Meet the new ESOMAR Representatives

Welcome Vlora Basha Berisha, Kosovo 

How would you describe yourself in 3 words?

Self –driven, highly motivated, impulsive.

Next to your ESOMAR representative position, what is your daily job? 

I am a Managing Director at Kantar TNS Kosovo, and have been in this position since 2008. I am also a partner at IziSurvey where I mainly deal with big clients.

What do you like most about your job?

The space for creativity that research field offers in terms of methods applied to reach a specific objective has no limits and the use of research as a tool in various fields makes it very interesting and appealing.

What have you studied/ what is your back ground?

I studied Psychology which is and always will remain my passion whereas my postgraduate studies are in Social and Educational Research.

What is your favorite song to get you through the day?

Recently, ‘New Rules’ by Dua Lipa is one of my favorite songs which I listen repeatedly while exercising at gym.

During my time off , you can find me…

Spending time with my kids, surfing on Instagram, shopping, having wine with my husband and/or friends.

My favorite food is …

I am not a huge fan of food in general but I prefer healthy food and raw fish. I have to admit I like foie gras very much.

My dream is to …

Make an impact in society.

What is your goal as a representative of ESOMAR? 

Raise awareness about the role of research and increase the research society in my country throughout ESOMAR.

What did you want to be when you were younger?

I am still young 🙂 but when I was a child I wanted to be a model. I am not sure if that dream is gone 🙂

What would be your advice for young talents in MR?

Research is a tool, it’s up to you how you want to use it but don’t be afraid to explore new techniques or combine methods from time to time. You would be amazed of the results they can bring. Also, always keep the research quality and standards high and never accept to be underpaid, it will affect your work output.

 

Welcome Krešimir, Croatia

How would you describe yourself in three words?

Optimistic, playful and friendly

Next to your ESOMAR representative position, what is your day job?

I run Prizma CPI, a leading Croatian independent market research company. I’m also a part-time lecturer at a University where I’m teaching marketing research.

What do you like most about your job?

Continuous shifting and changes! Working on different research projects and interacting with interesting people.

What have you studied/ what is your back ground?

A mix of different stuff. After electronics in high school, I studied Psychology. Many years after that I did my PhD in Economy (marketing).

What is your favourite song to get you through the day?

Queen – The Show Must Go On.

During my time off , you can find me…

You can’t 😊.

My favourite food is…

Meat in a variety of ways .

My dream is…

To spend most of the year with dear people under the warm sun.

What is your goal as a representative of ESOMAR?

Try to improve the reputation and importance of market research on Croatian and regional markets, with the help of Croatian and international colleagues. Encourage the development and implementation of new approaches to research, but with utmost respect of quality, ethics and scientific research methods.

What did you want to be when you were younger?

Stay young.

What would be your advice for young talents in MR?

Be open minded and never stop asking yourself what are better ways to do this and following research projects. Try to triangulate your approach perceiving each project from the point of view of skilled research, detached research participant and demanding client.

 

Welcome Alberto Stracuzzi, Italy 

How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
Curious, materialist, assertive.

What did you want to be when you were younger?
War correspondent. I loved Salvador movie by Oliver Stone.

What have you studied/ what is your background and how did you end up in market research?
I studied Political Sciences and Economy. I ended writing a dissertation about Economic policies by Chilean Military Government.

How I did end up in MR? Good question…. By mistake. When I followed the first Statistics lesson I said to myself “Never with such stuff…”

But a senior and brave Market Researcher was a friend of mine. He knew me at University and told me “You, guy, have a good sight for numbers… I have a little complex bad remunerated occasional job for you.”

The job was discovering if a leading company in the furniture design industry had contributed to an increased quality of life of a little  town near Milan… Desk research with some in-depth interviews… It was 1995 and it was love at first sight for the profession.

What is your favorite song to go wild to/ that makes you happy ?
Stairway to heaven.

During my time off, you can find me….
In a cinema.

What is your goal as a representative of ESOMAR?
To affirm that MR is an industry also in Italy and not a sub-voice of the service sector, and to underline that Market Researchers are not defined only by “MR providers”. A market researcher is a professional who extracts and distributes insights, who organises and interprets information to help companies and organisations to make decision. It’s quite irrelevant if a Market Researcher works for a MR provider or MR spender… we are all Market Researchers and we must be committed with quality. Good insights and good approaches influence the quality of life of society.

