MRS Social Equity Group

Ella is Co-Chair of the MRS Social Equity Group and Vice Chair on the board of the AQR, playing an active role in the EDI sub-committee.

Ella started her research career at Ipsos where she stayed for ten years working in qualitative research for a range of public and private sector clients, specialising in film ethnography. In 2015 she became an independent consultant, and in 2023 founded Do You Research with a focus on utilising inclusive research practices. Ella has been vocal about the lack of diversity in research for many years. In 2020 she launched a podcast, ‘Unequal Truths’, examining these issues further, featuring market research professionals from low-income backgrounds who have successfully navigated the industry. On the back of this she was nominated Women in Research (WiRE) ‘Market Research Diversity Champion’ in 2020.

Annabelle is Co-Chair of the MRS Social Equity Group, is on the MRS Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Council and leads on Diversity for the ICG, the Insight Consultants Group.

Annabelle has always been interested in hearing and amplifying the voices of those who are seldom heard and often overlooked. She has spent much of her career conducting research with offenders in the community and in custody, young offenders, drug users, travellers, sex workers, troubled families, deprived families, etc. She is now honoured to be playing a part in driving inclusivity and diversity both in research practices and industry representation.

She started her career at the Child Poverty Action Group. She then spent 16 years at Ipsos MORI developing qualitative research at MORI, and heading up the Crime and Justice business area and Young People and Families. After two years at Royal Mail Annabelle set up AP Research, and specialises in research with the seldom heard, and communications research for brands which want to talk to and better understand consumers on the fringes.