He will leave TNS at the end of November and join Incite in January, where he will serve as a director. A spokesperson for TNS RI said that Kneale (pictured) wanted “a different type of role moving forward”.

Kneale had led the consumer division alongside former Research International man Phillip Sutcliffe, who will now assume sole responsibility for the team.

Sutcliffe said: “Losing someone with Peter’s strengths is never easy and we will miss him both as part of the management team and for his great track record with clients.”