Member Article

Manchester–based research agency expands following strong growth

Morris Hargreaves McIntyre (MHM), the UK’s largest cultural insight consultancy, based in Manchester’s Northern Quarter, has bolstered its senior management team with two new appointments.

Tony Hill, formerly director of MOSI (Manchester’s Museum of Science and Industry) has joined the team as the company’s first managing director, while the newly created role of head of finance has been filled by Janet Leigh also previously from MOSI.

The company has also appointed two new consultants, Sian Knight and Anna Vaughan, taking the total number in the team to 40 including four employees in their New Zealand office. This is a 30 per cent increase in staff in 12 months.

The firm’s expansion follows a strong year for the audience insight specialists, with a 14 per cent increase in business in 2012/13 and growth of more than 40 per cent over the last three years. This includes notable wins such as Sydney Opera House, Museum of Islamic Art in Doha and The Royal Academy in London.

The company, which won the RAR Award for best market research agency 2013, recommended by their clients, has been selected by the UKTI as one of theWorld Class 100 creative companies and will attend a trade mission to Hong Kong in March. MHM is the only research company and one of only four firms in Manchester to be included on the list.

Andrew McIntyre, one of MHM’s three co-founders and a leading authority on audience motivations, behaviour and responses said: “We’ve had an incredible three years and managed to defy the downturn. Appointing a managing director has been an important strategic move for us.

“While Tony focuses on running the day-to-day business functions, Gerri, Jo and I can continue to concentrate on providing our clients with the quality of research which has made us market leaders in the sector.

“Our passion for understanding cultural consumers and getting to the heart of issues that matter has made us one of the largest and most successful strategic cultural management and research consultancies in the world. To be able to focus on what we do best is essential for us to sustain this growth. With Tony taking the reins, we can do this.”

Tony Hill, Morris Hargreaves McIntyre’s new managing director added: “MHM has a terrific team with a fantastic world-wide reputation for transforming clients’ business activities through customer focus.

“We make a real difference to the organisations we work with, and this has enabled us to not only retain some very long-standing clients, such as the Tate, British Museum and National Trust, but also grow the business. It’s a privilege to join the team and be able to help seek out new business opportunities for this highly successful market research company.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Simon Malia .