Forrester Research Continues European Expansion 12/5/00 The UK Research Centre in London is now officially open for business. The Centre, which is the culmination of Forrester's acquisition of Fletcher Research, is part of the continued expansion of the operation's European research offerings. The expansion follows the acquisition of Fletcher Research in late 1999, and the completion of a six-month period of brand transition. The UK Research Centre will serve as the hub from which Forrester will provide assessment of how emerging technologies are affecting business developments in the UK. Forrester UK Research Centre operates with a team of more than 40 people. According to Neil Bradford, the newly appointed managing director of Forrester's UK Research Centre, Forrester's infrastructure, support, and resources will enhance its position in the UK while enabling an accelerated introduction of the company's proprietary data products - Internet User Monitor(TM) and Internet AdWatch(TM) - into other European markets. Bradford, one of Fletcher's founders, will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of Forrester's UK business, including its research, sales and marketing, and business development functions. Fletcher's other founding member, William Reeve, has been appointed group director of European data products for Forrester B.V., and will oversee the expansion of its portfolio of data products - Technographics Europe, Internet AdWatch(TM) and UK Internet User Monitor(TM). The company has plans to extend its Technographics research to encompass all 15 EU countries, tracking 350 million people by the end of the year. Additionally, Technographics is being enhanced to enable clients to 'drill-down' for very detailed information on very specific user groups' attitudes and behaviour - for example, PC Internet or mobile phone users. The company is also introducing Internet AdWatch in France and Germany this summer. The Internet AdWatch database tracks commercial online ad spending on an ongoing basis. It monitors both banner and bespoke campaigns, such as sponsorship and microsites. The data is combined with ratecard and traffic information as well as submissions from the sites themselves to estimate spending levels. Fletcher Advisory, the consulting branch of Forrester's UK Research Centre, will continue to operate under its current brand as stand-alone business operation.