OLR Hires Russell to Drive Quant Offer

In London, Opinion Leader Research (OLR) has appointed industry veteran Neil Russell to lead the continued expansion of its quantitative offer.

OLR is part of Chime Communication's Research & Engagement division, which includes Facts International, acefieldwork, CaucusWorld, Naked Eye and Brand Democracy.

Russell joins with a 26-year market research background, including more than 20 years in public sector research.

Most recently, he worked at Harris Interactive as Senior Consultant, Public Sector and Social Policy Research. Before this, he was an Account Director at Millward Brown, and worked at TNS, latterly as a Research Director in the Social Research division.

In his new role, Russell will play a major part in expanding the services available to OLR's public sector and commercial clients.

Crispin Beale, CEO of Chime's Research & Engagement Division, comments: 'Neil is a talented individual with a considerable breadth of strengths, particularly in his public sector expertise and knowledge.'

Earlier in the year, Beale announced a strategy to recruit the 'best and brightest individuals' in the industry, under the leadership of the Royal Mail's former Head of Business Intelligence Sinéad Jefferies.

Since then, he has hired a number of senior agency and clientside players, including: Wardle Mclean Director Dominic Scott-Malden; GfK NOP's Michael Thompson; Dixon Group customer experience specialist Shaendel Hallett; Toluna exec Mark Squires; and former Social Democratic Party researcher Sarah Horack.

Web sites: www.opinionleader.co.uk and www.chime.plc.uk .