Research giant in staff restructure

WPP-owned market research giant Research International (RI) has named marketing director Colin Buckingham as chief executive of its UK operation in a management restructure.

Buckingham replaces Laurent Guillaume, who has moved to become chief executive for Continental Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

Guillaume in turn replaces Roger Banks, who is taking up the newly-created position of group director of global business. All three are board-level positions.

Buckingham will retain overall responsibility for the development of client services and marketing.

RI’s clients include some of the world’s leading packaged goods and telecoms brands. The company, which has 50 offices worldwide, is the world’s largest customised market research group, and recently completed a global strategy review.

RI Group chairman and chief executive Jon Wilkinson believes the management changes will help it improve client relations in both national and international markets. He says: “Clients are changing, in some cases dramatically, and it is clear that we must position ourselves to meet their future needs if we are to stay ahead of the field.”

In a separate development, Sweden’s Sifo group has agreed to sell its Research & Consulting arm to RI.

Sifo has agreed to change its name following the divestment, subject to board approval.