Simpson Carpenter Hires for New Comms Research Unit

In the UK, research firm Simpson Carpenter is forming a new department dedicated to comms research, and has appointed former Flamingo Group Insight Director Kirsty Higgins to lead it as Head of Communications Research.

The new unit will help clients from advertisting and PR agencies to digital and field marketing consultancies to develop and refine their comms strategies at any stage of a project.

Higgins, who takes a seat on Simpson Carpenter's management committee, joins from KIOSK, a mobile-first qual agency within Omnicom-owned Flamingo group. Before joining KIOSK a year ago, she spent three years as head of research at RAPP, after spells as Business Intelligence Manager at JWT and Planning Insight Executive at Proximity London.

Simpson Carpenter founder and MD Tom Simpson comments: 'We are now at a stage when we need to consolidate and develop our business with agencies. While Kirsty will manage some of our existing accounts, her primary role will be to build her own comms team and develop agency relationships - a role for which, given her very strong agency heritage, she is excellently qualified.'

Web site: www.simpsoncarpenter.com .