Verve Hires in Chicago and Toronto

UK-based online communities specialist Verve has appointed Marie Patenio as leader of its Chicago office, as Tim Martin returns to London from his secondment. The firm has also announced five further appointments in Chicago and Toronto.

Verve was launched in 2008 by the founders of Research Now, Hall & Partners and the iD Factor - Andrew Cooper, Mike Hall and Jon Gumbrell respectively. It opened its Chicago office last year, and has just relocated it to larger premises in the Chicago Loop, following growing demand from client Walgreens, for whom Verve has built a community panel.

Patenio (pictured) joined in May from comScore, where she worked for five years, latterly as VP, Survey Insights. Prior to this she was Research Director at Starcom Mediavest Group, and held senior research roles at Research International and the America Bar Association, having earlier worked for Pearson Scott Foresman and the Chicago Tribune.

Also in Chicago, the firm has hired former Nielsen exec Jon Allison as Senior Director, and former TNS exec Donny Spano as Research Manager; while in Toronto Shruti Shah joins as an Analyst, and Melanie Ackland and Natasha David both as Community Managers.

Cooper comments: 'Verve North America (Chicago and Toronto offices) is doing ground-breaking work and we are very excited to see the growth as our offering gains traction in the marketplace'.

Web site: www.addverve.com .