'Nimbler' Synovate Plans for More Growth

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.

Called 'From Now to Wow', the programme will apply across all business units, support services and operations. According to Global CEO Adrian Chedore, Synovate is meeting performance expectations but the company's rapid growth merited a re-think of the structure.

'Synovate has outperformed its competitors over the past two years and obviously that's a trend we would like to continue. We have doubled in size in just three years, so the programme will ensure we update our structure to match both our size and the increasingly global nature of our business.

Chedore says the regional structure has served the firm well to date, but will now give way to Strategic Units - smaller business unit groupings 'structured to optimise our effectiveness, experiences and learnings.'

Functional teams in areas such as IT, Marketing, HR, Finance and Operations will become globally focused, enhancing efficiency, communication and client service.

Lastly, in the pursuit of sustained growth and profitability, senior management decision-making will use what Chedore calls 'a more nimble structure' of focused leadership teams. Several senior managers will assume roles that span Strategic Unit, Practice and functional responsibilities. Chedore explains: 'Our emphasis is on operating as one company - international, integrated and innovative - and this mix of responsibilities will help ensure we achieve this.'

The new Strategic Unit structure has the following leadership:

• Northern Europe will be led by Peter Huijboom, who also remains the CEO, Global Client Relationships
• Southern Europe - Ged Parton, who also remains the Head of the Brand & Communications practice
• United Kingdom - Peter Chopra, who also remains CFO
• Asia - Tim Balbirnie, currently CEO, Asia Pacific
• Australia / New Zealand - Brent Stewart, currently head of Synovate's Australian operation
• Central/Eastern Europe, and the Middle East - Nicos Rossides, currently CEO, Central/Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa
• Africa - Albert McLean, currently COO Africa
• North America - CEO Robert Skolnick (see DRNO )
• Latin America - EVP Ignacio Galceran.

There will be little change to the global Practice leadership within Synovate.

Chedore says that 'From Now to Wow' signals the beginning of an ongoing process. 'Synovate will continue to evolve and we anticipate emerging as an even stronger competitor in the global research marketplace. This is all about building on the strengths we have now and taking them to the next level.'

The firm's web site is at www.synovate.com .

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

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