New MRS report on technology and trust
Download the report 'Great expectations: how technology impacts consumer trust', published by MRS Delphi Group with new research from Kantar TNS.
MRS Delphi Group
The MRS Delphi Group is led by a collection of the most respected thinkers in the marketing and research sectors. Chaired by Colin Strong, the group's mission is twofold:
- To look beyond traditional research, exploring and predicting those trends and issues that are redefining the sector and revolutionising how we understand customers and citizens.
- To be both inward and outward looking, covering skills and capabilities of tomorrow’s researcher and the needs and concerns of tomorrow’s consumer.
The Group produces valuable insight in the form of reports, events, articles and podcasts.
For enquiries relating to the group contact christian.walsh@mrs.org.uk
Latest report
'The Rise of the Insight Alchemist: how the data explosion has created a new breed of insights professional'
As an industry we have talked a lot about the impact that the data explosion has had on market research and insight. There is, however, a noticeable change in tone in this report.
Many organisations interviewed here - Tesco, Unilever, Spotify, M&C Saatchi and more - have figured out an elegant solution in the form of balanced skills, structure and ethos. In these businesses there is no debate about what is and isn’t data, and about how to use it.
As this report details through interviews and practical examples, the result is a reinvention of the role of the insights professional, and the delivery of transformational customer insight in a way previously unimaginable.
Download the Rise of the Insight Alchemist
Evidence Talks podcast
Evidence Talks is a series of 30-minute podcasts that bring together experts from the research, insight and data analytics communities to discuss the latest trends in customer intelligence. Produced by the MRS Delphi Group, in partnership with Research-Live.com.
Publications
Managing the multiverse
Understanding a world in transformation
Fast-forwarding research
How Covid-19 has reset the customer insight function.
Deconstructing bias
Lessons from 70 years of research and insight.
Great expectations
How technology impacts consumer trust.
Prediction and planning in an uncertain world
How insight and research can help organisations connect with the future.
Towards an insight driven organisation
How to foster a culture of insight and use it to deliver business growth.
Private lives?
Putting the consumer at the heart of the privacy debate.
The Curious Computer
What impact will artificial intelligence (AI) and automation have on the research and insight sector and its workforce?
The Politics of Persuasion
Leading industry figures to share their ideas for improving democratic engagement.
The MRS Delphi Group has a core Steering Group from the research and evidence sector, and will bring in additional expertise depending on the subject under review.
Colin is Global Head of Behavioural Science at Ipsos.
Rhea started off life as a quallie and was then in insight and customer strategy roles in marcomms agency and client-side organisations for 15 years (Direct Line Group, ghd, eBay) before moving into broader marketing execution and effectiveness territory. Most recently, she was Head of Marketing at Aviva general insurance.
Rhea is a member of the MRS Delphi group, has been a regular MRS Awards judge over the last 5 years and is deeply passionate about the marriage of research and big data to transform client strategy.
Rhea is a member of the MRS Delphi group, has been a regular MRS Awards judge over the last 5 years and is deeply passionate about the marriage of research and big data to transform client strategy.
Dr Nick Baker is UK CEO at Savanta. Formerly MD at Verve and Group CEO at Quadrangle, Nick has specialised in the application of research and insight solutions to help drive his clients’ commercial performance. Now as CEO of Savanta he also has a responsibility to drive the continued growth of the business. Savanta was born when five best-in-class agencies, all specialists in their fields, joined forces to offer big agency benefits, whilst retaining a refreshingly boutique mindset. A full range of integrated intelligence services at global scale, married to deep sector, issue and methodological expertise, delivered with an entrepreneurial spirit and client-first mindset. Nick has a non-executive role for Severn Trent Water Plc. as part of their ‘Customer Challenge Group’.
Gemma Proctor works at Sparkler where she leads the Communities team and is responsible for clients such as Spotify, Twitter and Pinterest, as well as leading Business Development and Marketing.
Prior to this she led the UK Customer Success & Research team at Vision Critical (now Alida) and held senior insight roles at Twitter, CBS and BBC Magazines.
Prior to this she led the UK Customer Success & Research team at Vision Critical (now Alida) and held senior insight roles at Twitter, CBS and BBC Magazines.
Gerry is Managing Director of the Centre for Global Social Research (CGSR), part of the M&C Saatchi World Services Group. His team designs and delivers communication research, insights and evaluation assignments for Multi-laterals, Bi-laterals, Trusts, Foundations and NGOs.
Prior to this appointment, Gerry served as COO of InterMedia Research and Consulting Europe. From 2003 to 2010, as Director of Research and Learning at the BBC World Service Trust (now BBC Media Action), Gerry established an award-winning global research network across Africa, Asia and the Middle East. He has taught at various universities including UCLA, UDLAP (Mexico), the University of Texas and the London School of Economics.
