How long have you worked in the industry and Critical Research?
Coming up on 21 years (at both). Critical is where I started in market research and it’s been a privilege to evolve and diversify, while we as a business have done the same.
What has been a highlight at Critical?
Being involved in many large-scale public-facing projects that help shape policy and therefore being part of a team that directly improves the lives of consumers. It’s challenging, but also hugely rewarding to work on pieces like this that are in the public domain and available for anyone to see. It has also been an honour to train several new starters at Critical over the years and see them develop into highly skilled researchers as they progress.
What has been your biggest work challenge?
Stopping myself from endlessly fiddling with PowerPoint reports. I don’t know what it is about a report that it’s in PowerPoint but it can never be finished; there’s always a visual tweak or extra element to a chart that can be added. It might be a stretch to compare them to Ouroboros (the snake that eats its tail) but at times it feels like that.
What are two things that you love about working at this company?
The team we have is incredible. There are a lot of different personalities at Critical, yet we all gel together and can all provide something different where needed. I feel we have nailed down the right mix of autonomy and support that helps those newer to the company forge their path and work with the projects that they have personal connections and interests.
And the evolution we have made from being mainly focussed on field and tab when I started, to a highly respected full-service agency working with some of the most well-known names in the public and private sector. That doesn’t happen without dedication and hard work from everyone involved, and yet we have managed all this whilst still retaining the all-important work-life balance.
What is your last played song on Spotify (no cheating!)
Tennessee Whiskey – Chris Stapleton. This is quite lucky as usually, my Spotify is playing something my two boys have requested. The latter can vary from the traditional Wheels on the Bus to Blippi (if you don’t know who he is, don’t Google him). Although a recent favourite of theirs is Funkytown by Lipps Inc. thereby restoring my faith that there is some hope for decent music in in the future.
What’s your hidden talent?
It’s not really hidden, as it’s behind me on the wall in my little home office, but I played Guitar in a band for some years. Until kids came along and now the thought of rehearsing on a weekday until 11 pm is simply preposterous.
Guilty pleasure
For many years it was my old MGB GT which I used to drive at the weekends and take for the odd spin around a racetrack. But again, kids came along (notice a pattern?) so that had to go. But they are old enough and interested enough in cars now to almost justify getting another one. And also Fizzy Strawberry Laces.
Describe your personality in a single word
Noisy.
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