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MR Heavyweights Combine to Give 'gravitas'
Eleven senior and high-profile figures from the MR world, all of whom are now offering consulting *to* MR providers, have pooled their skills to form a network spanning three continents. 'gravitas' is billed as 'the world's first ever global consulting group dedicated to the market research industry'.
The new group, which will offer legal, HR, technology and other expertise, mainly to large and medium-sized research firms, was announced at a meeting at the Rubens Hotel in London, not far from the ongoing ESOMAR Congress. The eleven, who expect soon to be joined by one or two representatives from Asia Pacific, but currently represent consultancies in North and South America and Europe, are as follows:- Simon Chadwick, partner in US-based change management consultancy Cambiar, and previously Global CEO of NOP World
- William 'Jay' Wilson, partner in Cambiar, previously Chairman & CEO of Roper Starch Worldwide, Co-Chair of CMOR, and Founder of the INRA international network
- Lock Collins, Cambiar, previously Global VP Human Resources at Research International and Chief Talent Officer at NOP World
- Steve Sherrill, founder of Transition Strategies Corporation and previously CFO of Market Measures and CFO, US of NOP Group
- Michael Mitrano, Transition Strategies, previously EVP and CFO of Response Analysis and a former Treasurer of CASRO
- Duane Berlin, a Partner in Lev & Berlin and General Counsel to CASRO and AAPOR
- Tim Macer, Founder of meaning Ltd and known for his technology columns in Research magazine and Quirk's
- Bill Pegram, co-founder of Pegram Walters and previously Corporate Development Director at Synovate
- David Cahn, founder and principal of project management, logistics and operations consultancy synygis; previously Vice-Chairman of RI UK and CEO of Research Resources
- Lars Watermann, founder of Watermann Agens GmbH and former MD and partner in IT Consulting firm and computer retailer compartner AG
- Jorge Garcia-Gonzalez, President of company and brand valuation specialist JGG Consulting and founder of ASECOM Latin America, now part of IFOP.
Between them the eleven have offices in London, Hamburg, Buenos Aires, and four US locations: New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Arizona.
Introducing the network, Simon Chadwick said rapid change was now 'a staple of the market research industry', continuing: 'A typical research company CEO has to deal with technology that is constantly changing, new competition that drives down prices, clients that demand more consultative involvement by costly senior account executives, and a legal and employment environment that can be a nightmare. gravitas is the first ever group that can bring that CEO highly experienced, specialist teams of consultants from all around the world to help him or her manage through these challenges.' According to Bill Pegram, key areas where gravitas will be able to assist include selling a company, installing new technology, finding outstanding talent, restructuring operations, raising new capital or getting help with a particularly difficult contract.
Responding to questions from DRNO and other press invitees, Chadwick said he envisaged mid-sized MR agencies as 'the main opportunity' – the more reasonable cost of working with gravitas combined with its specialist MR industry focus would give it the edge over established management consultants, especially with this category of business: 'a $30, $40 or $50 million company is not going to be able to afford a high-end consultant'. However, gravitas also expects to work for the largest, multinational MR agencies, providing a focused alternative to the more generalist, big-brand consultancies: Watermann described one recent case where a top ten MR provider had discussed potential projects with the big names only to bemoan their lack of industry focus – and of German language skills.
The group has no formal ties, functioning as a network of associates, but it does have a web site at www.gravitas-partners.com .
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