened New York and Singapore offices. More
Nielsen has announced the successful completion of its acquisition of Arbitron, which was finally cleared by the FTC a week ago. Arbitron becomes Nielsen Audio and will be integrated into Nielsen's US Watch business segment. More
In the UK, MR training and consultancy organisation Insight Management Academy has launched the 'Agency Group', an initiative offering members workshops, assessments and the chance to 'work closely with major clients'. More
US-based predictive analytics and decision management software firm FICO has announced a partnership with UK company ERN, creator of the real-time big data platform Looop, to offer clients the ability to run highly personalized marketing based on individual consumer needs and preferences. More
Online MR software pioneer Confirmit has moved its EMEA headquarters to the landmark Blue Fin building on London's South Bank, where it will combine staff from its existing City of London and Guildford offices. More
TNS BMRB, the division of Kantar providing specialist social research and insight on public policy for government and not-for-profit clients, has expanded its qualitative practice with a number of recent senior level appointments, following a year of growth. More
Panel exchange operator Cint and research software specialist Nebu have announced a partnership, integrating Cint's Link system with Nebu's offering to give the latter's clients automatic access to the former's 10 million double opt-in OpinionHUB respondents, in 57 countries. More
Decrypt, the UK-based wing of US research technology firm Decipher, has announced an agreement with German MR IT solutions provider datab, to distribute the Beacon survey and reporting platform in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. More
Google is looking at a system which would replace 'cookies' with a system of anonymous identifiers for individual consumers, according to an official of the company. More
Online analytics pioneer Webtrends has named David Mitchell as Chief Executive Officer, replacing Alex Yoder who has left the company for reasons as yet unclear. More
Insight and marketing group Cello has reported a 14.3% revenue rise to £71.5m for the six months to 30th June 2013, up from £62.6m in the prior year period. Gross profit increased 7.9% to £34.4m. More
Customer experience management consultancy Nunwood has appointed twelve new members of staff at its London and Sydney offices, on the back of several new business wins from clients including British Airways and the Post Office in the UK and Suncorp Bank & Insurance in Australia. More
Publishing giant Gannett has appointed media veteran Judy Vogel as Vice President of Research, responsible for leading corporate research and addressing ad sales, digital, editorial and brand strategy. More
US text analytics specialist Clarabridge has completed an $80m equity investment, which it plans to use to further expand its global operations, drive product innovation and grow its employee base. More
US-based fieldwork group Schlesinger Associates has created two new senior roles in Europe: Eric Nalpas becomes overall Managing Director, and James Sallows Managing Director of its online data collection arm Schlesinger Interactive. More
In the UK, WPP-owned Kantar Media has promoted Sarah Sanderson to the position of Managing Director of its Custom research unit. She replaces Liz McMahon, who is transferring to sister agency TNS UK as Managing Director, Consumer. More
Online data exchange BlueKai has opened a new office in London, and appointed former Microsoft exec Zuzanna Gierlinska to lead its European expansion as Managing Director. More
Ana Garcia has returned to London-based research panel and online community specialist Verve as Associate Director of Team, with a remit to bring staff recruitment in-house. The firm has also hired five new employees. More
The UK's Office for National Statistics (ONS) has proposed two money-saving options to replace the ten-year paper-based UK Census - either moving it online, or using existing administrative data combined with a 'rolling' annual survey conducted among 4% of the population. More
Anna Noonan, formerly Qualitative Field Manager at ICM Direct, has launched her own face-to-face field agency called Strawberry Field, named after the London suburb where she lives. More
Vincent Bollore, Chairman of marketing services holding group Havas, has resigned and passed the reins to his son Yannick. More
Marcoms giant WPP has reported a 2.1% increase in second quarter revenue in its 'Data Investment Management' (DIM) arm, previously known as the Consumer Insight division. The total figure of £651m reflects growth in all regions except the UK and Western Europe. More
Retail analytics firm Ugam Solutions has opened a new office in Bangalore, from where it will continue its investments in project management, big data and other analytics technologies. More
Marcoms group Chime has reported a 'strong' half year for its CIE (Insight & Engagement) arm, with operating profit up 33% to £1.2m, compared with £0.7m in the first six months of 2012. Reported revenue of £5.35m for the division is almost unchanged from H1 2012. More
Harris Interactive has reported a 5% drop in revenue for the year ended June 30th, to $140.3m; but adjusted EBITDA growth of 25% to $15.3m, leading CEO Al Angrisani to describe fiscal 2013 as a 'pivotal year' in the firm's turnaround process. More
The Board of UK-based media and marketing insights firm Ebiquity says it is reviewing options which could include a sale of the company, in response to interest from 'various parties'. More
In the UK, insight and innovation consultancy The Futures Company has promoted Deputy MD Henry Tucker to the role of EMEA Managing Director, replacing Sarah King who is transferring to a new position at Kantar. More
GfK has announced organic revenue growth of 1.7% in the first half of 2013, with sales totalling EUR 728.6m, and a 'particularly profitable' Q2, with adjusted operating income up 15.7 percent. More
WPP is to accelerate its move towards digital sources and fast-growth markets, raising longstanding targets for the proportion of business from each, according to a LinkedIn post by CEO Sir Martin Sorrell. He also appears to be phasing out the words 'research' and 'insight' in favour of a catchy new expression... More
The world's 25 largest research firms reported a 'better than expected' 2012, thanks in large part to syndicated services and global acquisitions, according to industry authority Jack Honomichl. More
Research and advisory group ISG (Information Services Group) has reported what Chairman & CEO Michael Connors describes as 'an all-time record quarter', with revenues up 10% to $55.6m from $50.5m in the prior year period. More
Bob Carrigan, the CEO of media, events and research group IDG Communications Worldwide, is stepping down from his position at the end of September, when he will be replaced by company veterans Michael Friedenberg and David Hill. More
London-based full service agency IFF Research has launched a Health & Wellbeing (H&W) division, to provide a range of services from patient satisfaction tracking surveys and health and lifestyle studies, to more niche studies involving hard-to-reach audiences. More
In Germany, Kai Riedel has been appointed as Managing Director of YouGov Psychonomics subsidiary ServiceRating, which provides analysis and benchmarking of customer service levels. More
London-based financial sector big data firm ERN, having added $1m in seed funding to its coffers on Friday, has acquired two UK analytics companies, Inspired Analytics and Elucidata, in undisclosed deals involving cash and stock. More
Technology specialist Gartner has reported a 12% rise in second quarter revenue for its Research division, which brought in $311.2m. More
The private-equity backers of e-Rewards - owner of Research Now and Peanut Labs - are said to be in discussions to find a buyer, according to sources quoted on Bloomberg, with a price tag of 'at least $600m' according to one contact. More
UK-based online database FieldShare, which details market research interviewers and recruiters, has been 'spring-cleaned' to refresh and revalidate its listings for a new era of research. More
Family-run research business Survey Marketing Services (SMS), based in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK, is being handed over to the next generation, as its two founders Joy Maxwell and Judith Scrivener retire. More
UK researchers are feeling more positive, possibly because of an increase in their budgets and revenues, suggests RSM in its latest Research Professionals' survey. More
In London, marcoms group Chime Communications has launched a dedicated qualitative recruitment agency called Cherry Picked, which will offer bespoke respondent recruitment services to businesses in the UK and internationally. More
In the UK, NatCen Social Research has promoted Kirby Swales to head up its Income and Work team, leading sixteen methodological researchers who specialise in employment, skills and income studies. More
Insight and comms group Creston is expecting revenue for the three months to 30 June 2013 (Q1) to be 'slightly lower' than for the same period in 2012 - down 5% in like-for-like terms. However, the firm's Insight division expects to report an increase in revenue during the period. More
Digital measurement specialist comScore has reported its highest quarterly revenue to date, up 21% on the prior year period to $69.9m. More
Following a 2.7% fall in first quarter revenue, Ipsos has reported a 0.4% rise in its second quarter figures. However, negative currency effects meant that total first half 2013 revenues fell by 4% to EUR 803.7m. More
UK-based business-to-business agency B2B International has reported its 'best ever' half year, with revenue up 70% to £3.1m during the period. More
Forrester Research CEO George Colony has described the firm's recovery as a 'work in progress', while reporting a fall in second quarter revenue to $78.2m, from $79.1m a year previously. More
Ipsos has filed a lawsuit in London's High Court against Aegis, claiming that the marcoms giant failed to disclose tax and fraud probes at Synovate, before it sold the company for £525m ($792m). As a result, Ipsos is seeking up to £65.8m ($100m) in compensation from Aegis. More
UK-based insight and marketing group Cello has reported 'robust trading' for the first six months to 30 June 2013, and says its Consumer arm returned to revenue growth in the period while its Health division continued its expansion. More
Kadence International has reported a 35% year-on-year increase in net revenues to $27m for the year ending 30th June 2013. Business in Indonesia, the US and Singapore was particularly brisk. More
Chris Eynon has retired as Head of TNS BMRB Scotland after an MR career spanning more than thirty years. He has been replaced by Katherine McIsaac in the firm's Edinburgh office. More
Online sampling and technology company uSamp has closed $15m in a Series D round of funding, with development of its instant.ly survey product one of the priorities for investment. More
Euromonitor International has launched a Centre for Analytics, Modelling and Innovation (CAMI), led by Marius Dundulis and combining its quant research expertise with capabilities for modelling, innovative data exploration and visualization. More
Former Toluna exec William Yattah has launched France's first specialist MR recruitment consultancy, Market Research People. More
Marketing budgets in many British firms were revised upwards in the second quarter of 2013, giving the most optimistic picture in six years according to one measure in the latest IPA Bellwether survey, published today. Market research budgets however appear little changed. More
Online specialist BrainJuicer is predicting a 4% increase in half year sales (vs H1 2012) and gross profit up approximately 6%, after what the firm describes as a 'difficult end' to 2012. More
Netherlands-based customer feedback specialist Mopinion has launched in the UK with a new London office. More
In the UK, Surrey-based full service agency Impact Research has reported turnover of £1.3m for the year to April 2013, almost doubling last year's figure of £716k. For the year, gross margin was £637m, or 48% of turnover. More
US-based analytics and business intelligence specialist Yomari has expanded to Europe with the opening of an office in London. More
Newcastle, UK-based full service firm Explain Research has reported an 8% growth in sales revenue, to £1.04m, for the financial year ending March 31st 2013. More
Watermelon Research, the specialist digital company within Chime's CIE division, has announced the opening of an office in Sydney, its first in the Asia Pacific region. Company MD Mark Squires will oversee the setup and management of the new office. More
While turnover in the UK market research industry is still 'fragile', the sector has reported a slower decline in the past twelve months according to research conducted by the Market Research Society (MRS). A majority of firms expect growth in 2013. More
Panel and research technology provider Toluna has opened an office in Singapore, where Julie dePontbriand takes up the role of Director, ASEAN. Meanwhile, the firm's Hong Kong office will shortly be relocating from Sheung Wan to Central. More
Not-for-profit bodies NatCen Social Research and RTI International have signed a three-year agreement through which they will aim to share knowledge and expertise and build their research capacity and capabilities. More
UK-based Kadence International has launched in Vietnam - the fifth Asian country in which it now has a presence - with offices in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi; and has appointed Ivy Trang as Country Head, leading a team of nine. More
comScore has promoted Serge Matta to President, after twelve years at the company, most recently as President of Commercial Solutions and leader of the global sales organization. More
Market research agency support consultancy Actus Sales Intelligence - formerly known as ActusMR - has opened a division dedicated to recruiting professional sales executives for the MR sector. More
UK-based consumer specialist Incite has opened full service offices in New York and Singapore, strengthening its service for global clients. More
Ipsos has launched a social media research and communities division called Ipsos SMX (Social Media Exchange), to provide clients with new approaches to market research into consumer engagement and interaction. More
The founders of photo sharing site TweetPhoto have set up a DIY mobile survey platform called SlimSurveys, in a bid to take on companies like Survey Monkey which they claim provide a 'terrible experience' for survey takers. More
Cello-owned Insight Health US has opened an office in Chicago, where it has appointed former Hall & Partners exec Angela Wheeler as CEO. More
In London, former YouthSight AD Mia Lorenz has opened her own training consultancy called the Research Academy, which will offer face-to-face and distance learning courses for the MRS Advanced Certificate and the MRS Diploma in Market & Social Research. More
US research provider Kelton has reported revenue up by 15% to more than $18million, and headcount up by a quarter. It has also announced a new office and a rebrand. More
Private equity firm Peterson Partners has acquired those shares in Canadian predictive analytics specialist Angoss Software Corporation that are not owned by its President and CEO Martin Galligan or his associates, for $8.4m. More
Echo Research founder and former CEO Sandra Macleod is leaving the company to act as a consultant, advising boards and executives on their approach to reputation management. More
EFM and customer experience solutions firm QuestBack has announced revenues up 25% in 2012, to $US 49.54m. More
Marcoms giant WPP has agreed a global partnership with Twitter and will use its data to give clients 'more effective campaigns, enhanced targeting, and more real-time insight'. More
Barclaycard CMO and customer-centricity advocate Nina Bibby is to join O2 owner Telefónica UK in six months' time, in the role of Marketing and Consumer Director. More
US web-based software developer Cvent has opened an office in London, from which it will support its existing client base in Europe and continue to expand the business internationally. More
UK-based market research recruiter RP Cushing is to open an office in Hong Kong in the summer, two years after the launch of its Singapore branch. More
London-based social and consumer trend forecasting firm the Trajectory Partnership is moving to larger offices, to meet the demands of its growing list of clients. More
Millward Brown has appointed Travyn Rhall as Global CEO, succeeding Eileen Campbell who is stepping down in mid-July for personal reasons. More
In the UK, fieldwork division ICM Direct has expanded its Bedford Call Centre by 20 percent, responding to 'increased client demand for fieldwork services'. More
Healthcare consultancy Double Helix has opened an office in Munich, where it has appointed Thomas Becker as 'Head of Germany for Global Market Research'. More
In the UK, Cello-owned healthcare agency Insight Research Group has launched a Digital Business Team, to help clients understand the impact of new digital channels. Research Director Damian Eade will lead the new initiative. More
Healthcare consultancy Double Helix has put together an APAC market research team, which will be led by former IMS Health exec Diana Tan and will work out of its Singapore offices. More
Former Ipsos MORI Scotland exec Margaret Frazer has opened a new agency called 9 Dots Insights, with bases in Edinburgh and London and offering market, brand and communications research as well as strategic marketing consultancy. More
GfK has issued an ad hoc statement on preliminary figures for the first quarter, showing organic sales growth of only 0.6 percent, and adjusted operating income and margin down on Q1 2012. However the global group says order levels are good and it should meet annual forecasts of 3-4 percent sales growth. More
London-based research panel and online community specialist Verve has moved to a new loft space in The Leather Market near Tower Bridge, in preparation for substantial growth during the year. The firm has also appointed Georgina Botting and Sali Turner as Directors. More
Research Now has joined online community specialist Vision Critical's Global Partner Program, in order to offer the latter's insight community technologies to its own clients and prospects around the world. More
Specialist healthcare fieldwork consultancy Ipsos Healthcare Field Services has returned to its former name, Fieldwork International, in the UK. More
Harris Interactive has reported third quarter revenue down 2% to $33.6m, and bookings down 13% to $34.4m. However, profits climbed and operating income was $1.1m, compared with a loss of $371k a year previously. More
Digital measurement specialist comScore has reported 'record revenues', with first quarter figures up 11% to $68.8m compared with $62.3m a year ago, driven by its Audience Analytics business and mobile and multi-platform products. More
Technology research specialist Gartner has reported a 10% increase in first quarter total group revenue to $406.8m - with the Research division posting an impressive 13% increase to $310.3m. More
Alan Gould, the co-founder of IAG Research, has joined online sampling and technology company uSamp as Chief Executive Officer, while the firm's founders Matt Dusig and Gregg Lavin will continue to operate the firm's core sampling business. More
London-based mobile research tech specialist Lumi Mobile has expanded to Asia with the opening of a subsidiary in Hong Kong. More
UK-based business-to-business agency B2B International has posted what it describes as its 'best ever' start-of-year figures, with first quarter revenue of £1.7m, up 108% from Q1 2012. More
In London, Kate Anderson has been promoted to the position of Joint MD of Cello-owned RS Consulting Group. She replaces Phil Stubington, who will now focus on developing the group's key accounts, while leading its innovation development programme. More
Ipsos Healthcare has announced the launch of SEES, a range of disease-specific syndicated ethnographic studies, examining patients' experience and views. Initially available in the UK, France, Italy, Spain and the USA, the firm says the studies will 'bring to life the day-to-day challenges of living with a chronic disease'. More
Healthcare research specialist the Research Partnership has expanded its US operations with new offices in Boston, Los Angeles and San Francisco; to be led respectively by Claire Richardson and new arrivals Christine Naegle and Birgit Eschmann. More
WPP's Consumer Insight division has reported a 3.2% increase in revenue from £569m to £588m for the first quarter. Like-for-like - allowing for currency changes and the effect of acquisitions - the rise was only 1%. More
Ipsos has reported a 5.3% drop in first quarter revenues to EUR 359.6m, which equates to a 2.7% drop at constant scope and exchange rates. The firm says these figures reflect a decrease in commercial activity in the final quarter of 2012. More
UK-based consumer insight and strategic consulting firm Future Foundation has expanded its international operations to Stockholm, Sweden, with the opening of a new office led by former GfK leader Anders Brogren. More
Online sampling and technology company uSamp has opened an office in Paris, France, where it has appointed former SSI exec Franck Pernez as Sales Director, to support its expansion in Europe. More
UK-based insight group Creston plc has issued a trading update covering the year ended 31st March 2013, ahead of full year results which are due on 12th June. Group revenue was flat at £75m, but Creston said the recovery in its Insight division continued during the second half. More
London-based business information provider Duedil has raised $5m (£3.3m) in Series A funding, which it will use to expand into new territories and develop its product offering by tapping into additional data sets. More
US information and analytics provider IHS has announced that current President and COO Scott Key will assume the role of President and Chief Executive Officer on June 1, when Chairman and CEO Jerre Stead will move into the role of Executive Chairman. More
MarkLogic, which has developed a database platform for big data applications, has raised $25m in growth capital, and says it will use the cash to meet demand for its enterprise NoSQL technology. More
Digital audience specialist comScore has suffered a legal setback in Illinois, where a federal judge has ruled it could be open to a class action suit over claims of privacy violations. More
Sydney, Aus-based Q Research Software is to open an office in New York later this month, and has appointed former Illuminas SRE Steven Kawalek to lead it. More
Healthcare research specialist WorldOne has secured $35m in funding, most of which it will use to expand its Sermo online physician community. More
David Thorpe, the VP of Strategy and Analysis at marketing agency network SapientNitro, has taken a one-year secondment to join the UK Cabinet Office, where he will serve as Deputy Director of Digital Policy in the Government Digital Service (GDS) team. More
Panel and research technology specialist Vision Critical has relocated to larger premises in central London following a year in which turnover increased by 66% and staff numbers were up 30%. More
Technology research specialist Richard Noden has returned to ORC International as Research Director in its London-based Customer Strategy and Technology department. More
UK custom panel and community specialist EasyInsites has reported a 40% year-on-year increase in first quarter revenue to more than £300k. The firm has also promoted two members of staff and hired Martin Levett as Web and Survey Programmer. More
Digital audience measurement giant comScore has officially launched its MMX Multi-Platform service in the USA, combining and deduping audience across PCs, smartphones and tablets. More
Enero Group has launched a Data Sciences Unit, in response to growing client demand for data driven marketing solutions. The unit will initially be launched in Australia and the UK, and will then be rolled out to Brazil and the US 'over the coming year'. More
SPA Future Thinking Group Managing Director Richard Hepburn is to leave the company to become Divisional MD at engineering and environmental testing business ALcontrol Laboratories. More
US-based research software firm Revolution Analytics has opened a London office, to be led by former Accenture exec Neil Miller. More
In the UK, Dave Stevinson, former Sales Director of parts and peripherals distributor VIP Computers, has launched a new analytics and business Intelligence (BI) firm, GNR Corporation, focused on clients in the IT distribution 'channel'. More
M&C Saatchi-owned brand research specialist Clear has reported a 'very tough year', with revenues slowing as nine of their top ten clients cut spending by 50%, resulting in a headline operating profit drop from £2m to £0.3m. More
For the first time since it was founded in 2000, online specialist BrainJuicer has reported a 'poor year', citing a combination of flat sales and cost increases for a 45% drop in operating profit to £1.5m from £2.7m in 2011. Revenues increased very slightly to £20.8m. More
UK-based telephone research specialist Facts International has expanded into the APAC region, with the opening of an office in Sydney, Australia. More
Online ad targeting specialist Phorm has raised £3m in funds through the placement of convertible secured loan notes - with £1.5m available immediately, and the balance payable once the company's Turkish operations become profitable. More
Australian marcoms group STW has acquired a minority stake in the Australian arm of UK-based behavioural insights firm Beyond Analysis. Terms of the investment were not disclosed. More
Semantic content analysis firm Sophia Search has closed a $3.7m Series A funding round, which it will use to increase marketing and sales efforts in North America, and to accelerate product roll-out. More
UK-based insight and marketing group Cello has reported 'solid overall performance' in 2012, with revenues of £135.1m, up 5.8%, and headline profit before tax flat at £7.0m (2011: £7.1m). The firm's Health division outperformed Consumer, but the latter enjoyed a good second half. More
GfK has confirmed a 10.2% increase in 2012 sales to EUR 1.5 billion, exceeding its target of 9%. 'Strong' organic growth of 3.1% is cited as a key reason for beating the target. More
Turkish online research and data collection specialist HoraCore has signed a deal to offer DigitalMR's eCommunities platform and social media research services to clients across its home country. More
Sentience Technology, a start-up big data software firm, is the first recipient of funds from a new London-based incubator program, SeedCloud, which aims to provide companies with services including research, in addition to cash. More
WPP's media investment management group GroupM has opened a new Consulting Services division, whose offer will include marketing and media analytics, as well as business forecasting. More
TNS has appointed former Ernst & Young Partner Richard Ingleton as its new Global Chief Executive Officer, replacing Eric Salama who previously combined the role with his leadership of Kantar. More
Research and advisory group ISG has reported an 11% increase in fourth quarter revenues to $49.5m, while operating income was $1.7m, compared to an operating loss of $59.9m in Q4 2011. For the full year, gains in the Americas more than cancelled out a decline in European business. More
Revenue at Chime's Insight and Engagement division rose more than 50% to £13.6m in 2012. Operating income was up 53% to £7.6m and operating profit more than tripled to £2.2m from £0.7m. More
Toluna has promoted Mark Simon to MD of North America, allowing previous incumbent George Terhanian to focus on his other role of Group Chief Strategy and Products Officer. Paul Twite replaces Simon as UK MD, while former Ipsos exec Julie Paul also joins the firm. More
WPP has announced preliminary results for 2012. Group revenues rose 3.5% to around £10.4bn, and headline EBITDA rose 7% to £1.76bn; but in the Consumer Insight division, like-for-like revenues rose just 0.8%, with gross margin down 1.1%. More
Ipsos has reported 2012 revenues of EUR 1.8bn, up from EUR 1.4bn in 2011, but disappointing given the addition of Synovate. Accustomed to rapid growth, the group blamed the stall on politicians, the integration process and competitor poaching of senior staff. Profits however remained solid. More
The UK's National Readership Survey (NRS) has awarded comScore the online audience measurement contract for its print and digital data product NRS PADD. More
Marc Litvinoff has resigned from his role as President and CEO of customer and employee research agency ORC International, and is being replaced by former Knowledge Networks CEO Simon Kooyman, who will take up his new position on Friday. More
Automotive customer feedback specialist Vital Insights has opened two new regional offices near Paris and London, complementing its existing offices in Germany and the Czech Republic. More
Nicky Forsyth, the MD of Surrey-based sampling and panel management software firm MARSC, is to leave at the end of March, and will look for 'new opportunities' later in the year. From April, the firm's Director of Consultancy Julian Simpson will take over the position of MD. More
Here are the best set of mean salary stats for the UK MR industry you're ever likely to see. Best as in good, solid bases and careful compilation; and the average rise is not bad either. But there's one shocker, and it doesn't take a great analyst to spot it. MrWeb's Nick Thomas continues our celebrations for job no. 100,000. More
comScore has reported record fourth quarter revenue of $68.4m, up 9% over the prior year period. This was driven by growth across its Media Metrix suite of audience measurement tools, which offset declines in its copy testing business. More
US-based technology specialist Forrester Research has reported annual revenue up six percent to $202.9m for its Research arm (from $191.5m in 2011). However, its Advisory services business declined two percent to $89.9m, and the firm is planning to make 30 staff redundant. More
Is it possible to talk about the mass of new skills and techniques bombarding the profession without feeling depressed about the traditional skills of the market researcher? Most definitely, says MrWeb co-founder Nick Thomas, continuing our celebration of 100,000 MR job ads. More
Market research was once said to be 'recession-proof', but we don't hear that quite so often these days. Are we in a 'double-dip'? And in our new, more cautious mode, who are we recruiting and how many of them? Nick Thomas looks at the stats for 2005-12 as we celebrate our 100,000th job ad this week. More
Kadence International has reported gross revenues up 48% to $14.5m for the first six months of its financial year from July to December 2012 – up from $9.8m in the previous year. UK and US offices both played a key role in the impressive performance. More
Curiosity Research founder Andy Cumming and his former employee Sally Lewis have joined UK-based consumer insight agency Join the Dots, in Manchester, as Research Director and Senior Research Manager respectively. More
Today we reach the milestone of 100,000 job ads on MrWeb. It's taken just over fourteen years and 1,806 different advertisers, and in that time we've seen many changes in the way researchers are recruited, and the skills in demand. Co-founder Nick Thomas starts an in-depth review today. More
UK-based BDRC Group has added a China office to its existing overseas locations in Singapore and Sydney. Based in Beijing, the new office will be led by former B2B International China Deputy GM Siew Wong. More
UK-based B2B media company UBM has sold its portfolio of Data Services businesses to private equity fund manager Electra Partners, for a consideration of £160m including a £40m vendor loan note. More
Technology specialist Gartner saw revenues in its Research division rise 14% to $300.2m in the three months ended December 31, 2012, while for the full year, they climbed 12% to $1.13 billion. More
Harris Interactive has once again reported a drop in revenue and a rise in profit. Fourth quarter revenue fell 5% to $37.1m, but 18 months into its 'business turnaround' initiative, company profits have risen 81% to $2.9m. More
The Access Partnership has made key appointments on both sides of the Atlantic. Kevin Mayo joins as EVP of its US office in Philadelphia, and Pascal King as Global Director at its London HQ. Thalia Nikoglou and Ahmed Edathodu have also joined as Consultants. More
UK-based business research specialist B2B International has reported its best ever year, with 2012 turnover up 28% to £5.1m. North America and Europe led the way. More
Sevenoaks, UK-based analytics consultancy Logit Research has acquired a 45% stake in Big Data Investors, LLC, an entity set up with its US partner, Boston-based Statistical Innovations Inc. (SI) to develop CORExpress software for Correlated Component Regression Analysis (CCR). More
Rosenheim, Germany-based Business Intelligence software company Cubeware has opened a London office, as a focus for its expansion in new countries within the EMEA region; and has promoted company veteran Ingo Diekmann to lead it. More
Revenue from Acxiom's Marketing and Data Services division increased 4% to $160m in Q3 2012. Other divisions however fared less well, the group as a whole reporting a 3% drop to $273m. More
Brand valuation consultancy Intangible Business has appointed former Lightspeed Business Development Director Sam Latifi for the newly created role of Head of Research, as the company looks to expand its research and insights arm. More
UK-based mobile data collection specialist OnePoint Global has formed a partnership with South African firm Customer Experience Agency (CE Agency), to expand its capabilities across Africa. More
Preliminary results indicate that GfK's full-year revenue rose 10.2% in 2012, to approximately EUR 1.5bn, with organic growth of 3.1%. More
London-based Purple Market Research has announced a partnership with US consumer insights specialist Kelton, as part of the latter's Global Group alliance of international partner firms. More
US-based analytics and research firm AbsolutData has opened an office in the UK, where it has appointed Kulpreet Singh to lead it as Senior Vice President, Europe and Middle East. More
UK pharma researcher and communications consultancy Mash Health Limited and its US business Mash Health, Inc have been acquired by the UK's Cello Group plc, for an initial consideration of c.£0.6m. Separately, Cello has reported 'solid full year performance' for 2012. More
The UK-based Market Research Society (MRS) has chosen today - officially Data Privacy Day - to launch a new kite mark scheme, Fair Data. The mark identifies organisations which 'collect, use and retain personal data properly and ethically'. More
In the UK, Cello healthcare agency Insight Research Group has launched 'IQ', a new practice dedicated to high-end quant market research. Directors Philip Dunn and Gracie van Kemenade will head up the new business. More
UK-based consumer insight agency Join the Dots has appointed former TNS director Mark Walton and former Buzzback manager Ed Wheeler to drive new business across all areas of the company, from its newly established office in London. More
German product, pricing and marketing strategy specialist Simon-Kucher is moving to larger premises in London, after reporting 20% growth in 2012 global revenue to EUR 145m. More
Omnicom Media Group (OMG) has appointed ITV's Director of Media Jenny Bullis for the newly created role of Director of its data and analytics business Annalect. More
London-based book publisher HarperCollins has appointed former EMI Music SVP of Insight David Boyle, to bring consumer insight to 'every aspect of the publishing process', from acquisition and content development to sales and marketing. More
Matthew Bayfield, co-founder of UK-based insight and analysis firm Tree, has left to join WPP-owned OgilvyOne as Head of Data for Europe, Africa and the Middle East. More
Ipsos Healthcare's Gareth Phillips has relocated from Singapore to London, to take up the position of Managing Director UK & Head of Western Europe. More
UK consultancy ICM has hired Iain Carruthers, a former Interbrand Director, as Head of Qualitative Research. More
US-based digital agency 360i, whose services include consumer insights, measurement and analytics - has opened its first office outside the US, in London, where it has appointed Dentsu's former Chief Development Officer Rob Connolly as MD. More
Healthcare specialist The Research Partnership and its recently launched market access consultancy The Access Partnership are moving to a new UK headquarters in Fulham, London on Monday. More
Online specialist BrainJuicer has made 9% of its workforce redundant, saving £0.8m in costs following 'disappointing' trading in the final months of 2012. More
Marketing performance measurement firm Ebiquity Plc has announced interim Results for the six months ended 31 October 2012, including revenues up 27% to £30.5m and 'underlying' profit before tax up from £2.2m to £2.7m. In organic terms, however, revenues grew at a more modest 2%. More
In the UK, mobile network O2 has lost its Marketing and Consumer Director Sally Cowdry to National Lottery operator Camelot, where she will take the same title, with a role including consumer insight. She joins her new employer in 'a few months' after helping O2 with the transition. More
Online specialist Lightspeed Research has announced new roles for three of its senior managers, following the integration of sample and research tech firm GMI. Andrew Cayton becomes Global COO, Martin Filz CEO EMEA and Efrain Ribeiro Global Chief Research Officer. More
UK-based market research agency ICM is relocating to parent company Creston's new Soho headquarters, along with the group's two other London-based agencies TMW and Nelson Bostock. More
UK-based Research Runner - the MR support agency set up by former Opinion Health sales specialist Julian Haste - has formed a joint venture with cost management specialist Auditel, aiming to help clients increase their sales and reduce costs. More
UK researchers' confidence for the year ahead has dipped, with more predicting a deterioration in the sector's financial health than an improvement, according to RSM's latest Research Professionals' survey. More
In London, healthcare research specialist The P\S\L Group has appointed sector veteran Bob Douglas as Chief Strategy Officer. More
Omnicom subsidiary The Modellers has opened a new Strategic Analytics business unit, which it says will help companies tap into their existing data before embarking on additional data collection. Marco Vriens will head up the unit. More
Online ad targeting specialist Phorm has welcomed new behavioural advertising laws introduced by the Turkish regulator, which it says 'reduce unfair competition' while having little effect on its business in the country it hopes will finally bring it a profit. More
In the UK, business software giant SAS has teamed up with Birmingham City University (BCU) to launch a Student Academy, educating future big data professionals. More
In the UK, marketing and customer analytics business Metametrics has appointed former Starcom MediaVest Data & Analytics AD Sam Watts for the new role of Head of Marketing Analytics, in charge of the firm's Econometric Modelling practice. More
Kadence International has opened a second office in the US, in Boston's Downtown Crossing area, complementing its existing facility in Framingham. The firm has also announced plans to increase US headcount by 100% by 2014, beginning with a 'significant graduate intake' in early 2013. More
Global wine and spirit brand Pernod Ricard has launched an internal social network called Chatter, through which employees will be encouraged to generate and share new ideas for the business. More
Jo Winning, the co-founder of custom panel and community specialist EasyInsites, has left to join London-based Verve as Business Development Consultant. More
UK-based fieldwork agency Facts International has promoted Emily Kettle to the new position of Managing Director, adding responsibility for potential M&A activity and international expansion initiatives to her existing duties as Group Client Services Director. More
US-based big data analytics and business intelligence specialist MapR Technologies has opened a European HQ in London, from which it will provide technical support and a sales resource to accelerate the adoption of its solutions across the continent. More
US-based big data analytics specialist Cloudera has closed a $65m investment round, which it will use to drive global sales, fuel development of its platform, and open a European headquarters in the UK. More
Media agency Universal McCann (UM) is to roll out its digital media data management and insights division Decision Sciences in Europe, via a new London office and a rebrand in Frankfurt. More
German consultancy Simon-Kucher, which advises on product, pricing and marketing strategy, has announced the appointment of six new partners, all based outside its home country. The firm has recently opened offices in Dubai and Istanbul, and will soon add Sao Paulo and Santiago de Chile. More
London-based agency MESH Planning has made two senior appointments, reflecting a year of expansion for the company. Jo Rigby joins as Managing Director, EMEA and Nicki Boswell as Senior Experience Director. More
Online customer experience specialist Foresee has appointed Chris Harman as UK Managing Director, following the doubling of both UK sales and research teams over the past year. More
More money has been pouring into companies expanding in the analytics space, including big data and social media specialists. Two US firms, analytics advisory service IIA and big data start-up BitYota receive $1m and $12m respectively, and European start-up Teleportd $1m for its Nitrogram photo analytics product. More
UK-based YouGov has moved its SVP & International Head of Omnibus Ray Martin from London to New York, where he will lead the launch of US Omnibus services. More
TNS has appointed former Ipsos MORI CEO Mike Everett as Global Head of Stakeholder Management, based in London. More
Former Nielsen NeuroFocus MD for Europe Thom Noble has set up as an independent consultant with the establishment of a new firm, NeuroStrata, focusing on the application of neuromarketing and biosensory techniques. More
Marketers are growing more pessimistic following cuts to their budgets across Asia Pacific and Europe and stagnant figures in the US, according to Warc's latest Global Marketing Index (GMI) report. More
UK-based sampling solutions firm Sample Answers is to open an office in Colombia, South America led by current MD Mark Dent, while Business Development Director Neil Whelpton will move into Dent's former role in the UK. More
UK call tracking and web analytics firm AdInsight has changed its name to 'ResponseTap', which it says better reflects the position of the company going forward. More
In London, specialist social research division TNS BMRB has opened a 'Centre for International Development Research', which will draw on methodological expertise from across the group in order to help clients bring about policy change on an international level. More
Trading in the final months of 2012 is proving 'disappointing' for online specialist BrainJuicer, according to the firm's interim statement issued earlier today. Revenue during the last quarter is likely to fall 'significantly below' 2011 levels. More
MR technology firm Decipher Market Research has moved to using the name Decrypt in the UK, following a trademark dispute with West London-based media strategy and research group Decipher. More
UK agency Ci Research has been renamed Mustard Research as part of an overhaul of its brand identity. More
UK Group Chime Communications Plc has issued an interim management statement and announced the appointment of Mervyn Davies, Lord Davies of Abersoch, as its new Chairman. More
Former Nunwood MD Sarah Houghton has joined Chime's Insight and Engagement group (CIE) as a Board Director. More
Canadian research software provider Voxco has inked a deal for British survey software developer Merlinco to distribute its products in the UK and Ireland. More
Former mruk MD Jim Law has launched a new agency in Glasgow, Scotland, called Wild Heather Digital Research, which aims to combine a technological focus with sound research methods. More
GfK has reported 'a significant sales increase' of 9.8% to EUR 1,096.8m in the first nine months of 2012, with much of the rise however due to currency effects and acquisitions. Q3 revenue was up 11.3% to EUR 376.7m. EBITDA fell 18.5% to EUR 50.6m. More
GfK has announced the formation of a new global Market Opportunities and Innovations practice, which will promise marketing professionals 'the critical foresight needed to successfully tap into future markets'. Marilyn Raymond will lead the new division. More
WPP has announced further details of its proposal to return its headquarters from Ireland to the UK, including a timetable which sees shares in 'New WPP' trading on the LSE at the start of 2013. More
Digital marketing solutions firm IgnitionOne - part of Japanese ad giant Dentsu - has appointed Michael Stephanblome as its UK Managing Director, as it completes the integration of his advertising exchange AdJug into its platform. More
Third quarter revenue at US-based Information Services Group (ISG) has fallen to $46.5m, down 2% in constant currency terms. A good performance in the US was more than off-set by a 15% fall in Europe and 17% in Asia Pacific. More
Former Synovate Global CEO Adrian Chedore has joined Asia-focused MR consultancy ABN Impact as Chairman. More
Harris Interactive has reported a 12% drop in revenue to $33m for the first quarter of fiscal 2013, from $37.8m in the prior year period; but has turned loss into profit as it continues its 'turnaround' and 'rightsizing' activities. More
Digital measurement specialist comScore has reported a 9% rise in third quarter revenue to $64.3m, a figure it says was held back by declines in its ad copy testing business, which is slated for a possible sale. Net loss was reduced to just over $3m. More
Gartner has reported third quarter 2012 revenues of $284.0m in its Research division - up 11% year-on-year, or 14% excluding currency effects. The Consulting division grew much slower, with revenues up just 1% (4% at constant currencies) to $71.7m. More
The Merlien Institute - which runs conferences and events for market research professionals - has appointed Jens Cornelissen as Managing Director Europe and North America. More
US-based online survey analytics and reporting software firm MarketSight has opened an office in London's Covent Garden, from where it will provide sales and support to clients in the UK and throughout Europe. More
Kantar has appointed Walter Patanella as Chief Executive of Media Monitoring and Evaluation at its Media Intelligence Europe subsidiary, following its recent acquisition of an 87% stake in media monitoring specialist Press Index, where he served as MD. More
WPP has reported third quarter consumer insight revenue of £591m, down from £593m in the prior year period and up just a fraction ( 0.8%) on a like-for-like basis. More
European online specialist InSites Consulting has unveiled a network of more than 150 experienced qual moderators across 30 countries, to help run its market research online communities (MROCs). More
US technology specialist Forrester Research has reported a 2% rise in revenue in its Research arm to $50.3m from $49.2m in the prior year period. However, the firm's total revenues dropped to $68.5m from $69.8m as a result of an 11% decline in its Advisory Services division. More
Ipsos has reported 9-month revenues of just under EUR 1.28bn, up 45.1% on a constant currency basis since gobbling up Synovate a year ago. The firm says now that the integration is complete, it will 'resume its focus on growth' and on meeting its service quality and profitability targets. More
Digital audience specialist Effective Measure has appointed former ABC UK exec Alan Morrissey as Country Managing Director in South Africa. More
WPP-owned online behavioural measurement firm Kantar Media Compete has settled charges brought by the Federal Trade Commission that it 'deceived consumers' by not disclosing the extent of the personal data it was gathering about them. More
'Holistic' web-based MR firm DigitalMR is moving into a larger London office, reflecting UK headcount more than doubled in the last twelve months. More
UK marketing budgets appear to have fallen slightly for a second successive quarter, according to the latest IPA Bellwether survey. Business confidence among marketers has also fallen, with a tough trading environment hampering profitability and cash flow. More
Panel exchange operator Cint is looking for further expansion with the help of EUR 6.9m ($9m) raised from its existing owners, Prime Technology Ventures and Nordic venture capital firm Creandum. More
German product, pricing and marketing strategy specialist Simon-Kucher has reported a 24% increase in revenues to EUR 107.4m for the third quarter, and is anticipating revenues of EUR 140m for the full year 2012. More
London-based researcher and music aficionado Dave Beal died suddenly on Monday 27 August at the age of 60, after a long illness. More
Newbury-based digital analytics specialist Celebrus Technologies has raised £1m in new capital, which it will use to drive further insight and business value from big data, while strengthening its relationships with its international partners. More
UK-based Behavioural Economics specialist The Behavioural Architects (TBA) is opening an office in Sydney, Australia, adding to existing bases in Shanghai, London and Oxford. Ad planner Mike Daniels is appointed to run the new business. More
In London, Optimisa Research has moved into larger offices south of the Thames after just two years, reflecting the growth of the business. More
Research consultancy Kadence International has recorded 'dramatic growth' in Indonesia, where revenue rose 120% to $5m for the year 2011-12. Overall, company revenue has increased for the tenth consecutive year, with sales up 15%, and net revenue has doubled in the last four years to $20.1m. More
UK-based B2B publisher and data provider UBM is reported to be putting its data services business up for sale, with a price tag of around £250m. More
UK-based data collection agency Perspective Research Services (PRS) has opened a new call centre in St Albans, Hertfordshire, following the closure of its operations in Acton, west London. More
Qureshi Market Research MD Bob Qureshi has opened a new facility in London's West End, offering eye tracking, dial testing and NeuroFocus services. The five-studio facility also provides access to a bar for use in drinks research projects. More
Online specialist BrainJuicer has reported a 14% increase in revenue to £10.37m for the first half of the year, and operating profit also up 14% from £628k to £716k. More
UK-based insight and marketing group Cello has reported a 2.8% increase in revenue to £63.3m for the first half of the year, but has noted a 'marked slow-down' in qual and quant client research activity across its Consumer division. More
Michael Berland has left WPP-owned MR and political polling specialist Penn Schoen Berland (PSB) to join PR giant Edelman as CEO of a newly-named research and analytics business, Edelman Berland, into which the group's existing research firm StrategyOne will be integrated. More