Being strongly involved in our National Association (ASSIRM, http://www.assirm.it/) activities, I would like to help the two associations to realise a virtuous interchange.

What would be your advice for young talents in MR?
Be curious, grow in a multi-disciplinary environment, travel abroad and (perhaps the most important) sit down and observe people in the streets, in the restaurants/bars…

 

Welcome Giulia Fabrizi, Italy 

How would you describe yourself in three words?
I’m a positive-thinker, a passionate and dedicated person.

Next to your ESOMAR representative position, what is your day job?
I’m the proud founder and owner at ALMAR QUALITY RESEARCH, a full-service “boutique” agency based in Milan. ALMAR stands for Active Listening Marketing And Research, one of the main skill in qualitative research. My daily job routine revolves around organizing a family with two teens.

I also teach how to recognize and deal with emotions to secondary school students and volunteer as Mentor at Professional Women Networking (PWN), supporting young women in their professional beginnings.

What do you like most about your job?
I really love meeting and getting to know people. ‘Life is the art of encountering people’ said a Brazilian poet and I’m always interested in uncovering the hidden needs and values behind people’s behavior, opinions and feelings. I come from a family of six, so being around people comes natural to me. I love co-creating and developing new ideas with clients and colleagues.

What have you studied/what is your background?
I hold a Social Psychology degree, with a dissertation on Color Psychology. I’ve been involved in qualitative market research ever since: nineteen years as co-owner at LIBRA Research, a wonderful experience, so enriching from a personal and professional point of view. Since 2013 I’ve been the owner at ALMAR, my very own challenge and adventure.

I hold a Master Practitioner degree in NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming), I’m a Parent Coach and Team Coach (Assocoaching member) and I’m currently attending a course to become a Positive Psychology Expert.

What is your favorite song to get through the day?
‘My Way’, Frank Sinatra: “I’ve lived a life that’s full. I’ve traveled each and every highway; but more, much more than this, I did it my way” https://youtu.be/5AVOpNR2PIs

During my time off, you can find me…
Attending courses (painting potteries, drawing on silk, sketching etc.), dancing, playing the piano and most of all spending time with my husband and my two teenagers, a boy and a girl.

My favorite food is…
I love Italian pasta dishes and all the creative combinations of ingredients coming from different Italian regions.

My dream is…
I dream of… actively making the world a better place to live in, with the future of our children in mind.

What is your goal as a representative of ESOMAR?
I truly believe in the role of market research and I want to promote and support the identity of market researchers in Italy. Each researcher is like a ‘chef’, we are all ‘award-winning chefs’, each one with their own personality, skills, background and experiences. Each of us can learn tools from the others and adapt to his/her own way of working, so as to put together a solid and professional ‘tool kit’ and keep updated. I will do my best to promote the quality and value of market research and to establish strong connections among other ESOMAR members, with a view to reinforcing our professional role and image.

What did you want to be when you were younger?
I wanted to help people. When I was a little girl I wanted to become a Clinical Psychologist, then I engaged in a broader view of the society and decided to become a Social Psychologist.

What would be your advice for young talents in MR?
Keep growing and attend courses and conferences. Accept challenges, be curious and never stop learning. Add all of this to your own personality mix and become unique.

 

Welcome Rachael Popoola, Nigeria 

How would you describe yourself in three words?
God-Fearing, Fun, and Hardworking.

Next to your ESOMAR representative position, what is your daily job?
Marketing Analytics and Strategy Developer.

What do you like most about your job?
Getting to knowing consumers in a new way and influencing business positively.

What have you studied/ what is your background?
Business Economics.

What is your favorite song to get you through the day?
You make my life so beautiful.

During my time off, you can find me…
In a cinema, shopping or at the park.

My favorite food is…
Jollof Rice and Chicken – Nigerian dish.

My dream is…
To become a Professor of Marketing (with focus on Consumer Behavior/Motivations and MR)

What is your goal as a representative of ESOMAR?
To create awareness for ESOMAR in Nigeria and make ESOMAR a living society for all prominent market researchers in Nigeria.

What did you want to be when you were younger?
A Professor J.

