Seven Senior Appointments Prepare TLE for Expansion

In Australia, Photon-owned insights and strategy consultancy The Leading Edge (TLE) has created three new senior roles as part of the expansion of its global network; moved Tim Riches to the role of MD of its Sydney office; and announced three further senior hires.

Launched in 1990, TLE now has five offices, in Sydney, Melbourne, Singapore, New York and London. Its services cover innovation and NPD, insight and brand development, and consumer-driven strategy.

Jenny Irons brings around 20 years' experience from Australia, Asia, Europe and the US, most recently at the SevenNetwork where she was Head of Insight and Research. In her new role as Global Head of Qualitative Insight, she is tasked with driving the firm's qual offer and practice, as well as innovations in digital insight.

The firm has also transferred Chris Paxton from his former role of Managing Partner in Sydney to the newly created position of Global Head of Strategy, where he will focus on rolling out TLE's capabilities across its global network of offices.

The third global appointment is Lee Naylor, who joined in December as Head of Quantitative Research and Analytics. He previously served as Executive Director Nielsen Consumer Research and BASES, prior to which he worked in the Marketing Science Group at Research International. In his new role, Naylor will focus on integrating TLE's analytics services with the firm's quant capabilities.

CEO Andy Bateman (pictured) comments: 'These three roles are central to our service offer to clients and represent a revitalized core practice discipline in our business. Each of the roles is global in nature and is intended to drive quality, consistency and innovation in our thinking across all geographies and clients; knitting together our disciplines and our network.'

Paxton is replaced by Riches, who joined Interpublic Group company Futurebrand in 1999 and was latterly MD of the company in Australia for six years. More recently he served as its Singapore-based CEO and APAC Chief Growth Officer.

Separately, TLE has recently hired former Nielsen execs Neil Sangster and Paul Sinkinson as Partners, to focus on developing marketing analytics using modeling and shopper analytics.

Sangster previously worked for Nielsen for six years - latterly as Director Analytic Consulting - prior to which he spent nine years at Research International. Sinkinson spent three years as a Director at Nielsen, before which he served as Planning and Research Manager at HSBC and as Marketing Planning Manager at Superdrug.

In addition, the firm has appointed Andrew Therkelsen as Client Director, after ten years at UK-based qual specialist Discovery Research.

Bateman adds: 'It is a great sign that TLE is on a strong path to growth when we can attract such an experienced and talented senior team.'

Web site: www.theleadingedge.com .