Obituary: Matthias Thomae

TNS Infratest veteran and data collection technology specialist Matthias Thomae died on Saturday at the age of 67, after a long battle with cancer.

After completing his studies in Mathematics and Economics, Matthias joined what was then known as Infratest Burke in 1966, and he worked there until his retirement in 2009.

While serving as Director of Field and Operations, he introduced many new methodologies, including conjoint analysis, and he also helped pioneer auto dialer technology and sample management in the firm's CATI centres in Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich and Bielefeld. Later, when working in the firm's multi-country business, he focused on conducting research for firms in the technology, telecoms and auto manufacturing sectors.

In a statement, TNS Infratest COO Winfried Hagenhoff described Matthias as a 'lifelong friend'. He added: 'Many of us have spent a great deal of their professional careers with Matthias. He was always more than 100% behind what he knew to be right, always highly committed and motivated, and always a positive example to others in the team. We have lost a great man, and express our deepest condolences to his family.'

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.