According to reports in the UK press, WPP is planning to 'refresh' its Board of Directors, after shareholders voted against a proposed 60% increase in CEO Sir Martin Sorrell's pay package back in June. More
In the UK, research industry veterans Andrew Smith and Andy Booth have set up a full service agency called Firebrand Insight, which will tap into the sector and technique specialisms of a core team drawn from membership of the Independent Consultants Group (ICG) network. More
Survey software firm Voxco has partnered with panel access provider Cint, whose OpinionHUB insight platform will give Voxco clients access to more than seven million individuals worldwide. More
WPP has reported revenue up just 1.2% to £1.19bn in its consumer insight division in the first half of the year, while headline operating profit fell slightly to £84m. The group has also confirmed that following tax changes, it plans to move its HQ back to the UK from Ireland. More
Marketing spend is in decline, not just in Europe, but also in the previously buoyant Asia Pacific region, according to a report from advertising research site Warc. However other indicators, such as general business confidence, were more positive. More
UK-based user experience consultancy Foviance has announced it is to merge with service design agency Seren Partners. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
In the UK, data collection agency Peak Answers has reported sales of more than £1m during its first year of trading. More
Harris Interactive has reported an 8.2% decline in revenue to $147.5m for the full year fiscal 2012 - a majority of which the firm says was part of a 'right-sizing' plan. More
UK government social scientist Barbara Adams OBE, a pioneer of public consultation research, has died in London at the age of 89. More
GfK has reported a 9.1% increase in sales to EUR 720.1m for the first half of 2012, most of which comes from currency effects and acquisitions. Organic growth of just 1.7% results from a healthy 4.2% rise in the Consumer Choices business combined with flat performance from Consumer Experiences. More
London-based online qualitative agency nqual has hived off its DIY software solutions to sister research consultancy Netfluential, which specialises in helping clients connect and 'co-innovate' with customers. More
Full-service MR agency and panels and online tech specialist Toluna have agreed a deal which will give online community and panel solutions to CMI's clients worldwide. More
UK charitable trust The Nuffield Foundation has appointed Ministry of Justice Chief Researcher Teresa Williams as Director of Social Research and Policy. She takes up her new position on 29th October. More
Technology specialist ABI Research has opened a new UK-based research and forecasting facility in Wellingborough, Northants, to house its growing team of analysts and to support local clients. More
French ad network Havas has increased its stake in UK-based insight and communications group Creston to more than 6%, just days after buying a 5% share of the business. More
YouGov has recorded a 'solid trading performance' for the year ended 31 July 2012 in an update issued by the London Stock Exchange. More
In the US, the ongoing Apple vs. Samsung patent lawsuit is throwing some interesting light on the business style of the iPhone and iPad giant - including the fact that it's not so averse to market research as it has sometimes claimed. More
comScore has announced financial results for the second quarter of 2012, including a much-slowed growth in revenue - up just 4% to $60.3m. Adjusted EBITDA remained relatively robust at $9.6m (16% of revenue), compared to $11.1m in Q2 2011. More
Technology specialist Gartner has reported second quarter revenues up 9% to $397.5m - equivalent to growth of 12% at constant currencies. A very good quarter for the group's Research division was only slightly dented by a flat performance from the smaller Consulting wing. More
GfK has combined two recent acquisitions, KN Dimestore and nurago, to create a new global practice, Digital Market Intelligence (DMI), which promises clients a complete picture of their digital marketing and advertising ROI. More
Pharma market access consultancy WG Consulting has opened its first US office, in New York, and appointed Charlotta Norgaard to lead it. More
London-based research panel and online community specialist Verve has closed a £0.75m round of funding, which it will use for product development and recruitment purposes. More
UK-based insight and communications group Creston has reported slow revenue growth of 1% for the second quarter of the year, impacted by a poor performance from its research agency ICM. More
UK-based market research agency Firefish has reported a 23% increase in turnover to £7.7m for the past 12 months, and has appointed former Hall & Partners exec Majbritt Rijs as Head of Quantitative. More
Specialist face-to-face agency UK Fieldwork Services (UKFS) has changed its name to PeoplePeople UK, and opened a viewing studio called 'The People Place', at a new location in Leamington Spa, to cater for 'outside London' demand. More
Nielsen has partnered with Israeli-based venture capital fund Partam Hightech to launch a subsidiary called Nielsen Innovate, which will help develop and fund business ideas and bring them to market for its clients globally. More
In the US, technology specialist Forrester Research has reported a 7% increase in second quarter revenues to $79.1m from $73.5m a year previously. More
Customer loyalty specialist Maritz has set up a Business Services division, to focus on the changes being experienced by service industries as a result of the current economic climate, technological breakthroughs, and changing consumer behaviour. More
UK research and marketing solutions firm Progressive Digital Media (PDM) has reported a12.5% increase in first half revenue in its Business Intelligence division, which includes research agencies IDC and the iD Factor. More
Ipsos has reported a 53.4% increase in first half revenues to EUR 837.0m, reflecting the integration of Synovate into its financial statements. More
In London, specialist social research division TNS BMRB has hired former NatCen director Carli Lessof as Director of Development, and former EdComs Research Director Desiree Lopez as Head of Qualitative Research. More
YouGov co-founder and CEO Stephan Shakespeare has been named as chair of the Data Strategy Board for the UK government's Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS) More
Marketing and PR group Adventis has filed to appoint administrators, having recently sold its last two subsidiaries, channel optimisation specialist bChannels and campaign analysis division Second2. More
UK-based media and marketing analytics firm Ebiquity has reported a 20% increase in revenue to £52.9m for the year ended 30 April 2012, driven by its Analytics division which grew by 56% to £27.9m during the period. More
US neuroscience specialist Sands Research Inc (SRI) is relocating its headquarters from Texas to Los Angeles to be closer to its West Coast clients. It will also seek funds from the Californian investment community to fuel future growth. More
Online sampling and data collection firm Research Now has completed its rebrand and integration of mobile research specialist iPinion, which has been renamed 'Research Now Mobile'. More
In the UK, Chime-owned digital advertising agency VCCP Partnership has launched a new business called Conduit Marketing, which will help clients use their existing data to improve business performance. More
UK field agency Face Facts Research has re-located to larger premises in Leeds, where it has appointed former Quaestor field exec Julie Gaughan as Operations Manager. More
After more than six years in its office in Charing Cross Road, London-based brand and communications research agency Hall & Partners has returned to its Soho, where it was founded more than twenty years ago. More
Research group Cello has revealed that it has spent £600k in the last year on consolidating operations and reducing headcount in its Research and Consulting division; and is now splitting its business into two new divisions. More
US-based marketing intelligence firm Visual IQ has opened an office in London, just a week after receiving $12m in private equity investment. More
Web technology provider Apica has raised $5m in Series C financing, for use in product development, marketing support and global expandsion of its cloud and mobile testing and monitoring services. More
Behavioural ad targeting company Phorm has reported another large operating loss, with revenues for 2011 not taking off as expected, but says it believes that 'it will become increasingly clear to investors that the long wait for revenues will have been worthwhile.' More
In the UK, Manchester-based sister agencies Acumen Fieldwork, Aspect Viewing Facilities and Research Opinion have hooked up to form a new umbrella organisation called Fuller Research Group, offering a complete range of recruitment, fieldwork and viewing facilities. More
In the UK, former Nielsen Online MD (EMEA) Louise Ainsworth has taken up the post of Chief Executive Officer of online intelligence service and marketing and research publisher Warc. More
Belgian-based advanced analytics solutions-2 has announced the opening of an office in London, led by Paul Strange, who will join the firm in July from GfK NOP. More
Database and information services giant Experian has hired Ben Elliott as MD of its Decision Analytics division in Asia Pacific. He was previously Network Director for Retail Banking at Lloyds Banking Group. More
In the UK, Kantar Media Audiences CEO Richard Marks is leaving the firm in August to set up his own consultancy business. He will be replaced by Richard Asquith, who currently leads the firm's TGI and Custom division. More
UK Market Research Society (MRS) President Rita Clifton is leaving her role as Chairman of branding consultancy Interbrand London, to set up her own private office and to take on additional non-executive roles. More
In the UK, media group Future Publishing has recruited former T-Mobile insights leader Simon Wainwright for the newly created role of Market Research Director, with responsibility for driving its consumer insight strategy. More
The fifty largest research firms reported a 5.1% increase in US-based aggregated revenues to $9.2 billion in 2011, according to the 39th annual report by industry authority Jack Honomichl. More
TNS has opened its first office in Cambodia, through a partnership with local market and social research firm MSD, which has a network of locations across the country. More
In the UK, consumer specialist Leapfrog Research has closed its Windsor-based headquarters and moved into sister agency RS Consulting's offices in London. Parent company Cello says the move follows an agreement between the two agencies to form an 'alliance'. More
London-based research technology firm Cobalt Sky has taken a 25% stake in Discovery Group's online qual research tool The Thinking Shed, which has now been spun off into a separate limited company. More
WPP shareholders have voted against a proposed 60% increase in CEO Sir Martin Sorrell's pay package. Separately, WPP says its Consumer Insight arm has been 'stable' in the first four months of 2012, with a 3.3% revenue rise adding to the group's £3.2 billion turnover. More
The Insight division of UK-based Creston has reported a 7% drop in revenue to £13.8m for the year ended 31 March 2012, compared with £14.8m in 2011. During the period, headline pre-tax profit was almost halved from a year ago at £2.1m, down from £4.1m. More
UK-based researcher SPA Future Thinking is in 'final negotiations' to form a joint venture with French customer relationship specialist Groupe Acticall. The JV will be launched as Future Thinking France and be led by Stéphane Marder, previously Managing Director of French agency LH2. More
The UK's Optimisa Research has moved its Leeds team to new offices in the city centre, reflecting ongoing expansion. More
Research consultancy Kadence India has appointed former Hansa Research General Manager Maninder Khurana as Vice President - Consumer Insights. More
Thomson Reuters has completed the $1.25 billion sale of its healthcare data, analytics and performance benchmarking arm to private equity firm Veritas Capital, which has renamed the business Truven Health Analytics. More
Ipsos MORI has transferred Rob Myers from his role as President of Marketing in the US, to the post of Managing Director for Ipsos Marketing in the UK. He replaces Susan Malcolm who is relocating to Australia for personal reasons. More
Nunwood has re-launched its UK, US, Australian and New Zealand businesses with a new model which focuses on 'insight-powered customer experience management' (CEM). More
Behavioural ad tech company Phorm is planning to raise £20m in return for a 20% equity stake in its new operating subsidiary in China. The firm has also announced its intention to relocate its holding company from Delaware in the US, to Singapore. More
Britain's market researchers are forecasting higher revenues for the next 12 months, according to the latest RSM 'State of the Industry' survey. More
US-based Federated Sample has appointed former Greenfield Online MD Andy Ellis as Senior Vice President for Corporate Development. More
In the UK, leading edge research firm BrainJuicer has announced that Simon Godfrey intends to retire from the company's board of directors at the end of September this year. He will be replaced by Graham Blashill, who joins from a career with Imperial Tobacco. More
Public sector specialist Dods Group Plc has announced preliminary results for 2011, with revenue down to £15.3m from £16.1m in 2010, and profit margin and adjusted earnings steady. The group is still waiting on clearance for its takeover of intelligence provider DeHavilland. More
European predictive analytics software provider Quiterian has signed a global deal with Indian IT giant Wipro, whose clients will be offered Quiterian's solutions. More
UK Yellow Pages owner Yell has announced it is to rebrand as 'hibu'. Also this week, the company has reported a significant decline in revenues and the departure of Group Chief Marketing Officer Jenny Ashmore after just seven months. More
In the UK, brand engagement and communications company Hall & Partners has announced a series of promotions in its specialist Health division, including Lee Gazey to Managing Partner. More
Recent formed standards and guidelines partnership The Trust Alliance has been joined by online US physician network Epocrates. More
Informa plc, owner of Datamonitor, has released an interim statement on the first four months of the year. Organic revenue in the Professional and Commercial Information division (PCI) is down 4.1%, although it is expected to rebound in the remainder of 2012. More
Twitter has announced its support for the US FTC's Do Not Track initiative, which restricts how third parties collect and store data about browsing behavior. More
Kees de Jong, the CEO of data collection and sampling solutions specialist SSI, has moved to the role of Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors. He has been replaced by Chris Fanning, who joined the firm in February as President and COO. More
GfK has reported an 11.3% increase in sales to EUR 345.1m for the first three months of 2012, with organic growth of 4.9%. Adjusted operating income rose 10.2% to EUR 33.5m. The firm says its new 'Own the Future' corporate strategy has contributed to the healthy figures. More
UK-based reputation analysis specialist Echo Research has promoted Ben Lloyd and Sam Knowles to Joint MDs, allowing CEO and founder Sandra Macleod to focus on growing global client relationships and operations across parent company Ebiquity. More
London-based research technology firm Cobalt Sky has partnered with Applied Insights co-founder John McConnell to roll out a new statistics-based analytics service. More
US-based Information Services Group (ISG) has announced impressive results for the quarter ended March 31, 2012, with revenues up 15% at constant currencies to $46.3m. More
In the UK Alki Manias, a veteran of firms including GfK Roper and YouGov, has launched a new consultancy, Alkman. The firm will partner with research software provider Gamma Associates to launch a new automated reporting tool called mTABView. More
Online research software provider Confirmit has reported a buoyant first quarter for the year with more than $15m in revenues, and strong growth in mobile solutions following its acquisition of Techneos. More
In the UK, Discovery Group has promoted Alan Hathaway, who joined the firm as its first graduate trainee, to the newly created position of Managing Director of its research division. More
UK-based qual and quant agency Marketing Sciences has promoted Jane Rudling to the position of Managing Director, replacing Keith Bates who takes on the role of Executive Chairman. More
In Cambridge, UK, software developer Chris Arnold has officially launched a new company, Percollate, which offers a social media analysis tool for sourcing relevant Twitter audiences. More
Harris Interactive CEO Al Angrisani has reiterated his confidence in the firm's turnaround program, after reporting a drop in net loss to $300k for the three months ending 31st March, from $2.3m a year earlier. However, during the period, revenue fell 8% to $34.1m from $37.0m last year. More
Social media monitoring and analytics firm DataSift has secured $7.2m in a follow-on Series A round of funding from existing investors, which it plans to use to accelerate growth. Separately, the firm has moved into a new office in San Francisco's SOMA district. More
UK-based insight and analysis firm Tree has partnered with mobile data technology provider IMImobile, to offer a suite of customer insight solutions to mobile operators, brands and organisations across Asia. More
UK call tracking and web analytics firm AdInsight has secured £1.6m in its first round of venture capital funding. More
UK-based group Creston plc has issued a trading update for the year ended 31 March 2012. Like-for-like revenue increase is only 'marginal', although the reported figure is up 11% to £75m and the group says it has completed its programme of reducing operating costs. More
WPP has reported first quarter revenues up 7.4% at constant currencies, to £2.39 bn. Organic revenue growth was 4.0%. However the consumer insight division once again lagged behind with revenues up 3.3% on a constant currency basis, or 1.3% excluding acquisitions. More
In the UK, behavioural research and usability consultancy SimpleUsability has announced the addition of a new laboratory and observation room to its Leeds office, and the appointment of Steven Lilley as Head of Technology. More
Belgian statistical analysis consultancy solutions-2 has re-located to new offices close to Ooidonk Castle in Bachte-Maria-Leerne, near Ghent. More
In the UK, market intelligence consultancy PFA Research has relocated within Cornwall from its original offices in Bodmin to the Tremough Innovation Centre (TIC) in Penryn. The company cites advances in technology which allow a more decentralized business model. More
Ipsos has reported a 46% increase in first quarter revenues to EUR 379.9m, reflecting the addition of Synovate's business. However, it admits the need to integrate the two businesses has slowed expansion: volume of sales was down slightly on Q1 2011, and organic growth of just 2% is expected this year. More
Technology specialist Forrester Research has reported a 7 percent revenue increase to $70.3m for the first quarter of 2012, compared with $65.7m for the prior year period; and net income of $3.2m, up from $2.9m. More
Online audience specialist comScore has appointed former Microsoft researcher Beth Uyenco as SVP of International Research, to support the firm's initiatives with local market measurement JICs*, including UKOM in the UK. More
North of England MR agency DJS Research has reported a 26% increase in turnover to £1.9m for the year 2011, compared with £1.5m in the previous year. The company is also moving to larger offices at the end of April, to accommodate its short and long-term growth plans. More
Martin Filz has been appointed as Managing Director for the EMEA Region at panel and research software company GMI, recently acquired by Lightspeed Research. He was previously MD for EMEA and APAC at Research Now. More
Access panel provider Cint has announced partnerships with Chinese panel Tudou, and News Corporation subsidiary STAR TV of India. The new panels will be available on Cint's OpinionHUB and the alliances are in collaboration with Swedish online tracking specialist Nepa. More
Panel and research technology specialist Vision Critical has appointed former Synovate North America CEO Scott Miller as President and COO of International Business. More
Online research firm YouGov plc has announced interim results for the six months ended 31 January 2012, with organic revenue growth of 12% and adjusted profit before tax of £2.2m. YouGov expects to pay its first dividend, when full year results are out. More
In the UK, a new agency has launched, dedicated to the investigation, collection, interpretation and marketing of geoscience data. Mantle Research & Consulting starts with a management team of three boasting a 'passion for geology' - Cathrene Rowell, Mark Biswell and Dr Kirti Sharma. More
UK-based Yell Group, which began life as the online version of Yellow Pages and now offers a variety of digital services, has appointed former Sitel exec Tim Schuh in the new role of Chief Customer Experience Officer. More
In London, Creston Group company ICM has finalised a series of senior appointments and a major re-organization with the promotion of Operations Director Neil Sykes to the Board and the appointment of David Reeves as Production Director. More
US-based digital measurement and web analytics company Semphonic has partnered with London-based online business optimisation consultancy AEP Convert to expand its digital measurement service across Europe. More
Harris Interactive has been told it can continue trading on the NASDAQ stock exchange, after achieving the necessary share price of $1+ for more than ten consecutive days. More
Recently established online physician research body The Trust Alliance has produced guidelines for post-field reporting by healthcare data collection firms. More
European MR industry body efamro has elected TNS-Gallup EVP Andrew Cannon as the new President of its Executive Board, for the period 2012 to 2015. More
London-based insight consultancy Truth has celebrated its fifth birthday with annual revenues of £9m, up 25% from the previous year. More
UK field agency Face Facts Research has reported a 370% increase in sales for the past six months, compared with the six months following its launch in September 2010. As a result, the firm has hired new staff for its project management, telephone operations and marketing teams. More
In the UK, TNS has promoted Joseph Webb - who joined the company as a graduate trainee as recently as 2007 - to the position of Head of Digital. More
Online healthcare data collection firm WorldOne has expanded its network in Asia with the opening of a new office in Shanghai, China, adding to its existing presence in Hong Kong and Tokyo. More
Online specialist BrainJuicer has reported results for the 12 months ended 31 December 2011, confirming 27% revenue growth to £20.71m and profit after tax up 25% to £1.85m. More
London-based PeerIndex, which quantifies the impact of 'social influencers' across the web, has raised £3m in Series A funds, which it will use to expand both its commercial model and its 'PeerPerks' consumer-facing influence marketing service. More
UK-based marketing services group Euro RSCG has re-branded its Skybridge company as EuroRSCG People, following the integration of research agency Heist and ad recruitment agency Riley. More
Ipsos has announced the appointment of Synovate veteran Jenny Broughton as a Global Talent Management Partner, and separately has given more details of the structure of its new InnoQuest Practice. More
In the UK, social media monitoring company Brandwatch has raised $6m in a round of financing led by Nauta Capital. Carles Ferrer, General Partner at Nauta will join the board, while Al Sisto, Venture Partner, will join as an observer. More
In the UK, the Market Research Society (MRS) has announced that former GfK NOP Head Phyllis Macfarlane will become its new Chairman in April, following the completion of Vanella Jackson's two-year term. More
Panel and research technology specialist Vision Critical has announced revenue growth of 17% to $CAN 72m in 2011. More
UK firm Progressive Digital Media (PDM) has reported 'disappointing' 2011 results in its B2C division, revenues falling to £6.2m from £8.5m and contribution from £2.3m to £1.4m. However, the group said research agencies The iD Factor and ICD Research, which sit within the division, stood up well. More
For the year 2011, UK-based research group Cello has reported 'continuing strong performance' with revenue up 7.2% to £133m and a 6.6% increase in gross profit to £64.3m, driven by its Research and Consulting division. More
Ipsos, continuing its integration of Synovate, has reorganised its largest global business line, Ipsos Marketing - which accounted for nearly half the group's revenues in 2011 - forming four distinct practices. More
In London, Freud Communications founder Matthew Freud has bought a 3.23% share in online polling specialist YouGov for approximately £2.26m. More
In the US, the Board of Harris Interactive has authorized a share repurchase program of up to $3m of the firm's common stock over the next 24 months, funded with cash generated from operations. The firm's share price passed the $1 mark this week for the first time in 10 months. More
In London, Ipsos MORI has hooked up with the Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, to 'transform' the way it visually represents its client data in presentations and other communications. More
Information Services Group (ISG), the firm started by former VNU boss Michael Connors, has announced 2011 revenues of $184.4m, re-passing 2008 levels after two years in the doldrums. However the firm posted another large quarterly operating loss - $59.9m - for a goodwill write-down. More
London-based OpinionPanel - which specialises in the youth, student and young professionals sectors - has been re-named YouthSight, which it says reflects a broadening of its range of services from its original student panel focus. More
UK-based group Chime PLC has partnered with two current leaders of its Insight and Engagement Division (CIE), Chairman Nick Lamb and CEO Crispin Beale, and its former Group Operations Director Mark Squires to launch a new digital MR agency, Watermelon Research. More
UK Group Chime Communications has reported a 17% revenue hike for its Insight and Engagement division (CIE), to £12.1m for the year 2011. Operating income rose 8% to £7.9m. More
comScore's Chief Operating Officer Greg Dale has moved across to the position of Executive Vice President, International, following last year's departure of Wolf Allisat. Cameron Meierhoefer now becomes COO, while Serge Matta is promoted and Tom Karrat hired for divisional President roles. More
UK consultancy Foviance, which offers usability, user experience and web analytics consultancy, has appointed Ben Langdon as its new President. Current Executive Chairman Philip Hunt moves to a Non-Executive position.
More
Omnicom Media Group (OMG) has brought together all its search and optimization agencies under its Resolution Media brand, to offer integrated services across areas including SEO, digital behavior analysis, behavioral targeting, social media and mobile. More
Manchester, UK-based B2B International is gearing up for the April launch of a new consumer-focused agency called 'deep see', which aims to 'get to the bottom of what customers really think'. More
WPP-owned ad agency Ogilvy & Mather (O&M) has launched a practice called Social@Ogilvy, through which the agency's global network of social media strategists will deliver solutions for areas including social media commerce, online listening and impact analysis. More
In the UK, insight and communications group Creston has scrapped the role of ICM Group Chairman, held by Justin Sampson, in a bid to reduce operating costs following 'lower than expected sales'. ICM Group will now be run by its Board of Directors. More
In the UK, Dipsticks Research's data collection arm Field and Fab has expanded its in-house CATI unit from 20 to 50 seats, in response to what it describes as increasing demand from its national and international client base. More
In the US, Greenfield Online veterans Hugh Davis and Keith Price have officially launched reInvention, a global sampling and data collection services firm founded last summer and promising 'a more human-to-human' approach to sample acquisition. A London office is planned soon. More
Troubled agency Harris Interactive has announced second quarter results, with net income rising to $1.6m from $0.3m in the prior year period; but revenues falling 13% to $39.1m from $44.9m. More
Manchester, UK-based B2B International is to open an office in Chicago, adding to its New York business opened in 2008 and helping the business research specialist service clients in the mid-west and beyond. More
GfK has announced revenue up 6.2% to EUR 1.374 billion in 2011, in preliminary figures released today. Almost all (5.8%) was organic growth. Operating income grew relatively little due to specific items including write-downs and recruitment of a new CEO. More
Belgian agency InSites Consulting has announced revenue growth of around 28% to more than 16 million Euros; office openings in Timisoara, Romania and in New York; expansion to 120 employees; and a number of senior appointments. More
In separate developments today, two companies - digital advertising firm CPX Interactive and device identification tech specialists BlueCava - have announced new tools for circumnavigating the Euro Cookie Directive, to be enforced from May 25th this year. More
Creston has reported 'good' third quarter revenue growth in its Insight division, following the addition of new clients in the first half of the year. However, the Board says it anticipates a decline in Q4 and will make changes to reduce operating costs accordingly. More
UK-based media and marketing analytics firm Ebiquity has reported a 17% increase in revenue to £24.0m for the six months ended 31 October 2011, with organic growth of 6%. Operating profit rose 75% to £2.51m from £1.44m. More
WPP-owned international communications consultancy Hill+Knowlton Strategies has launched a new unit called Research+Data Insights (R+D Insights), offering both data analytics and primary research. More
In the US, online sampling and data collection company Research Now has made changes to its senior team with three promotions: Craig Stevens to CRO for the Americas; Martin Filz to MD for EMEA and APAC; and Konstanze Just to SVP of Global Marketing. More
In an interim trading statement, research group Cello has announced a 'solid' full year performance for 2011 and says its growing focus on the resilient pharmaceuticals sector is 'paying off'. More
WPP-owned healthcare panel and data collection agency All Global has appointed Hilary Fischer as Chief Operating Officer, US, and Kerry Haynes as Director of Operations, Europe. More
London-based consumer insights specialist Incite has appointed former Ipsos leader Sarah Phillips as Head of its healthcare practice. More
International online specialist BrainJuicer has reported a 26% increase in full year revenue to £20m, for the 12 months ended 31 December 2011. In a trading update, the firm says this increase was primarily fuelled by continued growth in the US. More
Cint has re-branded its product names to reflect its twin focus on sample access and panel management solutions - and also has a new logo. Separately, the firm has appointed former SSI exec Anita Haddu as Director of Panel Development, Europe. More
UK-based custom panel solutions specialist EasyInsites has reported a 37% increase in annual revenue to £750,000 for 2011. The firm has also moved into new office space and doubled the size of its team with the appointment of four new members of staff. More
In the UK, full service consultancy FreshMinds Research has expanded its senior management team with the appointment of Rosaleen Goldrick as head of its Consumer Goods and Gaming team, and Ross Antrobus as head of the Retail and Automotive team. More
UK-based Research Runner - the MR support agency set up by former Opinion Health sales specialist Julian Haste - is expanding to new premises today, after just a year in business. More
US-based video research solutions provider Qualvu has closed a $1.85m Series B round of funding, which it plans to use to support and expand its European client base, as well as its global operations and processes. More
European industry body efamro has appointed former Millward Brown CEO Jan Oostveen as Director General, replacing Lex Olivier who stepped down in 2011 after six years in the role. More
Every month Daily Research News publishes over 150 stories from the market research industry and 2011's grand total of items was 1,886. So which of them grabbed you? Features Editor Teresa Lynch looks at the most read stories. More
US-based CETRA Language Solutions - which specialises in providing translation and interpretation services to the market research sector - has opened a new European Service Centre in Limerick, Ireland with plans to hire a staff of 20 linguists. More
Healthcare market research solutions provider Medimix Europe has moved its London operation to new offices in the City, close to St Paul's Cathedral and the Museum of London. More
London-based social media video ad platform Unruly Media has received $25m (£16m) in a Series A investment, which will be used to 'aggressively accelerate' its international expansion. More
Market research sample providers Epocrates and M3 Inc have partnered to create what they describe as 'the world's largest physician and healthcare provider panel' comprising 1.7 million panellists. Separately, M3 owned network Doctors.net.uk has promoted Dr Tim Ringrose to the post of CEO. More
UK-based market research recruitment specialist Hasson Associates has continued its expansion with the appointment of former Major Players insight team leader Joel Naftal as Senior Associate. More
Nunwood has appointed Harris Interactive's former Head of Marketing Sciences David Herron as its new European Head of Analytics, based in the UK. The firm has also made a number of appointments in both its London and Leeds operations. More
The team at MrWeb would like to wish all our readers and friends around the world a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. More
After more than seventeen years at ORC International, Martin Grimwood has left to head the financial services team at TNS-RI. More
Former Opinion Leader researcher Rebecca Addis has become joint owner of Community Research - the specialist public sector agency founded by former ORC International Director Rachel Lopata. Addis takes up her new role in January. More
In the US, Nielsen and comScore have settled patent infringement lawsuits relating to both firms' online measurement copyrights, and as part of the deal, Nielsen has acquired $19m of comScore common stock. More
Paul Walton, the co-founder and CEO of Cello-owned brand development consultancy The Value Engineers (TVE), is to retire at the end of the year. More
Harris Interactive is to request a hearing to avoid delisting from the Nasdaq Stock Market, after its shares failed to repass the market's $1 threshold in 180 days since its last warning. More
TNS Global Chairman Jamie Hall is to retire next week, after nearly 30 years in the market research industry. More
Waltham, Massachusetts-based engagement marketing specialist Constant Contact has opened an office in London through which it will provide UK support for its suite of e-mail, social media and event marketing tools, and its online survey solutions. More
In the US, Nielsen has announced the appointment of Rick Kash as Vice Chair and Mitchell Habib as Chief Operating Officer. Both appointments are effective from January 1st 2012. More
In the UK, TNS has appointed Rebecca Wynberg as CEO of its qualitative business. She returns to Kantar to take up her new role in January. More
Marcoms giant WPP has increased its stake in Chime Communications to 17.17%, with the acquisition of around 13.9m shares at £0.25 each, or nearly £3.5m. More
James Walker, formerly Chief Strategy and Development Officer at Nunwood, has moved to global brand and marketing consultancy Prophet to lead a new analytics practice with a presence in its London and New York offices. More
Following last week's management buyout (MBO) of UK marcoms group Media Square - the parent of market research agency Illuminas - former shareholder Bob Morton has accused the firm's Board of Directors of breaching its fiduciary duties. More
Panel and research technology provider Toluna has named Harris Interactive veteran Jim Fredrickson as Group Chief Operations Officer. More
Jeremy Philips has resigned as CEO of the Photon Group, the parent company of insight firms The Leading Edge and Jigsaw Research. Philips was brought in to save the debt-laden group 18 months ago, and 'though challenges remain, leaves with a sense of 'mission accomplished'. More
In the UK, field and tab specialist Facts International has partnered with survey software and services provider SNAP, to offer clients an instant and 'unique' update service on tablets and smartphones. More
In the UK, Creston-owned ICM Research has hired former Synovate exec Tom Bailey as Head of Analytics, while Ruth Moyer joins the Technology team and Matt Draper the Financial Services team, both as Research Directors. More
Healthcare panel and data collection agency All Global has partnered with patient community host Inspire.com, to provide its clients with access to 'difficult to reach patients' across a number of therapeutic areas. More
UK marcoms group Media Square - the parent of market research agency Illuminas - has been acquired through a management buyout (MBO), following an earlier announcement that its bank had refused further funding. More
WPP Chief Exec Sir Martin Sorrrell has told the UK government that its proposed tax reforms do not go far enough to lure his business back from Ireland to its original UK headquarters. More
London-based CURB Media has launched what it describes as the UK's first 'sensory out-of-home division' (SOOH), which will enable advertisers to embed scent, sound and taste into their billboards to increase recall and mood by triggering emotions. More
Ipsos has announced its new senior leadership line-up for the UK, following the Synovate acquisition. Former Synovate senior execs Dave Hannay, Hilary Worton, Paul Stamper, Deborah McCrudden and Yusuf Ramadan are all included in CEO Ben Page's team. More
Following its acquisition of Synovate, Ipsos has promoted Grant Bertoli to the position of CEO for South East Asia (SEA), and confirmed the appointment of Synovate's Singapore MD Miranda Cheung as MD of Ipsos in Singapore and SEA. Senior European and US roles have also been finalised. More
IBM veteran Matthias Hartmann has officially taken up the post of Chief Executive Officer of GfK, replacing Professor Dr. Klaus L. Wübbenhorst who has stepped down. More
Robin Shuker, one of the founders of UK-based online qual research tools provider ChatCloud has resigned as MD to 'pursue other interests', just a year after co-founding the company. More
UK-based group Creston Plc has announced results for the six-month period to 30 September 2011. While the group as a whole prospered, the Insight division - which includes the firms Marketing Sciences and ICM - saw year-on-year revenue decline 3% to £7.5m. More
Concept testing and forecasting software specialist Affinnova says it is re-evaluating its staffing needs following 'rapid growth' and is set to hire 70 new employees in 2012. More
In the UK, full service consultancy FreshMinds Research has expanded in London with ten new staff appointments. More
Digital marketing specialist Steve Pritchard has opened a social media tracking agency in Leeds, UK. threeten10 will provide bespoke social media analytics along with client training courses and workshops. More
Ad agency DDB UK has hired former ITV information specialist Dr Shorful Islam as Head of Data. The agency is restructuring its DDB Matrix data division in order to provide clients with new forms of intelligence. More
In the UK, the Central Office of Information (COI) has achieved a 68% reduction in its marketing spend to £168m for the 12 months to 31 March 2011, ahead of the department's closure next March. More
In the UK, full service agency Boxclever, which is owned by three former Nunwood Board directors, has moved to new premises in Leeds, following several new contract wins. More
In the UK, full service agency SPA Future Thinking has made five top level appointments, including Kimberley-Clark's Shelley Watson as Research Director, plus heads of business development, field operations, HR and finance. More
US social media research firm Feedback has launched in the UK, with the opening of an office in Islington, London, led by co-founders President and CEO Jeff Thompson and Executive Vice President Dean Browell. More
Synovate CEO Robert Philpott has left his job as part of a management restructure, following Ipsos' recent acquisition of the firm. It is not yet known what his next career move will be. More
In the UK, Visa Europe has taken a minority stake in customer insight group Beyond Analysis, with the aim of strengthening its data analytics capabilities. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
GfK has reported a good performance for the third quarter and first nine months of 2011. Q3 organic sales growth was 5.2% and the adjusted margin was up slightly on Q3 the previous year to 15.7%. Sales in the first 9 months of the year totalled EUR 999m - up 7.1% (7.0% organic). More
TNS has announced that Maureen Duffy, until this month CEO of the Newspaper Marketing Agency, will take over from Andrew Czarnowski as UK CEO from January next year. More
Skuuudle, a UK-based provider of competitive intelligence and price automation services to online businesses, has announced plans for significant expansion 'in the coming months'. More
US software giant Adobe - which owns web analytics firm Omniture and online audience behavior specialist Demdex - has announced plans to restructure its Digital Media and Digital Marketing teams, cutting around 750 staff in North America and Europe. More
In the UK, marcoms group Chime Communications has reported continuing recovery in its Research & Engagement division, which includes Opinion Leader Research, Facts International, acefieldwork, CaucusWorld, Naked Eye, Brand Democracy and Tree. More
Mobile giant O2 is creating a Business Intelligence team as a focus for data from across the business, according to press reports. Andy Day, Head of CRM since 2008, will head up the new division. More
Information Services Group (ISG), the acquisition vehicle set up by former VNU boss Michael Connors, has reported a 52% increase in third quarter revenues to $48.9m, from $32.2m in Q3 2010. More
Following its recent acquisition of Synovate and in line with plans to withdraw the Synovate brand in January, Ipsos has restructured its team in China. Five 'Combined Country Managers' will ready the businesses for integration while ensuring they run separately until the end of the year. More
Online measurement firm comScore has reported third quarter revenue up an impressive 29% to $58.8m, although expenses also grew very rapidly leaving profits little changed. More
London-based full service agency Opinium Research has launched a new division focusing on the healthcare sector. More
In the US, Gartner's research division has reported record contract value - up 14% to $1,036m in Q3 2011. Revenue rose 17% to $345.8m compared with last year's Q3, while net income climbed 52% to $30.5m. More
Harris Interactive has reported a 3.5% increase in first-quarter revenue to $38.3m. Bookings however were down 11% for the quarter and CEO Al Angrisani says the firm is still facing 'major challenges' with sales. More
PR and research firm Brunswick Group has opened a third Chinese office in Shanghai, and appointed two un-named 'senior individuals' to expand its investor relations and research capabilities in Hong Kong. More
WPP has reported third quarter revenue of £2.46bn, representing like-for-like growth of 4.7%, but says its insight division grew much slower than any other, revenues rising less than 1%. More
Nielsen has announced good results for the quarter ended September 30th, including revenues up 10% (6% at constant currencies) to $1,413m, and adjusted EBITDA up 7% in real terms, at $408m. More
Google has cut off one source of information for web analytics systems, citing concern for its users' privacy. As of October 18th, 'organic search' queries carried out by end users logged into products like YouTube, Gmail and Google+ will no longer be available to its own or others' systems. More
Technology specialist Forrester Research has announced third quarter results, with a substantial rise in revenues to $69.8m from $59.8m in Q3 2010. More
Ipsos - now the world's third largest market research company - has reported organic growth of 6.0% for the first nine months of the year, with revenue rising to EUR 845.8m. Growth slowed slightly in the third quarter and the firm is hunkering down for tough economic times ahead. More
Online ad targeting company Phorm has arranged a £30m equity placing with institutional and other investors including its existing NED Mark Schneider. The funds will enable it to repay earlier borrowing and to proceed with its fledgling businesses in a number of countries. More
In the UK, telephone research specialist Facts International has expanded the capacity of its Ashford, Kent-based CATI call centre, increasing the number of seats to around 200 and introducing round-the-clock operations for large-scale international projects. More
Opinion specialist BritainThinks has launched an international division called WorldThinks, which will have a specific focus on reputation research. More
TNS has today announced the appointment of Kristin Sharp as global COO of its qualitative business, starting immediately. She joins from Ipsos' US qual division Understanding UnLtd, of which she was CEO and President. More
UK marketing budgets in all categories rose during Q3 according to the latest IPA Bellwether survey, with online seeing the largest quarter-on-quarter jump in the history of the report. Despite this, marketing executives' general confidence in their sectors hit a two-and-a-half year low. More
Fast-growing UK-based consultancy Truth and its start-up investor The College Group have announced a 'major new investment' - thought to be between £20m and £25m - from venture capital fund Vitruvian Partners LLP. More
In the UK, YouGov has announced preliminary results for the year ended 31 July 2011, with revenue growing 26.9% to 56.1m and adjusted operating profit 39.5% to £5.3m. The results reflect organic revenue growth of 9% as well as US acquisitions. More
YouGov has appointed technology research specialist Steve Ingledew as Managing Director, San Francisco, in its US custom division YouGov Definitive Insights. More
Global pharma data collection specialist WorldOne has appointed former Medefield MD Gerald Wackert as MD for its recently opened German operation. More
London-based BDRC Group - which in the UK includes BDRC Continental and Perspective Research Services - has opened an office in Singapore, headed by former employee Piers Lee who recently left his role as MD of Kadence Asia Pacific. More
TNS has appointed Research International veteran Mark Kingsbury as Global Head of Marketing Sciences, based in the UK and responsible for building the firm's existing technical capabilities and developing new solutions. More
Research agency BrainJuicer has moved its Dutch office from Rotterdam to Amsterdam in order to be closer to existing clients. More
Harris Interactive's results for the fourth quarter and full year fiscal 2011 show a further decline in revenues in real terms, and a significant rise in operating loss. Recently appointed Interim CEO Al Angrisani says there is 'not going to be a quick or easy fix' for the company's problems. More
Ipsos has successfully completed the EUR 200 million rights issue it announced three weeks ago, reporting strong demand for the shares. The money will be used to part-fund the company's acquisition of Synovate, alongside existing cash and credit, and a EUR 250m loan. More
Research software provider Voxco has announced three senior appointments strengthening its presence in France and Germany. More
In New York, pharma data collection specialist WorldOne has appointed Mergemarket co-founder Richard Hall as Chief Operating Officer, focused on managing and expanding the firm's operations. More
David Ashton has left his position as Research Lead at public opinion specialist BritainThinks after just eight months in the role, to join the Hong Kong office of Brunswick Research, the opinion research practice of PR firm Brunswick Group. More
In the US, Kurt Knapton has returned to e-Rewards as President and CEO, following the recent resignation of Chris Havemann. More
Fast-growing agency Nunwood has relocated its London HQ to premises in King's Cross, to accommodate growing staff numbers following a number of new contract wins. More
Research consultancy Kadence International has promoted Greg Clayton to MD for Singapore, replacing the departing Piers Lee; and is gearing up to expand in the region with the relocation of Phil Steggals from the UK, the hiring of Natalie Sew Hoy and a major office refurbishment. More
Family, friends and colleagues have paid tribute to former Millward Brown MD Tony Copeland, who died recently aged 66 after a short illness. Copeland is credited with leading the development of the agency's international network of offices in the late 1980s and 1990s. More
WPP's salary body is to consider a fifty percent rise in the basic salary of CEO Sir Martin Sorrell, who in November 2008 rejected a scheduled review as 'inappropriate' for the economic climate. Sorrell's £1m basic, unchanged since January 2007, is a smallish part of his total income from the firm. More
York, UK-based agency Qa Research is opening a new office in Glasgow, to enhance its service for potential new clients in Scotland More
Gloucestershire-based medical data collection specialist Gillian Kenny Associates (GKA) has branched into consumer and b2b research with the launch of a new company, Angelfish. More
Kadence International has appointed Andy Grout and Neil Rees as Insight Directors, both based at the company's headquarters in London. More
Online sample provider uSamp has hired eight new members of staff to support the growth of its recently opened London office. More
UK research and comms group Chime has appointed former Post Office customer analysis leader Pam Clark as Research Director in its CIE division, further strengthening its quant financial services offering. More
Northumberland, UK-based online research supplier Panelbase has appointed former Ugam Research Solutions manager Joerg Schymczyk as Sales Director, responsible for setting up a London office and developing international business. More
UK polling firm Populus has appointed ICM founder Nick Sparrow as a Special Advisor, providing guidance on business growth and methodological innovation. More
In the UK, full-service agency SPA Future Thinking has launched The Analytics Hub, a new company offering a full range of analytic methodologies for clients ranging from small market research agencies through to branding shops. More
