Vision Critical Expands in Australia with Senior Hires

Custom panels and research technology firm Vision Critical has appointed Bala Rajan to lead the firm's qual business in Australia and New Zealand, and Daniel Alexander-Head as Engagement Strategy Director. Both will be based in the firm's Sydney office.

Earlier this month, the firm relocated its French headquarters to accommodate staff numbers, which have quadrupled in the last 12 months and are set to expand further. Globally, the company hired 109 new employees in 2009, and plans to add another 120 to the total in 2010.

Rajan joins from Colmar Brunton, where he worked as an Account Director. Prior to this, he was a Consultant with The Leading Edge, an Account Manager at TNS in Dubai, and an Assistant Research Manager at Nielsen. He began his career as a Project Manager with Indica Research in India.

Alexander-Head has worked in the Australian research industry for the past five years - most recently as Community Strategy Director with Colmar Brunton, spearheading online customer communities and online panel research. Before this, he was Head of Business Development at YourSource, Acting Call Centre Manager/Supervisor at Gartner, a Team Leader at AMR Interactive, and worked as Special Projects Officer at NSW.

'We're having fun building a team of forward-thinking research leaders and both Bala and Daniel have exactly what's needed to help clients innovate and engage with consumers,' says Peter Harris, EVP and MD, Australia. 'They have the knowledge, experience and drive to bring the conversation between customers and brands to the next level of engagement.'

Web site: www.visioncritical.com .