Human8 doubles down on AI-enabled consultative power

The appointment of Annelies Verhaeghe as chief innovation officer (CINO) marks a pivotal step in scaling this vision globally.

“Brands are increasingly turning to AI-driven marketing performance to boost efficiency, often at the risk of losing distinctiveness and authenticity,” said Tim Wragg, CEO of Human8. “That’s why we’re doubling down on AI-enabled consultative power: combining the speed and scale of synthetic intelligence with the depth and nuance of human insight. Annelies embodies the entrepreneurial spirit that defines many parts of Human8. Her track record of pioneering new approaches makes her the perfect fit to lead this agenda, ensuring we help clients stay consumer-relevant and commercially sharp.”

Strategic leadership appointment to scale AI-powered consulting

In her new role, Verhaeghe will focus on scaling innovation across Human8’s global practice, helping clients translate deep human understanding into bold strategies and fresh ideas. This includes the development of human-based digital twins, synthetic data simulations grounded in real human input, sourced from Human8’s structural communities and empathy programs, as well as a growing suite of AI assistants and canvases that accelerate insight without compromising nuance.

“Innovation isn’t just about algorithms, it’s about understanding people. At Human8, we’re designing intelligence that listens and learns from real human stories. That’s how we help brands stay bold, relevant, and deeply human,” said Verhaeghe.

Platform innovation to accelerate human insight

To support this evolution, Christoph Coucke has been appointed head of platform, taking over leadership of Human8’s proprietary tech ecosystem. Coucke has been instrumental in developing The Square, the company’s integrated platform for surveys, communities, and client collaboration.

In addition, Sacha Cody joins Human8 as portfolio transformation lead, bringing fresh perspective and global experience to the team. His appointment reflects Human8’s ambition to scale innovation across the global portfolio, turning platform innovation into strategic impact for clients.

Human empathy driving bold brand strategies

To reinforce its commitment to human-centric consulting, Human8 has appointed Delphine Vantomme as head of empathy culture and Angie Deceuninck as head of communities, both stepping into new strategic roles within the company. Their mission: to ensure strong human insights and empathy remain the spark behind bold strategies, big ideas, and human creativity.

These developments are part of Human8’s broader mission to help brands 'do what matters', embedding what it calls the Human Spark into every stage of brand building. This means ensuring that human understanding remains at the core of decision-making, even as AI accelerates the pace of insight.