The market research industry has returned to growth following two 'very challenging years', according to ESOMAR's Global Market Research 2011 report. Global turnover rose to US $31.2 billion in 2010, representing a total year-on-year growth of 5.2%, or 2.8% allowing for inflation. More
International online specialist BrainJuicer has reported a 26% increase in revenue to £9.09m for the six months ended 30 June 2011 (H1 2010 £7.21m), driven by 'strong growth' in the US, which accounted for 33% of total revenues. More
Panel exchange operator Cint has opened a new office in Japan, where it has partnered with technology-based market research firm Borders, to offer access to more than 500,000 panellists across the country. More
The Research & Consulting division at UK insight and marketing group Cello has seen a 6.0% increase in gross profit to £19.6m and a 16% rise in headline operating profit to £3.7m for the first six months of the year, despite a 1.3% drop in revenue to £31m. More
Edinburgh-based George Street Research has entered liquidation after more than two decades as a significant player in Scottish MR. More
In the UK, online pollster YouGov has teamed up with Cambridge University to launch a not-for-profit thinktank, through which 'world-class thinkers' can connect with public opinion research. More
Ipsos is planning to issue around EUR 200m worth of new shares, to part-fund its acquisition of Synovate. More
Healthcare data collection agency WorldOne has secured a $25m investment, which it plans to use to accelerate global expansion and fund development of new business lines. More
Online survey and reporting software company Confirmit has acquired mobile survey technology provider Techneos Systems, and will add its solutions to the Horizons reporting tool. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
In the UK, b2b media group Emap International has appointed Duncan Painter as its new CEO, replacing David Gilbertson, who stepped down in May. Painter is currently MD of customer intelligence provider Sky IQ and previously led consulting group ClarityBlue. More
YouGov has significantly strengthened its senior team with the hiring of Phil Rance and Andreas Sperling, formerly in leadership roles at Research Now and Millward Brown respectively; and the promotion of Tim Britton from CEO, UK to CEO, EMEA. More
Privately-owned MR agency Kadence International has reported a 37% year-on-year increase in its global revenues to $US 17.5 million for the year ending June 2011, from $12.8m in 2010. More
Former Major Players insight team leader Joel Naftal is helping to build a new London-based staff recruitment consultancy, Trace, whose specialist areas including marketing, branding and insight. More
IBM has this week strengthened its fast-growing Business Analytics offering - which includes SPSS, Coremetrics, Netezza and Unica - with two further acquisitions, risk management firm software provider Algorithmics and threat and fraud specialist i2. More
German sample and panel provider respondi AG has today announced the opening of a UK subsidiary: respondi Ltd. Christopher Morasch, Chief Sales Officer at respondi AG will take on the role of UK Managing Director. More
In the UK, specialist research consultancy B2B International has expanded its London presence by moving to new offices on the Euston Road. More
Research services provider Cross-Tab has expanded its US team with the appointment of former Research Now VP Terry Sweeney as Vice President Operations and Client Services, in charge of its global data collection operations. More
Synovate has reported an 8.4% rise in revenue to £269.7m for the first half of the year, ahead of its forthcoming sale to Ipsos for an agreed £525m. Organic gross revenue growth was 6.6% and operating profit rose 14.9% to £5.4m despite a ten percent rise in headcount. More
Synovate-owned Marketing Management Analytics (MMA) has appointed a global executive team including EVPs Doug Brooks and Todd Gustafson. More
Brand and communications research specialist Hall & Partners has entered the South African market through a partnership with Cape Town and Johannesburg-based marketing consultancy Yellowwood. More
Wunderman subsidiary KnowledgeBase Marketing (KBM Group) has launched in the UK, offering a range of data, analytics and marketing services. The division will be led by database marketing specialist Caroline Worboys. More
WPP's Consumer Insight division has reported a meagre 2.3% rise in like-for-like revenue (1.3% actual) for the first half of the year, following slower growth in the US, the UK and Japan in the second quarter. However, pre-tax profits rose 37% to £334.3m. More
In the UK, former Vivid Interface data and customer research execs Lisa Holt, Jo Walther and Paul Kemp have formed a new quant and qual agency called Zing Insights. More
Synovate-owned Marketing Management Analytics (MMA) has opened an operation in Bangalore, India from which it plans to develop advanced predictive and optimization techniques for use with behavioural and attitudinal data. More
The world's 25 largest research firms had revenues of $18.8 billion in 2010, up 4.9% on the previous 'dismal' year - a 'very healthy turnaround' according to industry authority Jack Honomichl. However, 'real' revenues were not quite back to their 2008 levels, and some companies continued to shrink. More
David Nelems, the founder of market research video streaming specialist ActiveGroup Ventures, has returned to the company as Chief Executive Officer. He left the firm in 2007 following its sale to the MVL Group. More
Specialist research firm eyetracker has announced a deal with Royal Mail's Mail Media Centre to create what it calls 'Europe's first omnibus eye tracking research service for the Direct Mail industry'. More
UK success story FreshMinds has appointed Annette Müller as its new Managing Director, following the departure of Alistair Leathwood, announced last month. More
GfK has reported sales of EUR 660.1m in sales for the first half of 2011, reflecting 8.0% organic growth year-on-year. Adjusted operating income rose 16.8% (organic 18.0%) to EUR 83.9m. The Group has also announced the acquisition of a 25% stake in US firm MBI. More
Concept testing and forecasting software specialist Affinnova, Inc. has announced sales growth of 44% for the twelve months ending June 2011. More
Nunwood has relocated its New York operation to larger premises in the heart of Midtown Manhattan, to accommodate 'significant staff growth'. More
US-based online b2b marketing and targeting firm Genius has opened its first overseas office, in Leeds, UK, and appointed Mark Donkin to lead it as Managing Director. More
Online specialist YouGov has moved its US CEO Doug Rivers to the role of Chief Innovations Officer, with a seat on the plc Board. The firm has also promoted Definitive Insights co-founder Doss Struse to the position of President of YouGov America. More
In the UK, Viewpoint Field Services and Rosslyn Research have merged and been re-branded as Viewpoint Field & Studios under the leadership of Gale Blears, following the departure of former Rosslyn CEO Julian Green. More
MR and consulting firm Morpace has opened a new Asia Pacific operation in Shanghai, and appointed former Broadview Market Research manager Tong Zhou as Research Director there. More
Aegis Media has launched its specialist econometric and research consultancy ævolve in the APAC region, following its growth in the UK over the past ten years. The new arm will be led by former Nielsen exec Adam Hodgson. More
Information Services Group (ISG), the acquisition vehicle set up by former VNU boss Michael Connors, has reported its 'second best revenue quarter', fuelled by 51% growth versus the same period in 2010. More
Synovate has merged its global analytics consulting practice SMA with its Marketing Management Analytics (MMA) division, to provide clients with 'more accurate data and insights' about the behavior and attitudes of consumers. More
US technology researcher Gartner has reported a 16% revenue increase to $365.5m for the second quarter of 2011, while net income has leapt 60% to $32.2m, compared with Q2 2010. More
The co-founders of North of England-based Dipsticks Research, John and Fiona Raglan, have announced they are stepping back from the day-to-day management of the business, which will now be run by their former Operations Director Ivor Knox. More
Indian MR technology and operations company Annik is opening a new office in London, led by former Globalpark manager Alex Happe, and an office in Sydney, Australia headed by former employee Meena Kumari. More
Online survey and reporting software company Confirmit has opened its first German office in Cologne, to be led by Business Development Director Dan Starkey. More
In the UK, media agency Initiative has appointed former Associated Newspapers Insight Manager Liz Parker as Head of Research Worldwide. More
GfK has named a successor for Professor Dr. Klaus L. Wübbenhorst, who announced his decision to step down as CEO earlier in the year. Matthias Hartmann, 45, is currently Global Head of Strategy and Industries in the consulting division of IBM Global Business Services. More
Healthcare communications agency OPEN Health, a subsidiary of UK-based Chime Communications, has announced the opening of a new market research and brand planning arm, OPEN Plan. Cory Inglis will lead the new division as MD. More
Insight and communications group Creston has reported year-on-year revenue growth in the quarter ending 30th June of over 12%: however like-for-like revenue growth was just 2%. Creston made positive noises about the progress of its Insight division but did not release figures. More
US technology specialist Forrester Research has reported a 13.6% increase in second quarter revenue to $73.5m, compared with $64.7m in the prior year period. However, net income dropped 20% to $5.5m from $6.9m in Q2 2010. More
Nielsen has reported a 10% rise in revenue to $1.4 billion for the second quarter, the result of a 14% increase in its Buy consumer purchase behavior segment and a 4% increase in its Watch media research arm. More
Fresh from announcing its deal to buy Synovate, Ipsos has achieved organic growth of 6.3% in the first half of the year, reporting a 5.6% increase in revenues to EUR 558.2m. More
Chris Havemann, President and CEO of e-Rewards, is leaving the business to 'pursue new opportunities', but will remain in his current role until a replacement is selected. It is not yet known what his next career move will be. More
UK-based media and marketing analytics firm Ebiquity has reported a 108% increase in total revenue to £44.2m for the year ended 30 April 2011 (2010: £21m). During the period, operating profit doubled to £5.3m (2010: £2.6m). More
Ipsos has agreed to acquire Synovate for £525m (EUR 595m), creating the world's third largest market research company. The deal is to be funded with cash, new debt financing, and a rights offering to Ipsos shareholders. More
According to reports in the UK press, Publicis and WPP are both planning to make bids for the remainder of marcoms group Aegis, once it has completed the sale of its market research arm Synovate. More
In the UK, FreshMinds Research has announced that current MD Alistair Leathwood is leaving the business to re-locate to Australia. It is not known what his next career move will be. More
TNS has been awarded the Flash Eurobarometer contract by the European Commission and European Parliament, beating four rival bidders. The four-year contract could be worth up to EUR 60 million. More
In London, ad giant M&C Saatchi has taken a 25% stake in a new data and insight-based marketing consultancy, formed by two former Ogilvy strategists. More
In London, GfK NOP has appointed former YouGov director Neil Thorington as Deputy MD, GfK Financial, with a particular focus on implementing new digital research tools and techniques. More
Insights agency Nunwood has reported a 13.4% like-for-like sales increase in the first half of 2011, compared with the same period last year. Revenues for the period were more than £5.9m. More
UK-based analytics and social media monitoring specialist Alterian has found a replacement for founder and former CEO David Eldridge, who stepped down in April, following a full-year profits warning. His successor, Heath Davies, will join the company in September. More
Research consultancy Kadence International has opened 55 fieldwork offices across India, staffed by 225 new permanent members of staff supported by more than 700 telephone and face-to-face interviewers and supervisors. More
In London, Synovate has brought together a team of methodologists to investigate the value of non-verbal response techniques, and apply their findings to custom research projects. More
In the UK, it has been revealed that Doughty Hanson - which owns the Vue cinema chain - is the mystery company interested in buying Aegis' market research arm Synovate. More
Harris Interactive is planning to sub-let excess space in its US premises in Norwalk, Connecticut and Portland, Oregon, as well as in its UK offices in Brentford, Middlesex, in order to reduce costs. More
Kantar Health has promoted Werner Guminski to the position of CEO, Commercial Strategy, a role including responsibility for innovation. He most recently served as the firm's CEO, Global Practices. More
UK insight and marketing group Cello has reported that its research and consulting division has continued to 'show good like-for-like revenue growth' despite the loss of two significant retail research contracts, but has meanwhile made a number of staff redundancies. More
Database giant Infogroup has sold off its global market research arm ORC International to a group of the firm's senior managers, backed by Chicago-based private equity firm Lake Capital Management. Terms were not disclosed. More
Jennifer (Jenny) Bowen, co-founder of the MRBA (Market Research Benevolent Association) and a former Chair of the MRS, died suddenly earlier this year at the age of 78. More
In London, Asif Mirza has set up his own firm, Mobile Fieldwork, to offer mobile research and data collection services to market research, marketing, media and PR agencies, as well as end clients. More
Online audience measurement specialist comScore has signed a $50m 'revolving credit' deal with the Bank of America, which it plans to use for working capital and general corporate purposes. More
TNS has hired Martin Lambie-Nairn as Creative Director, a new position with a remit to improve the look and feel of the company's deliverables and work with local and global management to develop their creative capabilities. More
Behavioral advertising company Phorm yesterday reported an operating loss of $27.9m for the year ended December 2010. The company reported zero revenue for the period but says this will change in the current financial year. More
European physician community Networks in Health has announced an alliance with Australian counterpart e-healthspace.com.au , expanding its medical research resource by 9,000 doctors. More
GfK is to restructure its business following a major review, and from next January will operate through two new divisions, 'Consumer Choices' and 'Customer Experiences', under the new tagline: 'Own the Future'. More
Kantar Media has announced the European launch of its online behavioural measurement firm Compete, with the opening of a new office in London. More
Online sample provider uSamp has opened an office in London, to be led by former Greenfield/Ciao director Gaelle Normand. More
Kantar is to roll out MarketTools' TrueSample quality solution across its network, following the breakdown of the Promedius Group, the not-for-profit quality consortium it launched with GfK and Ipsos less than a year ago. More
UKOM, the cross-industry organisation set up to oversee the measurement of online audiences, is to begin a major review of its main audience contract next month, allowing time to consider 'major changes' before the end of the contract - currently with Nielsen - in December 2012. More
In the UK, former Nielsen colleagues Tony Meacock and David Timberlake have launched their own agency, The Marketing Information Company, to measure the effectiveness of market research agencies and help clients link payment to supplier performance. More
In the UK, legal sector market research specialist Acritas has reported a 'record' 60% rise in turnover to £1.6m for the year 2010. The firm is now planning to secure work in China as part of its worldwide expansion. More
Irish analytics firm Nathean Technologies has received EUR 800k in funding, and says it plans to hire up to ten new employees, double exports, and increase revenues by at least 50% this year. More
Research firm Kadence International has increased the size of the CATI facility at its London HQ from 50 to 75 stations. More
A group of private equity firms has formed a holding company called Whitefield, tasked with acquiring a global network of analytics-driven marketing solutions companies. More
In London, GfK HealthCare has appointed former Adelphi International Research MD David Mackenzie as Global Head of Country Strategic Development, liaising with local teams across the firm to develop new and existing clients. More
In the UK, the government has confirmed it will scrap the 65-year-old Central Office of Information (COI), and in the meantime has cut its annual marketing and advertising budget by nearly 70% to £170m. More
US-based comms market specialist Infonetics Research has opened an office in the UK, led by George Stojsavljevic as Senior Account Director for EMEA; and an office in Amsterdam in the Netherlands. More
UK-based Creston has reported a 7.5% decline in its Insight Division revenue to £14.8m for the year ended 31 March 2011 from £16m last year, while headline profit before interest and tax dropped from £4.9m to £4.1m. However, other divisions helped the group as a whole to grow. More
Harris Interactive's former President and CEO Kimberly Till is to receive a $900k severance payment, while former CFO Pavan Bhalla gets $127k. More
Marketing services network McCann Worldgroup has hired Marc Schwartz as Global Director of Performance Analytics and moved Laura Simpson from London to become Global IQ Director, heading up a new NYC-based Marketing Sciences practice. More
Panel and sample specialist Cint has promoted Terence McCarron to the role of Managing Director of North America, following the departure of Michael McCrary after just a year in the post. McCarron was previously SVP of North American Sales. More
The UK market research industry all but halted the decline in its revenues in 2010, according to research carried out by the MRS (Market Research Society). Following a fall of 4.7% the previous year, revenues eased off just 0.2% in 2010 to £2.06 billion. More
In the US, the Nasdaq Stock Market has given Harris Interactive another notice of a possible delisting, following a drop in its share price below $1. This news follows last week's shake-up in the firm's leadership, and the departure of Chief Finance Officer Pavan Bhalla. More
US-based product innovation technology firm Affinnova is opening offices in France and Germany, adding to its existing European presence in the UK and Switzerland. In addition, it has hired former Nielsen and Ipsos exec Jerome Simulin to lead its extended European operations. More
Former Yahoo! Europe VP Stephen Taylor has become Chairman of Manchester, UK-based call tracking and web analytics firm AdInsight. More
Marketing and customer intelligence software provider smartFOCUS has been acquired by online campaign manager Emailvision, in a deal reported to be valued at £25.3m in cash. More
Synovate has opened an office in Vietnam, where it has appointed Rodolphe Jounot as Managing Director. More
African boutique management consultancy Ciuci Consulting (pronounced see-u-see) is preparing to open a 'knowledge centre' in the UK, from where it will offer Nigerian companies access to market intelligence for competitor and product analysis, and consumer insights. More
London-based co-creation agency Promise Group has appointed former FreshMinds Head of Consumer Research Phil Burgess as Consultancy Director for its Promise Communities division. More
WPP Chief Exec Sir Martin Sorrell has suggested that the group may double the amount available for acquisitions this year, as it looks to invest in new media and emerging markets and take advantage of better conditions in the ad industry. More
The Bank of England has revealed in an article in its latest 'Quarterly Bulletin' that it is using Google 'Insights for Search' to gather information on the state of the British economy. More
UK-based agency Virtual Surveys has re-branded under the name 'Join the Dots', which it says reflects its growth and development, as well as its evolving business focus. More
London-based consumer research agency Firefish has appointed ten new members of staff - including three execs from Rosenblatt Research - bringing the total number of employees to 48. More
After ten years in Shoreditch, research agency Illuminas is to move its London team to larger premises close to Mornington Crescent tube station. More
UK-based online research specialist BrainJuicer has appointed Matte Wicklin to oversee its activities in the American south and southeast regions. More
In the UK, Creston-owned ICM Direct has appointed former Research Now panel specialist Pat McCarthy as Head of its online research division. More
Healthcare data collection firm WorldOne has opened an office in Hamburg; and announced the appointment of Rhona Himmelmann as Business Development Manager in Germany. More
The BIG Conference Committee is not known for its lack of confidence, and it didn't shy away from the challenge of organizing a stimulating morning after the night before on Friday 13th of May. Teresa Lynch, Features Editor was in her seat when many were not. More
Online survey and reporting software company Confirmit is to open a subsidiary in Frankfurt, Germany in August, from which it will serve local businesses. More
ruby cha cha - the Sydney-based research-based planning agency which was founded in 2008 by three former directors of The Leading Edge (TLE) - has opened an office in London from which to service UK and global clients. More
In the UK, international healthcare data collection agency Adept Field Solutions has moved to larger offices in Kingston-upon-Thames, where it has appointed former QUIT and Synovate Healthcare exec Andrew Stripp as Senior Project Manager. More
Synovate has announced the global launch of mobile research capabilities including SMS / text and mobile online surveys, as well as app development. Thomas Edwards has been promoted to lead the initiative. More
The Research & Engagement Division of UK-based marcoms group Chime has announced the launch of the Trust Accelerator, a new tool which allows businesses to identify their trust ratings. The division is also rebranding as CIE. More
Belgian-based research agency InSites Consulting has announced four new hires for its London office. They include two new Business Directors: former senior GfK exec Aaron Rattue, and Simon McDonald, until now a Managing Partner at Australian-based agency The Leading Edge. More
UK-based marcomms group Media Square plc, which owns research agency Illuminas, has reported a 15% revenue increase year-on-year, and all but wiped out the loss it made in 2009-10. More
Text analytics specialist Clarabridge has released a new version of its 'Tower' software, and formally opened its EMEA headquarters in West London. More
In the north of England, MR agency DJS Research Ltd has reported annual turnover of around £1.5m, another rapid rise after exceptional results the previous year. The company has added eight new members of staff so far in 2011 and recently announced two promotions. More
medeConnect Healthcare Insight, the MR division of doctors.net.uk, is the leading force in a new alliance, Networks in Health, billed as the largest alliance of professional physician communities in Europe. The firm has also hired Nicola Miles in a senior Business Development role. More
Global information company Experian is said to be looking for possible acquisitions in India, in sectors including web analytics, knowledge process outsourcing, business information and digital marketing. More
Following two warnings last month Alterian, the analytical software company, has published figures today for the full year to the end of March. The numbers confirm a swing into the red with revenue declining slightly despite rising costs. More
Research Now has hired Kevin Murphy in the role of Chief Technology Officer (CTO). He brings nearly 30 years of experience in the IT industry, most recently from ecommerce and payment solutions provider First Data Corporation where he was SVP of Retail and Alliance Services Product Delivery. More
The European branch of The Mystery Shopper Providers Association (MSPA Europe) has appointed Nigel Cover of Grass Roots as its President for the next two years. More
Online sampling and panels specialist Research Now has introduced a new smartphone app, billed as the first in a series of mobile data collection capabilities to be launched this year. More
Speech technology specialist VoxGen has been awarded a grant from Germany's Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology, to develop tools and processes to help clients design and manage cross-channel customer service strategies. More
Kantar has today announced a partnership with online facilities company ActiveGroup Ventures, giving the research giant worldwide access to facility based research via video streaming. More
In London, market research agency BrainJuicer has appointed Federico Trovato, former Head of Consumer and Market Intelligence at Philips - as Chief Client Satisfaction Officer. He will also join the Executive Management Team and will start in August. More
Brand and marketing insight consultancy Added Value has announced four senior promotions, consisting of two newly created Offer Development roles and two moves from Europe to the US. More
Synovate has reported 'strong growth' in North America and other regions during quarter one, but says 'difficult market conditions' continue to impact the businesses in Southern Europe while the UK market remains 'challenging'. More
European market research software firm Askia has opened a new office in Mannheim, Germany, where it has appointed former Voxco director Dietmar Dzierzawa as Managing Director. More
US-based survey and panel management software firm Kinesis Survey Technologies has expanded its London office with the addition of customer and technical support functions for clients based in Europe; and appointed Paolo Marini to head them up. More
In the UK, full service agency FreshMinds has made nine new appointments on the back of what it describes as 'record results' with turnover growing by more than 20% in the past six months. More
Kantar Chairman and CEO Eric Salama has taken on the additional role of CEO of TNS from Pedro Ros, who now becomes TNS non-executive Chairman. Ros replaces Jamie Hall, who will leave the business 'as planned' at some point in 2011. More
In Australia, Photon-owned insights and strategy consultancy The Leading Edge (TLE) has created three new senior roles as part of the expansion of its global network; moved Tim Riches to the role of MD of its Sydney office; and announced three further senior hires. More
Healthcare specialist M3 Global Research has relocated its UK focus group facility to Hammersmith, London, and opened an office in Princeton, New Jersey. More
Nunwood has appointed Alan Bergstrom as its new Head of Brand & Comms Strategy, dividing his time between Madison, Wisconsin and New York. More
Apple is the world's number 1 brand by a distance, adding 84% to last year's valuation to leapfrog mobile o/s rival Google, according to Millward Brown's Brandz index, just published. More
Electronics market specialist IMS Research has set up a Touch Market Research & Consulting practice in the US, and appointed touch technology specialist Geoff Walker to lead it as Principal Analyst. More
US technology researcher Gartner has reported an 11% increase in first quarter revenue to $329.6m, with a 50% rise in net income to $29.2m, compared with $19.4m in Q1 2010. The company has now seen net income rise in the last four quarters. More
BrainJuicer CEO John Kearon has sold 700,000 company shares and CFO James Geddes 75,000, in response to 'institutional demand' from investors wanting to take a stake in the company. More
Investment firm Robaco International has launched an online sample marketplace called ex-sample.com, through which panel providers can bid to win projects from market research agencies. More
In the US, Harris Interactive has brought back its former Chief Operating Officer Al Angrisani to advise it on turnaround strategy, following a 9% revenue drop in quarterly revenue. More
MR outsourcing firm Ugam is planning to increase its workforce in India by 30% in the next year, with the majority of new hires at its operation at Saravanampatty, in Coimbatore in Southern India. More
Consumer insight revenues at WPP have risen 3.4% on a constant currency basis, to £552.8m in the first quarter of 2011, compared with £542.5m in the prior year period. More
Ipsos has reported first quarter 2011 revenues up 9.8% to EUR 260.1m, from EUR 236.9m in the prior year period - equivalent to 6.2% organic growth. More
Indian data collection firm Advaith has opened an office in the UK, where it has appointed former Pulse Group exec Jonathan Sheldrake as Sales Director for Europe. More
UK-based full service agency SPA Future Thinking has acquired the Munro Group, the parent of research agencies FDS International, Maven Research, M-Lab, and 3000ft Strategic Insight. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Insights agency Nunwood has reported an 18% rise in first quarter revenue to £2.8m, compared like-for-like with sales in the prior year period. More
Unilever has sold its remaining 13.5% stake in online research specialist BrainJuicer, offloading c.1.68m BrainJuicer shares for £2.35 each, and raising around £3.9m in the process. More
In the UK, insight and marketing group Cello has promoted Insight Research Joint MD Jane Shirley and John Rowley, the CEO of its comms division, to the posts of Joint Group Managing Directors, reporting to the main Board. More
In the UK, Infogroup-owned ORC International has launched a new Data Solutions group, which will help clients handle large amounts of complex research and administrative data. More
UK marketing budgets were revised down again in Q1 2011 in response to public sector spending cuts and rapidly rising cost pressures, according to the latest Bellwether survey published by ad association the IPA. More
Online panel and survey tech firm Toluna has announced two senior hires: John Bremer joins as Chief Research Officer (CRO) and Peter Shafer as Senior Vice President, Enterprise Solutions. More
In the UK, online analytics and visitor behaviour specialist Intellitracker has changed its name to Cognesia, reflecting a shift in focus towards behavioural targeting. More
Shares in UK-based analytics software company Alterian have plunged by more than a third, after the firm issued its second profits warning in just over a week. More
UK-based global agency Kadence International has launched what it describes as the first Hong Kong viewing facility located within easy reach of the central business district (CBD). More
Behavioral targeting platform Rocket Fuel has secured $6.6m in Series C funding, which it will use for new product development. The firm has also made its behavioural profiling technology available in the UK through the opening of European headquarters in London. More
Panel and survey technology provider Toluna has launched an iPhone app to facilitate survey response from its four million panellists. More
In the UK, Facts International Chairman Nick Lamb is selling his 25% stake in the business to the firm's parent company Chime Communications for £1.7m. More
In the UK, medical market research agency Purdie Pascoe has re-located its office within London SW11, and appointed Debbie Higham as Research Director. More
UK-based pollster and online MR firm YouGov plc has agreed to acquire Portland, Oregon-based Definitive Insights (DI), for an initial consideration of $1m and further performance-related payments adding to an anticipated $4.8m. YouGov also announced half-year revenue up 26.8% with an improved profit margin of 8.1%. More
UK-based analytics software company Alterian has announced that its Chief Executive David Eldridge will step down following a full-year profits warning. More
For the financial year 2010, GfK has reported an 11.1% rise in income to a record EUR 1.29 billion. Adjusted operating income climbed from EUR 147.2m to EUR 185.0m with operating margin also at a historical high, 14.3%. More
Synovate has promoted Jon Harper to the post of Global Head of Brand & Communications in London, and John Carroll to Global Head of Customer Experience in Chicago. More
In the UK, Holden Pearmain co-founder David Pearmain has returned to agency life after a year as a consultant, joining Impact Research, a company started by two of his former employees. More
Kantar Health has appointed Jim Needell as Managing Director for the UK. He joins from sister company Worldpanel, where he was most recently Commercial Director, UK and Ireland. More
French financier Vincent Bolloré has indicated that he may be willing to sell his 26.5% stake in Synovate's parent firm Aegis, according to a report in the UK's Guardian newspaper. More
Global online sampling and data collection firm Research Now has moved Martin Filz from Sydney, Australia to the position of Managing Director in the UK. He is replaced in his previous role as Managing Director for Asia Pacific by James Burge. More
In London, automotive research veteran Andy Turton has returned to TNS as Client Services Director for the Global Automotive Sector. More
Online research specialist BrainJuicer has reported a 38% revenue rise to £16.36m for the 12 months ended 31 December 2010 (2009: £11.81m), with growth driven primarily by its UK and North America teams which represent 48% and 25% of business respectively. More
Chancellor George Osborne is working hard to persuade Sir Martin Sorrell to move WPP's tax base back from Ireland to the UK, according to reports in the Daily Telegraph. More
Insight-focused Havas agency MPG Media Contacts is reorganising its Strategy Department into two distinct functions, and strengthening it with a number of promotions and hires. More
Healthcare data collection specialist WorldOne has completed the expansion of its London office. More
In the UK, a review undertaken to decide the future of the COI has called for the department to be axed and replaced with a Government Communications Centre (GCC), responsible for keeping a tighter rein on advertising and marketing spend. More
Aegis has reported a return to full year growth in its research arm Synovate, where takings rose 9.8% to £572.6m and operating profit (at constant currencies) increased 19.4% to £45.6m. More
Global business-to-business market research and intelligence specialist B2B International has opened a sales office in Brussels. The firm has also added new recruits in the UK, US and China. More
UK-based insight and marketing group Cello has reported flat revenue for the year 2010 (£59.9m), but also a return to operating profit of £5.5m from a 2009 loss of £1.5m. Cello has also announced it will buy US healthcare communications company MedErgy HealthGroup from its owner DVC Worldwide. More
UK-based digital user experience (Ux) consultancy HeathWallace has established a new team in Melbourne, with the aim of expanding across Australia. More
Sample exchange operator Cint has announced two partnerships this week, integrating its CPX exchange with DIY online tool SurveyGizmo and with the advanced questionnaire design and data collection services of Action Dialog Partner (ADP). More
London-based online co-creation platform The Sense Network is relaunching after a decade, with a new site architecture facilitating collaboration with other agencies and allowing its 2,000 members to take a more active role, launching and managing their own collaborative projects. More
UK-based Verve has appointed two former Vision Critical execs - Steevan Glover as Director of Commercial Development and Andrew Reid as Managing Director. Reid replaces Jeannie Arthur who is leaving to set up a new business. More
UK marcoms group Chime has reported that its research arm is back in profit and growing again, with 2010 revenue up 18% to £10.3m and operating income climbing 26% to £7.3m in the past 12 months. More
US text analytics firm Clarabridge has hired software industry veteran Darren Jaffrey to lead its new European headquarters in London. More
Online panel firm Toluna has reported 2010 group revenues of £73.6m, up from £49.5m in 2009 - but on a pro forma basis allowing for the Greenfield ISS acquisition, the rise was just 2%. Profit after tax, however, jumped to £6.6m from £1.6m in 2009. More
In the UK, Jim Law, the former Managing Director of Cello-owned social research agency mruk, has opened a new research consultancy in Glasgow, offering a full range of qual and quant services to clients in both the private and public sectors. More
In the UK, the Central Office of Information's Chief Executive Mark Lund is to leave in May after two years in the role, to set up a new private sector company. More
UK-based medical professionals' network doctors.net.uk has partnered with coliquio, a firm which runs online physician communities for the German speaking countries of Germany, Austria and Switzerland. More
In London, Progressive Digital Media (PDM) - the parent of online research firms The iD Factor and ICD Research - has reported a 29.4% rise in group revenue to £48.0m for 2010 (2009: £37.1m). More
Marcoms giant WPP has recorded a 4.4% increase in 2010 revenues to £2.43 billion in its Consumer Insight division. Meanwhile operating margins improved by 1.1 points to 9.7%. More
Online sample exchange Cint has moved to bigger premises in Farringdon, London, having outgrown its previous offices in Oxford Circus where it moved just two years ago. The firm has also relocated its Southern Europe team to new space in Barcelona. More
B2B International has reported 2010 revenue up to £3.8m from £3.5m in 2009, driven by its US subsidiary which saw 58% year-on-year growth during the period. The company's UK/mainland Europe operation grew 8%. More
Pharma services group P\S\L has appointed former Synovate M&A leader Peter Chopra to a newly created position, Chief Strategy Officer. Research companies are likely to be among its initial acquisition targets. More
Research software company Confirmit has announced record revenues for 2010, with double-digit organic growth leading to fourth quarter revenue of US$16m. More
In the UK Jonathan Francis, the founder of forecasting specialist Market Dynamics, has set up a new consultancy called Tresell, focused on improving clients' return on marketing investment. More
In the US, social media engagement firm Vitrue has closed a $17m Series C financing round, which it plans to use to open new domestic and international offices and hire between 100 and 150 new staff for them. More
Online measurement specialist comScore has recorded 'record quarterly revenue' - up 52% on the previous year to $51.2m - while reporting a net loss of $494k compared with net income of $1.6m, resulting from acquisition and severance costs. More
Online panel and research technology firm Toluna is to be taken private, in a deal valuing the company at £161m ($259m). Toluna's third-largest shareholder, family-owned Belgian company Verlinvest will fund the acquisition from its own assets and has formed a company called ITWP to complete it. More
Harris Interactive, which is in the process of restructuring its UK business following a major contract loss, today announced the appointment of Steve Reiman, an expert in managing online communities and usability trials, as Head of Qualitative Research. More
Global news and information giant Thomson Reuters has returned to revenue growth in 2010, but with heavy investment and acquisitions saw a 7% drop in underlying profit and is reportedly preparing to make hundreds of job cuts in its global Markets division. More
UK-based Ipsos MORI has appointed Dr. Denise Fairhurst as Head of Employee Relationship Management, while parent company Ipsos has appointed Sonia Pall as its new Country Manager and CEO in India. More
In the UK, citizen engagement specialists Jonathan MacDonald and Tayo Medupin have set up a marketing platform called Human Dialogue, which offers panellist feedback and consultancy advice to help companies optimize their mobile marketing campaigns. More
US online survey management software firm Vovici has established a European presence with the opening of an office in Kingston-upon-Thames in the UK. More
Online research specialist YouGov has hooked up with digital marketing agency Adform to offer a service which tests how one or more banner ads are received by a target group prior to a campaign being launched. More
US-based customer feedback firm Mindshare Technologies and Munich-based mystery shopping specialist International Service Check have partnered to launch a new venture called 'Fast Insight', which they plan to roll out across Europe and the Middle East. More
In London, Language Connect - a specialist in language services for market research - is relocating its head office from Borough to larger premises near Bermondsey Square, in preparation for the expansion of its UK team to 50 staff by the end of the year. More
The US office of market research and insight agency Kadence International has reported a 98% increase in insight-driven revenues to $1.4m for the last six months of 2010, compared with the same period in 2009. More
Harris Interactive has announced revenue up 2% at constant currencies to $44.9m, along with a small profit, for the second quarter of its fiscal year 2011. More
Harris Interactive has appointed Nathalie Perrio-Combeaux and Patrick Van Bloeme as co-CEOs of its UK operations, replacing Robert Salvoni whose position as President, International has been eliminated as part of a 'shake-up' of the UK business. More
Survey reporting and distribution company Dapresy has opened a German office, in Berlin, and appointed Mats Flodin to it as Sales Manager. More
German product, pricing and marketing strategy specialist Simon-Kucher has reported a 19% rise in 2010 revenue to EUR 105.4m - passing the EUR 100m milestone for the first time in its 25-year history. More
Synovate has appointed Amaury de Condé as CEO of Southern Europe and Managing Director of Synovate in France, to oversee all aspects of its business in France, Italy, Belgium and Greece, with the MDs of the last three countries reporting to him. More
A strategic alliance has been announced between UK-based medical professionals' network doctors.net.uk, and Global Média Santé, owner of Egora, a similar community comprising physicians and other health professionals in France. More
In the UK, Chime Communications' Research & Engagement Division has hired Rosy Goodrick, Winston Chesterfield and Laurence Palfreyman for Opinion Leader in London, and Caroline Holman and David Winstone at Facts International in Kent. More
UK-based insight consultancy Truth has promoted Senior Partners Neil Coburn to the position of Head of Global and Leanne Tomasevic to Head of UK, in advance of further overseas expansion planned for later in the year. More
UK-based media and marketing insights specialist Ebiquity has reported a 122% climb in total group revenues to £20.5m (2009: £9.3m) for the six months ended 31 October 2010, partly driven by its acquisition of ad and media intelligence firm Xtreme Information last April. More
In its 2010 pre-close update, UK-based Cello Group has recorded a 'strong second half' for its market research and consulting business, and says it expects to report a 20% plus like-for-like rise in operating profits. More
London-based BrainJuicer has released an update for the financial year ending 31st December 2010, with a revenue increase of more than 35% to £16m. Final results will be announced on 24th March this year. More
In the UK, user experience design agencies Foolproof and Flow Interactive have merged, to create what they describe as 'Europe's largest specialist UX agency' with 70 staff and initial turnover in excess of £5.5m. More
In Germany, search analytics and web intelligence provider Searchmetrics has secured a $6.75m investment, earmarked for continued international expansion. More
In the UK, former TNS Healthcare colleagues Steve Lowery and Philippa Hammerton have launched Red Leaf Research - a full service MR consultancy with specialist expertise in the healthcare and consumer sectors. More
UK consultancy Simpson Carpenter has launched a new healthcare and pharmaceutical research division, headed by Anna Sawka who joins from Aequus Research. Further appointments are planned for early 2011. More
Evolution - the new joint venture between DVL Smith and DGL Consulting - has partnered with Research Now to conduct a syndicated insurance study among UK SMEs. The study will probe small firms' insurance needs, beliefs and purchasing patterns. More
In the UK, a group of CEOs led by Paul Lindley, the founder of ethical children's food firm Ella's Kitchen, has called for tax relief on investment in consumer insight aimed at developing new products and services. More
In the UK, former Opinion Health sales specialist Julian Haste has launched Research Runner - a business development consultancy for MR firms. More
US translation and transcription tech firm Language Logic is to establish a presence in the European market, to focus on sales of its Ascribe products and services and its soon-to-be-launched text analytics solution. More
UK-based agency Nunwood has recorded double digit growth in 2010, with a 10% rise in revenues to more than £11m ($17.6m). The firm has also announced two senior management changes. More
TNS has kicked off the new year with a new 'global positioning' known as DISCOVER, which it says reflects its commitment to 'leading the way in research into new frontiers and making discoveries that help clients to develop opportunities'. More
TNS has acquired a majority stake in the Research and Marketing Services (RMS) group of companies in West and Central Africa. More
Online research specialist YouGov's German arm YouGovPsychonomics has disposed of its subsidiary 'Great Place to Work Deutschland' (GPW Germany) through a management cash buy-out of shares valued at c.£800k. More
In the UK, marcoms consultancy Smye Holland Associates is planning further overseas expansion in 2011, following the appointment of Onno Jol as General Manager of its operations in The Netherlands. More
In the UK, media and marketing analytics specialist Ebiquity is relocating to North Tyneside, as it merges its London and Newcastle offices. Around 60 new jobs have been created ahead of the move, and the firm says there is potential for further expansion within months. More
In the UK Graham Farrant, formerly Operations Director at NatCen, has set up Your Site Check, a firm which applies cognitive methodologies to test and evaluate web sites. More
In the UK, the National Magazine Company (NatMag) has recruited Asos exec Aida Muirhead for its newly created role of Research and Insight Director, responsible for creating, developing and managing its centralised insight team. More
US-based cleantech market research and consulting firm Pike Research has opened a European HQ in London, where it has recruited a number of industry analysts and business development staff. More
Andy Dexter's agency Truth scooped the blue riband Best Agency award at last night's annual MRS bash in London. A noisy crowd at the capital's Lancaster London Hotel saw Verve take the Best Newcomer, while innovative agencies Firefish and BrainJuicer took three and two awards respectively. More
Vision Critical has hired Mike Stevens, formerly a divisional head at Simpson Carpenter, as Senior Vice President of UK Research. More
UK research agency FreshMinds has hired former JRA exec Niall Smith as Head of Research Expertise and Development, responsible for providing methodological expertise to its 40 researchers and working across its diverse client portfolio. More
UK marketing services group Panovus has brought together a number of its firms to launch a data and information services agency. Led by new hire Andy Taylor, its offer includes data planning and management, prospect acquisitions, research and intelligence, and data analytics. More
UK-based web site visitor tracking specialist Prospectvision has opened an office in the US, near Grand Rapids, Michigan. More
Less than three months after joining Nunwood to lead its new Los Angeles office, industry veteran Jane Ormiston has left to take up the post of EVP of Marketing Insights North America for online specialist YouGov. More
In the US, cleantech market intelligence firm Pike Research has opened an office in Washington DC, from where it plans to 'get closer' to players in the energy industry and in government. The firm is also planning to open an office in London in the near future. More
In the US, Insight Research Group has re-located its Insight Health US team to new offices in Midtown Manhattan, where it has made four appointments. More
US agency Radius Global Market Research has opened a new London office, dedicated to serving clients in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The venture is being led by former Ipsos Director Michael Fodor. More
In the UK, semiotics expert Ginny Valentine died yesterday, following a lengthy illness. More
UK-based marcoms group Creston has reported a 2% decline in first half revenue for its Insight division - which it describes as a 'resilient performance' against a backdrop of government cuts which have affected both its research agencies, ICM and Marketing Sciences. More
WPP has raised its 2011 growth forecast, with Martin Sorrell suggesting the group will also be able to raise its dividend. Separately, the group has reportedly invested in a new consultancy venture launched by former Business Secretary Lord Mandelson. More
Offshore business process outsourcing (BPO) firm WNS has opened a European HQ in London, to support its expansion in the region. More
UK-based sports consultancy TSE Group is to be converted into an international marcoms business called Porta Communications, which will act as an investment vehicle for buying market research, PR and advertising firms. More
Launched in London and New York, a new firm called Amplicate will provide access to statistics gathered from more than 40 million consumer opinions, on the products, services and issues they love and hate. More
Software giant Adobe is planning to open a new data centre outside London, to serve clients of its Omniture Business Unit in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. More
UK-based insight consultancy Truth is anticipating a 40% year-on-year sales increase to £7m for 2010, mostly as a result of an increase in international assignments. More
UK media intelligence agency Durrants has acquired a stake in Brighton-based social media monitoring company Brandwatch, which now aims to expand its US offer and extend its service to cover Russia and China. More
Wi-fi data accidentally collected by Google's Street View cars will be deleted 'as soon as possible', according to the office of the UK's Information Commissioner. Separately, US and UK privacy policy unfolds and is criticised; and Tim Berners-Lee expresses fatherly concern. More
Nunwood has promoted Andy Moore to the position of Global Managing Director, with responsibility for the firm's operations across the European, US and APAC regions. He takes over from Phil Rushfirth, who is moving to Los Angeles to drive the US business. More
Kadence International has reported a 59% increase in global revenues to $4.2m for the first quarter of its new financial year - the period between July and September of 2010 - compared with the same period in 2009. More
