Cooper Leaves No.10 Role to Return to Populus

Andrew Cooper, Founding Director of UK research & strategy consultancy Populus, is returning to the company after a two-year leave of absence in which he served as Director of Strategy for PM David Cameron.

Cooper co-founded the firm in 2003, and left in February 2011 to become the first opinion research professional to hold the Downing Street position. In the interim he has helped develop the Government's strategy and messaging, and he will continue to advise the Prime Minister and take a key data analytics role in the general election team at Conservative Campaign Headquarters.

His new role at Populus involves helping clients in the corporate, political and charitable sectors develop evidence-based communication strategies and campaigns.

Cooper comments: 'It has been a fascinating experience to work at the heart of government. I look forward to continuing to support and advise David Cameron in the run-up to the 2015 election, but I am also looking forward to the challenge of bringing the increasingly sophisticated techniques of political research and analytics to the corporate world in order to help clients address their strategic and communications needs.' Populus CEO Michael Simmonds comments: 'Andrew's considerable experience brings an added ingredient to the business. We are very pleased to welcome him back and to be able to add someone of his talent and experience to our team.'

Reports in the UK's Daily Mail in April suggested Cooper was about to leave the Downing Street role then, citing rumours of disagreements with Australian election specialist Lynton Crosby. At the time, Simmonds told DRNO there was no truth to the suggestion that Cooper was about to quit or that he and Crosby were not working together well, commenting: 'Although we always expected him to return before the general election, no firm date was agreed. This is still the case.'

Web site: www.populus.co.uk .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.

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