Smollan Group

November 10 2009

In South Africa, marketing services firm the Smollan Group has appointed Mark Eyres as Executive Director to lead its KNOW Market Intelligence research arm, and David Smollan as Executive Director responsible for group services, and mergers and acquisitions. Founded in 1931, The Smollan Group offers a range of outsourced marketing services including market intelligence, brand activation, and call centre and mobile technology support. Last year, WPP made a 33% investment in the group. Eyres joins from Hindustan Unilever where he was VP Modern Trade, managing the market entry of large retail clients. Prior to this, he spent seven years as customer director of Unilever SA Foods in South Africa, and also had assignments in Australia. He started his career as a management trainee with Unilever after graduating from University of Natal. In his new role, Eyres is responsible for the KNOW Market Intelligence division, which specialises in consumer, brand and stakeholder insights, using technology to access data and convert it into actionable information and insights. Smollan – who is the eldest son of group Chairman and CEO Doug Smollan – is a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA). Before joining the group, he was a founding member of non-profit organisation Young Business for South Africa. In 1998, he co-founded private equity fund management firm i capital, where he was an Executive Director for ten years; and before this, he was a Consultant at Grant Thornton Kessel Feinstein's corporate finance division after completing his articles with the same firm. Web site: www.smollan.co.za . Printer-friendly version of this article. Email this article to a friend. Register for News emails