In the UK, Cello-owned agencies RS Consulting and mruk are to work in closer partnership, creating what they describe as a 'research powerhouse' for the public sector. Both brands will continue to operate separately. More
In Leeds, UK, three former Nunwood Board directors have founded full service agency Boxclever. More
WPP is merging its business advisory and public opinion research firm Public Strategies with its international communications agency Hill and Knowlton (H&K), to offer joint capabilities in public affairs, research, digital and financial services. More
In the UK, TNS has moved James Fergusson to the post of Global Technology Head, responsible for leading the sector team and strengthening its presence across all markets. More
In the UK, Chime's Research and Engagement division - which includes Facts International, Opinion Leader Research, CaucusWorld, acefieldwork, Naked Eye and Brand Democracy - says it is expecting increased profit in the second half year. More
Lightspeed Research has moved its global headquarters from Basking Ridge to Warren, also in New Jersey. More
GfK has announced third quarter organic sales growth of 9.2%, up from an already strong 8.0% in the second quarter and 5.3% in the first quarter; and adjusted operating income up 27% to EUR 48.5m. More
Synovate parent Aegis Group has reported organic revenue growth of 9.7% in the third quarter, and 5.2% for the nine month period, but has warned of slower growth in the fourth quarter. Synovate outperformed the media division with revenue up 11.5% for the quarter and 5.7% over 9 months. More
UK research veteran David Smith has teamed up with management consultants Adam Riley and Jennifer Del Carlo to form Evolution Research, which will offer syndicated sector reports combined with consultancy services. More
Synovate has launched a global analytics consulting practice, Synovate Management Analytics (SMA), promising clients the ability to make holistic, strategic decisions by integrating research, analytics and data sources for each project. More
Caroline Plumb, co-founder of UK research agency FreshMinds, has been named in the UK government's new line-up of Business Ambassadors. More
Online sampling and data collection company Research Now has relocated its headquarters from Dallas to a larger site in Plano, Texas, with future growth in mind. More
In the UK, experienced social and market researchers Jon Batterham and Tom Levesley have launched a new agency - Chrysalis Research - specialising in education, employment and skills, and health. More
Research and measurement consultancy StrategyOne (S1), part of the Edelman group, has opened a Brussels office to focus on public affairs work at the EU and national levels. Antoine Harary, Director for Continental Europe, will head it up. More
Texas-based researcher Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is to open a European Operations centre in the Ballybrit Business Park, Galway, Ireland, creating fifty new jobs over the next five years. More
In the UK, home products giant Unilever has sold a further 720,000 shares in online market research specialist BrainJuicer, reducing its stake in the firm to 14.2%. More
Ahead of its official financial report which will be published on 15th November, GfK has announced a 10.8% revenue increase to EUR 931m for the first nine months of 2010 (prior year: EUR 840.2m), of which 7.4% is attributable to organic sales growth. More
UK-based Verve - which specialises in customer advisory panels and online brand communities - has appointed five new members of staff, and promoted Client Services Director Jeremy Hollow to the position of Sales Director. More
Washington, DC-based polling firm Greenberg Quinlan Rosner has opened its first European office in London, managed by Labour Party Leader Ed Milliband's former speechwriter, James Morris. More
YouGov has announced preliminary results for the year ended 31 July 2010, with a good second half performance bringing full year results in line with expectations after a fall in late 2009. One-off items led to a substantial reported operating loss of £9.6m (2009: £0.7m). More
UK marketing services firm PharmaGems has partnered with data integration agency Cognicient, to enable healthcare companies and their market research agencies to link new studies with existing data. More
Nunwood has opened an office in Sydney, Australia, headed by former BBC researcher Anna Thomas who joins the company as Joint Managing Director, APAC. Meanwhile Ann Thompson is promoted to Joint MD based in Auckland, NZ. More
Synovate has named Peter Huijboom as its second CEO of Geographies, following last week's news that former Synovate Healthcare CEO Michael Spedding had rejoined the firm to take up a position with the same title. More
TNS has re-organised its operations in Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa (APMEA) into two separate regions - TNS Africa and Middle East (AME) led by Kim Macilwaine and TNS Asia Pacific (APAC) headed by Chris Riquier. More
In the US, Harris Interactive has named Pavan Bhalla as its new Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, replacing Robert Cox who left the firm last year. More
US-based online video research solutions provider Qualvu has opened an office in Dublin, from which to serve its European clients. The new operation is led by former ad agency account planner and research consultant Anne-Marie O'Sullivan. More
TNS has formed a new central division called Corporate Development, incorporating a number of current areas of marketing and strategy expertise. Matthew Froggatt, until now Technology Sector Head, has been appointed to lead the new unit as Chief Development Officer. More
In the UK, home products giant Unilever has sold nearly half its shares in online market research specialist BrainJuicer - equivalent to around 16% of the company - raising around £4.1m in the process. More
In the UK, CSA Recruitment - which specialises in market and social research staff recruitment - has appointed former Aquent consultant Bridget Barry as an Associate Partner. More
Behavioural targeting firm Phorm has posted a loss before tax of $15.7m (£9.8m) in the six months to the end of June, and is still using up cash reserves at $1.8m a month; but reports better than expected opt-in rates in Brazil, where its offer is nearing commercial launch. More
Former Synovate Healthcare CEO Michael Spedding has returned to the company with the title of 'CEO, Geographies'. More
In London, Opinion Leader Research (OLR) has appointed GfK NOP director Michael Thompson as Research Director, and DSGi customer experience specialist Shaendel Hallett as Client Services Director. Both will take up their roles within the next couple of months. More
Panels and MR technology firm Toluna has hired former Harris Interactive leader Dr. George Terhanian as its Group Chief Strategy and Products Officer. More
GfK is restructuring its healthcare management team under a single brand with the appointment of Stephen Hearn to the newly created post of Global Head of GfK HealthCare, and the transition of Richard Vanderveer from CEO of the division to a consulting role. More
Chime company Facts International has announced the acquisition of London-based acefieldwork, part of Munro Global, for an undisclosed sum. The companies will continue to trade separately under their existing brand names until next year when they will merge. More
Panel firm e-Rewards, Inc. has announced that it is adopting the name of its recent acquisition, Research Now, on a worldwide basis with immediate effect; and is introducing a new corporate identity. More
UK-based data collection agency Perspective is to merge with Continental Direct, a subsidiary of the former Continental Research, creating a new firm, Perspective Research Services, which will launch officially on 1st October 2010. More
London-based financial services MR firm Lafferty Group has launched an office in India, and appointed Arvind Agrawal to head it up. More
UK-based agency BrainJuicer has formally announced 49% revenue growth to £7.2m for the first half of 2010. Operating profit was up 119%, and profit before tax 108%. More
Electronics publications and events firm EE Times Group, a subsidiary of UBM, has partnered with semiconductor MR specialist Merrill Research & Associates to launch EE Intelligence, a robust online research panel focused on electronics research. More
London-based online agency Opinium Research has announced four appointments. The arrival of Jeremy Marshall, Paul Crooke, Gregory Absalom and Ross Leibbrandt will help the firm to expand following strong results in the summer. More
Vision Critical has promoted Monique Morden to the role of President of its Global Partner Program and Chief Operating Officer for National Panels, and says it aims to expand the Program rapidly. More
George Terhanian, Harris Interactive's long-time European chief and more recently in charge of its US Centers of Excellence, is to leave the firm at the end of the month 'to pursue another career opportunity'. More
US-based research technology specialist Decipher has reported 55% year-over-year revenue growth for the first six months of 2010. The firm is about to move to a new office in Los Angeles, and is planning to open facilities in Manhattan and London in the coming months. More
Online panel and technology firm Toluna has reported a 164% increase in revenues to £36.2m for the six months ended 30 June 2010, which it says reflects the successful integration of Greenfield Online ISS into the group. More
London-based qualitative specialist Firefish has launched a quantitative practice led by former RS Consulting MD, Neil Swan. The agency has also reported sales growth of 69% to £3.3m for the first half of the year. More
In the UK, global data collection agency Field Facts Worldwide has been put up for sale by administrator and business recovery specialist Leonard Curtis. Sources suggest that overseas facilities belonging to the firm have closed. More
Sample marketplace firm Cint has secured a $13m investment, earmarked for expanding the business in both new and existing markets, extending its product portfolio and strengthening its team. More
US online measurement giant comScore has appointed Wolf Allisat as Executive Vice President, responsible for overseeing international expansion strategy in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. More
Market research and consulting group Cello has reported good overall growth, but says a slowdown in public sector work for its Research and Consulting division will mean redundancies there. More
Media executives Jeffrey Erb and Harold Hambrose have set up Clarity Labs, to provide eye tracking and other usability research services from facilities on both sides of the Atlantic, in Philadelphia and London. More
In the UK, full service agency SPA has been acquired by private equity firm Next Wave Partners as part of a plan to merge it with Future Thinking, in which Next Wave holds a 60% stake. More
UK-based specialist recruiter Resources Group has hired Rowan Haylett to lead and expand its Market Research & Insight offering in Australia and Asia, working from new offices in George Street, Sydney. More
ESOMAR has released its annual report on the global market research industry, painting a sobering picture of the first decline in MR turnover since it began measuring in 1988, but also striking a positive note. More
The Board of Directors of marcoms group Media Square plc - which owns market research agency Illuminas - has issued a statement announcing a solid start to the financial year with a return to operating profit in the first half of 2010. More
The world's Top 25 research organizations had a 'dismal' year for revenue in 2009, according to market research industry authority Jack Honomichl. During the year, total revenues for the 25 firms who made this year's list were down by 3.1% to $17.4bn. More
TNS has hired Synovate's former CEO Iberia and Latin America Ignacio Galceran as Regional CEO Latin America, and a member of its Global Executive Committee. He joins the firm in October and takes up his new post next January. More
London-based MR recruiter Sinead Hasson has expanded her consultancy Hasson Associates with a move to larger premises in the West End. More
In the UK, Discovery Group has reported a 28% increase in half year profit to £175k, and a 6.5% rise in turnover; taking the group's revenues to £1.46m in the first half of 2010. More
Healthcare data collection specialist WorldOne has opened an office in Tokyo, to be led by Katsuhiko Niga and Takahito Asano. More
Online sampling and data collection firm Research Now has moved to new larger premises in Sydney, Australia, to accommodate its recently expanded team and in anticipation of future growth. More
Aegis Group plc has announced a significant improvement in its 2010 interim results. Total revenue rose 4.2% to £663.3m, representing organic growth of 3.2%. The upturn in large part reflects a rebound at MR arm Synovate. More
An English judge has given only limited support to breach of copyright claims by business analytics software giant SAS against UK-based small firm World Programming Ltd (WPL), concerning the development of analytical software WPS; and has referred to the European Court of Justice for clarification. More
In the UK, marcoms group Chime has reported a 10.9% increase in its Research and Engagement Division's half year adjusted operating profit to £379k. Operating income rose to £3.5m from £3m in the prior year period. More
Insight consultancy Nunwood has expanded its analytics practice with the appointment of Frank Hedler as European Analytics Director and Stephanie Young-Helou as US Analytics Director. More
Revenue and profits in WPP's Consumer Insight division rose in the first six months of 2010: the former slowly, up 2.4% on a like-for-like basis from a low comparative, but the latter more rapidly with headline profit before interest and tax (PBIT) up 22% to £83.7m. More
The Futures Company has hired two Senior Vice Presidents in the US: Steve Levine as SVP, Future-Facing Research & Consultancy and Christine Baskin as SVP, Research & Consulting. More
WPP's insight division Kantar has appointed panel specialist Renee Smith as Chief Research Officer in the US, and has moved Tim Kelsall to the role of SVP, Client Strategy, Innovation and Delivery at its brand research division Millward Brown, in the UK. More
UK-based Verve, specialist in customer advisory panels and online brand communities, has expanded its Sydney-based team with the appointment of Betty Mai as Partner, Australia and New Zealand; and Chantal Brady as Online Community Manager. More
Harris Interactive has announced fourth quarter and full-year fiscal 2010 results. In the latter, revenue fell fully nine per cent, showing the scale of problems, but operating loss of $56.4m in fiscal 2009 was all but wiped out following moves to restructure and stabilize the business. More
B2B International is about to open an office in Regent's Place, London, from where it will focus on sales and project delivery in the South East of the UK and mainland Europe. More
In the UK, Opinium Research has partnered with video production firm Fovea to enable clients to test responses to corporate videos. More
Pharma market research giant IMS Health has appointed Ari Bousbib as its new Chief Executive Officer, replacing David Carlucci who will continue to serve in his other role as Chairman for a transition period. More
GfK has raised its 2010 sales and income expectations following a 12.3% rise in second quarter sales to EUR 328.7m, and a 9.4% rise in first half sales to EUR 609.6m. The firm now expects a 6% rise in sales for the year, which is double its original projection. More
Online specialist Michalis Michael has opened DigitalMR, an agency focusing on web-based market research, with headquarters in London, UK and Nicosia, Cyprus. More
Online panel and survey technology firm Toluna has rolled out its UPS (Unified Panelist System) globally. Separately, in the US, the firm has hired Jeff Scott as President and promoted Ron Franscella to the post of Chief Revenue Officer. More
Interactive research and technology firm Vision Critical has announced results for the first half of 2010. On a constant currency basis, total revenues rose 43% versus a year earlier and CEO Angus Reid says the company is 'on track to earn approximately $70 million in revenue in 2010'. More
WPP insight division Kantar has appointed former Yahoo! EMEA VP of Human Resources Helen Russell as its new Global Talent Director, reporting to Chief Executive Eric Salama. More
The UK's Central Office of Information (COI) has announced a reduction in staff numbers from 737 to 450, as a result of the government's freeze on non-essential advertising and marketing spend, and the consequent reduction in its workload. More
UK-based online researcher YouGov has announced that operating profit for the year ended 31 July 2010 was 'significantly ahead' of the prior year period. The firm has also appointed Camilla Parker Bowles' nephew Ben Elliot as a non-executive Director. More
UK research agency Incite has moved to larger premises in central London, from its Covent Garden base where the agency has been located since it was founded 10 years ago. More
Customer satisfaction measurement specialist CFI Group has partnered with Htec - a UK-based firm which provides payment and loyalty solutions - to help clients understand what drives customer behaviours and consequent financial outcomes. More
Indian-based KPO group Annik Technology Services has announced the opening of a Middle East office located at Abu Dhabi, UAE, and the appointment of key personnel in Japan and North America. More
comScore has announced record revenues of $42m for the second quarter of 2010, up 34% year-on-year. Adjusted earnings also rose by around 28.5%. More
Global research group Ipsos has reported a very strong performance for the first six months of 2010, with revenue up 18.1% to EUR 528.8m (organic growth 7.7%) and adjusted net profit up 33.7% to EUR 32.0m. More
In the UK, the Central Office of Information (COI) has reported a fall in spending on advertising, marketing and research in the past year, and has warned of more substantial cuts to come. More
UK group Chime Communications plc has appointed Toluna exec Mark Squires as Group Operations Director for its Research & Engagement Division. Meanwhile the Division's former bosses Viki Cooke and Deborah Mattinson are to launch a new consultancy called Britain Thinks. More
UK-based healthcare research specialist Adelphi Group and German healthcare comms consultancy 'face to face GmbH' have partnered to launch a new qual and quant agency - Adelphi Germany - offering healthcare and pharma research from its base in Cologne. More
In the UK, Cello's Research and Consulting division has returned like-for-like income growth for the first half of the year, driven by 'continued robustness' in client activity levels, most notably in pharma and health-related sectors, as well as international work. More
Online sampling and data collection specialist Research Now has expanded its team in Munich, Germany, and moved to new office in Hallbergmoos, near the city's airport. More
US pharma marketing and sales group PDI is to cease conducting market research through its TVG Marketing Research & Consulting arm, citing a decrease in the demand for marketing research. More
WPP-owned global trend research consultancy The Futures Company (TFC) has appointed a new management team following the resignation of its CEO Sian Davies, Executive Chairman Crawford Hollingworth, and Global MD Sarah Davies. More
Ipsos MORI has restructured its operations team. Rowland Lloyd is promoted to the post of Regional Director, Western Europe and South Africa Operations, while Jane A'Court and Sarah Michell become Joint MDs of Operations in the UK. More
In the UK, professional and financial services research specialist Acritas has reported a 104% increase in sales for the last six months, while revenue doubled. The firm has also announced its plan to become a 'global knowledge hub' for the legal profession. More
In the UK, media and communications research provider Ipsos MediaCT has partnered with qualitative media specialist Work Research to launch a qual joint venture called 'Work with Ipsos'. More
BrainJuicer has appointed Orlando Wood as Managing Director of its methodological unit BrainJuicer Labs, and appointed him to the Company's Management Team. More
In the UK, full service qual and quant market research consultancy Opinium Research has reported a 31% increase in sales for the trading year 2009/10. More
Survey Sampling International (SSI) has appointed former Greenfield-Ciao director Chris Watson as Managing Director of its UK business. More
Richard Lloyd has left his position as General Manager of infoUK, following parent firm Infogroup's acquisition by CCMP Capital Advisors earlier this month. More
TNS has promoted Margit Huber to the position of Global HR, Talent Manager & Culture Director, with a remit to create an 'inspirational culture' across the group. More
Online market research specialist BrainJuicer has reported growth of 48% for the first half of 2010, primarily driven by its business in the UK and US. More
In the US, data giant Infogroup has appointed Marc Litvinoff as President of its research division, Opinion Research Corporation (ORC). More
UK marcoms firm Brahm and sister agency swamp have re-branded as 'Brass', while unveiling a new approach as a digitally-centred marketing and insight agency. More
US-based panel company e-Rewards has issued $6.75m worth of stock options and incentives to a number of its directors and executive officers. More
UK marketing budgets were down a fraction in Q2 amid uncertainty regarding the economic outlook, according to the latest IPA/BDO Bellwether survey published today. Budgets for Internet marketing were however revised upwards. More
In London, former Synovate Healthcare Directors Peter Boyle and Sarah Flinn have launched a new qual and quant international healthcare data collection agency, Adept Field Solutions. More
Harris Interactive has announced a new financing plan reducing its lenders from five to one and extending its revolving line of credit by three more years to 2013. Separately, marketing services firm SPAR Group has secured a $6.5m revolving credit facility for growth and possible acquisitions. More
US-based data collection agency Universal Survey and its partner Survey Healthcare have established physician and healthcare professional panels across the major European, Asian, and Russian markets, in addition to their existing US and Canadian panels. More
GfK has become the first foreign market research company to be granted a license to open a subsidiary in Saudi Arabia. The firm has also opened a branch in Kenya, acquired the outstanding shares of GfK Mode in India and GfK Kynetec in the UK, and increased its stake in Shopping Brasil. More
In the UK, full-service marketing and management consultancy Realia has opened a dedicated research business to provide marketers with evidence-based decision support. The unit is headed by former IFF Director Sue Burden. More
Chairman and founder of MORI Sir Robert Worcester has been appointed President of the Institute of Business Ethics (IBE) in the UK. More
In the UK, Eventus Software Directors Cathrene Rowell and Kevin Simpson have set up a new company, CaKe Research, to offer both platform-only and full-service online qualitative research services. More
In the US, The Planning Shop International (TPSi) has launched a new Oncology Business Unit (OBU), staffed by a team of market research professionals who are specialists in both the oncology therapeutic area and its associated brands. More
UK-based B2B International has expanded its China operations with the opening of a new office in Shanghai, to meet its growing requirement for market research among Chinese and international companies with headquarters in the city. More
Healthcare data collection specialist WorldOne has opened an office in São Paulo, Brazil, to further expand its capabilities in the region. More
Kantar-owner WPP has reported improved results for the first five months of the year. Both Group revenues and those for the Insight division rose around 2% worldwide on a like-for-like basis while growth in May was well over 5%. More
Infogroup shareholders have OK'd the company's $460m sale to CCMP Capital Advisors, with 87 percent of the firm's 57.9 million shares accounted for in the vote but an unspecified majority approving the deal. More
UK-based marketing and communications group Creston has announced revenue down 4% to £80.5m and pre-tax profit down just 3% (at £13.8m), raising its dividend and simultaneously announcing the sale of its ad agency DLKW Group to Interpublic for £28m. More
Are mobile surveys more intrusive? Will ICE change the face of online panels? Why don't we entirely trust Neuroscience? And should we now be a bit less worried about Google? From today, join the debate on the big issues in our MRT section. More
Derbyshire, UK-based agency DJS Research has bucked the downturn with an exceptional year of growth in 2009-10. Turnover is close to the £1m mark and four new permanent staff in two months bring the total to sixteen. More
US-based business analytics technology provider Anametrix has opened sales and technical operations in London and Amsterdam, while striking deals with resellers in Spain, China, Australia and Israel. More
London-based social and consumer trend forecasting firm the Trajectory Partnership has acquired the GLIMPSES trends database from research, consultation and communication charity The Tomorrow Network. Terms were not disclosed. More
Online panel and technology company uSamp has closed a $10 million Series C round of financing, led by OpenView Venture Partners of Boston. More
US investment firm Cardinal Value Equity Partners has sold nearly 2 million Infogroup shares, in advance of a shareholder vote at the end of this month which will determine whether the firm should be sold to CCMP Capital Advisors. More
Online market research specialist BrainJuicer has appointed FMCG specialist Han Zantingh as Managing Director for its new consultancy in Shanghai. More
Synovate has launched a new research system offering clients a better understanding of customer experiences, attitudes and behaviours. More
In the UK, WPP-owned Kantar Media has developed a predictive tool to provide insights into how consumers will react to newspapers introducing paywalls on their web sites. More
A number of leading panel firms have joined with MR technology firm Imperium, to launch an industry-wide user group focused on driving optimal sample quality. More
US-based neuromarketing research specialist EmSense has opened a European headquarters in central London, where it has recruited Sue Nosworthy as SVP, European Research Director and Maria Domoslawska as VP, Digital and Media Research. More
In the UK, the MRS has revealed a positive outlook for the sector, with lower-than-expected decline during 2009. Meanwhile, in the US, the MRA's Research Industry Index (RII) has reported the highest index score since the fourth quarter of 2007. More
Database giant and ORC parent Infogroup has sent a letter to shareholders recommending that they vote in favour of the firm's sale to private equity firm CCMP Capital Advisors, at a special meeting to be held on June 29. More
Ipsos has rolled out its Social Research Institute globally, to provide clients with an international understanding of social policy and research methods, while drawing on the firm's extensive knowledge of social research conducted in the 64 countries where it has offices. More
In the UK, relationship marketing firm HS&P Group has merged its various divisions - Crayon, HS&P, Legends and the Loyalty Practice - into one agency which will focus on consumer insights, creativity and accountability. More
Nielsen Online's UK Managing Director Stephen Brooks has left, as part of a company restructure. More
Online medical network Doctors.net.uk has today announced a strategic alliance with Medcenter Holdings Inc., an online healthcare marketing company in Latin/Central America and Iberia, for cross-selling and co-marketing. More
IBM has announced new services and products to help companies analyze what it calls 'Big Data'. Grouped under the brand name of 'BigInsights' and part of the IBM Info Sphere offering, the services use open source technology Apache Hadoop to tackle datasets too large for normal analysis. More
UK newspaper the Financial Times has become the first national daily to opt out of the online circulation analysis of the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABCe). The FT says volume traffic measures have become 'less relevant to its advertisers and clients'. More
By dint of starting on a Wednesday night, the conference of BIG, the UK's b2b research group, is the only one on the circuit which manages two out of two mornings-after-the-night-before. Our Features Editor Teresa Lynch waits for skies and heads to clear, and reports. More
WPP Group is gearing up to restart its acquisition strategy across the Asia-Pacific region, according to CEO Sir Martin Sorrell, speaking at The Financial Times and Marketing magazine event in Singapore on Tuesday. More
Aegis' research arm Synovate has reported a 1.9% organic decline in first quarter revenue, compared with 10.1% and 5.5% declines respectively in the third and fourth quarters of 2009. Separately, Synovate has launched a 'Digital Centre of Excellence', based in London. More
Online market research specialist BrainJuicer has opened an office in São Paulo, Brazil, headed by former Philips Director Gabriel Aleixo. More
UK research and consulting group Cello has made what it describes as a 'solid recovery' in its profitability for the first quarter of the year. More
In the UK, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is investigating if it has a case to take BT to court over its trials of Phorm software, which it used in 2007 to serve personalised ads to tens of thousands of customers without their consent. More
UK researchers James Lovett and Mark Pugh have launched Immerse, an agency promising a 'refreshing & rejuvenated approach to the traditional client-agency relationship'. More
In the UK, the Financial Times (FT) has launched a model that measures the number of people who read its news in print and online, which it is hoping to roll out across the newspaper industry. More
GfK claims to be back on track with an increase in both Q1 sales and income. During the first quarter of 2010, the global group reported a 6.1% sales increase to EUR 280.9m from Q1 2009, up 5.2% in organic terms. Income rose 71.2% to EUR 25.3m during the period. More
Marketing Sciences has joined forces with sister agency ICM to launch a new qualitative research service called 'Inspired'. More
The Research and Engagement Division of UK-based Chime Communications has returned to profit in the first half of 2010, following a restructure initiated by recently appointed CEO Crispin Beale. More
Ipsos says it is confident in its ability to return to 'significant and profitable growth' in 2010, after reporting a 14% rise in first quarter revenue to EUR 236.9m, compared with EUR 207.3m in the prior year period. More
A dissatisfied investor has claimed Infogroup is making corporate filings using 'selective financial data that may not present an accurate picture of the value of the company' to justify its sale to CCMP Capital Advisors. More
Recently launched research panel provider krea has partnered with sample marketplace firm Cint to recruit new panels and increase the overall sample available to clients across India. More
In the UK, market research industry veteran Chris Brookes has set up a new consultancy, specialising in conducting research for start-up businesses. More
Out-of-home (OoH) media agency Kinetic has formed a new think tank which will explore the impact of changing consumer behaviour, technology and data on the future of communications and commerce. More
London-based market research agency BDRC has rebranded as BDRC Continental to mark its merger with Continental Research, which it acquired from US ratings giant Arbitron two years ago. More
UK-based insight consultancy Truth has opened its first overseas office, in New York, and appointed brand strategy expert Gayle Moberg to head the operation. More
Infogroup has reported a 3% decline in net sales to $124.2m for the first quarter of 2010, with net sales in its marketing research group almost flat at $24.4m during the period. However, following cost reduction measures, Group net loss of $9.3m in Q1 2009 was turned into net income of $7.3m this quarter. More
WPP CEO Sir Martin Sorrell says the figure reported in the press for Nielsen's possible valuation is 'out of the ballpark' and 'doesn't work in any way, shape or form'. Both companies reported encouraging results today, WPP forecasting growth for the year and Nielsen seeing 4% real revenue growth over Q1 2009. More
Harris Interactive has announced improved results for the third quarter of its fiscal 2010, with bookings well up on 2009 and operating loss cut from $7.3m to $0.9m year-on-year. However, President and CEO Kimberly Till says the company 'still has more work to do' to complete its recovery. More
UK field and facility provider Viewpoint Field Services Ltd has opened new focus group studio facilities on London's South Bank. More
In the UK, Optimsa has completed the re-brand of its research companies - Quaestor, Buckingham Research and AiA Research - as Optimisa Research. More
London-based Opinion Leader Research (OLR) has appointed Royal Mail's Head of Business Intelligence Sinã©ad Jefferies, to lead its research and insight business. She will take up the newly created post in early summer. More
In the UK, marcoms giant WPP has developed a dashboard which combines media spend and performance data from its GroupM media arm with research from insight division Kantar, together with information on social media content, web analytics and client CRM data. More
Opinion Research-owner Infogroup is proposing to secure a $365m secured credit facility, which it will use to part-fund its $635m takeover by affiliates of CCMP Capital Advisors. More
Canada-based custom panels and interactive research firm Vision Critical has appointed Sally Campbell as Managing Director of its UK operation. More
In the UK, GfK, Ipsos MORI, Kantar, Synovate and TNS have sponsored the launch of an online service, which allows developers and users of market research software to test that all exports they create are compliant with the Triple-S data standard. More
In the UK, BrainJuicer CEO John Kearon and investor Unilever have sold 650,000 shares back to the company, in order to set up an equity-based incentive scheme for its employees and management, and support the firm's growth strategy. More
In London, FreshMinds has reported revenues of £3.17m in 2009 - more than three times the previous year's figure - and profits of £374k. More
UK-based insight and communications group Creston has reported a 4% decline in revenues for the year ended 31 March 2010, which it says is 'marginally ahead' of the Board's expectations. More
Munich-based online fieldwork specialist ODC Services has appointed former Lightspeed Research executive Tom Meyritz to drive its expansion in the UK market. More
Former Synovate Director Dr Neil Gains has launched a market research consultancy, Tapestry Works, in Singapore, to service organisations across Asia. More
WPP's CEO Sir Martin Sorrell says the firm may return its tax domicile status back to the UK if a new government guarantees it will not subject overseas profits to UK tax. Since relocating 18 months ago, the firm has saved around £50m by avoiding tax on its 'foreign profits'. More
In the UK, the Optimisa group of research companies has moved to new London offices, ahead of the rebrand of its MR agencies Quaestor, Buckingham Research and AiA under the new name of Optimisa Research. More
Online researcher YouGov has announced a decline in both turnover (down 6% to £21.3m) and operating profit (down 16% to £1.35m). More
The sale of database giant Infogroup has been opposed by two further investors, who accuse the firm's Board of Directors of attempting to sell the company at 'an irresponsibly low price'. More
US marketing research, data and advisory firm SiriusDecisions has opened an office in the UK, where it has transferred VP of Sales Georgie Donahue to take on responsibility for building the firm's client base in the EMEA region. More
Online panels and software firm Toluna has announced final results for the year ended 31 December 2009. Underlying profit before tax of £7.6 million is well ahead of market expectations, while the integration of Greenfield Online is transforming its global position. More
GfK has announced a partnership between its subsidiary GfK Asia Pte Ltd and global mobile media industry trade association Mobile Entertainment Forum (MEF), which promises insight for the mobile content industry. More
In the UK, mystery shopping and performance improvement firm Grass Roots has merged its Learning and Measurement units and made a series of appointments to support the new division. More
Marketing services group Munro Global, the UK-based parent of five research firms, is launching an analytical division. Munro Analytics brings together people from across the group to provide 'plain talking, advanced analysis'. More
Aegis, Synovate's parent company, is raising funds through the issue of a convertible bond for c.£190m, which it plans to use to make acquisitions in the US and China. More
Synovate has reported a 13.7% fall in net revenue on an organic basis during 2009, while describing the research sector as 'much weaker than expected from historical precedent'. More
Former Infogroup CFO Stormy Dean says he is confident he will win his claim against the database giant, which fired him last year; and refutes charges brought against him in a new SEC civil lawsuit. More
In the UK, qual specialist Discovery Research has reported a 10% increase in revenues for 2009, and a 40% year-on-year rise in profits to £2.8m. The firm has also announced plans to merge its three businesses under one brand. More
Brand and communications research consultancy Hall & Partners has opened a new pharmaceutical division in Paris, headed by Clarissa Guengant Del Pup, who joins from Synovate Healthcare. More
UK research and consulting group Cello has described 2009 as a 'solid year', despite posting slight declines in headline operating profit (£5.6m, from £6.5m in 2008) and operating income (£36.3m, from £37.9m in 2008). More
In the UK, the Market Research Benevolent Association (MRBA) has opened its annual online auction, raising funds for those who work or have worked in the market research industry and are currently experiencing financial difficulties: a group which grew substantially in 2009. More
medeConnect Healthcare Insight, the market research division of Doctors.net.uk, has upgraded its GP Omnibus research service, reducing delivery times to two weeks. The service taps the opinions of a regionally and nationally representative sample of 1,000 GPs once a month. More
Postal watchdog Postcomm is considering action against Royal Mail following an investigation into claims that it cheated in research to test its service quality, reports The UK Press Association. More
UK-based marketing services group Chime Communications Plc has reported its 'best results ever', with full-year profit up 14% to £18.8m; despite a continued 'very disappointing' performance by its research division, where only Facts International is said to have done well. More
Arab world researcher YouGovSiraj has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Jordanian custom MR firm Analyseize, to co-operate on conducting joint research projects, exchanging data and expertise, and developing new projects serving the Arab world, and specifically the Jordanian market. More
Research software firm E-Tabs is to offer outsourced report automation to clients. Under the brand name of Precision Reporting, the service consists of a team of ten skilled reporting executives, led by Jon Hackenbroch. More
Online market researcher BrainJuicer has reported rapid growth in 2009, with full year pre-tax profit up 21% to £1.66m; revenues up 27% to £11.8m; and operating profit up the same percentage to £1.65m. More
UK-based agency Truth has reported growth of 31% for the year ending March 2010, with turnover up to just over £5 million. The company says it expects to add at least ten to its headcount in 2010, and to launch a New York venture. More
Canadian research and social media intelligence firm MediaBadger has opened an office in west London, to co-ordinate all UK and European clients and projects. More
Infogroup, the parent of researcher ORC, has agreed to be acquired by affiliates of CCMP Capital Advisors, LLC for a total of around $635 million, including refinanced debt. More
Marcoms giant WPP saw revenues in its insights division fall 9.5% on a like-for-like basis during 2009, whilst on the same basis gross margin fell by 7.7%. More
UK-based B2B International has reported a 10% increase in turnover to nearly £3.5m in 2009, despite seeing clients move towards more 'defensive' research, and delaying projects because of economic uncertainty. More
In the UK, recently acquired sister companies Rosslyn Research and Viewpoint Field Services are moving to shared premises on London's Southbank next month. More
In the UK, Reed Business Information has merged its data services unit Mardev and its list management and online research division DM2-DecisionMaker. The two form a new company, serving the marketing, data and analysis needs of B2B marketers globally. More
In the UK, Viki Cooke and Deborah Mattinson, the founders of Opinion Leader Research (OLR), have left parent company Chime to set up their own agency. More
In the UK, Synovate Healthcare's former CEO Michael Spedding and CFO Peter Chopra have launched a healthcare marketing services firm, which will invest in and partner with individuals and independent businesses to drive growth in profits and capital value. More
Online sampling and panel company Research Now has announced what it describes as 'the first B2B and Affluent Consumer panels in the Middle East'. More
ORC owner Infogroup is in final negotiations to be acquired by CCMP Capital Advisors, according to reports in the Omaha World-Herald. More
Insight consultancy Nunwood is reporting a 50% increase in international revenue in the last year. Four new members have been added to its New York team in the past few months, to help support the 25 new clients and £2.6 million of new business the agency says it won in 2009. More
GfK has reported a 4.6% decline in 2009 sales to EUR 1,164m, taking into account acquisitions and currency effects. However, for the fourth quarter, the group recorded sales of EUR 324m, compared with EUR 282m in Q3. More
Despite a 3.6% decline in revenues to EUR 943.7m, Ipsos says it is 'ready for battle' in 2010, with plans to simplify management structures, increase effort in innovation, and extend its presence among a larger number of clients. More
US market research data collection agency MRops has opened a new office in Minneapolis, headed by former TNS executives Joe Mann and Shannon Hazlett. More
In London, a collective of agencies, organisations, academics and individuals have joined to launch The Co-Creation Hub; a platform through which participants can co-create new products and services. More
YouGov co-founder and CEO Nadhim Zahawi is preparing to step down from his role, after being selected to stand as the parliamentary candidate for the safe Conservative Party seat of Stratford-on-Avon in the forthcoming general election. More
British polling and research specialist ComRes has appointed former Barclays Bank India CEO Peter Harlock as its new Chief Executive Officer, and moved founder Andrew Hawkins to the position of Executive Chairman to enable him to focus on client growth. More
Roger Parry, the non-executive Chairman of UK-based marcoms group Media Square – which owns market research agency Illuminas – has announced plans to step down from the role, after the firm's AGM in July. More
In London, pharma specialist The Research Partnership has appointed TNS Healthcare veteran David White as Director of Syndicated Services, to oversee the development and positioning of the firm's expanding portfolio of solutions. More
In the UK, marketing agency GyroHSR has launched a new data practice, to meet clients' needs for greater alignment between data and analytics expertise, and campaign and creative planning. More
Emerging markets financier Actis has invested $50m in outsourcing specialist Integreon, which the firm will use to support its growth plans, make 'strategic' acquisitions, and expand its delivery centers in the US, UK, India, China, South Africa and the Philippines. More
Financial specialist Charterhouse Research has launched the UK Business Banking Survey, billed as the most extensive continuous syndicated banking usage and attitude survey ever conducted among British businesses. More
US research giant IMS Health has reported a 3% increase in fourth quarter revenues to $599.2m. The firm has also received shareholder approval for its sale to TPG Capital and the CPP Investment Board. More
Technology research giant Gartner has reported a 5% fourth quarter 2009 drop in total revenue to $328.8m, while rival Forrester Research posted a revenue decline of 2% to $61.5m, compared with the same period in 2008. More
UKOM - the UK Online Measurement Company - and Nielsen have officially launched the UKOM Audience Planning System (APS), by publishing inaugural data from the online audience measurement system. More
Database giant Infogroup has reported a 13% drop in fourth quarter revenue to $24.7m for its market research arm, with an operating loss of $7.7m owing to a goodwill impairment charge. More
Global information giant Experian has rolled out its Hitwise online audience measurement service in France, to report on 75,000 web sites across more than 160 industries. More
US advertising and marketing company Bark Group is to acquire a 10% stake in UK-based Mindmetic, a firm that develops neuromarketing research tools. More
In the US, online measurement specialist comScore has appointed former AOL ad technology leader Chris Nicotra as Chief Technology Officer, responsible for overseeing software and data application engineering, and the infrastructure technology teams. More
In London, business information provider Progressive Digital Media (PDM) - which owns research firms The iD Factor and ICD Research - has reported group revenues of £18.3m for the six months to 31 October 2009, and says that over the calendar year 2009, it made a profit. More
UK-based insight and communications group Creston has announced respectable results: like-for-like revenue for the third quarter is in line with the same period last year and an improvement on the second quarter. More
In London, The European Interactive Advertising Association (EIAA) has launched an Insight Council, comprising heads of research and digital commercial specialists from both EIAA member companies and agencies. More
A new online research business has been launched by six agencies, offering online services across 15 European countries with access to more than 1.4 million European panellists. More
Panel and technology services provider ToLuna has released a trading update for the year ended 31 December 2009. Revenue is expected to exceed £49m, slightly ahead of market expectations, with underlying pre-tax profit of at least £7m. More
Fast growing UK-based online agency BrainJuicer has hired Alex Batchelor as Chief Operating Officer. Batchelor held brand and marketing leadership roles at Interbrand, Orange and Royal Mail and is the current Chairman of the Marketing Society. More
UK researcher Andrew Irving has launched a new qual-focused agency, AIMR, three years after selling his last company to Optimisa. More
In Australia, public sector specialist and former TNS exec Paul Vittles is launching The Vittles Organisation, centred around training and development, and with the particular goal of working with small and medium-sized research firms. More
TNS has integrated its US-based employee and customer behavioral research division The Foresight Group into its Global Stakeholder Management division. More
After eighteen months of losses, Harris Interactive has posted net income of $1.3m on revenue of $44.6m for the quarter ending December 31. More
UK-based Business Logic Systems - which provides real-time customer intelligence for mobile network operators - has appointed Vodafone's former CMO Tim Yates as CEO, to lead the firm's global expansion. More
WPP-owned insight consultancy Kantar has re-branded the media assets of TNS, KMR Group and BMRB Media as Kantar Media. More
Canadian-based custom panel and technology specialist Vision Critical has relocated its London office to accommodate its UK team, which has tripled in size in the last year. More
Infogroup-owned employee, customer and stakeholder market research consultancy ORC International has expanded to Scotland with the opening of a dedicated public services office in Edinburgh. More
In a move that should please privacy advocates and regulators including the EC, Microsoft has announced changes to its data storage policy for the Bing search engine. Bing will now keep search data including IP addresses for just six months. More
Research-led media group Light Reading, which focuses on the comms market, has opened offices in Mumbai and New Delhi and appointed telecoms industry specialists Kailash Shirodkar and Gagandeep Kaur to drive sales and marketing and content in India. More
Ipsos has completed the acquisition of polling and research firm The Market Research Bureau of Ireland (MRBI) from WPP, and branded the firm Ipsos MRBI. More
In the US, Harris Interactive has hired industry veteran Jeni Lee Chapman as Executive Vice President, Global Brand and Communication Consulting. More
Online market research specialist BrainJuicer is anticipating revenue growth of around 26% to £11.7m (2008: £9.3m) for the year ended 31 December 2009, when it announces its full results on 9 March. More
UK market research and consulting group Cello has reported a 'marked pick up' in its MR activity, for the year ended 31 December 2009. More
In the UK, John Charnock, formerly Technical Director at print company St Ives, has set up his own firm to offer business analysis and consultancy to print and media clients. More
In the UK, the Market Research Society (MRS) has published a revised Code of Conduct, to cover non-research activities. They include preventing the use of clients' goods as incentives in research projects. More
Firefly Research founder Simon McDonald has joined Australian agency The Leading Edge (TLE) as Managing Partner of its UK office. More
Global pharma market research specialist The Research Partnership has appointed industry veteran Harriet Kozak as US President, tasked with developing and strengthening the business across the country. More
In the UK, TNS-BMRB has launched another new division, the Social & Political Attitudes Unit (SPA), which will focus on tracking social and political trends. More
Four former Drummond Madell and GfK researchers have launched a specialist brand strategy, innovation and communications research agency in central London. More
Nigel Jackson - Group Head of both the Qualitative and Public Sector, Charities & Transport teams at Synovate in the UK - was tragically killed in an accident while skiing in the French Alps on Christmas Day. More
Database giant Infogroup has announced a rebrand, aimed at providing clients with 'a more unified approach'. MR subsidiary Opinion Research Corporation is among the major brands keeping their identity while strengthening their positioning as an Infogroup company. More
