OLR Hires Former Dixons and GfK NOP Execs

In London, Opinion Leader Research (OLR) has appointed GfK NOP director Michael Thompson as Research Director, and DSGi customer experience specialist Shaendel Hallett as Client Services Director. Both will take up their roles within the next couple of months.

OLR is part of Chime Group's Research & Engagement Division, which includes field and tab agency Facts International, and recently acquired consumer behaviour consultancy Tree.

These two appointments are the latest in an ongoing Chime initiative to recruit the 'brightest and best talents in the business'.

This has recently included Royal Mail's former Head of Business Intelligence Sinéad Jefferies who joined OLR in the summer to lead its research and insight business; and former Social Democratic Party researcher Sarah Horack who joined in July as Research Director, in charge of its Political, Social and Public Policy research team.

Thompson joins OLR with extensive expertise in social research. He currently serves as Direct of GFK NOP's qual team, and began his career at Andrew Irving Associates (now part of Optimisa Research).

Hallett is currently Global Customer Insight Director at DSGi - owner of electronics retailers Currys, PC World and Dixons - where she is responsible for initiating and leading online and in-store customer experience research. Before this, she worked in client-side roles at the Post Office, Parcelforce Worldwide and Dixons, as well as agency-side with HPI and Hall and Partners.

'We are delighted to see talented individuals like Michael and Shaendel join Opinion Leader,' states Crispin Beale, CEO of Chime's Research & Engagement Division. 'The business is expanding significantly and the expertise they bring will further bolster our impressive offering.'

Web sites: www.opinionleader.co.uk and www.chime.plc.uk .