SPA Restructures and Appoints COO

In London, full-service research agency SPA has restructured its business into three divisions, each with its own Managing Director. It has also promoted Jo Lockett from Marketing Director to the newly created role of Chief Operating Officer to oversee non-research functions.

The divisions - which are quant research, qual research, and food, drink & retail research - are headed by former Joint MDs Richard Barton and Charlotte Butterworth, and Dr Mark Thorpe who was previously Creative and Planning Director.

SPA says the reorganisation has been designed to give its senior management greater scope and responsibility for their areas of expertise and teams.

'This adjustment in the way the teams operate will enable the divisional MDs to focus exclusively on growing what are effectively their own businesses within a business,' explains Executive Chairman Jon Priest. 'The COO role frees up their time to do this by running SPA at a broader, more general level.'

SPA was established in 1994 and now has 60 staff providing qual and quant research across a number of industries. It also offers B2B, Internet and web and field only services.

Last November, the firm diversified into the B2B, public and transport/travel sectors with the appointment of Janet Wright as Research Director.

Web site: www.spa-mr.com .