MRS Leaders Forum - Customer Development

 
Date and time

May
20
2025

Tuesday
08:30–12:30

Location

May Fair Hotel London

Contact us at conference@mrs.org.uk for more details

Please let us know if you have any accessibility requirements ahead of the event

4hrs
CPD

The MRS Leaders Forum will be a unique network for insight agency business leaders (CEOs and MDs) to discuss the critical strategic, operational and financial challenges and opportunities in running and growing an insight agency.

This intimate and exclusive network provides a focussed space for senior leaders to extend their understanding and skills whilst being frank about their current challenges. It’s the perfect forum to explore new sector-specific ideas, and connect with like-minded entrepreneurs and leaders.

Why join this exclusive network?

  • Accelerate your personal leadership development
  • Discover new ways to maximise growth and margin as an agency leader
  • Absorb inspiring ideas from agency leaders who have cracked some of the tough problems
  • Connect with a peer-to-peer mentoring network which will last beyond the year long programme
Three half day forums:

Growth & Innovation Forum 6th Feb 2025                    
Customer Development Forum 20th May 2025
Recruitment, Team & Culture Forum 11th September 2025

Venue

May Fair Hotel
Stratton Street,London,W1J 8LT

More details of the venue can be found at their website. Visit it here.

With special thanks to:
David is Chief Executive Officer at The Nursery Research & Planning. He joined The Nursery in 2007 to leverage The Nursery’s unparalleled reputation as experts in brand and communications research to establish a quantitative research business

David has been CEO since 2022.

David has had a long career in market research in the UK, New Zealand, Australia and Asia Pacific region largely for companies that no longer exist. In his time working for Nielsen he developed their proprietary brand tracking product Winning Brands which became a £50 million business after 5 years.

Returning to the UK in 2002 David was MD for Hall & Partners Europe before joining The Nursery.

David is a regular presenter at industry events, has been a judge for the IPA effectiveness awards and was on the main board of Market Research Society for 6 years.
David enjoys retaining hands on involvement with key clients.


Paul Griffiths is the founder of Client Advocates. He helps leaders of Market Research and Insight Agencies grow revenues through proven strategies, and supports Heads of Insight to increase their influence and budgets by creating impactful commercial plans.
With 25 years' experience growing research agencies and working with client-side insight teams, Paul understands the challenges of delivering great work while driving commercial value. He's worked both agency and client side, commissioning and selling research, managing commercial relationships, and advising leaders across the UK and internationally.

Whether you're looking to grow your agency faster, or strengthen your insight team's commercial impact, Paul brings practical strategies that work.

Sarah is an award-winning insight professional with a distinguished career spanning more than 20 years. Starting in academia, moving to a think tank then the Social Research Institute of Ipsos MORI, Sarah moved into commercial research when she became Head of Qualitative in the Ipsos media team. In 2016, she founded Magenta Research, growing it into a multi-award-winning agency known for actionable client insights & storytelling. As an active member of the research community, Sarah has judged awards, served as AQR Vice Chair, and delivered MRS training. As respected conference speaker and thought leader, Sarah continues to push the boundaries of research challenging others to think differently and not always take the easy path.

Iosetta, Account Director at Keen as Mustard, is a creative and enthusiastic professional in the B2B marketing industry. With over a decade of experience, she has supported international clients across multiple sectors, and knows how to transform complex messages into engaging stories. At Keen as Mustard, Iosetta has expanded and deepened her expertise in the insights sector, working strategically with both brands (Sanofi, BIC, Adobe) and supplier-side companies (Mintel, System1, Forsta). As an active thought leader, she contributes to industry publications such as Research Live and Greebook, presents at international events, and has been shortlisted for prestigious industry awards, including the Greenbook Future List and Significant Insights 30 under 30.

08.30 09.00

Registration & coffee

 

09.00-09.10

Introduction from the Chair

James Endesby, CEO, Opinium

 

9.10-9.40

Expanding opportunities with existing clients

·        Cultivating long term strategic partnerships with existing clients

·        Identifying the most effective client engagement activities from key accounts

·        Empowering researchers to become more impactful client development managers

Paul Griffiths, Founder, Client Advocates

9.40-10.10

Building and communicating your agency brand

·       Translating your vision and values into a brand message

·       Building your personal brand: how can CEO activism shape brand messaging and culture

·       Building your brand within client organisations

·       How to do B2B social media better

Iosetta Santini, Director Keen As Mustard

10.10-10.40

Round table: Tackling core customer challenges within the Insight sector in an era dominated by AI disruption

  • Holding and boosting the perceived value of MR with clients and stakeholders & bucking client pressures to offer more for less
  • Re-assessing the agency / client dynamic
  • Exploring new and different ways of working

Led by:

John Robson, Consultant & Advisor (former Co-owner, Sparkler)

Gemma Proctor, Associate Partner, Human Insight, PA Consulting

Dr Sarah Jenkins, Founder & Managing Director, Magenta

Richard Owen, Co-founder, QualifyAI

David Alterman, CEO, The Nursery

 

10:40-10:50

Round Table Report Back

10.50-11.20

break

11.20-12.20

Peer advisory round table discussion

Come to the forum with a customer development challenge you’d like help solving. Working in small groups, delegates will select two challenges to tackle. Share ideas, hear alternative approaches and find out what’s worked for others.

 

12.20-12.30

wrap-up

12.30

Lunch
Additional Information
Date and time

May
20
2025

Tuesday
08:30–12:30

Location

May Fair Hotel London

Contact us at conference@mrs.org.uk for more details

Please let us know if you have any accessibility requirements ahead of the event

4hrs
CPD

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