An attempt at a BS-free bio:

In summary a fascinating clientside career followed by a hugely stimulating 25 years leading Vector. Plus equally rewarding (and illuminating) extra-curricular commitments in both sport and the arts.

1970s Economics & Geography degree at Keele was followed by a Masters in Urban Planning & Transport at Birmingham.

1980s Athletics was the first focus in my 20s - 1 scraped one regional 10,000m title and a couple of international vests - but enjoyed competition in nine countries, followed by a few years of team management at Britain’s top club (Birchfield Harriers). I also began my other voluntary commitment in music promotion as a board member for the rapidly emerging Bimingham Jazz - an organisation which progressed from a group of enthusiasts to an Arts Council England National Portfolio organisation! Oh and I also started a proper job at West Midlands PTE/Centro where I became market research manager. I was fortunate to be part of a dynamic team which was introducing an innovative customer focussed model of public transport delivery. Learnings galore!

1990s I took on a fabulous role for Highlands and Islands Enterprise where research management covered a wonderful project portfolio. Informing and appraising advertising and marketing campaigns for this sensational tourist destination ran alongside social development research related to fragile communities - more than enough to excite. Add on some fascinating one-offs such as new distilleries (check out Arran whisky!) the US market for Harris Tweed or the (struggling) Ski Scotland brand and it became a job to die for.

I launched Vector Research in December 1996 - aiming to fill what I believed was a gap in the market and I directed the company’s progress for 25 super-enjoyable years. Running a small independent agency offered the chance to pursue some challenging, stimulating and fulfilling projects (alongside more routine bread and butter contracts - there are always bills and salaries to pay!)

The first achievement was the crossover of commercial and marketing techniques into a social research setting which seemed to be a few years behind. The other big win was developing holistic behavioural and motivational research techniques to apply across the spread of client sectors. Several potential clients would play safe on go for sector specialists offering a “survey” or…drum roll….purely discursive focus groups. (Our WTF? “moments” will give an example or two of how counter-productive that can be!). Poverty, retail and hospitality, ad campaigns, housing, transport……all human life (well an awful ot of it!) was covered by the Vector project list. That list was achieved thanks to some talented and committed colleagues, partners and clients, and a unique and tenacious attitude to fieldwork. With the constraints of commissioned contracts effectively over, I hope they - and you - can join with Vector vr2 in the WTF? forum.