Former Harris Execs Open Singapore Agency

Former Harris Interactive managers Amrita Banta and Asha Choksi have opened their own full service agency, Agility Research & Strategy, in Singapore. The firm will focus on research across Asia using online and digital data collection tools.

For the past four years, Banta served as Harris' Vice President Global Business Development, prior to which she worked for ad agencies Lintas and J.Walter Thompson in India.

Choksi was most recently SVP of Research at Harris Interactive, having earlier worked as MD of Client Services for GMI (Global Market Insite), VP of Penn, Schoen and Berland, and a consultant for PricewaterhouseCoopers and IBM.

The new firm will offer research-based consulting using both traditional and new methods of data collection. Its team is comprised of execs from global research firms, with a variety of experience in research, communications and consulting.

Says Banta: 'Clients need faster turnaround and more insightful analysis using the latest tools and techniques to get ahead of the competition. Our proprietary methodologies and products will help our clients generate actionable research to help form their regional strategies.'

According to Choksi, the firm is already making plans to expand into China and India.

Web site: www.agility-research.com .