NatCen Hires Sophie Ainsby as Director of Field

In the UK, not-for-profit body NatCen Social Research has appointed former Kantar Head of Field Sophie Ainsby to lead its 1,200 strong field force.

London-based NatCen focuses on social research to help government and charities understand social behaviour and inform policy. The organisation's staff includes policy sector specialists, survey methodologists, data analysts and qual and quant researchers, and its field force also includes 180 nurses who are able to collect clinical data. In addition, NatCen offers telephone, web and mobile surveys.

Ainsby joins from Ipsos MORI, where she spent the past year as a Consultant. Prior to this, she was Head of Field at Kantar Operations (latterly working in the same role at TNS), and Field Director at BMRB. In her new role as NatCen's Director of Field, she is responsible for a team which delivers large-scale studies for government, academic and third sector clients ranging from the National Transport Survey, to biometric studies such as the Health Survey for England.

NatCen CEO Penny Young comments: 'Interviewers are ambassadors on the doorstep for NatCen Social Research, our studies, and indeed social research more widely. We're delighted to have attracted someone with the depth and breadth of experience in Sophie - everyone is looking forward to working with her and ensuring we maintain our high response rates.'

Separately Donna Cullen has joined as Director of Finance, after working in a similar role at the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce.

Web site: www.natcen.ac.uk .