My background is in Librarianship, studying it at degree level, and applying it to the public sector before moving into the business environment.
I ran the insights department at Publicis London, the UK hub of one of the world's largest communications companies, giving the agency and its subsidiaries the means to acquire competitive intelligence, and to speak to brand owners with added confidence. I pioneered social listening as an insight tool back in 2007; the first in our group to do so, and possibly even in our industry. Not only could we understand the brand, its category, its consumers and the cultural context, but we could also include their conversations too.
During my time at Publicis I gained experience in a range of sectors: FMCG, auto, travel, and wealth management, amongst others. I worked closely with strategists, account directors and creatives across the marketing disciplines: advertising, content, digital, shopper marketing, PR etc., using a mixed toolbox of primary and desk research, expert interviews, and consumer studies.
I use a wide swathe of business research tools, am proficient in the use of the audience targeting and consumer behaviour tools TGI and Touchpoints, and am familiar with quantitative and qualitative research.
Prior to working for Publicis, I gained experience as a business researcher in the energy sector, IT, investment banking, broadcasting, and management consulting.