GfK Innovation Head Launches Spotty Dog Strategy

Richard Matthews, GfK's former UK Head of Market Opportunity & Innovation, is leaving this week to set up a boutique consultancy with his wife Catherine. The new firm has been named Spotty Dog Strategy after the couple's pet dog Bertie.

Richard joined GfK in 2006 from Vodafone, where he served as Senior Insights Manager, prior to which he was Head of Product and Services Insights at Nokia, and a researcher at Marketing Sciences. Catherine has many years' experience of developing and delivering bespoke training programmes, and previously ran project management company Bricks and Mortals, and she designed tailor-made training programmes for Reading Borough Council.

Described as a 'nose to tail' consultancy, Spotty Dog Strategy specialises in customer experience understanding, business effectiveness, and innovation. The firm uses a four stage approach in all assignments - from identifying issues to delivery and implementation of creative solutions - and digs into all available data, while also collecting new data, to generate themes that bring issues to life. Then, using creative workshops, training and communications, the team helps clients implement solutions for organisational change.

Commenting on the launch, the couple said: 'We're passionate about helping organisations be the best they can be. We've built up best practice experiences across most industry sectors and seen first-hand what works and what doesn't. There's nothing more we like doing than getting our teeth into a problem and seeing positive change result.'

Web site: www.spottydogstrategy.com .