New NA President for Hotspex

Toronto-based Hotspex has brought in Rank Research Group veteran Anik Karimjee to lead its research business in North America.

The Hotspex Group combines a programmatic media agency with a tech-led insights advisory firm. The latter uses a proprietary Brand Singularity framework, Emotional Mapping methodologies and advanced analytics capabilities to help clients uncover the emotional drivers of decision-making. The company reported revenue of $CAN 51 million in revenue in 2025 and says it has grown another 11% in the first half of 2026.

Karimjee takes the title of President, Hotspex Research North America and responsibility for growth, innovation, client leadership and overall business performance. He brings more than 30 years of experience across advertising, strategic planning, consumer insights and consulting, most recently from Canadian research and marketing group Leger, where he was EVP Insights. Prior to Leger he founded independent insights consultancy Rank Research Group, and ran it for nearly two decades, and earlier in his career he held senior strategy and planning roles on the agency side and contributed to category-defining initiatives including Xbox, Dove's Campaign for Real Beauty and Smirnoff Ice.

'Anik has spent his career helping brands find their edge,' says CEO Shane Skillen. 'His background in strategy, consulting and entrepreneurship makes him uniquely qualified to help clients uncover the Red Thread that drives Brand Singularity which drives profits up to 10% through consistent brand messaging across all surfaces.'

Web site: www.hotspex.com .

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