VIKI COOKE
Chief Executive
Following a successful career in advertising, communications and planning, Viki co-founded Opinion Leader. Viki has played a leading role in developing new thinking about the drivers of corporate reputation, the use of deliberative methods to help shape policy, and ways of identifying, understanding and engaging with an organisation's social influencers. She is Chief Executive of Opinion Leader, and joint Chair of the Chime Research and Engagement Division. Viki is also a Trustee of Global Action Plan and Changing Faces.
PAUL FLATTERS
Managing Director
Paul’s career spans client side roles with the BBC and Which?, plus a wide range of agency experience. At Opinion Leader his role is to develop and implement our strategy for continued growth. Paul has a particular passion for ‘futures’ techniques having worked in specialist futures and forecasting agencies for many years. He is also looking to further develop Opinion Leader’s work in the leisure, automotive and drinks sectors.
ANDREW POXON
Finance Director
Andrew qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1998 with Arthur Andersen prior to moving into industry and commerce. He has strong media experience having worked in various financial roles within subsidiaries of WPP Plc and most recently as financial controller of an independent advertising agency. Andrew joined Opinion Leader in January 2007. He has a BSc in Accounting and Financial Management from Loughborough University.
REBECCA MORRIS
Research Director
Rebecca has diverse experience of managing projects on behalf of public and voluntary sector clients, having worked in the research industry for fifteen years. She is joint lead on health and social care projects for Opinion Leader. She has managed numerous consultations to inform policy development and has developed a thorough understanding of organisational reputation.
MONIQUE ROTIK
Research Director
Monique started her career in Australia and has more than 12 years in research. She heads Opinion Leader’s financial services practice and her background is broadly based, spanning qualitative, quantitative and deliberative methods. Through her career, Monique has helped her clients in the areas of stakeholder satisfaction, brand and product positioning, advertising and communications, strategy development and issues management. She has also had considerable experience in leading large scale, multi-national research programmes and in managing key client relationships.
RACHEL LOPATA
Research Director
Rachel is a highly experienced director-level researcher with over 15 years of research experience both qualitative and quantitative. She has a strong background within the Government Sector with eleven years of experience working within and for a variety of Public Sector organisations. This includes exploring complex policy issues through research and consultation. Rachel has led major deliberative research consultations - for example she led the National Pensions Debate for DWP and the Prince of Wales’s May Day Business Summit on Climate Change. She has specific knowledge of Local Government and Housing gained from six years direct experience of working in a local authority setting.
LIZ OWEN
Research Director
Liz is an experienced research practitioner, having worked in the industry for over 10 years. She heads Opinion Leader's work on environment and sustainability and also has significant expertise in the area of corporate reputation and media. Liz has also been heavily involved in a number of high profile deliberative projects. She was a key member of the team which delivered the UK's first Citizens' Summit for the Department of Health consultation on the future of primary care, and led on Opinion Leader's work for Ofcom on the promotion of food and drink to children. She joined Opinion Leader with a branding and communications background and has developed her expertise across the public and voluntary sectors.
MADELINE TEMPLE
Research Director
Madeline came into research via Iconoculture, Inc., the leading consumer trend research and advisory services company in the US. There she was a Vice President and head of the retail practice, consulting to companies ranging from Wal-Mart and Liz Claiborne to Yahoo and BP on how to motivate and inspire consumers at the retail level. Prior to Iconoculture, she spent five years in advertising, managing branding and communication campaigns for Hallmark cards and Walgreens drugstores, among others, while based in Chicago. Throughout her 12+ year career, Madeline has helped her clients find innovative ways to connect with and speak to their consumers, whether through advertising, store design, brand experience, product development, cause related marketing or promotions.
CLARE COLLINS
Research Director
Clare leads our projects in the health and social care sector and the justice sector, and has a strong record in both. After completing a doctorate at the London School of Economics, she worked for nine years in the Ministry of Justice where as a Senior Civil Servant she was responsible for implementation of the Human Rights Act. She has also worked with the Centre for Ethnicity and Health at the University of Central Lancashire where her clients included the Department of Health, the Home Office and the Metropolitan Police. Clare has particular experience of working with people from seldom heard groups including people from Black and minority ethnic communities, people with physical and mental impairments, older people and young people. Most recently Clare ran her own consultancy working for a range of clients including the Department for Communities and Local Government, the Crown Prosecution Service, Age Concern England and the Healthcare and Mental Health Act Commissions.
NICOLA AUSTIN
Marketing Director
As Marketing Director Nicola is responsible for ensuring that clients are kept up to date with our latest research and thinking during and indeed in-between projects. During 2008 she will be working to develop a programme of events providing regular opportunities for organisations to exchange experience and interests with their peers and advisors. She will also be looking at new ways that organisations can build a relationship with Opinion Leader providing regular insights and updates that are timely and cost-effective. This currently includes working alongside Carolyn MacLeish to enhance the Opinion Leader Panel and the development of the Reputation Room with MD Paul Flatters. Nicola joined Opinion Leader in January 2008 from the Future Foundation where in addition to being Marketing Director she also headed up the Consultancy division. Her consultancy clients included Johnson & Johnson and the Royal Mail. She is a frequent conference speaker across Europe for clients such as the World Tourism Organisation NCR, Royal Bank of Scotland and the Direct Marketing Association.
CAROLYN MACLEISH
Panel Manager
Carolyn joined us in January 2008 to manage our Panel. She is here to provide a seamless contact point for clients wishing to commission research amongst Opinion Leaders and Rising Stars from the media, the charity sector, the City, MP’s and the private sector. During 2008 she will be developing a programme of briefings and networking events for panel members including feedback from the research programmes, a debating forum on the issue of reputation, and opportunities for Panel members to showcase their work and areas of interest. The Panel is, and under Carolyn’s direction will increasingly be, a key part of the Opinion Leader armoury. If you would like to know more about commissioning research or becoming a panel member please contact Carolyn directly. Carolyn joined Opinion Leader from the Future Foundation where she held roles including project management for key public sector research programmes and more recently the development of the European sales offer.
SEAN LARKINS
Director of Strategy
Sean Larkins has over 15 years experience in marketing, communications and reputation management in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors for organisations including The Body Shop International, Barnardo’s, the Department of Health and COI. He has worked on issues as diverse as HIV and AIDS, asylum and immigration, drug misuse, pensions, ethnic minority employment, child rights and youth crime. In particular he has worked to ensure that both public and private sectors engage fully with traditionally hard-to-reach audiences. He joined Opinion Leader from the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales where he was Director of Communications.
Sean has particular experience of helping organisations manage their reputation, positioning and brand in complex, controversial and fast-changing environments, and of helping organisations engage with people often bypassed by mainstream communications, including Black and minority ethnic communities and economically disadvantaged groups.
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