Gerry is a Trustee of the Thomson Foundation and the Refugee Council UK. In 2011, he was made a fellow of the University of Melbourne and in 2010 Gerry received the Collaborative Research Practice Award from the International Communication Association. He holds a PhD (Communication Theory and Research) from the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Southern California.
He is author of Optimizing Engagement: Research, Evaluation and Learning in Public Diplomacy (ACPD, 2018), co-editor of “Drama for Development: Cultural Translation and Social Change” (SAGE India, 2011) and of “U.S. Mexico Border Health: Implications for Regional and Migrant Populations" (SAGE, 1996). His work has appeared in the International Journal of Communication, Communication Research, Human Communication Research, Journal of Communication Inquiry and the Journal of Health Communication.
Prior to this appointment, Gerry served as COO of InterMedia Research and Consulting Europe. From 2003 to 2010, as Director of Research and Learning at the BBC World Service Trust (now BBC Media Action), Gerry established an award-winning global research network across Africa, Asia and the Middle East. He has taught at various universities including UCLA, UDLAP (Mexico), the University of Texas and the London School of Economics.
Gerry is a Trustee of the Thomson Foundation and the Refugee Council UK. In 2011, he was made a fellow of the University of Melbourne and in 2010 Gerry received the Collaborative Research Practice Award from the International Communication Association. He holds a PhD (Communication Theory and Research) from the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Southern California.
He is author of Optimizing Engagement: Research, Evaluation and Learning in Public Diplomacy (ACPD, 2018), co-editor of “Drama for Development: Cultural Translation and Social Change” (SAGE India, 2011) and of “U.S. Mexico Border Health: Implications for Regional and Migrant Populations" (SAGE, 1996). His work has appeared in the International Journal of Communication, Communication Research, Human Communication Research, Journal of Communication Inquiry and the Journal of Health Communication.
Robert is VP Consumer and Market Insight, Beauty and Personal Care Division, Unilever.
Robert was appointed VP CMI Beauty and Personal Care in March 2018. In this role he leads the end-to-end consumer understanding for the Division, from strategy and innovation through brand engagement to performance optimisation. The CMI team partners with global categories and local markets across the world, ensuring we all stay close to our consumers.
Robert joined Unilever in 1997 as a Consumer Scientist in Global Beverages. Over the past 20+ years he has held a variety of consumer understanding roles in global categories and local markets. He is deeply curious about the ever-changing lives of the people we serve, and passionate about using great consumer understanding to keep our brands relevant, engaging and purposeful.
Robert graduated with a degree and a doctorate from University College London, UK. He is married with two sons and based in London.
History at Unilever
2018 VP CMI Beauty and Personal Care
2014 VP CMI Foods
2010 VP CMI Europe and North America
2005 Director CMI Homecare Global
2003 Director CMI UK and Ireland
2000 Manager CMI Spreads Europe
1997 Consumer Scientist Beverages Global
Robert was appointed VP CMI Beauty and Personal Care in March 2018. In this role he leads the end-to-end consumer understanding for the Division, from strategy and innovation through brand engagement to performance optimisation. The CMI team partners with global categories and local markets across the world, ensuring we all stay close to our consumers.
Robert joined Unilever in 1997 as a Consumer Scientist in Global Beverages. Over the past 20+ years he has held a variety of consumer understanding roles in global categories and local markets. He is deeply curious about the ever-changing lives of the people we serve, and passionate about using great consumer understanding to keep our brands relevant, engaging and purposeful.
Robert graduated with a degree and a doctorate from University College London, UK. He is married with two sons and based in London.
History at Unilever
2018 VP CMI Beauty and Personal Care
2014 VP CMI Foods
2010 VP CMI Europe and North America
2005 Director CMI Homecare Global
2003 Director CMI UK and Ireland
2000 Manager CMI Spreads Europe
1997 Consumer Scientist Beverages Global
Kevin Evans works at PepsiCo, where he is part of a team responsible for digitising insight - exploiting technology to apply new, cutting edge techniques and system 1 thinking to a new way of doing research. Before joining PepsiCo in 2016, Kevin led the insight function at Added Value UK, prior to that holding positions at TNS Research International and Populus.
Jane is responsible for the leadership of MRS. Jane was previously at HM Revenue & Customs where she developed and led the individual customer function and the behavioural evidence and insight unit.
Before moving to HMRC in 2006, she held senior roles in both public and private sector organisations including Shell, Unilever, the Department of Constitutional Affairs and the BBC, where she was responsible for the iconic 'Perfect Day' campaign which, as well as winning advertisement of the year, raised £2.5m for Children in Need.
