Ipsos China and UK bosses keep top jobs in Synovate merger

In the UK Ben Page remains as chief executive, while Ipsos’s David Hollis stays in place as director of finance. From Synovate, Sara Gundry will serve as director of marketing and communications for the combined company while Caroline Wingfield will be director of human resources.

In China, Alick Zhou (pictured) keeps his job as country CEO, with responsibility for both businesses until the end of the year and for the integrated business as of January.

Helen Lee will continue to serve as managing director of Ipsos in Greater China, reporting to Zhou, and Alan Chien stays in place as managing director of Ipsos Taiwan.

Ipsos’s former managing director in Hong Kong, Larry Wu, becomes chief research officer of Ipsos in Greater China. He is replaced in Hong Kong by Darlene Lee who was formerly in charge of Synovate’s retail and lifestyle research in Greater China.

Synovate’s business in Asia Pacific was larger than that of Ipsos in revenue – bringing in £158m in 2010 while Ipsos’s Asia Pacific and Middle East businesses made a total of £135m (€157m). Synovate attributed its performance to a “revitalised management team” following the appointments of three sector directors in February.

Ipsos, which completed its £525m acquisition of Synovate last month, has said it will try to find other roles in the company for those whose jobs will disappear. That includes Synovate’s UK CEO Jill Telford, its Greater China CEO Eliza Wong, its Taiwan boss Matthew Chang and its Hong Kong executive director Jeff Stewart.

UPDATE 14/11/11
Synovate’s former Greater China CEO Eliza Wong has confirmed she left the company at the start of November, but will continue to serve as a consultant to Ipsos until the end of April 2012.