Chadwick and Kugler Join Big Sofa Board

UK-based video analytics firm Big Sofa has appointed Cambiar partner and former NOP leader Simon Chadwick and former Unilever director Ralph Kugler as strategic advisers to its Board.

Big Sofa is headquartered near London Bridge and began life as a research agency in 2005, founded by former Research International CEO Simon Lidington and organisational psychology specialist Matt Lynch. Earlier this year, the firm expanded to the US with the official opening of an office in Philadelphia, PA.

Chadwick has more than 40 years' experience in the market research industry and is currently Managing Partner of Cambiar, which he founded in 2004 to provide strategic assistance to research companies. Prior to this, he was CEO of eight market research companies around the world, ranging from start-ups to multinational NOP World, which was sold to GfK in 2005. In addition, he is Chairman of the Insights Association and Editor-in-Chief of Research World.

Kugler is currently Chairman of Cognita Schools, and of Headbox, Board Director at Keter Group, and Chairman of the International Advisory Board of Leeds University Business School. He spent more than 25 years at Unilever, most recently as Executive Director on the Main Board, and Global President of Home and Personal Care.

Commenting on the appointments, Lidington said: 'Big Sofa's core customers are major brands and market research agencies. To have attracted two individuals in Ralph and Simon - with their vast experience in each core customer category - to our advisory panel, is further validation of the company's technology and services. Both Simon and Ralph are strongly aligned with our belief that video will continue to transform the consumer insight industry and that Big Sofa is exceptionally well-placed to capitalise on this shift. We look forward to benefiting from their strategic advice as we grow'.

Web site: www.bigsofa.co.uk .