What would be your advice for young talents in MR?
To be the voice of consumer in the organization and be proud of their achievements even when it goes unnoticed in the organization…

 

Welcome Richard, Vietnam

How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
A little crazy

Next to your ESOMAR representative position, what is your day job?
Managing a boutique Asian agency network

What is your goal as a representative of ESOMAR?
To promote  market research as a profession we can be proud of.

What would your advice be to young market researchers?
Dismiss all assumptions, question, challenge and question again!

What is your motto in life?
Skip the hype

 

Welcome Chadi, Saudi Arabia

How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
Reliable, professional and friendly.

Next to your ESOMAR representative position, what is your daily job?
I am marketing research manager at Sadafco, a large consumer goods company in Saudia Arabia.

What do you like most about your job?
Decoding consumers is really exciting and intellectually stimulating. When I was working for an agency I enjoyed working on a variety of clients and categories. Now that I am client side, I value learning about how big manufacturers do business.

What have you studied/ what is your background?
I studied marketing in my home country, Morocco. After graduating, I worked for a number of research agencies for 18 years – including TNS where I was managing director for Morocco. I was also part time lecturer at a university where I gave lectures on marketing research and other business related topics.

What is your favorite song to get you through the day?
Oh a tough one… but let’s say that it is Sultans of Swing by Dire Straits.

During my time off , you can find me…
Reading a John Grisham novel or jogging with music.

My favorite food is Moroccan food (of course!) and pasta. But honestly I like food adventures.

My dream is to make a positive impact in the life of people I get to know or work with.

What is your goal as a representative of ESOMAR?
My goal is to promote professional standards for research in Saudia Arabia, create awareness for research among young graduates. My boldest dream though is to create a unified social class system for KSA.

What did you want to be when you were young?
Astronaut or garbage lorry driver 🙂

What would be your advice for young talents in MR?
A career in research is built over years or even decades and hence be patient especially with your first assignments. Learn research basics while you are young, later it will be too late. Be intellectually curious and develop your general culture.

Welcome Jasper, Kenya

How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
Curious, forward-thinking, honest.

Next to your ESOMAR representative position, what is your daily job?
I run Research Solutions Africa, the region’s largest independent market research company and build future-proof products to prepare for the end of field research as we know it.

What do you like most about your job?
The diversity! Today my job included discussing new map analytics with our satellite image specialists, new niche products for the retail sector with a research manager, better insights with our accounts team, distribution chains for agricultural inputs, how to sell more milk, how to measure school performance independently, whether a new type of toilet can find a market and a couple of vacancies. Nice J

What have you studied/ what is your back ground?
I hold a MSc in International Economics and a PhD in Integrated Assessment and have worked for 10 years as a Futurist before becoming a Market Researcher.

What is your favorite song to get through the day?
“You know too much” by Bonaparte

During my time off , you can find me…….( an activity or time spend you like)
On a bicycle.

My favorite food is….
Pasta Carbonara.

My dream is…..
An honestly good world for my son.

What is your goal as a representative of ESOMAR?
I want to contribute to putting Africa on ESOMAR’s Global map and working on Global challenges with my African colleagues.

What did you want to be when you were young?
A renaissance man. Fail.

What would be your advice for young talents in MR?
Bring cross-industry innovation to market research. Break that dilapidated box.

Welcome Rens, South Sudan

How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
Eclectic. Open. Curious.

Next to your ESOMAR representative position, what is your daily job?
I am the Director of Research at the Forcier Consulting South Sudan Country Office.

What do you like most about your job?
Working closely with our South Sudanese staff and witnessing their technical and professional growth as ardent researchers.

What have you studied/ what is your background?
I have a PhD in Sociology and Anthropology in Development from Wageningen University in The Netherlands. Before that, I studied Cultural Anthropology (MSc.) and Conflict Studies and Human Rights (MA) at the University of Utrecht, and Criminology (BSc.) at the VU University of Amsterdam.

What is your favorite song to get through the day?
Etat-major by Extra Musica. Always lifts me up.

During my time off , you can find me…….( an activity or time spent you like)
Cooking, dancing and spending time with my wife and 6-month old daughter.

My favorite food is….
My wife’s South Sudanese style lentil soup.