Struggling UK-based firm IQ Holdings is selling two of its remaining research subsidiaries to PLUS-quoted media and financial services group Rivington Street Holdings (RSH). Rosslyn Research and Viewpoint Field Services should join RSH by the end of this month. More
IBM has launched a London Analytics Solution Centre, based in its Southbank office, to provide advanced analytics expertise to its UK-based clients. More
TNS-BMRB has announced the launch of its first new division, 'The Communications Research Centre', a UK-based specialist team dedicated to communications research for the public sector. More
Jack Noonan, the CEO of MR software firm SPSS, has been replaced by IBM veteran Deepak Advani, following the firm's acquisition. More
In London, FreshMinds Research has doubled the size of its Holborn office, to provide space for its growing team of research consultants. More
IBM has introduced a subscription-based analytics offer that mines diverse data sources from customer service interactions, to deliver a single view of customer sentiment. More
In the UK, digital marketing trade association The Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) has appointed NORAS founder Tim Elkington as Head of Research, in advance of the January launch of the country's first web measurement currency. More
Two projects aimed at protecting the public were among those taking the trophies at the Market Research Society (MRS) Research Awards 2009, held in London last night. More
In the UK, full service research agency Crowd DNA is gearing up to launch an effectiveness research division in January 2010. More
Danny Russell, Marketing Strategy Director at BskyB, is the new Chair of UK research client organisation AURA. More
UK-based user interface analysis specialist Speed-Trap has announced a partnership with customer info company The Database Group. More
Sample marketplace firm Cint is moving its global sales headquarters to the UK, and has promoted UK MD Richard Thornton to the role of Global Sales Director. More
WPP Chief Martin Sorrell has told a Reuters summit that with 'vicious' price activity in the market, he expects the group's 2010 revenues to be flat. Sorrell says new business activity in his media businesses is strong, but in MR and creative functions there is less cheer. More
Harris Interactive has regained its compliance with the Nasdaq Stock Market listing standards, which require listed firms' stock to be valued at a minimum of a dollar per share. More
B2B specialist Kadence International has reported a 20% rise in revenue for its insight division, and overall growth of 9% to $11.3m during the financial year 2008-2009. More
UK-based insight and communications group Creston has reported an 8% drop in first half revenues for its Insight division, partly attributable to the underperformance of market research agencies CML and MSTS, now merged into other companies. More
In the UK, Phil Evans, the CEO of Cardiff-based agency Research and Marketing Plus, has led a management buy-out (MBO) for an undisclosed amount. More
In Canada, marcoms and ad group Cossette has received a further offer from Cosmos Capital to buy the firm, following last week's news that its Board had accepted an offer to be acquired by US private equity firm Mill Road for C$131.5m in cash or $7.87 a share. More
UK-headquartered global insight consultancy Nunwood has announced plans to open four new offices early next year, starting with New Zealand and Australia and following up with launches in both The Netherlands and California later in the first quarter of 2010. More
Nielsen's group revenues for the three months ended September 30, 2009 were down 1% to $1.25bn from the same period last year. CFO Brian West described the quarter as having been 'steady'. More
US electronics market research specialist IMS Research has acquired recently founded Young Market Research (YMR), which provides marketing intelligence and consulting in the solar, solid-state lighting and display industries. Terms were undisclosed. More
UK-based global insight consultancy Nunwood has appointed James Walker, former global President of Accenture Marketing Sciences as Chief Strategy and Development Officer. More
Pharmaceutical research giant IMS Health has agreed to be sold to private equity firm TPG Capital and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) for $5.2bn. More
comScore has partnered with non-profit organization the Wikimedia Foundation to improve understanding of the reach and impact of free knowledge on the web. More
Data giant infoGroup has reported revenue for its MR firms down 16% to $24m in quarter three, with an operating loss of $700k compared with operating income of $1.4m for the prior year period. More
Piers Lee, Managing Director of Kadence International in Singapore, has been elected as the new President of the Market Research Society of Singapore (MRSS). More
WPP has reported a like-for-like revenue decline of 8.7% for the third quarter - a smaller drop than was seen in the second quarter. Consumer insight revenues stayed depressed although margin was better. The firm also pointed to strong regional differences and predicted a 'LUV' shaped recession. More
Harris Interactive has announced its financial results for the first quarter of fiscal 2010, with revenue of $38.9m, down $11.3m or 23% on the previous period, but operating loss almost eliminated due to cost-cutting measures. More
In the US, KantarHealth Joint CEO Elaine Riddell has decided to leave the company to 'pursue other opportunities': Joint CEO Lynnette Cooke assumes sole global CEO responsibilities with immediate effect. More
Online panel specialist Research Now has opened its seventh European office in Madrid, to provide a local service for Spanish clients. More
Harris Interactive's Asia President Anthony Venus has decided to leave the firm in mid-November. He will re-locate from Hong Kong to Sydney, where he plans to pursue a career in private equity. More
In the UK, co-creation consultancy Sense Worldwide and innovation body NESTA have teamed up to launch a platform through which third-party brands can come together to create new products and joint ventures. More
Pharma market research giant IMS Health has reported a 6% drop in third-quarter revenue to $540.8m, compared with $573.7m a year earlier. The news follows reports earlier in the week that the Board of Directors is considering selling the company. More
According to reports, pharma market research giant IMS Health is in talks with several private equity firms regarding selling the company. More
London-based customer engagement specialist Fizzback has secured £1.6m in capital, earmarked for expansion into the US and continental Europe. More
Online data collection featured heavily in this year's London Stock Exchange AIM Awards, with Toluna and Research Now both taking major trophies at last night's award ceremony. More
Research software provider Confirmit and text analytics specialist Clarabridge have formed a partnership aimed at refining the value of open-ended customer responses. More
UKOM - the UK online measurement body - has appointed Douglas McArthur, founder and former CEO of the Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB), as its new Chairman, as it prepares for the January 2010 launch of the country's first web measurement currency. More
Today sees the official merger of TNS' UK Custom Division and Research International UK to become TNS Research International UK; and the merger of TNS Custom's UK Social sector with BMRB's social research team to become TNS-BMRB. More
UK marketing spend fell for the eighth quarter running in Q3, but the fall is still slowing and marketers are more optimistic, according to the latest quarterly IPA/BDO Bellwether survey, which is published today. More
YouGov has reported results for the year ended 31st July, with turnover up 10% to £44.3m, but down after allowing for currency effects. Normalised operating profit fell from £8.7m to £3.1m but markets reacted favourably to the figures. More
Nielsen Online has underlined its commitment to the panel-based methodology it will use for the UK's first web measurement currency, following competitor comScore's proposal of a 'person-centric' approach using a hybrid technique employing cookie deletion. More
In The Netherlands, online market research agency MetrixLab has appointed former Research International VP Alexander Kleijngeld to spearhead the international expansion of its NPD & Innovation unit. More
In the UK, online measurement firm comScore has submitted a proposal to the electronic arm of the Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABCe), to develop a new 'person-centric' gauge for web site traffic measurement. More
The biggest new MrWeb section in nine years opens today with launch articles from five research luminaries. 'MRT' is an online home for custom panel builders, mobile researchers, data miners, neuromarketers and many others at the leading edge of what we broadly define as 'MR'. More
Former Ipsos operations head Efrain Ribeiro has joined online panel specialist Lightspeed Research as Chief Operating Officer, based in the US and responsible for global online operations. More
Marketing services group Optimisa has appointed former Synovate UK boss Michelle Norman as CEO of its market research businesses, which include Quaestor, Andrew Irving Associates and Buckingham Research. More
Andrew Wiseman is leaving UK-based group Optimisa Research to join customer panel specialist Verve, and will establish a Leeds office for the company. More
IBM has completed its $1.2bn acquisition of MR software and predictive analytics giant SPSS. The completion was announced on Friday after SPSS shareholders gave their approval. More
Three agencies, Acrobat Research, Cimigo and EuroInterview are combining to create a new global operations business called Cido Research. More
UKOM, the UK online measurement body, has appointed Nielsen as its official partner to create the country's first currency for planning advertising campaigns on the Internet. More
MR software giant SPSS has announced that it has settled its trademark case with company founder Norman Nie over use of its name. The company is due to put its $1.2 billion acquisition by IBM to shareholders' vote this Friday, while the litigation was due to come to trial the following Monday. More
London-based b2b agency IFF Research has announced sales of just over £8.7m for the financial year to 31st March 2009, an increase of 40% year on year. More
UK-based online research specialist BrainJuicer has confirmed 22% revenue growth to £4.85m (H1 2008: £3.97m) for the six months ended 30 June 2009. More
In London, Synovate has hired Marc Chester for the newly created role of Community Panels Director. More
US web analytics firm Omniture and online measurement specialist comScore have partnered to deliver what they describe as a 'unified digital audience measurement system'. More
Behavioural ad targeting company Phorm has reported a $15m pre-tax loss for the first half of the year; down from $25.6m in the same period last year. Separately, Chief Technology Officer Stratis Scleparis has announced he is leaving the firm. More
In the US, the Nasdaq Stock Market has given Harris Interactive 180 days to increase its share price, as this has now fallen below the $1 per share requirement for the previous 30 consecutive business days. More
MR and consulting group Cello has appointed a new senior management team to lead its subsidiary RS Consulting. Jane Shirley adds the role of Chairwoman of RS to her existing responsibilities as CEO of Cello Research and joint MD of Insight, while RS's Group MD Neil Swann is leaving. More
UK-based marketing services group Cello has announced half-yearly results. Overall group revenues were down 12%, a post-tax loss of £4.2m reflecting the write-down of recent acquisitions, but the Research and Consulting division performed respectably with operating income of £18.2m on turnover of £30m. More
FreshMinds Research has announced the formation of a distinct Research Communities and Panels division, and the arrival of James Turner, formerly Head of Research at BT, to lead it. More
In the US, professional association the CMO Council has announced the launch of 'Pause for a Cause', a program which aims to direct millions of dollars in funds to good causes in exchange for survey responses. Major charities and corporations are among those backing the initiative. More
High profile UK-based start-up Verve is already opening its first overseas offices, in Sydney, Australia - and will launch customer advisory panels and online brand communities in Australia and New Zealand. More
MR software and predictive analytics giant SPSS has reported second quarter revenues of $69.7m, down 8% from the previous year period. Revenues for the six months ended June 30, 2009, totalled $141.8m, also down 8% from the same period in 2008. More
In the UK, online gambling firm Devilfish Gaming - named after its poker playing ambassador David 'Devilfish' Ulliott - has diversified by launching a consultancy which will provide market research and market and competitor analysis to the gaming industry. More
India-based market research outsourcing firm Ugam Research Solutions has increased its US client service and project management capabilities with ten new staff appointments. More
New York-headquartered MSW - previously McCollum Spielman Worldwide - has partnered with UK-based Insight Engineers to introduce its brand and communications research approaches across Europe. More
MR software and predictive analytics giant SPSS will be holding a special meeting of shareholders on 2 October, to provide them with an opportunity to vote on selling the company to IBM. More
Synovate parent Aegis has reported an 86% drop in first half pre-tax profits to £6.6m despite growing revenues by 4.8%. The research agency itself made an underlying operating loss of £3.2m in the first half, compared with a £7.9m profit a year earlier. More
Online panels specialist Research Now has teamed up with Reed Business Information's (RBI) 'Computer Weekly' magazine to create a purpose built panel of IT professionals across the UK. More
London-based specialist MR recruiter Soho Search has been bought out by Frankie Wootton-Kelly, formerly an Associate Director of the company, for an undisclosed sum. More
Ipsos has reported a 3.2% decline in first half revenues to €447.8m, compared with the same period in 2008. The firm says it would be unrealistic to hope for the second half of 2009 to be much better. More
Revenue in the Research Division of UK marcoms group Chime Communications fell to £4.58m from £7.41m in the prior year period, while operating income dropped 26% to £3m. More
Analysts expect ad giant and Kantar owner WPP to cut its sales forecast again this week. However the firm's debt position and strategic focus are considered solid, while buoyant reports in the UK press suggest business confidence in general has turned the corner. More
UK researchers' association the ICG (Independent Consultants Group) has grown its membership with sixty new members in the last ten months bringing the total to 340, a net gain of 8% allowing for departing members. More
Harris Interactive has announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year fiscal 2009, showing a 23% decline in annual revenue. More
The latest release of Google Insights for Search looks into the future and predicts what will be searched for, based on a combination of current searches and the way trends have developed in the past. More
GfK has reported a decline in sales and operating income during the first half of the year despite an improvement in the second quarter. In organic terms, first half sales were down 8.5%. More
In the UK, full service agency Opinium Research has reported a 350% increase in sales for the trading year 2008/2009. More
Revenues for the top 25 global research firms increased 3.9% last year, to $18.9bn, according to the new Honomichl Global Top 25 ranking, to be published in the AMA's 'Marketing News' this month. Allowing for inflation, the figure equates to a tiny real increase of 0.6%. More
Datamonitor is integrating its three technology research brands - Butler Group, Datamonitor Technology and Ovum - under the Ovum name from September 1st. On the same day it wll launch two new research services. More
Daily Research News has today launched a page for short summaries of breaking news items. Readers interested in items appearing can register their email address to receive a link to the full story if and when it is published at the end of the day in the main DRNO bulletin. More
Business and professional information giant Thomson Reuters has reported results for the second quarter ended June 30, showing revenue growth and margin expansion, with continuing progress on the Reuters integration. Today, shareholders gave it the OK to drop its London and Nasdaq listings. More
Canadian-based custom panels and communities specialist Vision Critical has announced a 75% increase in first-half gross revenue, versus the same period in 2008. More
London-based business intelligence firm StrategyEye has announced a strategic partnership with specialist MR, events and advisory firm Cleantech Group, LLC, to deliver tracking services to monitor news in the clean technology sector. More
In the UK, online measurement firm comScore has been selected as the sole provider of site content vetting on behalf of the Internet Advertising Sales Houses (IASH) - a council of the IAB (Internet Advertising Bureau) founded to police the activities of sales houses. More
London-based healthcare specialist Double Helix Development group has relocated its Scarsdale, New York consulting operations to midtown Manhattan, in anticipation of growth from the practice. More
An investigation is being conducted by SPSS shareholders who believe that the firm's recent acquisition by IBM 'appears to be unfair'. More
Microsoft and comScore are collaborating to build a hybrid audience measurement tool, which will allow advertisers to determine and predict how consumers will respond to their digital ads. More
Online measurement firm comScore has announced financial results for the second quarter of 2009, with revenue, GAAP income before taxes and EBITDA all higher than forecast, at $31.4m, $2.6m and $7.0m respectively. More
Ad industry execs including Sir Martin Sorrell have welcomed yesterday's news of a deal between Microsoft and Yahoo! to work together on search and advertising. More
The McGraw-Hill Companies has reported Q2 revenue down 12.4% to $1.5 billion. Revenue and profit in its Business-to-Business Group, which includes research firm J.D. Power, were hit by weakness in the automotive sector and by deferments due to methodology changes at the vehicle research giant. More
Publishing and events group Informa has announced results for the first half of the year, with strong results for its analyst subsidiary Datamonitor, and robust figures from its publishing arm bolstering the more troubled events business. More
Computer giant IBM is to acquire SPSS for around $1.2 billion. The deal should close later this year, subject to shareholder approval, regulatory clearances and other conditions. More
In the UK, Ipsos-MORI has sounded out employees about the possibility of taking two weeks of voluntary unpaid leave later in the year. More
Pharma market research giant IMS Health has reported a 19% drop in Q2 profit to $62.9m from $77.7m a year earlier. Accordingly, the firm is planning to shed a total of 850 staff, or 11% of its global workforce. More
MrWeb's first detailed job and salary stats for three years show an industry interrupted in the midst of growth: client side numbers falling but salaries staying strong; struggles for SREs; and rude awakenings for Directors - but not yet ADs. More
B2B specialist Kadence International has reported a 40% climb in UK revenue to £4m during the financial year 2008-09. More
In the UK, the government's marketing and communications unit the Central Office of Information (COI) has published its annual report and accounts for 2008/9, showing an increase in spending on market research of almost 30% from £22.7m to £29.4m. In four years, spend has more than doubled from £13.2m. More
WPP CEO Sir Martin Sorrell has extolled the virtues of organic growth; of helping ad budgets to follow consumers online; and of a balance between local and multinational clients, as he looks five years into the future of WPP. More
US-based healthcare and government researcher Abt Associates has promoted Kathleen Flanagan to the position of President and CEO, succeeding Wendell Knox who is to retire from the post he has held for the past 17 years. More
UK-based market research group Optimisa has agreed to cease trading on the AIM (Alternative Investment Market) stock exchange in London, following a vote from shareholders at its AGM earlier today. More
Having passed its ten thousandth news story in May, MrWeb registered its 10,000th jobseeker at the beginning of this month. More
UK agency Nunwood has reported a 14.9% rise in sales for the first half of the year, compared with the same period last year. The agency's turnover increased £640k to more than £5m. More
The Open University (OU) has been awarded €1.49m by the European Commission to co-ordinate a new research project to examine the link between the financial sector and the real economy across Europe. More
Kantar Health has hired Scott Davies as General Manager of China, to direct the group's growth strategy in the region. Kelly Wong has also been appointed as Business Leader and Head of Research, China. More
Information services giant Experian has seen an 8% decline in first quarter revenues and reported poor performance across all regions, particularly in the UK and Ireland. The group is expecting little organic growth during the first half. Separately, the firm has upgraded its Mosaic segmentation tool. More
The IPA's latest Bellwether survey has found that for the second quarter in a row, the rate of decline in marketing spend has eased, with one in three companies now reporting that their financial prospects have improved compared to one in four reporting a deterioration. More
In the UK, market research group Optimisa has seen its shares plummet a further 15% to 8.5 pence, compared with a highest price of 229 pence in September 2007. More
In Germany, the TNS Infratest Group - which includes TNS Emnid - has announced that it is to shed 35 staff positions at its Bielefeld site. While 20 employees have been made redundant, 15 others have been offered jobs in the firm's Hamburg office. More
UK-based online research specialist BrainJuicer has reported revenue growth of around 22%, in its trading update for the first six months of 2009. More
User experience consultancy Bunnyfoot and ad agency OgilvyOne have partnered in Hong Kong to provide a range of services to measure ad response and increase understanding and recall. More
UK-based insight and communications group Creston is selling shares in a bid to raise around £3.3m, which it will use to expand its online firm Newvista Research, as well as its mobile, digital and healthcare marketing services. More
In the UK, TNS has told 'a small number of employees' in its Custom division that their jobs are at risk, and has made a more general request to employees to take a fortnight's unpaid leave during the second half of 2009, as it tries to avoid further cuts. More
In the UK, BT has dropped its arrangement with behavioural ad targeting company Phorm, citing the need to divert investment to meet its public commitment to developing next generation broadband and television services. More
UK digital marketing specialist Digital Marketing Group plc (DMG) has announced the launch of new agency DemographDMG, which it says will provide 'digital research with a human touch'. More
In the UK, Ipsos MORI has opened the Research Methods Centre (RMC), billed as a hub of expertise in sampling, survey methodology and advanced data analysis. More
UK market research and consulting group Cello has warned that gross profits are likely to be down by around 10% for the first half of the year, and says it has cut costs by around 7% to offset the effects of the economic downturn. More
WPP's insight division Kantar is to merge Lightspeed Research's online panel business with the TNS 6th Dimension network of online managed access panels. More
UK Government stats unit the Central Office of Information (COI), has overhauled its market research roster to create a 'framework' including 108 agencies from across the UK. Half of these firms are new to the roster. More
In the UK, The Oxford Research Agency (TORA) has launched a qual operation called Mimosa, which it says will address clients' needs for joined-up qual/quant thinking in the FMCG, retail and shopper insight, customer satisfaction and OTC sectors. More
Loss-making AIM-quoted B2B research specialist IQ Holdings Plc has announced interim results for the period ended 31 March 2009. The Board says it has taken 'decisive actions... in line with bringing IQH into profitability in the shortest possible timeframe'. More
The UK's registered MR charity, the Market Research Benevolent Association (MRBA), is launching a 'Become a Friend' campaign at this week's Insight Show in London. The move aims to increase the number of its regular donors at a time when requests for help are growing fast. More
French-based advertising company Publicis Groupe is feeling acquisitive, according to remarks made to Dow Jones Newswires at Cannes last week by CEO Maurice Levy. Market research companies may be targets. More
UK-based fieldwork specialist John Mackay has launched his own international B2B and consumer sampling agency, Mr Sample. More
Peterborough, UK-based marketing and PR consultancy Smye Holland Associates has opened an office in The Netherlands, with the aim of helping clients with their export marketing. More
Datamonitor parent Informa plc has reiterated its confidence in its current position, in a trading statement, and has won approval for a restructure based around the creation tomorrow of a new parent company, New Informa. More
Microsoft has sold the survey division of Greenfield Online to panels specialist ToLuna for a cash consideration of $40m (just over £24m). The french-based company will use a placing and subscription to raise c.£26m net for the acquisition and other investment. More
Online research specialist MarketTools has launched a panel of IT professionals, using its TrueSample validation technology. More
Growing e-marketing specialist CreatorMail has moved its London offices from Russell Square to Mabledon Place, Bloomsbury, as its data and analysis team grows with the arrival of execs from Experian and Tree, alongisde expansion for its eCRM, online and business solutions systems. More
Alec Gallup, who previously served as Co-Chairman of the Gallup Organization, has died at home of a heart ailment at the age of 81. More
In the UK, former Opinion Leader and ORC International Director Rachel Lopata has set up a new consultancy to help public sector clients engage in more effective dialogue with their communities and stakeholders. More
In the UK, online marketing services group TMN - which owns online research firms The iD Factor and ICD Research - has received shareholder approval to go ahead with its acquisition of business information provider Progressive Digital Media. More
Following the recent launch of Bing, Microsoft is linking up with marcoms giant WPP to conduct research which will explore the dynamics between search engine marketing and brand building. More
In the UK, managers at Royal Mail have been accused of manipulating a mystery shopping programme being undertaken by Research International, to artificially boost the organisation's performance and generate big bonuses for themselves. More
In the UK, Phyllis Macfarlane has taken on the new role of Chairman of GfK NOP, while Richard Jameson steps up to her previous position as Managing Director, and joins the global Board of GfK Custom Research. More
Creston, the marcoms group which owns market research firms ICM and Marketing Sciences, has reported a revenue increase of 4% to £83.8m for the year ended 31 March - 'though figures for its Insight Division were less buoyant. The firm has also appointed a new operational Executive Board. More
London-based MR recruitment specialist Hasson Associates has announced a partnership with recently launched Asia Research Recruitment (ARR). More
Market research group Optimisa has reported a loss of £4.5m (2007: £5.5m) for 2008. The firm is also asking shareholders to vote on de-listing the company from the AIM stock exchange, to save the £100k associated admin costs. More
Online market research agency InSites Consulting, headquartered in Ghent, Belgium, will be opening offices in London, UK and Geneva, Switzerland in July. More
In the UK, Norman Glass, the CEO of social and academic institute the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen), died at home last Saturday, following several months of illness. He is survived by his wife Marie-Anne and their two children Jerome and Sophie. More
Technology giant IBM has announced plans to invest $100m in a five-year program to conduct research into mobile communications. More
Nielsen and secure identity solutions firm Digimarc are to launch two joint ventures that will combine the latter's solutions for deterring fraud, counterfeiting and piracy with the former's consumer and business data. The ventures replace a more informal agreement in place since 2007. More
In Sydney, research veterans Alex Sweeney and Alasdair Johnston have formed Clarity Strategic Research, a new agency offering qual and quant research services to the financial, B2B, telecoms, retail, FMCG and media sectors. More
The UK government is embarking on a major ROI assessment of its web presence, led by the COI (Central Office of Information). Industry-owned not for profit body ABCe has been appointed to run the programme, which is billed as 'the largest project of its kind to date'. More
The UK market research industry grew 6.22% to an estimated £2.16bn in 2008, while revenue from international research increased by 12.5%, according to the Market Research Society's (MRS) annual report on the state of the sector. More
A new UK-based firm, Critical Information Group (CIG), aims to acquire B2B companies in the media, market research, publishing and events sectors, both in the UK and overseas. More
Survey Sampling International (SSI) has moved to larger premises in central London, UK. The firm has also launched a new online reporting and analysis tool which enables the user to analyse data in real-time. More
Behavioural ad technology firm Phorm has sold 19.4% of its shares to institutional investors, in order to raise around £15m. It will use the money to continue the implementation of its service in the UK and Korean markets. More
David Day will become Global CEO of Kantar-owned online panel specialist Lightspeed Research, following the departure of Anne Hedde, who is leaving to pursue a different role with a competitor. More
Lawyers involved in a privacy violation suit against behavioral targeting company NebuAd are now claiming that the firm went into US receivership specifically in order to avoid having to pay possible damages. A new firm has been launched in the UK. More
Microsoft is hoping to boost its search engine market share with the launch of 'Bing', billed as a next generation search helping customers to make faster, more informed decisions. More
Online measurement giant comScore has announced the arrival of Media Metrix 360, a 'panel-centric hybrid' solution to digital audience measurement. More
Software firm ComputerTel is partnering with speech technology specialist Aurix to offer phonetic audio search technology and help contact centre clients to record, monitor and perform speech analytics on call recordings. More
The UK Online Measurement (UKOM) company, which plans to launch a single online audience measurement currency, is in preliminary discussions with Nielsen Online to provide the data. More
Online panel specialist Lightspeed Research has launched a sample de-duplication platform that prevents respondents from retaking a survey from the same computer, through either multiple panels or by using multiple identities. More
In the UK, Telegraph Media Group (TMG) has created a new research department, to identify opportunities in existing and emerging markets, as well as analyse the challenges facing the business and industry as a whole. More
In the UK, a group of entrepreneurs has launched a research agency, Innovate Solutions. The founders believe observational data in increasingly important to pharmaceutical companies, as well as to patients as consumers of healthcare. More
Shareholders at marcoms giant WPP are opposing a scheme which could result in CEO Sir Martin Sorrell receiving up to £59.7m ($95m) worth of free shares during the next five years. More
UK-based data integration agency Cognicient has launched a dashboard to help customers identify which survey questions have the greatest impact on their business, and weed out those questions that are unproductive and redundant. More
Key personnel from behavioural targeting firm NebuAd, which ceased trading on Friday, are launching a new UK-based company called 'Insight Ready', according to reports. More
India-based MR outsourcing firm Ugam Solutions has opened a new delivery center at the Coimbatore Park in Sarvanampatti, Tamil Nadu. Over the next two years, the firm plans to hire 400 staff for this new facility. More
Ben Page is set to become the new Chief Executive of Ipsos MORI in the UK and Ireland, replacing Mike Everett who takes on a new global role on the Group Management Board. More
Research software provider Confirmit has delivered double-digit organic growth during the first quarter, and won a seven-figure contract with a global retailer for its customer feedback program. More
UK-based media group Aegis has announced organic decline in revenues for the first quarter for both its main divisions. With currency and acquisition effects revenue rose 4.8% for Aegis Media and 9.6% for MR division Synovate; without them it fell 13.1% and 9.1% respectively. More
MR industry supplier companies from three countries have combined to create a global VideoDiary(TM) research panel. QualVu, EasyInsites and Cint, of Denver, Stockholm and London respectively, say the panel will give brands instant access to screened participants for qual research. More
Online panel marketplace provider Cint is opening a German office in Berlin. German CEO Michael Henrich will manage the office and will take responsibility for customer development and support in all German speaking countries, including Austria and Switzerland. More
For the first three months of the year, GfK's sales slipped 1.3% from €268.1m in Q1 2008 to €264.7m. In order to absorb further 'crisis-related losses' the firm has announced measures to reduce personnel costs including short-time work, hiring freezes, salary cuts and redundancies. More
Swedish eye tracking firm Tobii Technology has raised another $16m in investment funding, which it plans to use to roll out its existing technology into new markets as well as for developing new applications. More
Users of Internet audience measurement are not satisfied with the metrics and information available to them, according to feedback from a new survey conducted among more than 800 executives from ad agencies, media publishers, ad networks and advertisers across the globe. More
In London, YouGovStone's MD Carole Stone is about to launch a monthly invitation-only club, where like-minded people can exchange ideas and build both business and social partnerships. Ideas generated by the StoneClub will come from, and feed back into, the firm's research. More
Ipsos has reported global revenues down 4.6% in Q1 2009 to €207.3m compared with the same period in 2008, with negative organic growth of 5.1% and a negative currency effect of 2.3%. The firm says it has held up well in an exceptionally difficult environment. More
UK-based business intelligence specialist MDL Research Group is to go into voluntary liquidation at the end of this month, after 30 years of trading. More
WPP-owned healthcare data collection agency All Global has integrated the TNS JStreet panel into its online physician panel across the US and Europe, thus boosting its number of active physician participants by 50% across key specialities. More
In the UK, 2CV has appointed Doug Edmonds, former Head of Numbers, to the position of UK MD, and Tim Blandford as Global Chief Operating Officer. More
In the UK, PR and research groups Chime Communications and Huntsworth have both confirmed their interest in making a potential offer for PR and research group Next Fifteen - which owns Context Analytics and Redshift Research. More
Simon Dannatt, CEO of UK market research group Optimisa, has stepped down from his role to focus on key consulting clients and on business in the US. He is replaced by Non-Executive Chairman Ron Littleboy, and will remain an Executive Director until the end of October. More
In the UK, Harris Interactive has appointed Robert Salvoni as UK and European Managing Director, replacing George Terhanian who took up the post of President of Global Solutions earlier this year. More
Harris Interactive has reported a 30.4% fall in revenue for the third quarter of 2009; from $57.3m in 2008 to $39.9m this year. The revenue decline impacted nearly all the firm's geographic regions, including the US, where revenue was down 33% for the quarter. More
In the UK, FreshMinds Research has announced the most profitable quarter in its nine year history. For Q1 2009, revenues increased 24% to £1.08m from the same period last year, and were up 51% on those recorded in Q4 2008. EBIT increased ninefold compared with Q1 2008. More
Harris Interactive has amended its credit agreement in a move which President and CEO Kimberly Till says will provide it with 'the financial stability and flexibility needed' as the firm continues to implement its strategic plan. More
In the US, IBM veteran Christopher Caine has launched Mercator XXI, which will help clients export their success globally. As well as market access and market research, the new firm offers advice on government relations and public policy. More
UK marketing services group Chime Communications is enjoying a strong first quarter with operating income up 13% from the same period last year, pre-tax profits 18% higher than 2008 at £4.8m, and operating profit margin rising 17.2%. More
Marcoms giant WPP, which eliminated 3,600 positions in Q1, is planning to make 6% of its global workforce redundant resulting in the loss of 7,200 posts in all this year. More
Online research and panels specialist Research Now is predicting first half revenues will rise 23% to £23.5m (2008: £19.1m), ahead of its interim results which are due out on Wednesday 1 July 2009. More
Nearly a third (31%) of marketers say they have decreased their use of market research as a result of the recession, compared with 14% who have upped their investment in this area, according to an online survey conducted by B2B International. A number of positive trends also emerge. More
First quarter revenue at online audience measurement firm comScore increased 16% to $30.6m from the prior year period, but the firm has cut its 2009 full-year revenue growth forecast to 10-12% from its previous prediction of 15%. More
Ipsos' shareholders have approved the appointment of five new Board Directors, including Pierre Le Manh who is Global CEO of Ipsos Marketing and Chairman of the CEEA and MENA regions. More
In the US, CRM outsourcing firm ICT Group has seen a drop in revenue to $96.1m in Q1, from $108.7m for the same period last year. More
UK marcoms giant WPP has reported a 5.8% fall in Q1 revenues, excluding the impact of acquisitions and currency fluctuations. The firm says this reflects a cut in client spending in reaction to the global financial and economic crisis. More
US market research data collection agency MRops has expanded into Europe with the opening of an office in London. More
In the UK, the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Communication (APPGC) has launched an investigation into developing areas of Internet practice including behavioural targeting and online privacy. The BBC and AT&T have also been in the news for behavioural targeting activity. More
In the UK, the Central Office of Information (COI) has followed up last week's announcement of a roster or 'framework' for Strategic Consultancy projects with the launch of a similar setup for regional marketing agencies. More
Media and online sentiment analyst Spectrum has launched a tool which gauges online sentiment regarding FTSE 100 companies and plots it against share prices and other financial data. The service, called Fin-buzz(TM), also allows comparison against the category as a whole. More
US pharma research giant IMS Health has seen total first quarter revenue fall 8% to $526.9m from $574.2m as the strong dollar impacts on overseas sales. Nevertheless, the quarter saw a sharp rise in net income. More
In the UK, new technology, telecoms and media research provider Verve has expanded its London team with three senior appointments. More
Former market researcher and specialist MR recruiter Fiona Warren has launched Snapdragon Research Recruitment, a new consultancy focusing on social and market research roles, both client and agency side. More
No.4 ranked search engine Ask.com is re-hiring Jeeves after three years as it battles / butles for market share in the UK. Research by YouGov found most people wanted the butler reinstated, and that more UK respondents knew the AskJeeves brand (83%) than the function of Ask.com (72%). More
Britain's advertisers have called on the European Commission to cancel its legal challenge over the UK government's policy on behavioural targeting technology, via trade association the ISBA. More
Panel firm ToLuna Plc has reported results for the year ended 31 December 2008, another year of strong growth with revenue up 74% to £21.7m (35% excluding the effect of acquisitions), and profit before tax up 48% to £4.7m. More
More than 30 call centre workers at Synovate in Auckland, NZ, were notified by text on Good Friday that they were locked out of the office, after turning down a pay increase of 20 cents per hour. More
In the UK, B2B research specialist IQ Holdings has announced a net loss of £440k for the year ended 30 September 2008, with its liabilities exceeding its assets by £677k. In a statement, the firm says this casts doubt on its ability to continue as a going concern. More
UK online performance researcher eDigitalResearch has opened a new London office, managed by Head of Business Development Dominic Bean. More
MR software giant SPSS has created a new and distinct brand for its predictive analytics products, PASW (Predictive Analytics Software). More
UK-based web analytics provider Site Intelligence has opened an office in Sydney, Australia to enable local organisations to use its business intelligence across both online and offline data. More
In the UK, online market research firm YouGov has reported a 54% drop in headline pre-tax profits to £2.4m (2008: £5.2m) for the six months to the end of January. Thirty of the firm's 420 staff will be made redundant, in an effort to save £2.5m a year. More
Rumours that up to 50% of YouGov's UK staff are to be made redundant have been strongly denied by UK CEO Tim Britton. Britton says a review announced this week is intended to 'cut the firm's cloth' to match current conditions and will probably mean 'a small number' of job cuts. More
In London, two marketing analysts have launched a new marketing and data analytics consultancy with a focus on linking digital advertising with traditional forms of marketing communications. More
In the UK, Bob Douglas has been promoted from Head of Synovate Healthcare's global custom business to overall Global Head of Synovate Healthcare. More
Mayfair, London-based recruitment consultancy Prime Insight is adding a specific Market Research arm to its established Analytics recruitment business; and has recruited Matt Terry to lead the launch. More
Harris Interactive has announced that up to 30 UK jobs could go, as part of its plans to streamline the business. Meanwhile, continuing its US restructure, the firm has appointed former TNS Chief Information Officer Enzo Micali as Global EVP of Technology and Operations. More
GfK has reported an increase in income of €58.4m to €1,220.4m for the year 2008, reflecting organic growth of 5.5%. More
In London, former Research Now Director Charles Pearson has today announced the launch of a new research agency, EasyInsites, focusing on custom panel solutions and using technology from Cint AB. Research Now's former Client Development Director Jo Winning joins him in the venture. More
Ad targeting software company Phorm has announced the beginning of a market trial with KT, Korea's biggest Internet service provider (ISP); the opening of an office in Seoul; and the appointment of Daniel Park as CEO of Phorm Korea. More
Marcoms giant WPP is preparing to make thousands of staff redundant this year, in response to declining revenues and its £1.1bn debt-financed acquisition of TNS. Credit agencies S&P and Moody have downgraded the firm's rating from stable to negative. More
UK-based Portio Group is launching a new division, Portio Consult, providing technical, marketing and commercial consultancy services to companies at all stages of growth in the converging fields of telecoms, media, technology and communications. More
The UK's MR charity MRBA reports 'a marked increase in the number of worthy cases' as it begins its annual Online Auction to raise money for researchers and ex-researchers in difficulties. More
TNS has announced further changes to its senior management team, following its recent merger with Research International. The latest appointments cover global roles, North America and Europe. More
Cello Group has announced a new board for its Cello Research division, with Vincent Nolan, founder of its subsidiary 2CV, as Chairman, and Jane Shirley as CEO. More
BrainJuicer Group has appointed Alex Hunt as VP of Client Service in the USA. He will be based in New York until the autumn, when he will open up the firm's Chicago office. More
TNS has appointed a new Regional Operating Board for the Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa (ALM) region, led by former TNS Regional MD Jamie Hall, who assumes overall responsibility for the region as ALM CEO. More
After more than 14 years with UK public sector specialist Andrew Irving Associates (AIA), Nicky Spicer has been promoted to the position of Managing Director. More
British marcoms group Aegis - which owns market research firm Synovate - has announced plans to cut around 780 jobs across its global operations as part of a cost-saving plan to beat the downturn. Meanwhile CEO John Napier denied reports he has held merger talks with competitor Havas. More
UK-based online research specialist BrainJuicer Group has reported a 2008 organic revenue increase of 42% to £9.3m for 2008, while pre-tax profits rose 56% to £1.37m. More
In response to what it describes as 'shifting trends in market research', Kantar Operations will be shutting a telephone centre in Warwick, UK, in June. Local reports say that up to 137 people could lose their jobs as a result of the closure. More
Ipsos has posted organic growth of 7.8% and operating margin up 8.2% for 2008, despite a financial crisis which it describes as 'unprecedented in its scale since the modern economy took shape'. More
UK-based specialist business-to-business market research agency B2B International has recorded its twelfth consecutive year of growth, reporting an annual turnover of £3.3m ($4.7m) in 2008 which it attributes to its expansion in the US and Chinese markets. More
The Research and Consulting arm of UK-based Cello has delivered a headline operating profit of £6.1m (2007: £6.2m) for the year to 31 December 2008, from operating income of £39.1m (2007: £32.m) and revenue of £66.4m, up 30% on the year. The group describes this as a 'good year' given the economic context. More
Martin Sorrell has talked of 'big, big opportunities' and 'a tsunami of funds... waiting for the recovery' in an interview with the BBC. The WPP chief also discussed his views on headcount reduction in a recession, on Google, and the future market share of different advertising media. More
Harris Interactive has made a further 90 staff redundant - 16% of its US full-time workforce - in a bid to make $10m in cost savings. The firm saved $9.5m through headcount reduction in October and December last year. More
UK marcoms group Chime Communications has seen a continued decline in the performance of its research division, with operating profits dropping by 73% to £400,000, and operating income falling from £7.7m to £7.0m. Results in other divisions carried the group to healthy revenue and profit growth. More
Ipsos MORI's Reputation Centre has set up a Reputation Council, made up of more than 50 senior corporate communicators drawn from a cross section of major organisations across Europe. More
US research software firm Vovici and high-profile London-based start-up Verve have announced a strategic partnership to provide fully serviced customer communities and advisory panels for corporate clients in Europe. More
WPP has reported healthy results for the full year 2008. Like-for-like revenue growth of 2.7% came from a combination of a strong first half and slower second half. Insight division Kantar provided 17.1% of all WPP revenue and 12.8% of operating profit. More
Rita Clifton, Chairman of Interbrand, is to take over from Jeremy Bullmore as President of the UK's Market Research Society (MRS), when he completes his five-year term in April. More
UK-based Informa plc has announced preliminary results for the year ended 31 December 2008, with a positive contribution from its recently acquired market intelligence firm Datamonitor adding to slow but sure organic growth. More
Shares in AIM-listed market research group Optimisa jumped by around 80% to 45p by 5pm today, following the purchase of a 17% stake last Thursday by Norwegian group Gimle Finans AS. More
In the UK, Ci Research has launched a new financial services team, consisting of four individuals and headed by Director Colin Auton. More
According to preliminary figures, GfK has achieved organic revenue growth of 5.5% to €1,220m for the financial year 2008. The firm has also implemented a new efficiency programme which it says should save €30m between now and 2012. More
Specialist MR recruiter Elizabeth Norman International (ENI) has promoted Emy Rumble-Mettle to MD of its UK operation, and has announced a partnership with US-based Morgan Search International, as it expands its international presence. More
UK b2b research specialist IQ has closed its telephone and online data collection firm The Wire, just three weeks after acquiring it from global agency Illuminas. More
The Kantar Group is streamlining its businesses after buying TNS. The TNS Custom business will merge with Research International and will be generally known as TNS. A new social research force for the UK is established in TNS-BMRB, while Kantar has four new vertical sector operating units: Media, Health, Retail and Worldpanel. More
YouGov executives have considered taking the company private following its share price tumble this month, according to private equity sources quoted in the UK's Daily Telegraph newspaper. More
In the UK, Kantar-owned brand and insight agency Added Value has transferred Paul McGowan to its newly created position of Chief Marketing Officer, to lead an investment programme across its network of international offices. More
Marcoms agency Prompt Communications has launched a market research service to provide quant and qual insights into market conditions, demands and opportunities for B2B firms. Its focus at present is on technology companies across Europe, the US and Asia Pacific. More
