Verve opens Centre of Research Excellence in Johannesburg, recruits 6 and wins first global account

Researchers Kerry Payne and Marko Fourie joined the Verve team this month, working alongside leaders Heather Tluczek and Meryl Dovey who set up Verve Africa at the end of last year.

Payne joins as research manager bringing experience in mobile and online research practices, following more than three years in a multi-discliplinary role at global digital research agency MDI (Mobile Digital Insights) in Johannesburg. Fourie joins as senior research executive from Consulta, where he previously led the South African Customer Satisfaction Index, bringing strong quantitative and analytics experience. Both are already actively supporting Verve’s global business on a range of clients, including Samsung and Maersk.

They'll be joined in the coming weeks by two further confirmed hires at senior research executive and research manager levels, as the agency adopt an 'always-on' recruitment strategy to build to a team of around 15 by year end.

Managing director in Africa, Heather Tluczek, comments: “Verve has a unique position in the African marketplace – we’re able to provide the best global account-based careers to the continent’s top talent, in turn allowing the team to provide the most innovative, best-in-class sector insight in Africa. We’re hugely excited and energised for what lies ahead for us this year.”

Reflecting early success, the team have already secured a new global client, based on Verve’s unique Premium Partner relationship with Alida (formerly Vision Critical). The account will see Verve lend consultancy expertise to a global automotive client.

Verve founder and CEO, Andrew Cooper, adds: “I am really impressed by the quality of people we are able to hire in Johannesburg and the way in which they are seamlessly integrating with the wider Verve team working on global accounts. Heather and Meryl have also done a brilliant job in landing our first major client in less than three months – a sign of great things to come!”