Gold Medal for Phyllis Macfarlane

Britain's MRS has awarded the Gold Medal, its most prestigious honour, to former NOP MD Phyllis Macfarlane; and announced new fellows including research tech writer Tim Macer and two inspirational former Chairs of B2B research group BIG, Claire Labrum and Trevor Wilkinson.

Macfarlane (pictured) becomes the 17th recipient in the Gold Medal's 39-years in recognition of her outstanding contribution to market and social research over a thirty-year career. She has twice served as MRS Chair, and has published numerous influential papers including The ROI of customer satisfaction research. As Program manager for the University Cooperation Program of GfK Verein, her efforts in promoting the sector internationally have helped to build structures for insight professionals and students in Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa, and played an important part in the establishment of the Ghana Market Research Association. The aware will be presented at The MRS Excellence Awards Lunch in September 2021, set to be MRS' first live event since the beginning of the pandemic.

Macfarlane, winner of the MRS Gold Medal, comments: 'Ours is a sector where there are new ideas and things to learn and develop every day, as well as clever, entrepreneurial and interesting people to talk to and work with. Having been given so much myself, by so many, it was a no-brainer to go on to support the sector as much as I could – through training and education, but also through collaboration on lots of committees and initiatives. Co-operation is where the sector is at its best. Yes, we can compete, but we can also stand together for the common interest. Long may it continue!

'Of course, none of this would be possible without all the people who work in market research, to whom I owe so much gratitude and thanks'.

MRS Chief Executive Jane Frost CBE describes Macfarlane as 'a true role model for the entire research sector across her career, promoting the power of research across the globe'.


The Fellowships are a recognition of senior professional status and major contributions to the research and insight sector. In addition to the three above, the new Fellows are:

• Johnny Caldwell, Innovation Consultant at Panelbase, for 'a significant contribution to research thinking, particularly in the use of online panels and data collection techniques', as well as help in the creation of the MRS Advanced Analytics Network and the Youth Research Forum.
• Opinium CEO James Endersby, whose Workplace Mental Wellbeing audit has been adopted by MRS and in the US and Australia, and who has been a long-term advocate of diversity and inclusion, most recently championing them through his media platform Significant Insights.
• David Cahn, Principal at Synygis Consulting, whose contributions include development of a new evidence-based approach for re-sizing the UK research and insight market and the MRS gender pay gap analysis - he was also Treasurer of the BMRA
• Rob Ellis, founder of COG Research, for his significant long-term contribution to research thinking around NLP, digital ethnography, behavioural economics and unconscious bias - he has served as a member of the MRS Awards judging panel for many years.
• Richard Ellwood, Director of Brand Marketing and Integrated Planning at The Walt Disney Company, for work as Deputy Chair of the Market Research Standards Board and member of the MRS Main Board, including leading on projects to promote the interests of young researchers and the ethics guidance for children's research.
• independent consultant Ruth France: for work as Chair of the MRS Management Board and a member of the MRS Main Board, including the 2019 governance review and the 2020 diversity report; as well as long-term contribution to the Independent Consultants Group (ICG).
• Dr Peter Furness, independent mathematician and long-term member of the MRS Census and GeoDems Group (CGG), including leading the creation of the GeoDems Knowledge Base and chairing CGG events and seminars; and for contributions to the understanding of data mining, customer modelling and advanced analytics
• Derek Jones, founder and Chief Executive of MR firm Acuigen, member of the MRS Accredited Company Partner Council and supporter of the Market Research Apprenticeship scheme; and for work at the BMRA
• Caroline Noon, co-founder and Director of Vivid Research and Planning, for long-term contribution to the Association for Qualitative Research (AQR), including leading development of its education and skills training
• Dr Mark Thorpe, Board Director of Truth Consulting, for a range of published papers and conference presentations, supporting the Society as a member of the IJMR Editorial Board, and helping to foster 'a closer relationships between commercial research and academia', and
• Neil Wholey, Head of Research and Performance at the Cabinet Office, for long-term contribution to the Local Area Research and Intelligence Association (LARIA), including as a member of the LARIA Council and 6 years as LARIA Chair; and for promoting understanding of the communication and evaluation of research within the public sector and of research procurement.

Wilkinson, MD of Purple MR, who as Treasurer and Chair of the BIG Committee developed a wide range of research workshops, forums and training courses, particularly on B2B and desk research, comments: 'I am very honoured to be awarded a Fellowship of MRS. Throughout my career (and we're talking about well over thirty years now), MRS has been the backbone of the sector. Many of my fondest career memories involve MRS events, including many Awards Dinners, conferences or training sessions. I look forward to many more years serving MRS and the sector'.

Labrum, who is co-owner of specialist agency Strictly Financial and who in addition to Chairing BIG (the Business Intelligence Group) has contributed to the development and understanding of financial research via a wide range of published articles, papers and presentations, comments: 'I have loved the diversity and creativity that the profession has offered, and think it is important to give back to the sector in the same way that it has given to me. I am very proud to receive a Fellowship of MRS'.

Macer, currently MD of consultancy Meaning, and known to us journos for his software reviews long ago in Research magazine as much as for his long-term contribution to the Association for Survey Computing (ASC) and work on the IJMR Editorial Advisory Board, says of the announcement: 'I'm a research technologist, so to be recognised as an MRS Fellow is not only an honour for me, but is also welcome recognition for all of us who work in supporting technological roles within the profession'.

Web site: www.mrs.org.uk/about/fellows .