New London-based technology, telecoms and media research provider Verve has hired former Synovate CEO/CFO Peter Chopra as Partner, Strategic Finance and International Development. More
In the UK, TMN Group, which owns MR firms ICD Research and iD Factor, has suspended trading in its shares on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM ), as it discusses a potential reverse takeover of the company. More
Indian MR outsourcing firm Ugam Solutions has opened new offices in Rochester, New York and Dallas, Texas, and appointed Jim Frederickson as its President in North America and Russell Britt as Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing. More
United Business Media's publishing, events and research group Light Reading is opening a new office in Beijing, China, from where it will launch an Asia-specific site to cover key trends and news with analysis targeted at communications service providers in India and China. More
Former Ciao Europe MD Richard Thornton has joined Sweden-based panels firm Cint as UK MD, managing its expansion into the UK market. He will start by opening an office in London and recruiting sales and support staff. More
Ipsos has reported full-year organic growth of 7.8% with revenues up 5.6% to €979.3m from 2007. The group says that in 2009 it intends to deliver further growth, while maintaining margins - at the very least - at their 2008 level. More
UK-based online performance researcher eDigitalResearch (eDR) has realigned its business structure to cope with increased turnover and company growth. The firm has also promoted Nada Gillard to the position of Research Manager. More
Panels and technology firm Toluna has reported a revenue increase of more than 70% to £21m for 2008, from £12.5m in 2007. Excluding the effect of acquisitions, revenue rose by just over a third. More
Forrester Research has reported revenues of $62.9m for the fourth quarter, up from $58.2m the previous year, while for the year ended December 31, 2008, total revenues increased to $240.9m from $212.1m a year before. More
Ciao Surveys has extended its partnership with Yuseo, a specialist in the ergonomics of interactive systems. The firms' e-Performance Observatory solution will now analyse users' experience of e-commerce high-tech web sites in the UK, Germany and France. More
B2B research specialist Kadence has reported revenue of US$7.8m in the six months to December 2008 - 40% up on the same period a year before. More
Harris Interactive has announced a steep decline in revenue for the second quarter of its fiscal 2009, to $50.7m from $62.7m a year previously. An already substantial operating loss for the quarter looked a lot worse after a write-down of $40.3m for goodwill impairment. More
WPP's new partner Omniture has announced results for its fourth quarter and fiscal year ended December 31, 2008. Revenue of $296m is more than double the 2007 figure - on a like-for-like basis it grew 113%. More
Pharma research leader IMS Health has announced full-year 2008 revenue up 3% at constant currencies to $2,329.5m. Income grew slightly (2%) and EPS respectably (11%) in real terms. Chairman and CEO David R. Carlucci said the firm was 'positioned to perform well in a slower growth environment'. More
Shares in online market research agency YouGov fell 45% this morning, following its prediction that revenue for the six months to the end of January would fall short of expectations. More
Technology market research firm Gartner has posted a 1% increase in fourth quarter profit to $347.3m, helped by good growth in its research and consulting segments. For the year, the firm has posted a 9% revenue increase to $1.28bn. More
In the UK, Interpublic-owned media agency Initiative has created a new planning and insight unit incorporating its previously separate research department. More
Online market research agency YouGov is bringing together all its solely-owned international operations under the YouGov brand. More
Marketing services group Creston has reported a 4% increase in revenues for the nine months ending December 2008. The group says trading for ICM and Marketing Sciences, the larger companies in its Insight Division, remains 'robust'. More
GfK's holding company GfK AG has become a European public limited company, and will now trade as GfK SE. The firm says the change will better reflect its international perspective and structure. More
Online research and panels specialist Research Now has announced a 60% increase in group revenues to £41.2m for 2008, compared with £25.8m a year previously. Profit before tax was £5.7m, compared with £0.3m in 2007. More
TMN Group plc, which owns MR firms ICD Research and iD Factor, says that due to a 'continued decline in performance' its profit will be 50 per cent below expectations for the full year, and that it will make staff cuts 'across the company'. More
UK-based B2B International has taken on additional floorspace for its Bramhall, Manchester Head Office, and says it will also move its China office, established only in December 2006, to larger premises in the spring. More
Marcoms giant WPP has announced a partnership with US web analytics firm Omniture to provide clients with 'more effective insights' across both digital and traditional media channels. The deal involves WPP investing $25m in Omniture stock. More
In Germany, the GfK Association – GfK's main shareholder – has passed a resolution to ensure that any future bids to buy the group must first be authorised by its new Members' Council. It has also appointed four new members to its Executive Board. More
Online research and panels specialist Research Now has opened an office in Auckland, New Zealand, and appointed former TNS exec Martin Tomlinson as Client Development Manager. More
In London, full-service research agency SPA has restructured its business into three divisions, each with its own Managing Director. It has also promoted Jo Lockett from Marketing Director to the newly created role of Chief Operating Officer to oversee non-research functions. More
The UK's Royal Mail has named former TNS Chairman Donald Brydon as first choice to lead it through a forthcoming part-privatisation. If appointed, he would replace current Chairman Allan Leighton when he steps down in March. More
In the UK, technology, telecoms and media research provider Verve has hired former FreshMinds COO/MD Jeannie Arthur as Partner and UK MD. More
Global communications group WPP is planning to move away from its role as a traditional media and advertising supplier, to concentrate on becoming a more insight-led organisation, says CEO Sir Martin Sorrell. More
Despite the global downturn, GfK has booked nearly a quarter of its expected revenue for the year, says CEO Klaus Wübbenhorst – almost precisely in line wth figures for this time last year. More
UK marcoms group Chime Communications has appointed Paul Tredwell as Chief Executive of its Research and Engagement division. More
Healthcare research consultancy Double Helix (DH) has opened a division which will conduct strategic pricing, reimbursement and market access studies. The team will be led by industry veteran Andrew (Drew) Baker. More
Harris Interactive has launched a specialist youth and kids practice that will operate within its Technology, Media and Telecoms (TMT) division in the UK. The new division is headed by Steve Mellor. More
UK-based online quant research specialist BrainJuicer Group Plc has issued a trading statement with 2008 results ahead of market expectations. Reported revenue rose more than 40% to £9m – all organic growth - and operating profit was up by 45% to over £1.2m. More
AIM-listed Cello Group plc has issued a trading update for the calendar year 2008, indicating that its results for the full year will be at the lower end of market expectations, but reporting a number of positives concerned with finance and operations. More
In the UK, relationship marketing group Hicklin Slade & Partners (HS&P) has launched Legends; a multi-channel word-of-mouth (WOM) agency which aims to 'create on- and offline consumer conversations' for brands. More
After almost exactly two years at the helm of SSI, Jim Follett has departed the company and is replaced by Bloomerce founder Kees de Jong. Dennis J. Beckingham meanwhile joins the firm as President and CFO. More
Sheila Jones has handed over the reins at Cardiff-based market research agency Research and Marketing Plus, after leading the company for twenty years. New arrival Phil Evans takes on the role of Chief Executive Officer. More
GfK and venture capital group Apax Partners could be possible buyers for Synovate, while Havas Chairman Vincent Bolloré nets the remainder of Aegis, according to reports in the UK press. More
WPP's insight and consultancy division The Kantar Group has made what it claims is an industry first appointment, with the naming of George Pappachen in the newly-created role of Chief Privacy Officer. More
UK-based agency Nunwood, fresh from its MRS Agency of the Year award, is recruiting to cope with record new business of £3.4m, and 45% growth in international sales. More
In the UK, Kantar-owned agency BMRB has appointed former Futures Company executive Dr Michelle Harrison as Managing Director for Government and Public Affairs. More
Netherlands-based Blauw Research has moved its London office to larger premises in Soho, and opened a new viewing facility there which offers high definition recording with real time online streaming. More
In what is being billed as 'India's Enron', the head of IT outsourcing giant Satyam has admitted to inflating the firm's cash and bank balances by 70bn rupees ($1bn) in an effort to forestall a takeover. More
B2B specialist Kadence has promoted Kieron Mathews to the position of Managing Director of London-based Kadence UK, giving Group Chairman Simon Everard more time to guide the firm's strong international growth. More
Research software provider Confirmit has partnered with call recording/outbound dialling technology firm Magnetic North to deliver a hosted telephony platform that enables market research firms to reduce the cost of telephone research projects. More
In the US, CRM outsourcing firm ICT Group has announced that it will no longer be providing market research services, and that it will be closing or partially closing six of its contact centers in the US and Canada, and offshoring much of the work from those in Europe and Australia. More
ESOMAR, the global association for market and opinion research, has appointed US-based Gunilla Broadbent as its President for the period 2009-2010. She is the second woman to hold the position and the first President who resides outside Europe. More
A report in the UK's Observer newspaper which outlined WPP's plans to cut thousands of jobs in Western Europe and North America has been denied by a company spokesperson. More
British marcoms group Aegis has commissioned a review of the business which could result in the spin-off of its market research arm Synovate, according to a report in UK newspaper The Sunday Times. More
In the UK, stakeholder engagement consultancy Engage Group has launched a Research and Analytics unit, and appointed former YouGov Directors Andy Brown and Sarah Jordan to head the new offering. More
In the US, Vin Gupta – the founder and former CEO and Chairman of ORC parent and database giant infoGROUP – claims he is exploring a proposal to acquire all the firm's outstanding shares and take the company private. More
Some of the world's biggest advertising groups have this week announced thousands of job cuts. However, their MR firms seem to be relatively little affected so far, as do PR subsidiaries, while ad agencies themselves bear the brunt. More
Cello has announced that Group Executive Chairman Kevin Steeds died last night, after a four month battle with cancer. More
Harris Interactive's new President and CEO Kimberly Till has implemented a series of restructuring initiatives, including a net loss of 51 US jobs, c.8% of the total US full-time workforce; the formation of new vertical teams; and changes in senior management. More
GfK has acquired a 74% majority stake in Egyptian consumer research company Market Insight; and has formed a joint venture with the Median Group under the name of GfK Custom Research Middle East Holding, in which GfK holds a 51% share. More
In the UK, insight consultancy Truth has announced that turnover for 2008 – the firm's first full year of trading – will be close to £4m. More
In the UK, the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) has awarded £1.1m to establish the Survey Resources Network (SRN), a body which will promote best practice in survey research, provide online information resources for researchers and link academics, policy-makers and survey practitioners. More
Direct marketing and MR group TMN has made a post-tax loss of £476k for the first six months of the financial year, compared with a profit of nearly £1m a year previously. Revenue at its online research subsidiaries iD Factor and ICD climbed 30% from the year-earlier figure, while group turnover rose 72% to £15.5m. More
Two UK business schools have set up the UK Innovation Research Centre to analyse how innovation can make businesses more competitive, and help meet social, environmental and economic challenges. More
Global engineering and management consultancy Mott MacDonald has established a new market research and stakeholder team in central London, to serve both public and private sector clients. Former Benchmark Research Director Dennis de Cala will lead the division. More
In the UK, the former Joint Industry Committee for Internet Measurement Systems (JICIMS) is to be re-launched as the UK Online Measurement (UKOM) company, following recent news that its original stakeholders had withdrawn financial support. More
Custom online panel firm Vision Critical has announced a new branch in Sydney, Australia, extending its presence into the Asia Pacific region. Kris Hartvigsen will lead the operation as MD, Australia. Last week, the firm announced the release of its newest online research platform, Sparq. More
Online research specialist MarketTools has conducted research which it says conclusively demonstrates the connection between fraudulent survey respondents and skewed survey data. More
In London, the founders of Research Now, Hall & Partners and the iD Factor – Andrew Cooper, Mike Hall and Jon Gumbrell – have launched Verve, a new technology, telecoms and media-focused research provider. More senior personnel are set to join in the next two months. More
Pyramid Research – the telecom research arm of TechWeb's Light Reading Communications Network – has relocated its corporate headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and its offices in London and Hong Kong to new facilities. More
UK-based pharma decision support consultancy J&D Associates has partnered with GfK's oncology subsidiary GfK Research Matters to market the former's EQM platform for use with the latter's tracking data. More
In the UK, Carrot Pharma Recruitment has moved into premises in Wilmslow, Cheshire which are three times the size of its current office in Didsbury. More
Online research and panels specialist Research Now is forecasting results ahead of previous market expectations, including reported revenues up more than 55% to £41m, and operating profit up 120% to around £6.2m, for the year ended 31 October 2008. More
Research software provider Confirmit has announced its most successful quarter to date for new business revenue, along with revenue growth of 51% for the nine months ending September 2008. More
Havas' Vincent Bolloré is more confident of securing his two boardroom seats at rival Aegis, after a recent meeting with interim CEO John Napier, according to sources quoted in the Sunday Telegraph newspaper. More
Analysts are watching Aegis closely following yesterday's surprise departure of CEO Robert Lerwill. Initial speculation about easing conditions for a Havas merger has given way to caution, and the share price has not continued its rise after a brief morning surge. More
UK-based Munro Global has expanded teams at two of its subsidiaries, FDS International and acefieldwork, with five appointments in the last few weeks. More
Robert Lerwill is to stand down as group CEO of Synovate parent Aegis, at the end of this month. Chairman John Napier will take on his responsibilities on an interim basis. Aegis shares leapt 17% today as rumours linked the move to a possible merger. More
TNS has beaten Ipsos, GfK and others in a major qual competitive tender from the European Commission and the European Parliament. TNS says the deal covers all the body's qualitative studies and is 'believed to be the world's largest qual research programme', valued at some 15m Euros over four years. More
Marketers are 'gloomier than ever' about the UK's economic outlook according to the latest Marketing Trends Survey published today by the Chartered Institute of Marketing. More
UK agency Virtual Surveys has hired former Harris researcher Andy Buckley to head up its rapidly expanding work in the online communities area. He leads a specialist team formed only in the summer and already boasting nine people. More
In the UK, market research exhibition The Insight Show is to be integrated into a cross-discipline event called 'Marketing Week Live', which will be held at Olympia in London next summer. More
Global information services group Experian has posted a pre-tax profit of $318m for the first half of the year; up from $270m for the same period in 2007. Organic revenue growth varied widely by region with North America and the UK up just 1% but Latin America more than doubled. More
UK-based B2B International has launched INSTEP, a tool to enable schools, colleges, universities and other educational establishments to conduct market research to understand the needs of their students. More
In the US, physician network Epocrates has expanded its opt-in panel to include physicians and pharmacists in the UK, Germany, France, Italy and Spain. More
In the UK, healthcare panel firm Pearl Medical has ceased trading, after being unable to raise the short-term financing required to continue operations. More
Microsoft will for the time being remain the owner of Greenfield Online's Internet Survey Solutions (ISS) business, after potential buyer ZM Capital failed to meet financing conditions. President and CEO Al Angrisani will stay on in an advisory capacity while a new home is sought. More
Synovate has announced four new appointments including former Opinion Leader exec Liz Owen as Research Director of its UK Qualitative specialist team. Wai Tang, Daoud Fakhri and Victoria Mansell also join the firm. More
London-based agency SPA is diversifying into the B2B, public and transport/travel sectors with the appointment of Janet Wright as Research Director, responsible for developing new revenue streams and building up a specialist team. More
UK marcoms group Chime Communications has described the performance of its Research division – which includes Opinion Leader, Facts International, Ledbury and Naked Eye – as 'disappointing', with profits for the first ten months of the year below the same period in 2007. More
Nielsen and WPP have signed an asset swapping agreement. Nielsen will acquire WPP's half of AGBNielsen Media Research (AGBNMR), and in return, WPP will take over three of Nielsen's media services assets. More
Thwarted in its TNS marriage plans, GfK appears to be enjoying the single life. Revenue for the first nine months of the year rose to €883.8m, representing organic growth of 7.2% (up from 5.5% the previous year); and adjusted operating income up 1.7% to €104.3m. The firm described the results as 'satisfactory' in the current economic climate. More
Business improvement company Grass Roots Group, whose services include mystery shopping, has reported strong financial results for its year ending June 08. Turnover is up 20% to £284.3m and pre-tax profit up 24% to £10.3m. More
MR software and predictive analytics giant SPSS has announced third quarter revenues up 4% vs Q3 2007 to $74.9m and net income up 25% to $10.5m. However, the firm intends to respond to the global downturn by cutting costs, including a ten per cent staff reduction. More
Troubled group IPT Holdings has sold off two more of its businesses, UK-based research firms Integra Insight and RWCEL. The latter includes subsidiaries Tpoll and The Simulating World Research Company. More
Online audience measurement firm comScore has reported a 37% Q3 revenue increase to $30.7m, while launching a new service to track distributed web content across third party sites. More
In the US, data giant the infoGroup has recorded an operating loss of $1.7m in the third quarter, caused partly by legal expenses and severance costs associated with the sacking of former Chairman and CEO Vin Gupta. More
B2B specialist Kadence has reported a 68% hike in first quarter revenue to $5m (£3.24m), and announced strong growth across all its offices, with the UK leading with an 82% revenue increase. More
Survey Sampling International (SSI) has added a new wireless / mobile telephone sampling capability to its online sample ordering system SSI-SNAP. More
Pharmaceutical research giant IMS Health has reported third-quarter revenue of $574m, up 6%, or a modest 3% year-on-year on a constant dollar basis. However, net income and EPS grew 33% and 41% respectively in the quarter. More
In the UK, Cello-owned online and offline data specialist Tangible Data is expanding its operations into Edinburgh and has appointed Yvonne Balfour to head up the new office. More
Harris Interactive has announced that President & CEO Greg Novak is leaving the firm, to be replaced by former TNS North American CEO Kimberley Till. The company has also announced today that it will make around 30 US staff redundant. More
Yorkshire, UK-based qual specialist 6S is celebrating its second year in business with a 100% increase in turnover, partly attributed to business wins in the financial services sector. More
Finnish research provider Global Intelligence Alliance (GIA) is merging with three of the companies in its GIA Network: East Asian-based Fusion Consulting, Gayer Consulting in Germany, and DeskResearch Nederland. More
Online audience measurement firm comScore has doubled the number of web sites it reports on worldwide, to offer more robust and granular site audience data and improve its trending capabilities. More
In the UK, loyalty marketing agency ICLP has launched a data analytics business, Cogent Approach, to help clients extract maximum insight and value from their data. More
Survey Sampling International (SSI) has launched a new strategy for expanding the availability and diversity of panel members worldwide and improving the quality of sample provided to clients. More
GfK has received a break fee of around €13m (£10.6m) from TNS as compensation for the abandoned 'merger of equals' deal planned earlier in the year. The German firm has also reported a bulging order book. More
Online customer satisfaction metrics agency ForeSee Results and web analytics firm OX2/LBi have partnered to offer their behavioural and satisfaction-based metrics to clients in Europe. More
In the UK, online market research agency YouGov has abandoned plans to form a hedge fund after its partners failed to raise the necessary funds. More
Research International (RI) has announced an alliance with STAT'COM to launch a new simulated test market product named MicroTest Nouveau, integrating state of the art modelling of market conditions with a global database of over 40,000 records in order to put results into context. More
Following WPP's announcement on Friday that around 61% of TNS shareholders had accepted its bid, the TNS Board has recommended that shareholders accept, to avoid the risk of being left with a minority interest in an unlisted company. More
In the UK, Buckingham Research Associates founder Maggie Drye has launched a new company, Insitas. Former Buckingham execs Sandra Halstead and Duncan Fergusson join the start-up team, along with Acritas CEO Lisa Hart who becomes a Non-Executive Director. More
WPP has again extended the deadline for acceptance of its TNS bid to next Wednesday, October 8th, with 61% of shareholders accepting. However, major TNS shareholder Cedar Rock has taken its holding past the 10% mark, which may impact the ad giant's options. More
WPP says its current offer for TNS is final and will not be increased unless a rival bidder emerges. The ad group has also sent TNS shareholders information clarifying its intention to create a new UK-listed but offshore-based parent company. More
In the UK, online measurement standards body ABCe has launched a new initiative to provide greater transparency in ratings. Media owners taking its web traffic audit, based on site-centric transactional data, can now add demographic, lifestyle and media data via a validated on-site survey. More
SKOPOS market insight has doubled its global sales and profit in two years – the former to around £5 million - and has appointed two new senior staff, Scott Dodgson and Anna Galicia, to its Research & Insight team in the UK. More
WPP has announced that its bid for TNS had been accepted by around 43% of the latter's shareholders as of 2.30pm Monday – up from just 34% on Friday. The acquisitive ad group also says it will move its 'domicile' to Ireland due to the current 'complexity' of the UK tax system. More
UK-based professional services research specialist Acritas has announced rapid expansion, with fourteen appointments taking its total staff to more than forty. More
WPP has again extended its deadline for TNS shareholders to decide on its £1.2bn bid - to this Friday, October 3rd - but has now received acceptances from 33.8% of them - up from just 11% two weeks previously. More
GfK has appointed Dr. Arno Mahlert to replace Hajo Riesenbeck as Chairman. Stefan Pfander replaces him as Deputy Chairman. More
Online audience measurement firm comScore expects to double its revenue to $200m in the next two to three years, according to President & CEO Magid Abraham. More
TNS has today issued its shareholders with a new statement urging them to reject WPP's offer for the firm, underlining its strength as a standalone group. More
TNS is to adopt research software provider Vovici's Enterprise Feedback Management (EFM) Platform and Community Builder Model as its standard platform for building custom online panels and communities for its customers. More
In the UK, Clive Gibbins, a 19 year veteran of NOP, has died of cancer just weeks before his 50th birthday. More
London-based medical market research company Healthcare Landscape has launched what it believes is the first patient and nurse omnibus. More
For the first half of the year, European panels and software firm Toluna has posted a flat pre-tax profit of £1.39m, despite revenue growth of 36% to £8.2m million and organic revenue up 32%. More
In the UK, research and recruitment firm FreshMinds has won the London regional final of the Bank of Scotland Corporate Challenge, and with it up to £5m of interest-free funding. More
In the UK, a private equity consortium behind a rejected offer to take over Datamonitor-owner Informa has officially pulled out of the bidding. More
Launch only in January, market research recruitment firm Hasson Associates has already outgrown its London offices and is moving to larger premises in Soho. More
TPI, the outsourcing data and advisory firm owned by Information Services Group (ISG), has launched a new business unit with an independent management team which will provide information and insights to outsourcing and offshoring service providers. More
Online fieldwork provider Research Now has established a joint venture in Shanghai and opened an office in Singapore, while launching eight new Asian panels. More
UK marketing services group Optimisa has seen its pretax profits tumble in the first half of the year, with 2nd quarter performance well below budget in all three of its major operating units. More
204 weeks separate the Beijing Olympics and the start of the next games in London – precisely one week for each country that took part in the events in China. MrWeb will be following a trail across the world for the next four years, each week profiling one country and its research industry, linking also to news, jobs and suppliers. More
It's a good week for panel launches in Belgium. Yesterday Lightspeed, now European online data collection firm ODC has announced one, as well as launching a new tool to keep panellists motivated. More
Direct marketing and data group IPT (Interactive Prospect Targeting) is to sell off its UK business, including its research agencies Tpoll and Integra Insight. The firm is already in talks with potential buyers regarding various options for the sale. More
In the UK, online fieldwork provider Research Now has signed an agreement to create specialist business-to-business panels with online and offline publisher Reed Business Information (RBI). More
In the UK, user experience consultancy User Vision has launched what it describes as the first fully comprehensive multi-media testing lab with eye tracking, offering insights to broadcasters, set top box manufacturers, advertisers and content producers. More
Hajo Riesenbeck is to resign from the Supervisory Board Chairmanship and Presidency of GfK Nürnberg e.V. Riesenbeck was closely associated with the TNS bid, while CEO Klaus Wübbenhorst is said to have been more convinced of the firm's ability to grow on its own. More
On a day of chaos for stock markets, shares in online research success story YouGov have continued to climb on speculation that it is pondering a large US buy, and might itself be the subject of a bid from a larger research or marketing services group. More
WPP said today it would extend its offer for TNS shares to September 26th. Only 11% of shareholders had accepted the offer by today's 3pm London deadline, already an extension. More
Wales has a new centralised social research body, WISERD, established with £9m in joint funding from the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW) and the UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). Initially the Centre pulls together expertise from five Welsh universities. More
In response to pressure from European Union data protection officials, Internet giant Google has halved the length of time it will retain personal search data; pledging to anonymize IP addresses after nine months. More
Microsoft has revealed that it is selling the Greenfield Online Internet Survey Solutions (ISS) business to ZM Surveys, a 'shell' organization affiliated with media-focused private equity firm ZM Capital. Terms were not disclosed. More
UK researcher Matthew Lawrence has set up his own agency in Cyprus, offering all aspects of qual data collection and project management. More
In Singapore, Pauline Chia and Andrew Wood have opened Asia Talent – a market research recruitment consultancy, serving the needs of the industry across Asia. More
Experian has launched a new online 'Company Information' service to provide details about any UK private company, its shareholders and directors. The database also includes millions of companies in Asia Pacific and elsewhere. More
UK-based online market research agency BrainJuicer has confirmed significant organic growth for the first half of the year, with revenue up by 37% from £2.9m to £3.9m. For the six months ended 30 June 2008, operating profit increased 33% to £196,000. More
UK marketing services group TMN has reported that revenue for its research agencies iD Factor and ICD Research rose 42.5% to £2.7m in its end-of-year results (2007: £1.9m). Operating profit for the period was £532,000, compared with £388,000 last year. More
Customer Experience Management (CEM) software developer Leximancer is relocating its London office and CEO Neil Harley to Boulder, Colorado. More
US-based healthcare data collection agency All Global has launched a new Palliative Care Panel, providing access to more than 18,000 physicians, nurses, pharmacists and healthcare professionals across 39 countries. More
The European Commission has extended by ten working days its investigation into the potential effect on competition of communication group WPP's takeover bid for global agency TNS. More
In London, the Newspaper Marketing Agency (NMA) has made a number of appointments in marketing and insight roles, responding to demand for more campaign assessment and audience research. More
In the UK, Milorad Ajder has been appointed as MD of Ipsos MORI's Reputation Centre (RC), replacing Stewart Lewis who will retire at the end of the year after more than 30 years with the firm. More
In the UK, the Telegraph Media Group (TMG) has pulled out of its sponsorship of the Ipsos MORI British Business Survey (BBS), saying it 'lacks credibility'. More
Magazine trade association the PPA (Periodical Publishers Association) is to consolidate its various research departments into a single research unit, following a review by incoming CEO Jonathan Shephard. More
WPP has extended its offer to buy shares in TNS to 3pm London time on September 12th. The company's original deadline passed on Friday with only 8.61% of TNS shareholders accepting its offer. TNS continues to recommend rejection. More
UK healthcare fieldwork firm KeyQuest Health has today moved to new offices in the former home of writer Virginia Woolf in Richmond-upon-Thames, Surrey. More
Greenfield Online has revealed the identity of its new potential buyer - Microsoft. Having offered $486m to clinch the deal, the software giant intends to sell Greenfield's online survey arm and just keep the Ciao comparison shopping web sites. More
In the UK, marcoms group Chime Communications has reported operating profits down 39% to £460,000 in its research division – which includes Opinion Leader, Facts International, Ledbury and Naked Eye. The firm is also set to launch a new digital research business in the autumn. More
In the UK, employee-owned investment firm Cedar Rock Capital – the largest shareholder in TNS - is understood to have rejected ad giant WPP's latest £1.1bn offer. More
UK marcoms group Aegis has posted overall organic revenue growth of 8.2% for the first half of 2008. Research arm Synovate reports healthy revenue and profit rises but has reduced expectations for 2008 organic market growth to 4.1% from 5.1%, in the light of tough trading conditions. More
Ipsos MORI has announced that it is the first research agency in the UK to achieve registration to the international information security standard ISO 27001:2005; recognised as the means to establish, implement and monitor an information security management system (ISMS). More
Harris Interactive has announced results for its fourth fiscal quarter and fiscal year ended June 30, 2008. Annual revenue was up 13% to $238.7m, but pro forma organic revenue was down 1%, with a decline of 3% in North American more than cancelling out good growth of 6% in Europe. More
WPP has announced its unaudited interim results for the six months ended 30th June 2008, showing good revenue and profit figures in all regions and for all divisions including insight. While his own firm may be healthy however, CEO Sir Martin Sorrell says the current merger process is 'not doing [TNS] much good'. More
Company founder Vin Gupta is to receive $10m as part of a severance agreement from ORC-owner infoGroup. The company filed its delayed second-quarter earnings report with the SEC yesterday, revealing that soaring costs reduced quarterly net income by almost 32% to $4.3m despite a 17% increase in revenue to $187.2m. More
Less than a month after removing Vin Gupta from his role as Chairman of database giant and ORC parent infoGroup, the firm's Board has announced his resignation as CEO. More
Global information services giant Experian has appointed Charlotte Hogg as MD of UK & Ireland, responsible for driving growth across the firm's Decision Analytics, Marketing Services, Interactive, Strategic Accounts and Credit Services business lines. More
In the UK, B2B specialist Information Arts has been given sole rights to sell DM company Harte-Hanks' Ci Technology Database (CiTDB). A number of Harte Hanks staff will join the firm, which is also introducing a new range of data and insight services for users of the database. More
Central London-based Jigsaw Research has opened a new office in Amsterdam, to support its growing international client base and to develop relationships with companies headquartered in the Netherlands. More
GfK will use the time available to it before making any offer for TNS, according to CEO Klaus Wuebbenhorst. This is likely to mean September, while WPP boss Sir Martin Sorrell will see TNS shareholders vote on his proposals on 29th August. More
UK-based pharma consulting specialist J&D Associates has announced a licensing deal in Europe for ADSAM®, a proprietary technique for measuring emotional response. More
Ipsos has posted a 4.5% increase in revenue to Euros 462.8m for the first half of 2008, and organic growth of 8.4%. Four of the firm's business lines reported double-digit organic growth during the period. More
UK-based global recruitment group Prime People plc has launched a research, insight and analysis division, Prime Insight, and has appointed Alice Glover, co-founder of recruiters NicholsonGlover Consulting, to head it up. More
UK-based Acritas – a market research agency specialising in the legal sector – and Canadian market intelligence provider ShiftCentral have partnered to develop new products for the legal market. More
WPP CEO Sir Martin Sorrell says GfK is misleading the market about being able to pull together the resources to buy British rival TNS, and about having access to an 'unidentified but substantial source of capital'. More
In the UK, online market research agency YouGov has warned that 2008 profits will be impacted by a one-off £1.2m cost it incurred by terminating merger talks. However, the firm said gross margins will be slightly ahead of market expectations and detailed a range of recent initiatives. More
GlobalNR, a multi-country consortium of independent research agencies, has extended its reach across 21 countries with the addition of seven new members to its network. More
In the UK, Synovate has appointed Stuart Tagg as Research Director of its Financial & Business Services sector team. More
Former ACNielsen Exec Terilyn Reber has established an international coalition of data collection agencies, to offer CATI/WebCATI and online research to clients around the world. More
GfK is reportedly in talks with private equity house Apax Partners about funding a cash bid for TNS, which last night outlined in a shareholder document why its Board had rejected WPP's most recent hostile bid. More
UK-headquartered B2B International has launched a new survey to help manufacturers of security systems track installers' views on their brands over time, and identify their own and competitors' strengths and weaknesses. More
In the UK, JICIMS (the Joint Industry Committee for Internet Measurement Systems) has appointed Research International's former Worldwide CEO Mark Cranmer as its first Chairman, heading up its initiative to establish a single online measurement currency. More
Indian-based market research outsourcing firm exëvo has launched a Global Technology Panel, comprising more than 125,000 dedicated business and consumer panellists across 15 countries. Meanwhile, Research Now has launched an online panel in India. More
UK-based healthcare fieldwork agency WorldOne Research has unveiled a European and US GP omnibus. The service taps into the firm's Global Physician Panel which includes more than 320,000 physicians and 60,000 allied healthcare practitioners worldwide. More
WPP has posted TNS shareholders a formal offer for the company, valuing it at $2.28bn. It includes news of an option to sell TNS' television monitoring arm TAM to Ipsos, if required to meet EU competition law. More
In the US, technology research and consulting firm Forrester has acquired rival JupiterResearch and its parent company JUPR Holdings for $23m in cash plus assumed liabilities. In addition, Forrester has posted Q2 revenue of $63.5m, compared with $55.2m last year. More
TNS Healthcare has appointed Christine Corner as Head of Client Service for its UK International (UKI) division. Corner re-joins TNS with more than 15 years healthcare research consulting experience. More
In the UK, Datamonitor-owner Informa has received a new takeover approach from a private equity consortium, possibly led by one or other of corporate investment companies Blackstone or Hg Capital. The firm announced a steep revenue rise yesterday, but also a fall in pre-tax profits. More
GfK's discussions regarding a possible offer for TNS are 'progressing positively' the company said today, as it announced a strong order book from the first half of 2008 and a two-week delay in financial reporting. However, TNS has reportedly been talking to Sir Martin Sorrell and scouting for other possible buyers. More
The Board of database giant and ORC owner infoGroup has removed Vin Gupta from his Chairman's role following an investgation which has found him guilty of 'excessive spending'. In support of the finding, the firm has introduced a new policy which limits directors' use of company funds. More
IMS Health has announced second-quarter revenue up 12% (4% at constant currencies) to $600.7m. Operating income rose 11% (1% at constant currencies) to $131.4m. Net income on a GAAP basis was $77.7m, compared with $73.4m in the year-earlier quarter, an increase of 6%. More
MR software provider Confirmit has increased revenue in the second quarter by 80% to $11.0m, and operating profit 154% to $1.2m. More
GfK is understood to have had talks with European private equity firm Cinven about finance for its bid for TNS. Such a partnership is likely to be treated with caution by major shareholder the GfK-Verein. More
GfK will not take 'unreasonable' financial risks in bidding for TNS, according to Klaus Wuebbenhorst. The CEO has played down the pressure on his firm, which is said to be in talks with 'other wealthy German families' in addition to the Herz family. More
GfK is said to be discussing financial backing for its counter offer for TNS with Mayfair, the Hamburg investment vehicle owned by billionaire siblings Günter and Daniela Herz, who inherited their wealth from their coffee magnate father. More
In the UK, insight agency Nunwood has expanded its London team by appointing Chris Webster as Client Consultant and Kristina Baumgarten to the Market Analytics team; and relocating two of its Leeds staff, Kim Walker and Ester Petrie. More
GfK, backed by an as-yet unnamed investor, is preparing to make a counter-offer for TNS in response to WPP's £1.08bn ($2.1bn) hostile bid announced this morning. More
In the UK, sensory panel company MSTS is being integrated with product development specialists Marketing Sciences. Both are part of the Insight Division of UK marketing services group Creston. More
In the UK, privacy watchdog the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has chosen not-for-profit research organisation RAND Europe to carry out an assessment of the future of data protection law in Europe and identify areas for reform. More
2007 was a mixed bag for US research providers, some reporting impressive growth and others struggling, according to figures in the latest Honomichl 50, just out. Overall, growth was a respectable 6%, the mean of the two previous years, achieved despite a US workforce reduction of c.1,300 among the top 50 firms. More
Despite approval from the Board of the GfK Verein, the 'merger of equals' with TNS continues to face pressure from two sides: Sir Martin Sorrell, who has one more day to decide for or against a 'hostile' bid; and workers and a former Chairman at the German firm he describes as 'very traditional'. More
The Administrative Board of GfK-Nürnberg e.V. has approved the firm's merger with TNS, leaving the vote of Verein members on 21st July technically unnecessary, 'though 'important'. Meanwhile, the bosses of TNS and WPP have been exchanging increasingly hostile comments. More
Mid-level salaries for British market researchers are continuing their rise despite fears of recession and talk of an impending slump. Figures for the first half of 2008, based on 3,500 advertised salaries on MrWeb, show higher means for SREs, Project and Research Managers, and ADs. More
In the UK, the Panel Executive, an independent body which administers the City Code on takeovers and mergers, has ruled that marketing firm WPP must clarify whether it intends to make a firm offer for TNS by 9 July. More
UK-based Chime Communications, which owns MR agencies Opinion Leader, Ledbury Research and Facts International, is predicting that operating income will be 20% up on last year's £43.9m. Chime has also appointed former Australian politician Richard Alston as a Non-executive Director. More
In the UK, Harris Interactive plans to make between fifteen and twenty full-time employees redundant. The firm says the move will help align the cost structure of its UK operations with the evolving needs of the business. More
In the UK, Andrew Cooper, Founder and Group MD of online panel firm Research Now, is to step down as part of a restructure designed to streamline management during the firm's next phase of growth and development. More
UK-based online market research agency BrainJuicer has recorded increased revenues of 38% for the first six months of 2008, and confirmed that it is growing in line with expectations. More
Online on-demand research specialist MarketTools is rolling out its online sample quality system across Europe, commencing in the UK. More
The proposed 'merger of equals' of GfK and TNS faces political opposition in Germany, reports suggest, with some German local authorities represented in the company's majority shareholding 'Verein' saying they will oppose the deal at next Friday's key meeting. More
Panels and Research Process Outsourcing (RPO) firm The Pulse Group has announced its Initial Public Offering (IPO) on the PLUS markets in London, with trading commencing today. More
GfK NOP has launched a Media Insight division, to be headed by Julia Lamaison. The firm says the new division is a 'direct response to the market need for in-depth interpretation and insight from research data'. More
Both TNS and WPP have reported healthy revenue growth in the first five months of 2008 - the former doing particularly well in the UK, balancing a slight decline in the US. Meanwhile Martin Sorrell has again asked TNS for more financial information. More
Google has unveiled a free web analytics, research and media planning tool to enable media buyers to determine the web sites where their online ads will have most impact, based on demographics and traffic info. More
Insight and communications group Creston, which owns market research agencies ICM and CML, has reported a 25% rise in profits for the year ending 31 March 2008, and says it has yet to feel the impact of the economic downturn. More
In Paris, Research International (RI) has promoted Douwe Rademaker to the newly created position of Worldwide Director of Marketing. He was previously MD of Continental Europe. More
Research and predictive analytics software giant SPSS has launched a text mining tool to enable users to analyze unstructured data from social media, consumer blogs, community boards, e-mail, call center notes, RSS feeds and surveys. More
TNS Chief David Lowden has today met with WPP's Sir Martin Sorrell to present him with the data his firm has already disclosed to GfK as part of the nil premium merger announced in April. More
In the UK, marketers remain upbeat about their own organisation's prospects even if they feel less positive about the UK's economic outlook, according to research conducted by the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM). More
Less than a month after revealing plans to axe 250 executive jobs in Ireland, technology firm Dell has announced it will be recruiting 20 staff for its new ISG (Industry Solutions Group) in Dublin and Limerick; some of whom will focus on market research and R&D. More
In the UK, insight consultancy Truth has reported rapid growth since its launch last year – with client billings for 2008 forecast to exceed £3.5m. The firm is also considering opportunities for an overseas presence in Asia and the US. More
Synovate has launched a division which will offer an integrated approach to clients across the company's different service areas, to help them develop more profitable relationships with their customers. More
WPP has refuted TNS's claim to have provided it with the same information given to GfK as part of the recent merger agreement. Sir Martin Sorrell's firm says it has only been given access to a subset of the information provided to GfK Verein, GfK's controlling shareholder. More
UK based pharma decision support consultancy J&D Associates has expanded into the North American market with the opening of new offices in Boston, Massachusetts. More
TNS has agreed to open its books and give WPP the same information it gave to GfK as part of their recent merger agreement. Meanwhile, reports suggest that the GfK-TNS merger may face an EU competition probe; and may be 'sweetened' by a cash bonus for TNS shareholders. More
Google is integrating its Google Analytics traffic analysis tool with its Google TV Ads program. Some observers are interpreting the move as further evidence that the search giant is headed for direct competition with Nielsen. More
In the UK, comms specialist Farncombe Technology has launched a joint venture with digital and telecoms consultancy TMT Strategy Advisors. More
GfK and TNS have agreed the terms for their 'merger of equals' to create GfK-TNS plc. Aside from 'significant opportunities' for revenue growth, the firms say the move will bring annual pre-tax benefits through cost reduction of at least Euros 97m (£76m) by the end of the third full year following completion. More
infoGROUP, until this week known as infoUSA, is combining two of its market research businesses, recently acquired Guideline and Opinion Research Corporation (ORC), and has placed ORC President Gerard Miodus in charge of all operations for the new unit. More
Research Now has opened an office in Los Angeles, to be headed by Tobin Bailey as Vice President, Client Development, West and Central Regions. More
Full service healthcare consultancy Double Helix Development has announced the launch of Web Sthealth(TM), a tool for data-capture and analysis of patients in online forums. More
UK-based agency Nunwood has announced ten recent appointments, plus the promotion of two of its directors to the Board. More
Nielsen has extended its online audience profiling service to the mobile Web. The new service provides marketers and publishers with lifestyle and demographic information for the audience of more than 200 mobile web sites. More
B2B specialist Kadence has officially launched in China with the opening of a Hong Kong office, and says it will launch a Shanghai office before the end of the year. More
Harris Interactive has announced the UK launch of two solutions, the Customer Commitment Model and Employee Ambassadorship, at a seminar in County Hall, London. More
YouGov is gearing up for the launch next month of an investment fund based on research findings from its YouGovAlpha subsidiary. More
UK-based research and consultancy group Optimisa has reduced its revenue projections for the year by more than 15% following what it calls 'extremely disappointing' trading conditions in the last month and a half. Shares in the group have lost almost a third of their value since Wednesday. More
At its 2008 AGM, shareholders of Synovate parent Aegis Group plc have rejected the appointment of the nominees of Havas Group Chairman Vincent Bollore for the fifth time in two years. It's another win on points, but it may not be the last in the franchise. More
UK-based specialist B2B International is following up a successful office launch in China last year with a New York office, opening next month. More