My dream is…..
To watch my daughter grow up in a peaceful and prosperous South Sudan

What is your goal as a representative of ESOMAR?
To advocate for quality and ethical standards of conducting social research in South Sudan and in other fragile and conflict-affected environments.

What did you want to be when you were young?
Filmmaker

What would be your advice for young talents in MR?
Do not discount the critical importance of thorough qualitative ethnographic research when working in complex environments.

Welcome Dirk Frank, Germany

How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
Passionate, curious, ironic (at least not too serious)

Next to your ESOMAR representative position, what is your daily job?
I am the managing director and owner of a full-service research and consulting agency, ISM Global Dynamics, located in Bad Homburg (near Frankfurt). Further, I am an honorary professor at the University of Applied Sciences Pforzheim, assisting my academic colleagues in the degree program “Market Research and Consumer Psychology“ with a focus on international research and methods of market research.

What do you like most about your job?
Besides the splendid opportunities to get rich (which I missed so far), my independence – priceless.

What have you studied/ what is your background?
I hold a diploma in psychology with a focus on social cognition and emotion research. Before starting a career in market research, I worked as a scientific assistant and lecturer at the University of Frankfurt, teaching statistics, psychological research and evaluation methods.

What is your favourite song to get through the day?
Always look on the bright side of life.

During my time off, you can find me…….
Please define “time off”, see daily job.

My favourite food is….
Rather Tuscan than Haute Cuisine, rather rustic than (too) re-fined.

My dream is…..
That someone invents a remedy against stupidity. I would be ready to offer all the research needed for a successful launch free of charge.

What is your goal as a representative of ESOMAR?
Helping to find the right balance between the fascinating new research options currently emerging and the solidity and scientific foundation our profession needs to survive and even grow in the future. Continue the work Joachim has started with Christoph to connect with German academia and try to motivate young students and professionals to join and strengthen ESOMAR as the major industry platform for communication and inspiration.

What did you want to be when you were young?
a) I am still young; b) I am still undecided

What would be your advice for young talents in MR?
Listen to the naysayers and ‘yesbut-ters’ in research to see whether there are flaws in your fascinating ideas or whether your plan to conquer the world needs slight amendments, but finally decide to join the ‘whynot-ters’!

Welcome Natalia Bukhalova, Ukraine 

How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
Energetic, purpose-oriented, fashion 🙂

Next to your ESOMAR representative position, what is your daily job?
Being general director of a big national company means a lot of activities. It’s like being a captain. Mostly my functions cover strategic management, PR and sales.

What do you like most about your job?
Challenge – making impossible possible 🙂 and of course new people, new businesses

What have you studied/ what is your background?
International economy & financial management

What is your favorite song to get through the day?
Tina Turner “Simply the best” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crAgnI9BF6M

During my time off , you can find me…….( an activity or time spend you like)
Making mlns of pictures J and trying my best to be the perfect mom of 3 children 🙂

My favorite food is… Aperol spritz 🙂

My dream is… Peace in Ukraine

What is your goal as a representative of ESOMAR?
I would like to make ESOMAR “sound loud” in Ukraine and to make the presence of ESOMAR “alive” here

What did you wanted to be when you were young?
I believe I’m still young enough J you probably won’t believe me, but I was absolutely sure that I would be involved in marketing 🙂

What would be your advice for young talents in MR?
Never stop! 🙂

 

Welcome Izabela Rudak, Poland

How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
Independent, open to new ways of thinking and ideas, well organised

Next to your ESOMAR representative position, what is your daily job?
I work a lot as qualitative researcher and workshop facilitator with Clients, and manage Maison and Partners company

What do you like most about your job?
Discovering new patterns in human behavior, opinions, emotions . Searching for new trends, looking for best possible explanations of existing social facts.

What have you studied/ what is your back ground?
Social Psychology

What is your favorite song to get through the day?
Sting – Englishman in New York

During my time off , you can find me…….( an activity or time spend you like)
Street Photography

My favorite food is….
Italian pasta

My dream is…..
Travel around Both Americas

What is your goal as a representative of ESOMAR?
To protect best standards, reputation, and credibility of our Industry (in such demanding times, and changing lanscape)

What did you wanted to be when you were young?
A Psychotherapists, helping people with mental diseases

What would be your advice for young talents in MR?
Be curious, open, and work very hard – time for work life balance will come later 🙂

 Welcome Ireneus!

