MediaCom Boosts LatAm, AsiaPac Insight Teams

WPP communications agency MediaCom Worldwide has strengthened its consumer insight division, with the promotion of Robert Fry and Gastón Betoled to the positions of Regional Head of Insight for Asia Pacific and Latin America respectively.

MediaCom's capabilities span media strategy and planning, media buying, consumer insights and analytics, and business science. The firm recently appointed cosmetics industry research specialist Jennifer Marino as Senior Partner, Director of Consumer Insights for its US operation.

Fry joined as Director of Insights, APAC in 2006. He has worked in media research for more than 10 years, initially at the UK's Consumers Association, before moving to BMRB, where he latterly worked as Manager of TGI Ireland; and then to media agency MindShare in Singapore.

Betoled has also worked for MediaCom for the past four years, where he has been responsible for all quant research and tools development for the LATAM units. He previously worked as Market Research Manager and in senior analyst positions at Mars.

In their new roles, Fry and Betoled will be responsible for supporting and developing the local MediaCom Insight departments, both with current clients and new business pitches. They will also be involved in the implementation, training and development of new insight techniques and tools in the respective regions.

Additionally, the pair will be involved in the global roll out of the firm's Real World Street (RWS) qual research panel, which provides an ethnological study of households living in the same street. Launched in 2005, the tool aims to provide a street-level cultural context for campaigns, and offers insights into consumer behaviour and regional attitudes.

'Both gentlemen will be a great asset to the management of our global insight network,' comments Global Chief Insight Officer Mick Mernagh, to whom they will both report. 'It's another great opportunity to build on the MediaCom team from our own ranks.'

Web site: www.mediacom.com .