Foundry Forges Stronger Research & Planning Team

Manchester, UK-based marcoms agency Foundry Communications has appointed former McCann strategist Julie Neilson to lead its Research & Planning division. The firm has also opened 'virtual offices' in Dundee and Birmingham, and affiliate offices in Europe, the US and Asia.

Launched in 1998, Foundry uses digital tools including semantic analysis to listen to what consumers are saying about a brand or product, and quant research to develop an overview of market movements and changing group behaviour. The agency then helps clients spread messages through a wide range of media including blogs, social media and online ad campaigns, PR and events.

Neilson (pictured) joins with more than twenty years' agency experience. For the past eight, she has run her own strategic planning and market research agency Lateral Works, prior to which she worked for ad agency McCann Erickson.

Her appointment is part of The Foundry's investment in its digital marketing resource, which includes the recruitment of former MediaCo execs Barrie Moran as Digital Strategy Director in Dundee and John Heffernan Digital Marketing Sales Director in the Midlands, as well as the expansion of its global network.

MD Kevin Murphy comments: 'Julie, Barrie and John give us world-class skills and strength - we'll therefore be able to make an even greater difference to our clients' ability to sell today and build their brands for tomorrow.'

Web site: www.foundrycomms.co.uk .