Walr Names COO and CFO as Fraser Steps Back

'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.

UK-based Walr opened at the end of 2020 and the following September acquired research software business QuenchTec. The company offers the research industry a survey builder, panel manager, analysis, data visualization and data distribution.

Flower joins from experience management firm Platform One, where he served as COO, before which he spent three years at Next15's Savanta, initially working for data collection agency Viga (merged into Savanta in 2019), and most recently serving as EVP, Global Operations. Earlier he was Director, Community Development and Innovation at Verve, and he spent more than seven years at Research Now (now <27393 >Dynata), latterly as Director of Operations, EMEA.

In 2016, Flower helped set up Viga with Walr co-founder Lewis Reeves. Commenting on his appointment, Flower said: 'Now is the right time for me to take my skillset to Walr and I'm looking forward to adding value to the business. The scope for the business to expand through its proprietary technology and excellent service model is particularly interesting to me - plus the chance to work closely with Lewis and his team once more'.

Badar joins from direct-to-consumer flower business Freddie's Flowers, where he served as Finance Director, before which he spent three years in senior roles at accounting and consulting business Grant Thornton. Reeves adds: 'Freddie's Flowers has always been an inspirational organisation to us at Walr; it was very similar in its early stages to Walr's model. What Tariq was able to achieve there, particularly prior to funding, is incredibly impressive'.

Web site: www.walr.com .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.