Engage Hires Former YouGov Head of Qual

In the UK, consumer insight and market research specialist Engage Research has appointed YouGov's former Head of Qualitative Research Andy Barker as a Director.

London-based Engage was founded more than five years ago by a team of Research International Directors, with backgrounds in consumer, fmcg, innovation and packaging research.

Barker joins them with more than 20 years' mainly qual experience. Since 2008, he has worked at YouGov, where he built the firm's qual business from scratch. Before this, he was a Director of boutique agency Spinach, and MD of Qualitative Research at Research International.

'Andy is enormously experienced - having worked both with UK and international clients across a range of product categories,' states Research Director Lyndsay Peck. 'His experience in consumer understanding, communication/brand strategy and product innovation supplements the existing strengths within the Engage team, and underpins our commitment to provide senior input on research projects.'

Web site: www.engage-research.com .