MRS to Award 25 Honorary Fellowships in 2021

The UK's Market Research Society (MRS) is to award 25 honorary fellowships during the calendar year, to mark its 75th anniversary. Nine names have been revealed, including British statistician Sir David Spiegelhalter and scientist Dr Camilla Pang.

According to the society, the number 25 is significant because that is how many members the MRS founders deemed were needed to make up a professional organisation in 1946 (although only 23 were appointed). Alongside Spiegelhalter and Pang, the Honorary Fellows named so far are:

• Opinion Leader co-founder Deborah Mattinson
• US Insights Association CEO Melanie Courtright
• Australia's Research Society CEO Elissa Molloy
• Quadrangle co-founder John Gambles
• Royal Statistical Society CEO Stian Westlake
• IPA Research Director Belinda Beeftink
• Twitter UK Director of Advertising Planning David Wilding.

MRS Chief Exec Jane Frostcomments: 'We have chosen to award 25 Honorary Fellows to reflect how far we have come in 75 years and the truly world-leading status of the UK's market and social research sector. These brilliant individuals have all championed the value of evidence in some way and the breadth of their disciplines demonstrates the far-reaching value and impact of our sector, both nationally and internationally'.

Separately, the MRS has appointed MTC Managing Partner Cecilia Patterson to its Board; and Zoe Ruffels, who serves as GSK's Global Head, Consumer & Business Insights & Analytic, has been re-elected. Vela founder Sinead Jefferies takes up the role of Chair Designate, while Acacia Avenue owner Caroline Hayter will step down from the Board in April.

The society, whose annual Impact conference takes place virtually next week, is online at www.mrs.org.uk .