35 years experience has only
heightened the passion. Increased the
energy. Honed the interview, design
and analysis skills. A Rolling Stones
fan, air guitarist Derek Shines A Light
within Critical. Allows the knowledge
gleaned over three decades to inspire
his colleagues. Uses experience to
guide. Talks his people to the top of
their game. Accepts no less than the
best performance. Shame he's not MD
of his beloved Luton Town FC then.

Before there were PCs there was
Dennis. Designer of the world's first
CATI system, run on prehistoric
computers. Now there are PCs. And
there is still Dennis. Master of all the
technology he surveys. Mastermind
behind the enhanced usability of
Critical's Dkapture system. Solver of
the most infernal computing problems.
And an enigma. How do you reconcile
an appreciation of Macallum's finest,
with a taste for Dennis the Menace ties?

Crack the man's bones and you'll find
Critical lettered all the way through.
As excited by a good spreadsheet as
by racing a flash twerp in a Lotus
along the highways of Herts, James is research through and through.
A specialist in the financial sector.
Trackers and pensions. And online.
And – oh yes – running an ace
telephone centre. Omfgwtf is his
favourite word. That's hardly surprising;
James supports Spurs.

Mashing along the B462 towards
Watford. The top of the drophead DB9
is down. The sun is shining. Steve is
smiling. One day, perhaps. But today
he's mentoring new executives.
Introducing them to the Critical way.
Showing them how we go further to
produce better results. Or utilising
his special skills in the field of ad hoc,
quantitative studies. That is an
Aston Martin we foresee, a little further
down the road.

Laid back Ben. Don't be fooled.
The relaxed exterior encloses one
sharp mind.A politics and economics
graduate. With an impeccable track
record. 7 years experience in MR and
a particular flair for media, consumer
tracking and advertising research. His
role now includes new business
development. As well as directing
on-line surveys and ad hoc projects.
When he's not racing Porsches round
Brands Hatch, and driving balls round
golf courses...

The guru. Over three decades in MR.
Both on the client side and for major
ad agencies. Founder of the first MR
company to win the Queen's Award for
Export. A specialist in the financial
sector. A regular speaker on qualitative
and quantitative research methods.
Former lecturer on the Oxford University
MBA course. A man of profound
knowledge, and no hot air. Unless
you count flying a balloon from
Perth to Sydney...

Patience is a virtue. Confidence is
power. Ability conquers all. Which
makes the irresistible Sarah an
indispensable part of the Critical
team. Managing people, including
over-enthusiastic MDs and truculent
respondents. Making sure customers
are satisfied. Utilising her innate and
meticulous attention to detail.
Checking and cross-checking reports,
quotes, analyses… And all the while,
in her mind, we suspect she may be
constructing world domination
strategies.

Straight-talking. Honest. Down-to-
earth. Has no compunction about
telling you why you're wrong, if you
are. Calls a spade a shovel. Exactly
what you need if you want quality
results. The only kind Ro deals in.
Real world facts. That's why she's
been with Critical for 17 years. Want
a personal nugget about Ro? Do the
words 'Fruit and Nut' or 'Green & Black'
or 'Belgian' suggest she has a certain
weakness?

Dog with a bone. Will not let go.
Famous for taking the most intricate
briefs by the scruff of their necks,
and making them happen. Especially
ad hoc, quantitative projects. A real
truth sleuth, with an enthusiasm for
research. Coupled with an impressive
past and a strong future vision. Not
content with looking up at the stars;
Jon intends to visit them. With his
tenacity, you wouldn't bet against it.

Can you have your cake and eat it?
With Ms Wells, it would appear so;
Emma is an avid devotee of research,
especially quantitative research – the
specialist subject that was instrumental
in her obtaining a degree from
Nottingham University. But that's not all.
On top of being a bull-by-the-horns,
deep-end-diving, hands-on team player,
Emma is an expert baker.

So; as well as organisation, innovative
thinking and inspired enthusiasm, she
can bring a plate of fairies to the table.
And the icing on the cake? Emma knows
how to ride an elephant.

It is rocket science. Nigel's
comprehensive experience includes
engineering within the automotive and
aerospace industries. Which gave him
a calm, unflappable outlook. A skills
set that includes an expertise with
automaton. A patient, logical approach
to operational issues. An indefatigable
ability to solve problems. (This last
frequently makes him the most loved
person in the company.) And,
somewhere along the way, the urge to
bungee jump from a Swiss cable car.

Dark horse, Simon. Graduate and traveller.
Treats the world as his universe, boldly
trekking through Asia, Oz, NZ and the
States. Fiercely competitive. Great energy.
Determined to take the Critical path to
becoming a meticulous, insightful Research
Director. Interested in both strategy and
the detail work. Yet says his special areas
of expertise are making tea and following
orders. Hmmm. Two things about Mr Hume;
he supports Watford FC and he once
deliberately ate a spider.

Meet an involuntary insomniac.
Otherwise known as father-with-young
-children. For a relaxed person, Patrick is
wide awake. Quantitative research excites
him (he used to be Head of central
Government Research at Ipsos MORI).
So does barbecuing and dreaming of
overlanding across Africa. Not that he has
time for reverie. He's too busy managing
complex client projects, pouring energy into
obtaining results, innovating, analysing,
rooting out the truth, finding the answers.
Does this man ever rest? Dream on.

The enigmatic Alice. Excited by Scrabble.
Bored by online casinos. Described by
colleagues as ice cool and chillingly sharp.
Even a genius in certain areas. Smiles like
the Mona Lisa when asked about surreal
experiences; yet insists she has lived
relentlessly in the real world. A world of
criminology and forensic science, equine
management and racing stables,
gerontology and camp sites.

Perfect background for an inspired,
inquiring researcher. Able to take broad
views, and deal in left handed
perspectives. Alice definitely deserves
further research.

'How thick is Louise?' laid back Jack
wondered as he skimmed across one of
Alberta's most famous lakes.

Back in Critical, Jack does everything but
skate on thin ice. And he's a perfectionist.
In his work as Research Executive. In his
grasp of the finer points of market
research. In his ability to make a cuppa
at exactly the right moment.

As a history graduate Jack has a profound
knowledge of cause and effect. But no
future sense – he actually imagines
Colchester United will one day make the
Premiership...