How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
Astute, professional, down to earth.

Next to your ESOMAR representative position, what is your day job?
I Oversee the operations of Consumer insights consult Ltd a fully-fledged market research agency based in Ghana.

What do you like most about your job?
Presentations.

What is your goal as a representative of ESOMAR?
To help grow ESOMAR and also help bring market research ethics and professionalism to in this part of the world.

What would your advice be to young market researchers?
To be creative and think outside the box.

What did you want to be when you were younger?
A lawyer.

 

 

Welcome Silke! 

How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
Curious, straightforward, divergent.

Next to your ESOMAR representative position, what is your day job?
I am responsible for Market Research & Innovation for PMI´s cigarette business.

What do you do to relax after a difficult working day?
I try to meditate, but when it is really getting difficult, Swiss chocolate works faster.

What is your goal as a representative of ESOMAR?
I would love to create a sense of community among the Swiss ESOMAR members.

At the weekend you can find me:
Playing cards with one or more of my sons and reading books.

What is your favourite meal?
Spaghetti vongole.

Welcome Kjell!

How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
Enthusiastic, open-minded, innovative.

Next to your ESOMAR representative position, what is your day job?
Next to being a senior market researcher, I’m co-owner of Ruigrok NetPanel. In this position I’m responsible for all innovation and development of new methodologies.

What is your favorite song?
Daft Punk – Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger.

What is your goal as a representative of ESOMAR?
My goal is to encourage all Dutch market researchers (young and old) to join ESOMAR and to be proud of their profession by sharing innovative and progressive research approaches they use in their daily practice.

What did you want to be when you were younger?
A pediatrician.

Welcome Sasha! 

How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
Direct, honest, happy.

Next to your ESOMAR representative position, what is your day job?
Client relationships and company management.

What do you like most about your job?
Meeting interesting people.

What is your educational background?
I have a Master’s degree in State and Municipal Administration and a PhD in Sociology, I graduated from Kazan State Technological University, Kazan, Russia.

What is your favorite song?
Many, hard to name one.

At the weekend you can find me:
Playing with my kids or reading a good book.

What is your favorite food?
Very simple.

What is your dream?
For people to live in peace and be happy.

What is your goal as a representative of ESOMAR?
Bring as much as ESOMAR can give to Russian market researchers and bring as much as Russian market researchers can give back to ESOMAR.

 What did you want to be when you were younger?
I wanted freedom in academia but there is no freedom and even less freedom in private business. But I wanted to do what I like to do, and I am doing it now!

What would your advice be to young market researchers?
Be passionate about the things you like and dig deep in everything you do.

Welcome Peou!

How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
Serious, independent and fair.

Next to your ESOMAR representative position, what is your day job?
My daily job is operating my company, providing oversight for all our projects to ensure they run smoothly and we are able to provide quality for our clients.

What do you do to relax after a difficult working day?
I love to listen romantic music, and after a difficult day of work I like to go outside to be with the nature.

What is your goal as a representative of ESOMAR?
To increase people’s awareness about this international organisation and improve the ethics of the research industry in Cambodia.

At the weekend you will find me:
I like spending time with family, visiting my parents and other relatives.

What is your favorite meal?
Mchu Kroeung (Khmer Sour Soup).

Welcome Wiepke!

How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
Creative, loyal and trustworthy.

Next to your ESOMAR representative position, what is your day job?
My current role is Marketing Director, EMEA at Lightspeed. In that role I’m responsible for corporate communication in the European region. This includes event organisation, everything which has a Lightspeed logo and supporting the EMEA teams talking to clients and prospects. I believe I’m creative at that and try to think outside the box when it comes to promoting our brand and providing a positive feeling when people think and speak about Lightspeed.

What is your favorite song?
Empire State of Mind – Jay-Z & Alicia Keys.

What is your goal as a representative of ESOMAR?
It is always possible to create more interactive between ESOMAR, its members and the local research community. I hope that the National Representative for Netherlands can encourage more researchers for all sorts of organisations including corporate companies and young researchers to become part of ESOMAR and take benefit of the great opportunities this provides.

What did you want to be when you were younger?
We lived in the countryside and I was fortunate to have a small horse to ride. My dream was to ride professional dressage and perform Grand Prix Freestyle on music at the Olympics.