The Future Place will primarily operate as a consultancy and will provide training, advice, and strategic input to a wide range of commercial and non-commercial organisations.

The objective of The Future Place is to assist organisations in adopting the new techniques and perspectives required in the wired-world of the mid-2000s.

The Future Place recognises that the Internet is simply one example of the many changes that will impact on the consumer, the marketer, and the researcher over the next few years. Broadband, mobile connectivity, IT developments, profiling, micro-charging, micro-marketing, narrow-casting will all impact on the development of society. According to Ray Poynter, "The Future Place is a proactive venture to capitalise on the changing patterns of demand and supply in the research and business environment. Increasingly market research companies are merging with each other, acquiring non-research services, and joining larger media groups. This leaves a need for specialists to have the independence and flexibility to respond to the changing environment in order to provide services to both end clients and providers."

Before forming The Future Place, Ray was Director Europe of Millward Brown IntelliQuest, and was previously a director with Deux, The Research Business, and Sandpiper. Ray has over 20 years experience of the interface between research and technology.

More information about this new venture can be found at www.thefutureplace.com.