MrWeb, the world's busiest daily news and jobs service for market researchers, has expanded with the appointment of Chris Jensen as Marketing Executive. Initially, his focus will be on building the site's Asian and US job listings, and its UK and international audience. More
Indian-based KPO (Knowledge Process Outsourcing) firm The Smart Cube will launch operations in Romania and Hong Kong, and will be expanding in the US, the UK and India. More
Oxford, UK-based PharmaVentures – a firm which provides database, analysis tools, and reports to the pharma and biotech sectors – has formed an agreement with US-based MR firm Growthink Research to roll out the latter's Venture Capital database to industry and academic customers worldwide. More
In the UK, digital marketing group TMN, which owns research agencies iD Factor and ICD, is in talks with private equity firm August Equity over a possible £38.5m management buy-out led by CEO Mark Smith and FD Craig Dixon. More
Information solutions giant Experian has opened a new international operations centre in Sofia, Bulgaria, where it plans to employ more than 120 people by the end of the year. More
GfK has described its Q1 results as 'sound', with organic growth in sales up 5.1% to €268.1m and consolidated total income rising almost 21% to €12.5m. More
Business information provider D&B last week reported results for the first quarter of 2008, ended March 31st. Revenue rose 8% on the year (excluding currency effects) to $414.7m, of which the Sales & Marketing Solutions division accounted for $109.7m, up 5%. More
UK-based EPG Health Media has launched a new online panel of healthcare professionals in Europe, for regular participation in clinical and scientific surveys. The company also says it has 'ambitious plans to provide global reach'. More
Harris Interactive has reported third quarter fiscal 2008 results showing consolidated revenue up 11% to $57.3m, with a very good performance from newly acquired companies in Asia, France, Canada and Germany. However, due to declines in the US and UK, consolidated pro forma organic revenue dropped 4%. More
RAND Europe has opened an office in Brussels to support the not-for-profit research organisation's growing portfolio of work with policy institutions in the city. Constantijn van Oranje-Nassau heads up the new office. More
UK-based B2B International has opened an office in New York, and transferred Julia Cupman stateside to take on the role of US Business Development Manager. More
Top five global MR firms TNS and GfK are in discussions about a possible 'merger of equals', which would create the world's second-largest market and information group. More
In the UK, former Synovate Healthcare Execs Marianne Purdie and Guy Pascoe have set up a new primary market research agency focused on the medical device and diagnostics industries. More
WPP has announced first quarter like-for-like revenue growth of just under 5%. Reported revenues were up 14.1% to £1.56bn for the group and up 11.3% to £227.1m for Kantar, the group's information, insight and consultancy arm. More
UK based data processing agency MRDC has doubled the size of its operation in Thailand and employed extra staff to man the expanded unit. Employees David Ward and Fiona Turnbull have meanwhile become Directors in the UK. More
UK-based Chime Communications, which owns MR agencies Opinion Leader, Ledbury Research and Facts International, has reported a 29% increase in its first quarter profits as a result of tight cost controls. Double-digit growth was reported across all areas of the business. More
Tim Heald, Commercial Director at London panels firm The iD Factor has admitted throwing a foam 'stress ball' at Respect MP George Galloway yesterday as he harangued the public through a megaphone on his open-top election bus. Heald spoke to police and was released with an official caution. More
Healthcare research consultancy Double Helix has moved its UK headquarters to new purpose-designed offices in Baker Street, London. Meanwhile Rebekah Turner joins as Research Manager and Natalie Champness and Ben Shankland as Project Managers. More
In New York, healthcare marketing research and consulting firm The Ziment Group has added two new business units and appointed Eva Laparra and Jonathan Spiess to lead them. More
Indian company Satyam Computer Services has bought the market research and customer analytics operation of Caterpillar Inc. for $60m (c.£30.2m); and Belgium-based consulting firm S&V Management Consultants for $35.5m (£17.8m). More
Insight and communications group Creston plc performed in line with expectations in the 2008 financial year, delivering revenue growth of c.16% year-on-year, or 8% on a like-for-like basis, according to a pre-close Trading Statement. More
In the US, the Council for Marketing and Opinion Research (CMOR) has responded to the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) proposals to regulate online behavioral advertising, by requesting that any definition of the practice excludes survey opinion and marketing research. More
In the UK, Harris Interactive has appointed Andrew Freeman as Senior Consultant for Media Research, and Hayley Warner and Caroline Dennett as Associate Directors supporting the firm's services, consumer goods, and business and industrial sector clients. More
In the UK, direct marketing and data group IPT (Interactive Prospect Targeting) has posted a pretax loss of £966,000 for the year to 31 December 2007, compared with a profit of about £3.39m the previous year. More
Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley are the latest global financial firms to launch customised research offerings adding surveys and other 'non-traditional' or 'alternative' research formats to their own financial market analysis functions. More
Nielsen Online has appointed four new senior members of staff in the UK to support its growth in EMEA markets. More
In the UK, two Omnicom-owned companies - researcher Hall & Partners and digital ad firm Agency Republic - have combined to produce a model which they claim enables brands to measure impact and engagement for all forms of digital communications. More
In the UK, marketing services group Optimisa has reported a climb in pretax profits to £1.26m from £0.73m, while revenue rose to £11.42m from £5.89m a year ago. Gross profit also increased 75% from £4.62m to £8.09m, and the Board says it is looking forward to 2008 with confidence. More
In the US, TNS Healthcare has introduced a new service to help pharmaceutical and biotech companies measure the effectiveness of their own and competitive sales calls. More
GfK has confirmed a record year of trading in 2007 with organic sales up 5.8% to EUR1,162m. Adjusted operating income rose 4.7% to EUR157.6m and margin crept up to 13.6%. The firm has also announced plans to change its legal form to an SE, or Societas Europaea. More
Gallup has announced the official launch of its 'World Poll', an annual global survey of opinions and behaviours via interviews in 140 countries representing 95% of the world's adult population. The firm says it has has committed to conducting the study for the next 100 years. More
Luc Rens, Research International's (RI) Regional Director of Qualitative Asia Pacific, has been given an expanded role as Lead Co-ordinator and Spokesperson for the firm's worldwide qualitative team. More
In the UK, public sector specialist BMG Research is celebrating the official opening of its new London office with a 150 mile sponsored cycle ride along the Grand Union Canal, from the firm's Birmingham headquarters to its Westminster office. More
In the UK, B2B marketing and research firm Quadriga Consulting and MR agency Blauw Research have joined forces to offer a global research resource for IT and telecoms assignments. More
'No seminal papers headed for a learned journal, nothing on methodology or media (except of course the Internet), and no ball or cocktail party. Instead, interaction, debate, discussion...' DRNO's Special Correspondent Phyllis Vangelder pinches herself but it's no dream, it's Conference 2008. More
TNS's CEO for North America Kimberley Till is to leave, as the firm merges its North American and Latin American custom business to create one region, 'The Americas'. More
UK 'phone giant BT is facing a possible lawsuit after it admitted using business customers' data without permission, in a trial run for 'Webwise' software from analytics and ad-serving company Phorm. Others including Webfather Tim Berners-Lee have been joining the privacy debate. More
TNS has grouped several of its North American operating units into a new division, TNS media, with Dean DeBiase as CEO. TNS media intelligence and TNS media research join newly-acquired companies Compete and Cymfony to form the new entity. More
Leeds-based McCallum Layton has significantly expanded its Computer Aided Telephone Interviewing (CATI) Unit, relocating it to new premises in Headingley, Yorkshire. More
In the US, Gallup and healthcare support provider Healthways have forged a 25-year agreement to measure and track the well-being of communities and companies, as well as the effectiveness of programs implemented to improve health, well-being and productivity. More
TNS has announced an agreement to acquire online behaviour measurement company Compete, Inc. for US$75m in cash, doubling if targets are met over two years. The company also reported full year results for 2007, with revenue of UK£1,067.7m, representing underlying growth of 5.4%. More
Ofcom's former Director of Market Research and current Director of Media Literacy and Convergent Media, Helen Normoyle, is to join the BBC in May as Head of Audiences. More
A Conference with lots of clients? It may just happen. The b2b research association BIG is changing the focus for this year's annual gathering, to concentrate on the wider business issues affecting clients, and boasts speakers from many of the main b2b research buyers. More
Ipsos Australia's public affairs division has joined with Eureka Strategic Research to found the Ipsos-Eureka Social Research Institute (IESRI); bringing together a team of 30 staff focused on issues affecting government and society. More
Ipsos MORI has identified a class of 'super consumers', who the firm says have the power to influence their friends on corporate issues, politics and the environment. More
The management of Rotterdam-based Global Data Collection Company (GDCC) has established a majority shareholding in the company. The team increased its holding from 33 to 75% with an acquisition from BBI Group, for an undisclosed sum. More
Global b2b research specialist Kadence has reported revenue growth of 18% in 2007, reaching $9.3 million. The group says all its established international offices performed strongly while new locations were launched in Malaysia and Indonesia. More
Research Process Outsourcing (RPO) firm Pulse Group has opened an office in London headed by Jonathan Sheldrake, who joins as Associate Director for Europe. More
YouGov has appointed Tim Britton as Managing Director of its UK operation. He assumes responsibility for all aspects of YouGov UK's core business from Group CEO Nadhim Zahawi, who has doubled up in the role since Panos Manolopoulos moved to head international operations. More
In London, survey software firm Merlinco has expanded with the opening of a new survey analysis department to provide an in-house facility for clients, and a hosting service for the firm's web survey facilities. More
UK survey design and data processing agency IDA has ditched its central London offices in favour of a 'virtual company' structure. MD Peter Jackling is the only remaining IDA employee, with the other seven former members of staff now working independently and directly with the firm's clients. More
Former Henley Centre exec Marcus Hickman has teamed up with Jo Davies, formerly of KPMG and Cranfield School of Management, to form a new insight and strategy firm, Davies Hickman Partners. Hickman takes the role of Chief Executive. More
UK-based Holden Pearmain Research has opened an office in Geneva and appointed pharma research specialist Gavin Jelic-Masterton to lead it. More
Research and predictive analytics software leader SPSS has debuted the latest version of its Dimensions(TM) software suite. Dimensions(TM) 5.0 promises to improve response rates, access to respondents, advanced survey creation and interactive results delivery. More
Harris Interactive has released results for its second quarter and first half of fiscal 2008, ending December 31. Acquisitions drove the overall Q2 revenue figure up 13% on the year, but pro forma organic revenue dropped 2%, mainly due to a 5% decline in North America. More
Pharma research leader IMS Health has announced full year 2007 revenues up 12% (a very respectable 8% at constant currency) to $2,192.6m. Operating income for the year was down from $444.2m to $393.3m after a fourth quarter restructuring charge of $88.7m. More
UK telecoms giant BT has selected WPP-owned Kantar Group to manage its consumer brand and customer tracking projects. More
Research International (RI) is continuing its leadership re-shuffle with the appointments of Kirk Ward to the newly created position of Global Product Development Leader, Andrew Wish to the new title of Worldwide Infrastructure and Operations Director and John McHarry to Chief Information Officer. More
TNS is launching its 6thdimension Interactive Research services in Latin America and has appointed Trixie Cartwright as Regional Director for Interactive Research, based in Buenos Aires. More
UK-based agency B2B International is taking its panel of medical practitioners online, to allow respondents to complete questionnaires at their own convenience. More
Research International's UK Chairman Paul Edwards has swapped places with UK CEO Julian Bond, taking on the day-to-day running of the agency. More
Information services provider The McGraw-Hill Companies has given details of restructuring carried out in the fourth quarter of 2007, with the loss of 600 jobs, c.3% of its workforce. Research company J.D. Power and Associates, a subsidiary, lost around the same proportion of its staff. More
UK-headquartered firm Transport Intelligence (Ti), which provides research and analysis for the European logistics market, has set up Ti India in Mumbai, to develop a range of industry reports and offer customer-specific MR capabilities in the region. More
Not-for-profit BSRIA, which provides market intelligence to the construction industry, has opened an office in Beijing to increase its international research portfolio and act as a 'window' to other BSRIA services. More
UK MR and consulting group Cello has reported a strong trading year and says its board is anticipating results in line with market expectations. Net debt is likely to fall to £6m, reflecting much improved operating cash conversion in the second half of the year. More
TNS says it expects revenue growth of more than 5% for 2007, based on strong performance in Europe and the Asia-Pacific regions. Also this week, TNS Media Intelligence has acquired Irish media analysis firm MediaMarket for an undisclosed sum. More
In the UK, Ipsos MORI MD Mike Everett has taken over the position of CEO from Brian Gosschalk, who has been promoted to CEO of Ipsos Western Europe and joins the group's Management Board with responsibility for Global Public Affairs. More
Market research recruiter Sinead Hasson has launched her own consultancy, Hasson Associates Recruitment Ltd. Based in Soho, London, Hasson will draw on her experience from leading teams at Pricejamieson and RP Cushing Recruitment. More
Global pharma research firm IMS Health has announced plans to cut staff numbers by 10% during 2008 in an effort to save money and improve efficiency. More
Greenfield Online will be launching its Real-Time Sampling(TM) virtual panels in the UK and Canada later this month, and plans to launch in Germany and France in the first quarter. More
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has launched a new beta service to make it easier to locate relevant statistical data stored in its multiple databases. More
UK-based ORC International is to launch two new syndicated studies for the life insurance sector, measuring IFA feedback for the corporate protection and annuity markets. Both research studies will use face to face interviews with a range of intermediaries. More
Business and consumer data giant infoUSA, which owns Opinion Research Corporation (ORC), has announced it will be opening its new UK operation in Manchester in early January. More
FreshMinds was again named Agency of the Year at the MRS Research Excellence and Effectiveness Awards, the second biggest event in London last night. Essential, TNS and Firefish scooped other key awards and Nick Sparrow received the association's Silver Medal. More
Canadian online panel firm Vision Critical has expanded into the European market with the opening of an office in central London. The firm has also launched the latest release of its survey authoring, support, panel management and reporting and analysis system, Panel+. More
Times are good for independent research consultants in the UK. Representative body the ICG has been growing rapidly and this week announced the appointment of its first Professional Administrator, (Ms.) Andy Laing. More
Sampling solutions provider Survey Sampling International (SSI) has appointed three new VPs to strengthen its global operations. Kim Giangrande will manage Global HR; Suresh Subbiah, Global Client Services and Delivery; and Harold Kelley, Global Marketing. More
One time world-leading PC-maker Dell has announced a new agency agreement with WPP valued at $4.5 billion in billings over three years. The deal envisages a very close partnership within the framework of a new global integrated marketing and communications agency. More
UK b2b research specialist IQ has completed the acquisition of Rosslyn Research, first announced in March this year, for £0.4m cash and £0.2m in shares. IQ has just joined the AIM exchange with an £850,000 placing at 2p. More
In Australia, following a three-month review of how online audiences should be measured, the Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) has announced that a panel-based methodology should become the industry standard. Nielsen Online has branded the decision 'a step backwards'. More
The European Union's Article 29 Working Party, which examines data protection issues, is to investigate privacy concerns connected with targeted online advertising. More
European panel and survey technology provider Toluna has announced an exclusive cooperation agreement with b2b information provider Incisive Media Limited, to build panels across the latter's vertical markets including financial and professional services. More
UK agency FreshMinds has today launched a panel of owners and managers of SMEs (Small and Medium-sized Enterprises). More
Software giant Oracle has launched a 'Data Masking Pack', to help organisations who share information with researchers and others, to hide confidential or sensitive data. More
In the UK, the new venture announced in January by partners YouGov and publishing house Centaur has gathered momentum with the appointment of Alki Manias as Managing Director. More
Greenfield Online has reported a 29.9% Q3 net revenue hike to $32.3m, and a 25.4% climb in profits. The firm's Chairman Peter Sobiloff will step down at the end of the year to be replaced by Joel Mesznik, who has served as a Board member since 1999. More
Flat panel research specialist DisplaySearch has added eleven new people to its analysis and support teams worldwide. They include Rich Alires as VP of North America Business Development, and Michael Boo, Calvin Hsieh and Hidetoshi Himuro as Directors in Korea, Taiwan and Japan, respectively. More
Harris Interactive has reported fiscal first-quarter revenue up 17% to $55.2m, mostly due to the inclusion of $6.1m from acquisitions made earlier in the year. Organic growth year-on-year was 4%. More
Microsoft has begun beta testing its new Google Analytics competitor, intended to offer web publishers and adCenter advertisers advanced tools for measuring how people found their sites, and their behaviour once there. More
Former EQ Chief Executive Bob Bond is planning to kick off the new year with the launch of a new consultancy Ganbatte Capital, providing investment and consultancy services to media, technology and marketing services firms both in the UK and US. More
TNS has announced a global quality programme for its panels, Six Degrees of Online Quality - to begin next year. More
Technology consultancy Gartner, Inc. has reported results for the third quarter, with rapid growth in its Research business segment. The segment represents almost two thirds of its revenue and in Q3 saw contract value rise 18% year-on-year to a record $704.7m, following investment in its sales force. More
Opinion Research Corporation (ORC) has acquired Northwest Research Group, based in Boise, Idaho, effective October 1. Details of the transaction were not disclosed. ORC parent infoUSA has meanwhile reported strong results for the third quarter. More
WPP has reported third quarter revenues up 4.9% to £1.48 billion – a rise of 8.1% in constant currencies. The Information, Insight and Consultancy division underperformed the group as a whole but grew a respectable 4.8% at constant currencies, to £218.5m. More
In the third quarter of the year, MR software firm Confirmit has increased its revenue by 82% to $8.9m, while operating profits were $833,000, 50% higher than in Q3 2006. More
TNS has announced two global leadership appointments. Leendert de Voogd is promoted to Global Sector Head, Political and Social, replacing Marita Carballo who leaves to pursue 'academic and other interests'; while former Dell man Renaud Collery is appointed as Head of Global Operations. More
B2b specialist Kadence has made ten new appointments, reflecting significant business growth across its worldwide operations. Two people join the firm's UK headquarters in London and eight more are added to offices in Boston, Malaysia and India. More
In the UK, three former employees of Fieldwork International / FI Healthcare have launched a new medical MR fieldwork agency, KeyQuest Health Ltd (KQH). Directors Carol Faverger, Ruby Nanda and Rosalyn Twite have between them over 35 years' experience in international healthcare data collection. More
Software developer Noldus Information Technology has launched FaceReader(TM), a product billed as 'the first automated software system capable of automatically detecting and analyzing human facial expressions'. More
Top ten global research agencies IMS Health and Information Resources, Inc. (IRI) have announced a global, multi-year alliance to provide intelligence, analytics and consulting for the consumer health marketplace. More
YouGov has announced results for the financial year ended 31 July, with group turnover up 51% to £14.3m, profit before tax and goodwill up 39% to £5.7m and both global acquisitions and launches in new sectors promising another buoyant year to come. More
Synovate Healthcare has launched a new syndicated service which it says will provide clients with a holistic view of pharma companies' relationships with their key stakeholders. More
Mike Page, who left his role as Synovate's Director of Operations for Western Europe last year, is about to re-launch his firm Cognicient in New York. More
Recruitment consultancy Pricejamieson, whose specialist teams cover marketing and digital communications in addition to MR, is expanding its research services to Asia Pacific. Senior Consultant Rowan Haylett moves from the London office to parent company Aquent in Australia. More
MD Tim Britton is to leave London-based b2b and public policy research experts IFF, in November, and says he is 'considering options' for his next move in the industry. Two current Directors, Jan Shury and Mark Speed, will become Joint MDs. More
Plans for a joint venture between UK-based polling firm YouGov and Australian marketing services firm Photon Group have reportedly been abandoned, with Photon instead said to be buying social research specialist Auspoll. More
TNS will be merging its Media Intelligence and Media Research (iTRAM) units into one, in an effort to further develop its TV and online audience measurement services. More
Consumer psychology research specialist Synovate Censydiam has developed a suite of interactive tools. They include a panel of respondents with shared contextual motivations, and a tool for conducting pre-field interactive chat sessions. More
UK-based holding company Cello has acquired The Richmark Group, Inc., a Chicago-based marketing consultant. Richmark will be rebranded as a business unit within Cello's RS Consulting Group. More
Business and consumer data firm infoUSA, which owns Opinion Research Corporation (ORC), is to compile a database of addresses for every business in the UK, updated by means of 2-3 million telephone calls per annum. More
Researchers worldwide expect another year of increased use of online data providers and access panels, according to the Online Research Barometer conducted by Greenfield Online and Ciao Surveys. The firms also highlight the healthy state of the b2b research market. More
At the second day of the ESOMAR Congress in Berlin, two UK research veterans talked about the changing skill sets and training needs of research professionals. David Smith predicted a boom in online learning; while Phyllis MacFarlane gave some ideas about new ways of training graduates. More
Research provider Dmrkynetec, formed from the merger of UK and US companies in February, has employed Jim Herman as its new Vice President of Research. The firm recently opened an office in Poznañ, Poland. More
Ziment has announced the worldwide launch of 'Benchmark Discrete Choice', its system for determining the market potential of pharmaceuticals compounds in early- and late-stage development. More
In London, online market research firm BrainJuicer has posted a 77% rise in pretax profit to £113,000, in its interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2007. More
European agency SKOPOS Market Insight has seen its turnover increase by 72% in the first half of 2007. The company says an extended high-end analysis offer, including the launch of 'Ultra-Analysis' and a new Kwal(TM) department, has contributed. More
Kent-based b2b specialist Westcombe Business Research has ceased trading. Administrators were called on 22rd August and the firm's employees have left: three of them have now set up a new fieldwork firm along with a former supplier. More
In the UK, former Voxco and Pulse Group salesman Nigel Legg has formed Katugas Research Services Ltd, offering multi-lingual coding services. More
Harris Interactive has announced the rebranding of its German and French subsidiaries, MediaTransfer and Novatris, as of September 1 – both will now operate under the Harris Interactive name. More
Database giant Experian has launched a new global image and identity which includes a re-vamped logo and tagline. The firm has also appointed Tony Pullen as Managing Director of its Business Information Division in Nottingham, UK. More
TNS has today released unaudited interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2007. The firm says underlying revenue growth of 5.9% and operating profit up 8.9% to £45.4m show the successful implementation of a strategy commenced last year. More
Kraft Foods European Analytics Director Tom Lloyd has left to found what he describes as 'a new type of analytical consultancy' to help clients gain maximum value from the data they already buy. More
Nielsen has signed an agreement with business intelligence (BI) and performance management firm Cognos, to use its Cognos 8 Business Intelligence software to deliver integrated information services to its clients and accelerate the growth of its Nielsen Answers(TM) solution. More
Harris Interactive has announced results for the fourth quarter and its full fiscal year 2007, ending 30th June. Fourth quarter revenue declined to $57.1m – down 3% from the same period a year ago – and full year revenue was $211.8m, similar to figures a year ago and well down on forecasts made then, of $230-240m. More
UK-based GfK NOP has appointed Gordon Blunt and Andy Thwaites to extend the scope of its Financial Research Survey (FRS), adding expertise in areas including forecasting, segmentation and data matching. More
In the US, the Web Analytics Association (WAA) has published an expanded set of metrics definitions covering visits, content, and conversion, which it says promote a better overall understanding of web analytics. More
MrWeb has announced a partnership with the US-based association MRA (Marketing Research Association). The deal aims to give MRA members access to daily updates of global news and job vacancies while promoting MRA's services and programs to readers of Daily Research News. More
UK-based marketing services firm EQ Group Plc – which owns MR firms Buckingham Research Associates and Quaestor, as well as viewing facility Summit Studios – has posted a 95% rise in pretax profit to £598,000 for the first half of the year. More
comScore has updated its qSearch analytics suite to encompass market share measurement of the five major US search engines; the top 50 most trafficked properties where search activity is observed; and vertical search locations such as eBay, Amazon and Expedia. More
Flat panel technology specialist DisplaySearch is to begin tracking the DVD sector, and has hired Paul Erickson to lead this unit. Takao Tsukahara also joins, with a remit to expand the firm's research into small and medium display markets. More
Online research is cheaper but more profitable, says WPP, and that's why its research division's revenues are stagnant while its margins are buoyant. The Group's information, insight and consultancy firms saw organic growth of only 1.3% in Q2, but gross margin improved 5.9%. More
Ipsos and Nielsen have reported results for the first half of the year. Ipsos increased revenue by 8.7% over the year earlier period to €443.1m, while Nielsen's grew from $2,019m to $2,241m. More
In the UK, the Market Research Society (MRS) has joined with six other associations to create the B2B Best Practice Alliance and raise the profile and standard of B2B marketing communications. More
Greenfield Online has announced good second quarter results for its survey solutions and comparison shopping businesses, with the latter particularly strong. Both divisions saw double-digit growth in revenue, as did overall operating income and adjusted EBITDA. More
Mark Cranmer, who replaced Roger Banks as Global CEO of Research International only last year, will himself be leaving the post by the end of 2007. Bob Meyers, currently completing his term as CEO of Millward Brown, will replace him. More
B2b specialist Kadence is boosting its Asia Pacific presence with the launch of new offices in Jakarta, Indonesia, and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. More
The Nielsen Company has launched NielsenHealth, offering clients 'consumer centric' analytical tools to more effectively understand and address the attitudes, behaviors and needs of patients and physicians. Matthew Dumas becomes its MD. More
Continuing a busy week, YouGov has agreed amicably to dissolve its YouGov Execution (YGX) joint venture with Execution Ltd after 18 months, in order to launch a fully owned firm developing the same idea, YouGovAlpha. More
YouGov has announced a major expansion of its international presence, completing its buy of US-based Polimetrix and also acquiring Nordic agency Zapera, while raising around £27m by means of an institutional share placing. More
In the UK iCD Research, sister company of The iD Factor and part of the TMN Group, has launched an online-only Readership Tracking survey with a 12-month contract from business daily City A.M. More
Online measurement firm comScore has announced results for the quarter ended June 30, with revenue up 23% on the year to $20.8m. It also reports a growth in the proportion of its income from subscriptions, and strong investment for the future. More
Select Research, the UK agency working on a replacement for the 200-year old Body Mass Index, has set up a specialist division for user testing of Patient Information Leaflets. More
Greenfield Online, through its subsidiary Ciao, has expanded its presence in the Asia Pacific region by adding Greenfield-Ciao in Shanghai to existing offices in Sydney, Australia and Gurgaon, India. More
Multi media specialist Cheerful Scout has partnered with systems developer Apperly & Associates (A&A) to form Business Data Interactive (BDI); a new venture that will use technology to analyse and present business data in an animated graphical format. More
Ipsos Interactive Services (IIS) has launched a global division that will focus on research using client supplied or specialist sample data. More
Research Now has launched a proprietary online Brazilian panel, Opiniões de Valor, its first in South America. More
The UK research industry's turnover grew just 2.4% during 2006, roughly the rate of inflation, to £1.353 billion. Figures come from the Annual MRS Survey, which continues the series formerly conducted by the BMRA. More
After 15 years with Research International (RI), the firm's Worldwide Director of Learning & Development (L&D) Daniel Wain is leaving to set up his own UK-based training consultancy, Daniel Wain Consulting. More
Google yesterday reported a 58% year-on-year increase in Q2 revenue, but a decline in profits saw its share price fall more than 6.5% in the day. Recent comScore figures for search engine share show a rare dimple in the market leader's long-term growth, with Microsoft the main beneficiary. More
In London, online direct marketing organisation TMN Group plc has announced record revenue and profit levels. Its online panel specialist subsidiary The iD Factor experienced 90% growth. More
Netherlands-based Blauw Research yesterday held a party in the firm's private members club in The Strand, officially opening its central London office. More
Brighton-based b2b outward bound specialist The Telemarketing Company is refurbishing its 185 CATI seat offices to upgrade the working environment. More
NetRatings has announced the addition of 'Total Minutes' and 'Total Sessions' metrics to its syndicated audience measurement service NetView, in line with changing attitudes to what constitutes a successful web site. More
UK-based consultancy Nunwood has reported more explosive growth, with first half revenues at £4.6m, up 58% versus the same period last year. More
Research Now has announced two new specialist UK panels, covering business and leisure travel habits; and sports and leisure, respectively. More
North of England-based Dipsticks Research will move to new offices in the Autumn to accommodate rapid growth; and has launched Radar, a new travel and tourism consultancy to track travellers' perceptions both before and during their holidays. More
Online fieldwork and panel specialist Research Now has reported a pre-tax loss of £235,000 in the first half of its financial year, but also a strong start to the second half with record sales in May and June. More
Daily and Sunday Telegraph Owner TMG has appointed Michael Moore, formerly of AOL Europe, to the role of Executive Director of Consumer Markets. He joins next month to spearhead marketing, research and strategy and will also be developing the group's multimedia activity. More
Sister UK agencies BMRB and BPRI are to link two regular surveys, BMRB's face-to-face Omnibus survey and BPRI's Political Opinion Panel, to give clients the chance to put the same questions to MPs and the general public. More
GfK NOP has launched a new brand, 'beyond', in response to client calls for greater ROI from insight. 'beyond' aims to use the experience of people who have 'been there and done it as clients' to ensure research is turned into actionable solutions. More
MR specialist RPCushing Recruitment is launching an executive search and selection division, headed up by newly appointed Estelle Shepherd, former European Director of Recruitment at the Kantar Group. More
Research Now has seen its share price plummet by around half in the space of two days, after a profits warning with the identification of further unrecorded costs of £0.6m in the first half of the year. More
UK-based consultancy Illuminas has announced quadrupled profits for the year ending February 2007, despite problems at its owner Media Square. Global fees rose to c.£9m in the year ending February 2007 from £8.5m a year earlier, while profits rose from £0.3m in 2006 to £1.3m in 2007. More
Panels provider Research Now has launched a multi-country online qual focus group facility, offering clients online groups in a chat-room-style environment similar to that seen in online communication tools such as MSN Messenger and Skype. More
Harris Interactive has launched its Advanced Strategy Lab (ASL) in Europe to provide simultaneous anonymous input from participants at any location. More
Harris Interactive has introduced GlobalSynch(SM), an integrated, web-based platform giving fast and easy real-time access to research data collected anywhere via any method. More
CMP Technology publication EE Times has established an Intelligence Unit, which it describes as 'part of a commitment to deeper analysis of industry issues'. Senior Analyst Loring Wirbel will work closely with group publication Heavy Reading to set up and lead the unit. More
Mumbai-based research and data analytics firm Ugam Solutions is planning to open a London operations centre in mid-August, from which it will offer multi-lingual project management and data collection services. More
Advertising industry pioneers George Wiedemann and Kenneth Lomasney have established Wiedemann & Lomasney (W&L), a holding company aimed at creating a 'customer centric marketing services firm'. The partners plan to announce a first buy before the end of the month. More
UK marketing services group Creston has announced a 60% growth in revenue to £69.7 million, in its preliminary financial results for the year ended 31 March. More
Having announced its plans to go public earlier in the year, online audience measurement firm comScore has now confirmed its initial public offering of 5 million shares valued at an estimated price of between $14 and $16 per share. More
Opinion Research Corporation (ORC) has rolled out its Out-of-Box-Experience (OoBE) research service in the States to allow clients to view firsthand how their customers react to a new or existing product from the moment that they receive and open the box. More
Former Opinion Leader Research Director Sarah Michell has joined Ipsos MORI in a new role as Operations Director, based primarily in the firm's Harrow office. More
TNS has launched a new survey tool, Revenue Growth Manager (RGM), to help clients evaluate which marketing investments are likely to reap brand revenue growth. More
Synovate has introduced a suite of market potential models and simulators known as MVP – Market Value Potential; and has renamed its specialist Product Design & Development division 'MarketQuest'. More
US professional body MRA (Marketing Research Association) has launched an online rating system, the Exchange Evaluation Program (EEP), allowing researchers and client companies to rate their experiences with suppliers, products and services. More
TNS has launched Complete, a bureau based service offering an outsourced fieldwork solution for other market research agencies. More
Greenfield Online has formally split its European subsidiary Ciao into two separate entities: the booming comparison shopping business will retain the short name Ciao, while the Internet survey solution wing, also growing fast, will be known as Ciao Surveys. More
In the UK, online marketing services group TMN has hired Tim Heald from ORB to take on a business development role with its research units, The iD Factor and iCD Research. Heald will take up the new post on 1st June. More
US-based online analytics firm Omniture, Inc. aims to raise $121.8m from a new share offer. The money will be used for acquisitions, to part-fund its previously announced purchase of Touch Clarity, and for expansion of its sales and marketing operations. More
The Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) will work to 'educate' the marketplace about the different ways of measuring web site traffic, the body revealed this week. The commitment was made as NetRatings and comScore both agreed to audit timetables at their recent closed doors meeting. More
LRA Worldwide, a customer experience management firm which conducts mystery shopping exercises in the hospitality sector, has promoted seven staff to the post of Senior Consultant or Account Manager. More
Synovate is to relocate all its UK research teams to a single location, Minerva House in London Bridge, SE1. The move is expected to take place late this year or early next. More
Internet specialist Greenfield Online has posted strong revenue growth to $27.5m for Q1 2007, up from $21.5m in same period last year. The group's comparison shopping business led the charge, but online survey revenue grew an impressive 14.3%. More
Ipsos has announced a strong first quarter with revenues up 8.9% to Euros 204.7m. Organic growth was 10.3%, the highest for a first quarter since Ipsos' IPO in 1999. More
Harris Interactive CEO Greg Novak has apologised to shareholders as the company reduced its earnings projections and reported a mere 1% rise in Q3 revenue totals. However, he told DRNO this afternoon that 'Our strategy is working' and outlined the well-targeted acquisitions he believes will help. More
Online panels firm Research Now has made an interim financial statement reporting sales growth on target. Operating profit missed its target due specifically to the £500,000 cost of relocating after the murder in January of Finance Manager Cathy Marlow. More
Oxford Intelligence, a UK-based consultancy and research firm specialising in foreign direct investment, has appointed three senior consultants as an Advisory Group to back ambitious plans for expansion. They include BPRI co-founder Jonathan Shingleton. More
Offshore MR services agency Markelytics has announced plans for expansion into Europe. Former ESOMAR and Nestle research chief Fredrik Nauckhoff joins to lead the expansion as Head of Sales in France. More
After a 13 year career with ACNielsen, Robert Tomei has joined TNS as Global Head of Access Panels to establish, lead and deliver a growth strategy for the firm's global access panel business, 6thdimension(TM). More
In the UK, Kantar has announced the launch of the 'Institute for Insight in the Public Services', a joint initiative between two of its companies, BMRB Social Research and Henley Centre HeadlightVision (HCHLV). More
Global news and information company Reuters has enhanced its machine-readable news service to include analysis of news sentiment, driven by linguistics software created by text analytics firm, Corpora. More
UK recruitment consultant pricejamieson is to be acquired by Boston-based Aquent. The combined firm will be a global force in the marketing and communications staffing arena and plans to grow its already substantial MR division. More
comScore and Nielsen//NetRatings have issued positive responses to the call by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) for them to submit to a third-party audit; but the Bureau has challenged them to back up their promises by setting and sticking to a scheduled timetable. More
US trade association the Interactive Advertising Bureau has sent an open letter to two of the major Internet audience measurement firms, comScore and Nielsen//NetRatings, asking them to submit to a third-party audit of their measurement processes by the MRC. More
A week of headlines for Google. On Friday the search giant announced first quarter revenue up 63% to $3.66bn, and rocketed to the top of Millward Brown's BRANDZ(TM) index with a worth dwarfing current figures - $66.4bn. Google also made headline deals and gained search share against rivals Yahoo! and Microsoft. More
Marketing giant WPP has reported first quarter revenue growth of 4.3% on a like-for-like basis, excluding acquisitions and currency. Due to an 11% decline in the US dollar against sterling, group revenue fell 0.7% to £1.366bn and that for the Information, Insight & Consultancy division fell c.5% to £204m. More
Arbitron, Confirmit and IMS Health have all reported buoyant first quarters, with revenues up 7.9%, 14% and 35% respectively. More
Synovate has agreed a worldwide partnership with GMI giving the former access to over six million panellists across the globe. The move reflects changing attitudes to panel 'ownership' according to Synovate Global CEO Adrian Chedore. More
Sports Marketing Surveys has announced a partnership with Sponsor Statistik, the largest sponsorship research house in South Africa, which will henceforth operate under the Sports Marketing Surveys brand name. More
Last week DRNO covered a report looking at Google and the 'threat' it poses to the publishing and information industry. This week the concern is even closer to home, as the world's biggest research firm ponders the intentions of the search giant. More
YouGov has announced interim results for the six months ended 31 January 2007, with turnover up 61% to £6.1m year-on-year, mainly through organic growth, and operating profit up 57% to £2.2m. It also announced a JV with networking guru Carole Stone. More
UK marketing services group, Creston plc, has moved Stateside with the opening of a New York Office and the appointment of agency veteran Steve Blamer as CEO in charge of the new operation. More
For the third time in ten months, shareholders of Aegis plc voted decisively at today's EGM in London to reject the appointment to the board of two directors nominated by Group Bollore. More
Internet ratings firm comScore is going public, with an IPO aimed at raising up to $86.25 million. The company filed yesterday in the US with the Securities and Exchange Commission to list on the Nasdaq National Market. More
Greenfield Online, Inc. and Frost & Sullivan have announced a partnership to create a new business-to-business panel. Respondents will be offered access to the latter's research reports as an incentive for sharing their own business expertise. More
UK marketing services group TMN – which includes online fieldwork agency iD Factor and online research consultancy iCD Research – has been named 'Online Business of the Year' in the inaugural T-Mobile Fast Growth Business Awards. More
Online panel provider ToLuna has announced full year results ahead of market expectations. Pretax profit for the year to 31st December 2006 is up 220% from £0.7m to £2.2m, while revenue grew 180% versus pro forma figures for 2005, to £8.4m. More
The UK's Association for Qualitative Research has delivered findings from its enquiry into qualitative excellence, announced in the autumn. The Association says analysis of the study revealed a common set of values and beliefs and identified three distinct skill sets. More
Two online specialists have announced expansion into new Central London premises this week, UK-based YouGov and the UK office of Survey Sampling International (SSI). More
The UK's eq group plc, parent of MR firms Quaestor and Buckingham Research, has reported on 'a difficult year'. Preliminary results for the year ended 31 December 2006 show turnover down 8% to £10.50m and adjusted operating profit down 21% to £1.30m. More
Researchers are always worrying about the client / agency relationship, an old Conference chestnut if ever there were one; but they're only just getting to grips with Web 2.0 and 'Research 2.0'. Our conference correspondent Phyllis Vangelder reports on these two key sessions from Brighton. More
In our third and final article reviewing the Golden Jubilee MRS Conference in Brighton, Phyllis Vangelder reviews papers looking forward at the future of research, and the future of the planet. More
Panel and software provider, GMI (Global Market Insite), has increased the size of its panels in China by 65% and in India more than fivefold. Meanwhile senior Board member Larry Schack has left the company and the west coast, reportedly to work for his previous employer, PSB. More
London-based MR and consulting organisation, the Cello Group, has posted a 40% increase in pre-tax profits to £5.9m in the year to December 31 2006, with turnover rising 43% to £74.7m from £52.1m. More
UK-based research consultancy Nunwood claims to be enjoying its 'most successful year yet' with first quarter 2007 revenues up a massive 78% vs a year previously. More
NetRatings has released financial results for the fourth quarter and full year 2006. Full year figures show a profit for the first time, with a net income of $2.8m in 2006 vs a loss of $8.4m in 2005. Revenue rose 20% from $68m in 2005 to $81.8m in 2006. More
Management and market research consultancy Kline & Company has created a new role overseeing global client satisfaction across the group, and promoted Ian Butcher, a twenty-five year veteran of the firm, to fill it. More
Synovate subsidiary Fieldwork International Healthcare has formed a new team to focus on conducting patient studies. More
In an exclusive interview with DRNO, Mike Connors admits the quarter billion dollars raised last month for his new acquisition company is 'burning a hole in our pockets' and that ISG will base its strategy on buying one information services firm worth $200-700m, within eighteen months tops. More
UK marketing services group Chime Communications has released preliminary results for the year ended 31 Dec 2006, with organic growth of 11%; and has simultaneously announced the proposed acquisition of sports marketing agency Fast Track Sales Limited. More
Two ex-Nunwood researchers, Richard Postlethwaite and Martin Reed, have founded qual insight agency, 6th Sense Consulting in Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, not far from their previous employer's Leeds HQ. More
Vodafone marketing leader David Wheldon has used a conference speech to question the relevance of current copy-testing techniques in the 'multi-platform age', singling out Millward Brown. Bob Meyers, the agency's Group CEO, told DRNO he thinks the remarks have 'to some extent' been taken out of context. More
Online polling firm YouGov has launched two new healthcare research initiatives: online survey system NHSOpinions, which draws on a panel of 350,000 NHS staff; and PatientsOnline, which enables patient polling from their hospital beds. More
Technology analyst Forrester Research Inc. will rewrite its old accounts, as it continues to put its own house in order following its discovery of financial irregularities in December. This week, it also released results of a study of innovation round the world, listing Switzerland among five leaders in the field. More
Norwegian MR software business, Future Information Research Management (FIRM) has changed its name to Confirmit, matching its flagship web-based survey, feedback and reporting software product. More
TNS has released full year results for 2006, showing revenue almost flat at £1,004.2m (up 0.5% from £999m in 2005). However the firm, whose US custom business has been restructuring since reporting problems a year ago, said results in other divisions were good. More
Truth, Andy Dexter's new insight consultancy, has opened for business, with 'significant backing' from a private investment partner, College Group. Truth has an initial team of four partners including Leanne Tomasevic and Toby Matthewson who joined in February. More
Ipsos Interactive Services (IIS) has merged its North American and European organisations into one global online research body, to be managed by CEO Andrei Postoaca. More
TNS has launched TNSInsightTvLive(TM), an interactive online platform which allows respondents to see a survey moderator via a real-time video link, and enables him or her to demonstrate visual material while at the same time, analysing survey responses. More