Before moving to HMRC in 2006, she held senior roles in both public and private sector organisations including Shell, Unilever, the Department of Constitutional Affairs and the BBC, where she was responsible for the iconic 'Perfect Day' campaign which, as well as winning advertisement of the year, raised £2.5m for Children in Need.
Jake is Global VP of Research & Insight, Access Intelligence. Prior to this, he was the Vice President of Customer Insight at Deliveroo. Prior to that he built and then led the International Insight & Analytics function at Twitter and has held senior insight roles at O2 UK and Kantar. Jake is also a main board member of the UK's Market Research Society and a member of The MRS Delphi Group.
Zoe is Global Head, Consumer & Business Insights & Analytic at GSK.
Zoe joined GSK Consumer Health Care as Vice President of Consumer & Business Insights and Analytics in October 2019 where she is focused on ensuring that the global function is set up to deliver competitive advantage in consumer and business understanding. Prior to that she spent over 20 years at Procter & Gamble in regional and global insight and analytic roles in R&D, Marketing and Sales. She is known to be a passionate champion of the industry and its members.
Zoe joined GSK Consumer Health Care as Vice President of Consumer & Business Insights and Analytics in October 2019 where she is focused on ensuring that the global function is set up to deliver competitive advantage in consumer and business understanding. Prior to that she spent over 20 years at Procter & Gamble in regional and global insight and analytic roles in R&D, Marketing and Sales. She is known to be a passionate champion of the industry and its members.
Tatenda Musesengwa is Managing Director, Panel and Data Services, at YouthSight.
Tatenda joined YouthSight in 2010 as a Project Manager. His commercial savvy and entrepreneurial spirit led to a quick succession of promotions through the company, and in 2018 Tatenda became a Board member and was promoted to MD of the Panel & Data Services Division, running both a sales team and the operational side of the overall business. In 2021 Savanta acquired YouthSight, meaning he is now focused on supporting Savanta to expand its audience and sampling proposition.
Tatenda has worked on a range of youth-focused projects for both agency and brand clients alike, including Mediacom, Kantar, Heineken, Google & Barclays. In 2020 Tatenda also helped set up Colour of Research, which is focused on helping address issues around diversity and inclusion in the market research industry.
Tatenda joined YouthSight in 2010 as a Project Manager. His commercial savvy and entrepreneurial spirit led to a quick succession of promotions through the company, and in 2018 Tatenda became a Board member and was promoted to MD of the Panel & Data Services Division, running both a sales team and the operational side of the overall business. In 2021 Savanta acquired YouthSight, meaning he is now focused on supporting Savanta to expand its audience and sampling proposition.
Tatenda has worked on a range of youth-focused projects for both agency and brand clients alike, including Mediacom, Kantar, Heineken, Google & Barclays. In 2020 Tatenda also helped set up Colour of Research, which is focused on helping address issues around diversity and inclusion in the market research industry.
Dr. Parves Khan is Vice President, Market Research & Insight, INTO University Partnerships.
With two decades under her belt, Parves has lead insight functions across a wide range of sectors from social care, hospitality, insurance and education, including 6 years running her own research consultancy. A common thread through her professional undertakings, is matching our ever-improving ability to mine data and produce metrics with fresh perspectives and deep analysis—the difference between being data-driven and insights-driven. She is deeply passionate about creating career avenues for women leaders to grow and she has mentored many young female researchers into very successful research careers. She is a mentor with Women in Research and 30% Club.
With two decades under her belt, Parves has lead insight functions across a wide range of sectors from social care, hospitality, insurance and education, including 6 years running her own research consultancy. A common thread through her professional undertakings, is matching our ever-improving ability to mine data and produce metrics with fresh perspectives and deep analysis—the difference between being data-driven and insights-driven. She is deeply passionate about creating career avenues for women leaders to grow and she has mentored many young female researchers into very successful research careers. She is a mentor with Women in Research and 30% Club.
Looking for more MRS publications?
Get the latest MRS news
Our newsletters cover the latest MRS events, policy updates and research news.
©2022 The Market Research Society,
15 Northburgh Street, London EC1V 0JR
Tel: +44 (0)20 7490 4911 Email: info@mrs.org.uk
The Market Research Society (MRS) is the world's leading research association. For all those who need, generate or interpret the evidence for making good business and policy decisions. Click here to find out more about us.
©2022 The Market Research Society,
15 Northburgh Street, London EC1V 0JR
Tel: +44 (0)20 7490 4911 Email: info@mrs.org.uk