NZ Agency TRA Expands to Australia

New Zealand-based insights agency TRA Group (The Research Agency) has opened its first Australian office, in Melbourne, and appointed Mark Hobart as a Partner to lead it. In addition, John Shanahan and Rob McLachlan join the firm's Australian Advisory Board.

Auckland-based TRA's offer includes research, strategy, behavioural science, cultural analysis, data and analytics, design and new ventures development. Founded in 2007 by Andrew Lewis and Amber Coulter, the firm has already recruited more than 25 new employees in 2021, and says the drive will continue in Australia.

Hobart brings twenty years of experience in insights, brand and innovation roles, including work in Australia and Europe across a broad range of sectors. He joins from cultural insights and strategy company The Lab, where he was Strategy Director.

Supporting the Australian expansion, Rob McLachlan and John Shanahan will join Coulter and Lewis on the Australian Advisory Board. McLachlan's decades of MR experience include work at Kantar, where he managed 60 creative, research and digital businesses; and AC Nielsen. Shanahan has more than 50 years' of international market research experience with Colmar Brunton and Nielsen, and is the current owner of The Advantage Group.

Lewis says of Hobart's appointment: 'Mark's deep local knowledge and hands-on experience, inquisitive mind and passion for using insight to solve complex business challenges for clients, immediately singled him out for the role... We're excited to have him at the helm of this key market and as a member of the TRA leadership team'. He adds: 'TRA is excited to bring our proposition and capabilities to Australia. Our client base is strong, and the unique offering of a boutique client experience backed by a large-scale insights provider positions us well in Australia'.

Web site: www.theresearchagency.com .