Ambitious online agency MetrixLab has announced that its revenue and profit before tax more than doubled in 2006, to Euros 8.2m and Euros 3.3m respectively. The firm hopes to use strong organic growth and acquisitions to hit the Euros 50m revenue mark by 2009. More
WPP, parent of MR agencies including Millward Brown and Research International, has announced preliminary results for 2006. Reported revenue is up almost 10% to £5.9bn and like-for-like revenue up 5.4%, while profit before tax is up more than 15% to £682m. More
Market intelligence agency the DVL Smith Group has officially re-launched, backed by Australian marketing group, Photon - owner of MR agency The Leading Edge. More
Ipsos UK's MD of Public Affairs, Sam McGuire, has taken on a new challenge as he joins the firm's North American Public Affairs management team in New York, as Senior Vice President. More
Technology analyst IDC has reported results for 2006, with worldwide revenues up 12% to $297 million. Twenty new countries were added to its coverage in the year, bringing the total to 93. More
UK fieldwork firm The Wire, part of Illuminas, is launching new products to complement its 100 CATI station facility. Features include real-time progress checks and interim analysis on data; and a package integrating telephone and online contacts with individual respondents. More
Research and predictive analytics software giant SPSS has reported a record 36% increase in its 2006 fourth quarter operating income, to $11.7m. The firm's annual revenue was up 11% from $236.1m in 2005 to $261.5m in 2006. More
Founder and CEO Rob Monster is to leave the helm of panels and software provider GMI, to pursue other interests. Monster will continue to serve as a board member and will participate in the selection of a new CEO, while the Chairman's role is taken by Enrique Godreau III, current GMI board member and MD of one of its major investors Voyager Capital. More
Panel company Greenfield Online has reported quarterly and annual financial results, showing a profit of c.$8.5m in 2006. President and CEO Albert Angrisani says the firm has re-established growth for its Internet survey solutions business and is in 'the last stages of solidifying its overall turnaround.' More
Michael Connors, until recently Chairman and CEO of VNU's MMI Group, has resurfaced at the head of an acquisition company with almost $260m in funds. Information Services Group, Inc. (ISG) completed its IPO oversubscribed this week and boasts a strong line-up including several former Nielsen and VNU Execs. More
Eight firms have been selected from more than 380 applicants for the UK government's 'Catalist' shortlist of suppliers in the marketing and MR consultancy category. They include agencies ORC International, Ci Research and Quadrant / BMG Research. More
Accounting and professional services firm Ernst & Young has launched a media performance auditing unit, part of its Marketing and Advertising Risk Services (MARS) practice. More
MR software firm Pulse Train is the latest to announce a mobile survey solution. A partnership with Embrace Mobile will bring the Bellview® data collection suite to mobile phones. More
Panels company Research Now has announced the acquisition of Samplenet e-Research Solutions, which trades as OpenVenue. The price for Canada's largest specialist online fieldwork company is a maximum of C$47.5m (£20.5m), subject to performance. More
In the UK, two former employees of Jupiter MMXI and Nielsen//NetRatings have launched a PR and marketing consultancy, GutjahrGreen Communications, with a focus on services for the market research industry. More
Online survey software provider, FIRM (Future Information Research Management), has reported 2006 revenue up 26% to $21.8 million, and a 13% EBIT margin. More
The Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization (SEMPO) has launched a survey to measure European corporate SEM spending and highlight key trends in the European market. More
VNU today continued its radical overhaul following its return to the private sector, by changing its name to 'The Nielsen Company'. The firm says the move 'emphasizes its best-known brand name and underscores its commitment to create an integrated, streamlined global organization'. More
The UK's Office for National Statistics (ONS) has told staff it plans to close the London office at Drummond Gate, Pimlico, by 2010. Staff would either be relocated – most of them to Newport, Wales - or made redundant. Unions have reacted angrily to the news. More
Former Synovate Directors Claire Labrum and Dave Skelsey have launched their new agency, Strictly Financial, based in central London. More
The body of Cathy Marlow, Finance Manager for panel firm Research Now, was discovered in the shower cubicle of the firm's London head office on Saturday night. Police say the 28-year old was murdered in a 'frenzied attack', and are questioning a man in connection with the inquiry. More
YouGov has hired Dr. Andy Brown as Director leading a new Organisational Consulting offer. Meanwhile its Middle Eastern subsidiary YouGovSiraj has announced an online Omnibus Service covering the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Morocco and Egypt. More
European MR agency SKOPOS has found a novel way to promote the launch of its new Media & Music Insight Division – the simultaneous release of a video, single and album via web site, YouTube and myspace. More
Online fieldwork provider Research Now has announced its Final Results for the year to 31 October 2006, with turnover nearly trebled to £9.6m (2005: £3.6m) and profit before tax more than trebled to £1.6m (2005: £0.5m). More
The MRS is agency dominated and will work hard to get research clients more involved, according to Chairman Simon Lidington. The UK association must also broaden its base to include emerging professions and techniques on the edge of the sector – 'if we don't represent them, somebody else will'. More
MRS Chairman Simon Lidington talks to DRNO about the challenges facing the organisation and the industry, and about the recent decision to join the international association of MR associations, EFAMRO. Today, the prospects for international co-operation; tomorrow a look at the MRS' domestic plans. More
Jim Follett, former COO of NOP World, is to replace Bev Weiman as Chief Executive Officer of panels firm Survey Sampling International (SSI). Weiman, who co-founded SSI along with Tom Danbury in 1977, cited personal reasons for her departure. More
Online survey professionals need to choose the right day and time to send invitations to potential respondents, according to a study by Lightspeed Research. Invites sent on a Monday afternoon got the best response rates (up to 39%) while for Friday afternoon mailings the rate fell to 28%. More
UK research guru David Smith has revived his old company name and is back in business just days after vacating the Chairman's seat at Illuminas. The new DVL Smith Group already has offices in London Docklands and, thanks to a partnership with Australian financial specialist John Marinopoulos, in Melbourne. More
The UK government has boosted the profile and potential influence of its social research professionals by including them for the first time in the civil service Fast Stream programme. More
India-based research outsourcing firm Dexterity is to expand its range of offers with Finalyzers, a division specialising in financial research and analysis. More
VNU has begun what it calls a 'major corporate transformation' including the phasing out of its existing group structure and the cutting of up to 4,000 jobs in 2007. NMR CEO Susan Whiting is promoted to a new group-wide EVP role while Frank Martell and Steve Schmidt will leave the company. More
Yankee Group and Chinese technology advisor Analysys International have announced a partnership agreement. The exclusive Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), signed today, commits the firms to working together on research reports, consulting projects and the hosting of industry events. More
In the UK TMN plc, which owns panels firm The iD Factor and newly launched online research consultancy division iCD, has announced record revenue (£8m) and profits (£1.4m) in its half-yearly statement to the stock market. iD Factor grew fastest of its three core divisions, with sales up 122%. More
UK agency SKOPOS Market Insight has been chosen as the official partner of Research Conferences and will provide research services for all 2007 and 2008 MRS conferences including the 2007 Jubilee Conference in Brighton. More
Business to business specialist Kadence says it will double its turnover to $8m in 2006. UK business has leapt by 70% year-on-year and turnover in the US has grown by 66%, while the firm's newer Asian offices also report good growth. More
The UK's Association for Qualitative Research (AQR) is to conduct a study designed to pin down what constitutes excellent qualitative research. The 'Excellence Project' will use Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) to study the work of six highly rated qualitative practitioners. More
Can results from online panels be trusted? Gian Fulgoni, Chairman of US-based comScore Networks set alarm bells ringing at this year's CASRO Conference with statistics about three-a-day survey respondents; but panel firms say the industry is taking a mature approach to the issue. More
European online fieldwork and panel specialist Research Now has opened a Chicago office and appointed Mike Gray, Vice President – Client Development, to build the Chicago team. Nine other staff join the agency's US team. More
Ipsos has announced a successful first nine months of 2006 with organic revenue growth of 8% over the year earlier period, and overall growth of 24.9% to Euros 613.2m. Third quarter growth was slightly slower at 22% (organic 7%). More
GfK Group has this week announced a successful third quarter of 2006 with revenue up 27.5% to Euros 800.4m and adjusted operating income up 34.2% to Euros 100.2m. Organic revenue growth was 5.7%. Central and Eastern Europe saw especially strong organic growth. More
Synovate's UK-based Corporate and Financial Unit is to close, DRNO has learned. Most staff will be relocated within the firm but two senior financial services research experts, Claire Labrum and Dave Skelsey, are to leave at the end of the year to set up their own qual consultancy, Strictly Financial. More
Pioneering Australian agency The Leading Edge (TLE) has launched a new strategy called '20/10 Vision', and hinted at expansion in 'Northern Europe, the US and North Asia' in the coming months. More
Two agencies tied for the top award at last night's 'Research Excellence and Effectiveness Awards', hosted by the MRS in London. Judges could not choose between FreshMinds and Flamingo International as Best Research Agency 2006. More
David Smith, current Chairman and CEO of UK-based Illuminas Global, has announced he will leave the company at the end of 2006 to focus on training and personal development interests. John Connaughton will become CEO. More
Three former Accounts Directors at BPRI have set up Circle Research, a new UK-based B2B research agency. Circle will offer both qual and quant with all employees skilled in both. More
Pioneering UK consultancy FreshMinds has launched its own viewing facility in Central London. '1view' is located near Holborn tube. More
Andy Dexter, former CEO of Incepta Marketing Intelligence, has announced the forthcoming launch of a new strategic insight-based consultancy, named Truth. The agency, with the guiding principle 'maximum insight, minimum data', will provide 'a complement to mainstream marketing research'. More
Delhi is the latest new location for fast-growing b2b research specialist Kadence, which already has companies in Boston, London, Singapore and Sydney. Kadence Research India launches with a senior team of three directors, headed up by Aman Makkar, who becomes MD. More
Leeds-based RBA Research is in administration and will cease trading at the end of October. The public sector specialist has seen margins eroded by aggressive competition from larger agencies. More
Online audience specialist NetRatings has expanded its patent enforcement program with the filing of lawsuits against four companies, including WebTrends, Inc., alleging infringement of patents it owns or controls. More
In the UK, Royal Mail has extended the closing date for its 4-year research roster tender, worth up to £20 million, to Monday 23rd October. More
Harris Interactive has launched a European unit for its Service Bureau. HISB Europe will offer MR firms in Europe a range of services including telephone, face-to-face and online data collection, the SynTrack Online survey transitioning service and Integrated CATI-WAPI (ICW), among others. More
Ciao, the European company of online survey solutions provider Greenfield Online, has hired a new Director of Panels, Cyril Stern, and promoted several key sales and marketing executives within its European organization. More
GfK NOP has hired Richard Matthews for the new role of Director of Insight for its Technology division, tasked with developing a suite of services to integrate insight into client processes. Matthews worked client side in senior insight functions at Vodafone and Nokia for nearly ten years. More
Full service agency ORC International and MMR division UK Fieldwork Services have announced a joint venture company, ORC Fieldwork Services, which will conduct ORC's field data collection and will be managed by directors from both companies. More
UK-based TMN plc has announced the formation of a new online research company, ICD Research. The new division will sit alongside panels specialist The iD Factor one of whose Directors, Paul Dixon, leaves to head up ICD. More
UK-based panel specialist The iD Factor has recruited five new members of staff, three as business developers. The firm says the expansion programme, which has already doubled its headcount to 34 in just 12 months, is ongoing. More
US-based panels and software firm GMI has passed another busy month, with the opening of a Netherlands office, seven appointments including an MD, Business Development, and the news that its Chinese panel now includes roughly 1 in every 1,000 of the population. More
Online competitive intelligence provider Hitwise UK has announced the addition of paid and organic search term data to its Search Intelligence(TM) 4.0 product. The new data will allow online marketers to analyse their competitors' paid and organic search strategies at a keyword level. More
Qual recruitment and fieldwork agency Criteria chose the occasion of its tenth birthday party at the London Aquarium last Friday to announce its independence from former parent Discovery Research. MD and founder Elaine Francis has bought Discovery's 50% stake with the aim of sharing ownership with others at Criteria. More
Online survey software company FIRM (Future Information Research Management) has announced the formation of an advisory board for its Confirmit product. The Board is made up of prominent executives from research providers, including TNS' Tony Cowling. More
Advertising assessment specialist MediaAnalyzer has announced a US expansion with new headquarters in New York City, and has named media veteran Charles Boyar as VP to lead its US business. More
Our review of this week's ESOMAR Conference continues with Phyllis Vangelder's look at Tuesday's papers. They include suggestions for reconstructing research for the 21st Century, and a review of the challenges of opinion polling in Iraq. More
Two global agencies have this week released latest results from elite surveys. Ipsos Media reveals that European business leaders are compensating for increased time away from home with gadgets, cars and holidays; while hybrid methodology is helping Synovate's Media Atlas get past the security gates to chart the rise of AsiaPac's urban affluent. More
It may be another six years before London hosts the Olympics, but we've limbered up with this year's ESOMAR Congress... The annual flagship event of the worldwide association of research professionals has just concluded, sampled by our correspondent Phyllis Vangelder. More
Eleven senior and high-profile figures from the MR world, all of whom are now offering consulting *to* MR providers, have pooled their skills to form a network spanning three continents. 'gravitas' is billed as 'the world's first ever global consulting group dedicated to the market research industry'. More
MR software and panels provider GMI has launched an initiative aiming to protect the online research industry from fraudulent panelists. PureSample.com offers online MR firms the opportunity to match panelists against a database of 'known offenders', and report offenders of their own. More
Two UK firms in and around the MR industry have announced rebrands. B2b researcher BPRI retains its name but launches a new corporate identity, while specialist recruiter StopGap launches three sub-brands under the new name of The SG Group. More
Online audience specialist Hitwise has launched a Data Centre for easy access to the latest UK Internet stats, giving top-line competitive intelligence data. Meanwhile Ipsos Insight has launched a site section giving easy access to its 'Face of the Web' consumer studies. More
European online panel specialist ToLuna has announced strong results for the six months to 30 June. Revenue for the six months is £3.6m, already twenty per cent up on full year pro forma 2005 figures. More
Manchester, UK-based B2B International has announced plans for a Beijing Office, to be opened in January 2007. More
Greenfield Online subsidiary Ciao has announced the launch of a global media panel, which will give clients the ability to target survey respondents based on their preferences for various media including television, radio, newspapers and magazines. More
Another European-based panel provider is expanding across the Atlantic: ToLuna PLC has today announced the opening of a New York office, to act as the hub of its US and Canadian operations. The news follows ResearchNow's announcement yesterday of a new US office and staff. More
UK-based online fieldwork company The iD Factor has announced a series of deals with local panel providers, giving its clients access to a network of panels in 41 countries on five continents. More
Research Now has followed up news of multiple UK appointments with the announcement of a new San Francisco office, the expansion of its existing US office in New York, and four senior hires. More
TNS has announced its unaudited interim results for the six months to 30 June. Unspectacular overall revenue growth of 4.5% (underlying growth 3.0%) reflects a decline in US custom business, while the rest of the group achieved organic revenue growth of almost 6%. More
UK-based SKOPOS Market Insight & Consultancy Ltd has relaunched its services under the banner of 'Full Circle'. Features include dedicated sector-based research teams, and fieldwork support agreements with IFF, ORC Direct, Sparkler and Consumer Profile. More
UK-based online specialist Research Now has announced senior appointments for its London team, with Chris Dubreuil joining as Client Development Director and Paul Botje as COO. Also arriving are twelve staff for the client development, panel analytics and delivery teams. More
Major UK agency BMRB is establishing a network for the hundreds of alumni of its graduate training programme. More
TNS has today announced the launch of a Global Interactive business unit, led by Arno Hummerston as MD, and bringing together three co-ordinated areas – commercial, development and Computer Assisted Web Interviewing (CAWI) support. More
Harris Interactive has released its financial results for the fiscal fourth quarter (Q4) and fiscal year ended June 30, 2006. Revenue for Q4 was up 11% year-on-year to a record $60.0m and for the fiscal year up 10% to $216m. Net earnings leapt almost 500% to $9.5m or $0.15 per share. More
WPP Group has reported half yearly results. Headline profit before tax rose over 24% to $566m (£316m) and like-for-like revenue was up a respectable 5% year-on-year. The Group's Information, Insight and Consultancy companies performed well although slightly behind other sectors on some key measures. More
West London-based research provider EMS has recently opened three new viewing studios, including what is claimed to be 'the largest in England, capable of housing two cars or seating up to one hundred respondents.' More
Research Now has announced the launch of four more of its proprietary research-only panels. The addition of Portugal, Greece, Belgium and the Netherlands brings the online specialist's total coverage to eighteen European countries, plus Australia. More
UK panel operator and online research provider The iD Factor has recruited six new members of staff and relocated to new central London premises. It now shares a building with the other divisions of its parent group TMN plc, TMN Media and email ad agency EDR. More
A group of big-spending advertisers will insist on audited ratings from their online media from mid-2007 and measurement certified numbers by 2008, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) announced yesterday. More
Synovate has announced a restructure to reflect its recent growth. Smaller business unit groupings will replace the current regional structure; functions such as IT, HR and Operations will work more globally; and senior management will be grouped in more focused leadership teams. More
Greenfield Online Inc. and its European subsidiary Ciao have announced the establishment of an Indian panel. 24,000 panellists are already recruited and is planned to reach a target of 75,000 respondents by the end of the year. More
MR software and panel provider GMI has announced a worldwide restructuring, gearing up for further growth following its recent closing of $35 million in venture capital. The moves include senior promotions for Dr. Larry Schack in the US and Dietmar Walter in London, and a new Asian leadership team chaired by Tatt Chen. More
ESOMAR has revealed top line results from its 2005 Global Market Research Report, showing global MR turnover up 4.3% to $23 billion in 2005, with Europe cornering 45% of the global market. Meanwhile, online research's share of data collection revenue has grown from 11% in 2004 to a staggering 20% in 2005. More
The two MDs of Ciao, Max Cartellieri and Gunnar Piening, have resigned and will be replaced by Nicolas Metzke. Ciao's parent company, Greenfield Online, Inc. also announced that it will begin the formal separation of Ciao's two main businesses, Internet survey and comparison shopping operations. More
Technology specialist Forrester Research has announced results for the second quarter, ended June 30, with total revenues were $48.5million, up nearly 24% from $39.2m for the second quarter of last year. The firm also published results from a report on Asian adoption of broadband and other technologies. More
Mandy Pooler and Lucy Gill have joined Rosi Ware in charge of developing WPP's research division, Kantar. The two new arrivals replace Fiona McAnena, who has joined PepsiCo in a senior innovation role. More
Research International is to move its London office south of the Thames from its long-established home in Grosvenor Place SW1. The new location is off Tooley Street, near London Bridge. More
Global fieldwork agency Medefield has completed the first stage of an aggressive expansion in its UK-based fieldwork and operations group. Meanwhile Synovate Healthcare has announced the launch of online physician panels in key Asian markets. More
Ipsos MORI has become the first agency to be awarded the new international process Standard ISO 20252, within two months of the standard's launch. More
Synovate has announced an expansion of its media research services and the promotion of Asia Pacific boss Steve Garton to lead a new global group, based in London. In addition, Craig Harvey joins from Publicis as Director, Media Research - Asia Pacific. More
TNS' UK share price looks more stable today after a dramatic fall on Thursday and Friday last week. The drop followed a warning on full year operating margin and comments by Chief Executive David Lowden, who blamed problems on the 'unacceptable' performance of the American custom business. More
FDS has joined the International Research InstituteS (IriS), a worldwide network of independent research suppliers, as its UK member, replacing MORI. IriS members have a turnover of €200 million and are in more than 30 countries worldwide. More
A group of Scottish marketing communications professionals have formed an industry action group to counter larger Scottish companies' perceived preference for London agencies. The move comes after a study by Scottish Enterprise found widespread concerns on the issue – but may not win the support of Scottish researchers. More
UK online marketing specialist themutual.net plc has announced results for the year ending April 30 2006, including a trebling of its annual turnover to £9m and operating profit more than doubled to £1.70m. The group is the parent of online fieldwork agency the idFactor. More
One year after the acquisition of NOP World, GfK held its AGM today and reported healthy business growth in the first quarter of 2006. Dividend payments increased once again and revenue rose sharply as have orders for 2006 to date. More
Global consultancy Accenture last week launched a new institute designed to help public sector organizations improve the delivery of services, with bases in Washington D.C. and London. Among other aims, the institute will promote the use of research on the concept of public service value. More
Online agency RSM is once again running its annual 'State of the Industry' survey of UK research professionals, with fieldwork for the fifth wave underway. More
Online panel and software company GMI (Global Market Insite, Inc.) announced today that it has raised a further $35m to fund its expansion, leaving it 'well-positioned to reinvent the market research industry' according to Chairman and CEO Rob Monster. More
Stephen Grundy, the former head of GfK Martin Hamblin Healthcare, has joined the Board of Winchester-based Marketing Sciences, and will launch a dedicated healthcare research unit. More
The Operations Centre, Kantar's combined ops service organisation for its various research companies, has changed its name to Kantar Operations with immediate effect. Meanwhile Fieldwork International, the field division of the Synovate Healthcare, has unveiled a complete global re-brand. More
Last week's BIG Conference on the Welsh border once again provided b2b researchers from the UK and abroad with a memorable couple of days, from papers on the ethnography of financial advisers and business research as quantum physics, to tennis ankle deep in water. More
Synovate is planning further acquisitions, with Internet panel companies and analytics & modelling specialists among the possible targets. Global CEO Adrian Chedore talks exclusively to DRNO about buying companies, keeping people, and how a fast-growing top ten agency can stay 'small'. More
On-demand web analytics firm Omniture has opened its first European offices in London and Paris, and hired Neil Weston to head up its European operations as VP and General Manager EMEA. Neil Morgan (VP Marketing EMEA), Georges Anidjar (GM, France) and Wolfgang Allisat (Director of Sales, EMEA) complete the new senior team. More
The final year's figures from the outgoing British Market Research Association (BMRA) reveal that overall industry revenues grew by just 2.5% in 2005 to a value of £1.32 billion, delivering at best a flat year against inflation. More
European online fieldwork and panel specialist Research Now has launched three online panels in Eastern Europe. The panels in Russia, Poland and the Czech Republic are all stand-alone, locally recruited propositions, with their own local country incentive choices. More
Panel provider Greenfield Online has announced results for the first quarter (Q1) of 2006, ending March 31. The results show the beginnings of 'tangible results from our turnaround efforts' according to President and CEO Albert Angrisani - but also 'a considerable amount of hard work in front of us, particularly in North America'. More
Global group GfK has confirmed its upbeat preliminary announcement from 28th February regarding results for 2005, announcing 'the most successful year in the company's history' with sales up by over 40% to Euros 937.3m, 6.5% organic growth and margin improving to 13.3%. More
WPP has published its first quarter trading update showing total group revenues up by over 23% and by 18% in constant currency terms. Revenue for the group's Information, Insight & Consultancy operations grew less than for other divisions, by just under 10%, but showed good organic growth and reached £214m. More
BIG, the UK's association for b2b research professionals, is gearing up for 4 weeks of activity with its AGM, a comprehensive review of b2b panel providers, and the annual Conference all scheduled. More
Survey Sampling International has appointed Pete Cape, founder of TNS Interactive, to head up a new unit to be known as the Knowledge Department, Internet Sampling. In addition, the company is to open its first Asia Pacific office, in China, and has made two key hires for it. More
UK-based research buyers want agencies to understand and help ease the pressures they are under from internal clients, according to a survey for the latest MRWho. Many are still making scant use of online data collection, and those that are face new challenges finding time to be thoughtful in much-reduced project timetables. More
Information services giant Experian, which owns MR businesses including Simmons Research and Vente in the US and FootFall Ltd and The Future Foundation in Europe, is likely to be demerged from parent GUS plc under plans unveiled today. More
Incepta Marketing Intelligence, the MR group which includes Citigate DVL Smith and Hauck Research, has been rebranded as Illuminas. The company was bought by Media Square Group from Huntsworth Plc last November. More
Custom business research specialist FIND/SVP, Inc. is changing its name to Guideline. The change reflects a shift of emphasis, integrating the secondary research in which it made its name with a growing portfolio of primary research services. More
Forget e-bay (just for a while?) - this year's auction for the UK research workers' charity, the MRBA, is being held online. Lots range from a new Apple iPod nano and a 'framed painting of a nude torso' to a week in a holiday home in Port Charles Coromandel, New Zealand. Bidding stays open until 2pm on Friday 24th March. More
VNU, parent of ACNielsen and Nielsen Media Research, has announced that it has agreed to a public offer from a private-equity consortium including AlpInvest Partners, valuing the company's equity at approximately EUR 7.5 bn in cash, or EUR 28.75 per common share. The option of breaking the company up has been rejected. More
VNU has announced 'better-than-expected results' for 2005. The Media Measurement & Information division (MMI) showed 11% organic growth, led by a strong Nielsen Media Research (NMR). Group-wide, organic growth was only 5%. VNU says favourable settlement of tax audits 'more than offset' the $55m cost of the recent IRI settlement. More
TNS has announced results for the year ended 31 December 2005. Revenue is up 5.7% (adjusted 4.1%) to £999.0m and adjusted operating profit up 9.5% to £112.6m. Strong growth across syndicated services and in custom business in continental Europe and emerging markets contrasted with 'challenging conditions' in the US and UK. More
Simon Lidington is the new Chairman of the UK's Market Research Society (MRS). Lidington, UK CEO of Research International until last November and now at The Insight Exchange, beat off a strong challenge from Age Concern's Leslie Sopp by 35 votes. More
The membership of the British Market Research Association (BMRA) has voted in favour of proposals to integrate its services into the Market Research Society (MRS), with effect from April 2006. The BMRA will cease to exist as of April Fools' Day. More
The UK's Market Research Society (MRS) has announced the signing of the seventieth member for its Company Partner Service. The scheme is a variation on corporate membership for an association which previously allowed only individual members, and is likely to have underscored the forthcoming merger with the BMRA. More
Two of the UK's top client side research and insight professionals who left their jobs earlier in the year have resurfaced as independent consultants. John Markham was until recently Director of Global Business Insights at Nokia and Gaye Myatt spent nine years as Director of Consumer Insight at GlaxoSmithKline. More
VNU's CEO Rob van den Bergh is stepping down, following the announcement that the company's planned takeover of IMS Health has been terminated due to strong resistance from VNU shareholders. Under the termination agreement, VNU will reimburse IMS $15 million for out-of-pocket costs. More
UK-based agency Holden Pearmain Research has announced the opening of its third office in Surrey. The expansion follows the recent appointment of a dedicated Director for the Customer Loyalty sector, and the launch of a Qualitative Research division. More
The GfK Group has announced results for the third quarter of 2005. The integration of NOP World is said to be proceeding according to plan, and the group has already achieved 95.6% of its order volume forecast for 2005. Sales for the first 9 months are up 28.8% vs Q1-3 2004 to EUR 627.5m. More
UK retail research firm ESA is teaming up with MR software provider Pulse Train to conduct the on-site research at this week's Insight show. The show, designed for buyers and users of market research, is taking place tomorrow and Wednesday at Earls Court in London. More
Dan Foreman, formerly Planning Director at ad agency WFCA, has been poached to spearhead the launch of FocusVision Europe. The US-based company, which specialises in video recording technologies for market research, opened its first European office in London in July. More
After weeks of speculation, French Publicis Groupe has announced it will not bid for Aegis, though Havas and WPP may still be interested in buying. Meanwhile, Aegis itself has made an acquisition - snapping up UK B2B media planning and buying group Just Media Ltd (JML) in a deal worth up to £10m. More
Media and technology specialist Pyramid Research has appointed Ken Figueredo as its new MD of Consulting. He will help expand the consulting side of the business, and will manage a consulting team across Pyramid's offices in the US, London and Hong Kong. More
Harris Interactive is dropping the separate identity of its European subsidiary, which will no longer be known as HI Europe but will share the parent's name. The company says the alignment will achieve 'considerable synergies in its marketing, data collection and client management programmes'. More
TNS has announced a commitment to raise US$387,000 by the end of 2007 to fund a pre-school educational project in Cambodia, supported by UNICEF, the United Nation's Children's Fund. The 'Imagine...' initiative kicked off today with a 'Walk to Work' day. More
Synovate has achieved 17.9% revenue growth for first half of this year, compared with 14.8% for its parent Aegis Group as a whole. Similarly at VNU, the research division outperforms the rest of the company. Other company results vary, but all point to growth in the MR sector. More
September's relaunch issue of our MRWho supplement will be looking at changes in the UK MR jobs market, and in salary levels, in the last 12 months. This excerpt looks at the jobs market and the growth of new functions such as Panel Managers, Account Managers and pure 'Bus Dev' roles; next week, we'll examine salary levels. More
UK telecoms and media regulator Ofcom has promoted former Downing Street media policy adviser Ed Richards to the role of Chief Operations Officer, with responsibility for market research and consumer policy. Three other senior appointments have also been made. More
A study by the UK's Critical Research suggests that agencies need to work closely with businesses to improve falling BtoB response rates. The study found senior decision-makers were often unclear about the purpose or benefit of research, and wary about being hooked into a sales call. More
The MR landscape is to undergo a seismic shift as VNU, the world's biggest research provider, buys IMS Health, the next biggest in the US, in a transaction valued at 5.8 billion Euros ($7.0 billion). VNU's CEO is confident that the deal will quickly lead to major cost savings and new revenues. More
TNS today announced 'weaker than anticipated' growth in UK and US custom research. It expects overall revenue growth for this year to be line with the market at about 4% - a more cautious prediction than earlier in the year, when the company said it hoped to outpace rivals. More
Aegis Group Plc, owner of Synovate, has announced that the company is on course to meet its 2005 targets despite a 'patchy' spend on advertising, and an uncertain outlook for the global economy. More
Millward Brown has become a licensed member of the Walker Global Network in Asia Pacific. Under the licensing arrangement Millward Brown will offer stakeholder relationship measurement and management products developed and provided by stakeholder research specialist Walker. More
Caroline Plumb, 26-year-old founder of research and graduate recruitment company Fresh Minds appears for the second time in Management Today's '35 Under 35' list of Britain's highest-flying young businesswomen. More
A new UK recruitment and training agency is to focus on the operations side of MR. Gina Moore has set up and run field and ops functions for several agencies and worked most recently at Kantar's Operations Centre. manstonmoore's expertise will include operational, project management, front of house and admin staff, as well as programmers. More
Daily Research News has appointed a full-time News Editor, who will start in June. Tessa Russell joins from Which? magazine where she has worked for the last eight years, most recently as an Assistant Editor leading the food and health team. More
'We would like to knit our automotive quality studies together as a global study... the auto companies weren't ready for it yet. Maybe they were products before their time. Actually, some other companies have tried and have bent their pick a little bit'. CEO Steve Goodall on J.D. Power's global future with McGraw-Hill – the concluding part of our exclusive interview. More
'I think the industry is ultimately making a bet on hydrogen' 'The US will move like the European or Western European markets... where c.50% are diesel engines' 'Asia ... will drive more and more future product development' - J.D.Power CEO Steve Goodall on what's in store for automotive, in part 2 of our exclusive interview. More
US-based Opinion Research Corporation and Sweden's Observer Group have announced financial results for the first quarter of 2005. ORC's rising revenues from social research offset a slight decline in market research and a bigger fall in teleservices, while Observer reports continued positive development in the US but a weak quarter in Europe. More
The BMRA has published its league table of UK research agencies for 2004. Whilst we remain cautious given problems in previous years with interpretation, there are some notable highlights. Total turnover for the sector was just under £1.3bn (up 5.4%), with international business in particular recovering strongly. More
Ipsos is launching a new Global Public Affairs unit, consolidating the Group's offering in the sector. The move follows similar global consolidation for the ASI (advertising) and Loyalty business streams in 2001 and 2004 respectively. More
United Business Media (UBM) will offer exclusive talks to one of the three remaining bidders for NOP World, according to the UK's Financial Times. The three are GfK, Ipsos and the WPP Group - Aegis and TNS were recently eliminated from the bidding. More
GfK has announced 'a year of extraordinary success' with sales up 12.8% to EUR 671.7m and a margin of 13.6%, putting the Group 'top of the market research sector in terms of profitability'. EBIT including income from participations increased by 31.2% to EUR 91.1m and the dividend by around 43% to EUR 0.30. More
Greenfield Online has announced the completed acquisition of fellow online survey specialist Ciao AG for cash plus shares to a total value of c.$150 million. The move creates a major new global force in Internet panel research. More
The UK's MRS has elected Eamonn Santry of Network Research as its new Chairman and Raz Khan of IT services firm Cobalt Sky as Deputy Chairman, following an Extraordinary General Meeting. The meeting was required because – for the first time in the Society's history – no nominations were received for the post. More
TNS has announced its results for the year ended 31 December 2004, the first full year since the acquisition of NFO WorldGroup, Inc. (NFO) in July 2003. Revenue increased 17.4% to £945.3m and underlying revenue up 4.1%. Operating profit is up 28% to £102.0m while operating margin increased 0.9% to 10.8%. More
MrWeb posted its 20,000th vacancy ad on Tuesday this week. The site, which was launched in 1998, has been the UK's busiest medium for MR recruitment since the year 2000, but the rapid recent rise in the number of postings is evident from the fact that ad number 10,000 went up in mid-2003. More
UK agency SKOPOS has appointed Noreen Hussain to its London office as Head of Research and Quality, partly to assist an expansion from its online base into some more traditional areas of MR. More
Restructuring TNS has announced the merging of its existing Telecoms and IT research divisions into a single technology 'sector'. The move reflects increased client demand for expertise bridging the two markets, and the rise of wireless comms in general. More
The TRBI brand, for a decade one of the UK's best known names, has disappeared with the New Year as the agency continues its integration into Synovate, which acquired it in January 2004. More
Independent UK agency IFF Research, which celebrates its fortieth birthday in May this year, has announced the departure of Dave Spilsbury and his replacement as MD by Tim Britton. Spilsbury, who took over from Ed Smith in 1992, is keeping his future plans under wraps. More
DRNO has learned that Ivor Stocker has narrowly defeated Peter Hodgson in the first ever contested election for Chairman of the British Market Research Association (BMRA). Stocker was Chair in 2001-2, handing over the reins to IDA's Peter Jackling from whom he now resumes the title, thus completing a neat one-two. More
Rachel Lomax, the Bank of England's Deputy Governor for Monetary Policy, has raised questions about the business and economic data available to UK government, referring to the 'statistical fog surrounding the true state of the economy' and backing a report calling for fundamental changes. More
Software supplier CfMC, whose data collection tools Survent and WebSurvent power some 65% of the interviewing stations at US research firms, is adopting a new identity after 37 years. More
'We are a research and consulting organization first. The Internet and telephone are a means to an end'. Gregory Novak, President and COO Harris Interactive talks in depth to MrWeb's Michael Kenyon about Internet research, Sesame Street strategy and 'the perfect acquisition'. More
UK agency Strategic Research has ceased trading as of Monday 1st November. Despite rapid recent growth and a high profile in the industry, the company says it was unable to recover from the loss of one very large client. More
It's party time for UK researchers, many of whom went straight from the Insight Show in London's Earl's Court to the MRS Awards Dinner at the Café Royal last night. The Show looked better, if still fairly quiet; the Awards were a shade off last year's success, but still pretty good. Does our opinion count? Well here it is anyway. More
A very enjoyable Awards dinner at the Café Royal last night saw some familiar and some new faces carrying off the major gongs. Two were carried off to a noisy Nunwood table, including the 'Best Agency' Award for which they were pipped last year by Flamingo – and two went to the team of Robert Heath at the Value Creation Company and Pam Hyder from Standard Life. More
GfK Martin Hamblin has restructured of its research divisions and made a number of senior appointments. Sue Wheeler and Reza Chady join the Board, and become General Managers respectively of the B2B and Technology Departments, within the newly formed Custom Research Division. More
B2b specialist Kadence Business Research has announced the opening of an office in Singapore, with Piers Lee as MD of the newly formed Kadence Asia Pacific and Paul Benning, formerly a Project Director at Synovate Business Consulting, heading up the Desk Research and Market Analysis team. More
Nearly half the UK's sixty-five biggest agencies showed double-digit growth last year, according to league tables published by Marketing magazine in association with the BMRA. More
Finding the right kind of people is the biggest challenge facing fast-growing research agencies of all sizes, according to the next edition of MRWho, out shortly. The issue looks in detail at 6 UK-based success stories with turnovers from £1 million to £50 million, and finds most in buoyant mood. More
The MRS Awards Dinner continues to gain momentum as an annual event - it's posh, it's popular and it now has more sponsors than Elton John doing a charity marathon. DRNO's reporter was privileged to sit only 27 tables from the front and watch Flamingo International carry off the BMRA's Best Agency Award. More
Jon Wilkinson, Chairman and CEO of Research International, has announced his intention to retire in June 2004. Roger Banks, currently CEO Mainland Europe, will become Group CEO and report in to Kantar CEO Eric Salama. Colin Buckingham moves to the new role of CEO, Global Business while Mark Penn, once President Clinton's pollster, becomes Non-Executive Chairman of the Group. More
CATI specialist The Wire has reported record sales for the first six months of its financial year, up 75% on the same period in 2002. Turnover for the period March to August 2003 was £1.4m. More
Millward Brown has signed an exclusive worldwide licensing agreement with French market modelling agency Interstat to use its SAPIENS® market mix model, which offers sales volume forecasting across both packaged goods and BtoB product categories. More
UK agency MORI has announced that it is bringing together the different strands of its reputation work to create a new body, The MORI Reputation Centre. The Centre is a joint initiative of its private and public sector divisions and will cover stakeholder audits, branding & identity, image tracking, corporate social responsibility, communications evaluation and employer brand. More
Seven European providers have this week announced the formation of The International Mystery Shopping Alliance (IMSA). The IMSA offers mystery shopping and related services in 15 European countries, including the UK, and aims to expand quickly to offer worldwide coverage. More
Opinion Research Corporation has announced a multi-year strategic alliance between its commercial marketing research unit, ORC International, and Greenfield Online, Inc., a pioneer in conducting marketing research via the Internet. Greenfield will power ORC International's online research data collection needs for its syndicated and proprietary research products and for new online offerings. More
MrWeb has today launched the first four of its new 'Sector Focus' pages. Each page brings together the site's news, desk research links (UK-based) and listings of suppliers for researchers working in a particular vertical sector. More
AdLINK Internet Media AG, the leading independent provider of digital comms solutions in Europe, has signed up to Nielsen//NetRatings' online ad campaign planning tool, WebRF on a multi-country basis. The AdLINK network ranks in the top five domains in many European countries including the UK, Spain and Germany. More
UK market research salaries have remained fairly flat in the past 12 months, according to the first statistics from MrWeb vacancies for Jan to June '03. Full details will be in this month's MRWho. The number of jobs posted (and specifying salaries) has risen by 27% in the last 6 months. More
The MrWeb site, combining news, jobs, directories, diary and link libraries for market researchers, enjoyed a busiest-ever month in May with record numbers of jobs posted, pages viewed, recruiters advertising and subscribers signed up. On three occasions in the past four weeks, more than 10,000 site pages have been viewed in one day. More
The Board of MORI, the UK's largest independent MR agency, is entering discussions with a number of potential buyers. The company was the subject of an MBO 3-4 years ago and the decision to invite bids is reportedly in line with the original plan under the venture capital model. A price tag of £100m has been mentioned by the FT, but has not, according to MORI, come from anyone within the company. More
MrWeb, the publisher of Daily Research News and MRWho, has appointed Michael Kenyon to the new post of Director, US Operations. The move follows a successful year in which the company has consolidated its no.1 position in the UK research job ads market and broadened out into new areas. More
Specialist b2b consultancy Metro Research has recently moved to new offices in Regent Street, London in order to provide improved access to facilities and personnel resources to support recent growth. More
ORC International has appointed Simon Holroyd Divisional Manager of its Central Government Research Division. He takes up the newly created position following a period of growth in the company's sales of public sector research. More
Leading leisure and tourism research consultancy MEW Research has joined BDRC, complementing their established research strengths in hotel, financial and other service industry research markets. The 'new' MEW Research will remain focussed on its existing activities, while benefiting from the additional resources available through BDRC. More
NOP World has announced strategic online alliances with Tiscali and iPoints as it launches its new e-Omnibus service in Britain. The largest GB Internet Omnibus, e-Omnibus is representative of the weekly online user population, estimated to be some 15 million adults. More
UK research agency Hauck Research Services has been acquired this week by Incepta Group plc, the international marketing and communications group. More
The Annual Research Industry Angling Competition will take place at the Willinghurst Estate Fishery near Cranleigh, Surrey on Friday 2nd November. Once again, the day will be generously sponsored by the New Fieldwork Company with tackle prizes and trophies being presented to the winners. More
UK agency, FDS International has been awarded a research contract to measure customer service and satisfaction among employers who use the Employment Service, part of the Government's Department for Work and Pensions. The contract runs for three years with an option to extend for a further two years. More
French agency Ipsos has reported strong first half results with revenues up 64% and net income up a considerable 106% as well as an improvement in operational profitability. More
Habbo Hotel (www.habbohotel.com), the growing teenage community website, was recently commissioned by the online youth market research company, the Fat Group to supply a large sample of UK teenagers for a new product development task for a major food and drink client. More
e-MORI, the electronic technologies division of market research company MORI, has agreed a deal to provide information to the e-business advice web site, e- consultancy.com. More
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