Experience

Research First

• New Zealand
• Market Research
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Research Director

  • Dec 2016 - Present

  Ann’s area of specialism is qualitative research, with particular expertise in brand development, stakeholder engagement, and customer and employee experience. She spearheaded the introduction of customer experience throughout Asia-Pacific and has led many clients through the transition from transactional to customer-centric thinking through her expertise in customer journey mapping, insight dissemination and in-market activation. Her formative years were spent with UK agency stalwarts Advertising Principles and Gatterpalm (now Creative Race) where she headed the agencies’ market research function, before joining UK industry stalwart Nunwood (currently KPMG Nunwood). Ann progressed to be a joint Managing Director of Nunwood APAC. In this later role, she led the expansion of Nunwood across the Asia-Pacific region before leaving to setup consultancy, OrcaBlue, advising clients at senior executive and Board level in applying insights research to achieve business growth. Always focusing on how consumer and stakeholder insight can build loyalty, attract new advocates and build sustainable businesses, Ann’s innovative thinking and ability to unpack what lies behind the data has supported the commercial success of many clients. Ann is currently Research Director at Research First, where she leads the research team in delivering decision-oriented and evidence based insights to private and public organisations throughout New Zealand.



Research Association New Zealand (RANZ)

• New Zealand
• Market Research
• 1 - 100 Employee

• General Member Board

  • Jun 2021 - Present



ESOMAR

• Netherlands
• Market Research
• 1 - 100 Employee

• New Zealand Representative

  • Feb 2021 - Present



OrcaBlue Insight

• Bay of Plenty, New Zealand

• Director & Inquisitor

  • Jul 2014 - Dec 2016

  OrcaBlue is an Insights Consultancy dedicated to informing business decisions that ultimately result in revenue growth. We seamlessly weave qualitative insights with hard quantitative data to provide joined up insights and commercial recommendations. We are proud of the broad experience that we call upon to positively contribute to every project. Whether you are looking at stakeholder or customer connections, category development, concept testing, proposition, advertising or brand development, customer experience management or an efficient and dynamic way of managing your data assets, we have the resources at hand to deliver excellent solutions.



KPMG Nunwood

• Business Consulting and Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Joint MD APAC

  • Apr 2010 - Jun 2014

  Leading the expansion of Nunwood across the Asia Pacific region - spearheading development in the region of Branded Customer Experience, Shopper Insight methodologies and insight activation. Leading the expansion of Nunwood across the Asia Pacific region - spearheading development in the region of Branded Customer Experience, Shopper Insight methodologies and insight activation.



Nunwood.

• United Kingdom

• Account Director

  • Sep 2005 - Apr 2010



CreativeRace

• United Kingdom
• Advertising Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Planning Director

  • 2001 - 2004

  Retail focussed Marketing and Advertising Agency Retail focussed Marketing and Advertising Agency



Advertising Principles

• Head of Market Research

  • May 1988 - Dec 1998

  Business Management New Business Development Client Services Director Business Management New Business Development Client Services Director