1. What is the biggest challenge you have faced during your career?

One of the biggest challenges in my career was moving to Ipsos after spending nearly 20 years with a previous research agency. I assumed that two decades of experience would make the transition straightforward, but I quickly realised that working within one of the world’s largest research organisations required a different mindset. The scale, complexity and breadth of expertise across the business were unlike anything I had experienced before.

At the same time, I knew I had been hired to bring fresh thinking, so the challenge was balancing learning from the organisation while also helping drive change. Over the following years, I worked with colleagues to broaden the roles of advanced analytics and data science, introduced new methodologies and, more recently, helped shape how AI and synthetic data can be applied responsibly across the business. Looking back it is a reminder that some of the most valuable professional growth comes from putting yourself in unfamiliar situations and being open to learning from others.

2. What will be the next big trend or development in the research industry, and why?

I think the next big development will be agentic AI systems, where these AI agents can automate parts of the research process, and have the potential to improve the speed and efficiency of research delivery.

However, synthetic data will continue to be one of the most important developments in our industry over the next few years. While it has been firmly in the spotlight over the last 12 months, we are still only at the beginning of understanding where it can add genuine value. We are already seeing proven applications such as data enrichment become more widely adopted, while newer approaches such as digital twins continue to evolve rapidly.

The key question is no longer whether synthetic data works, but where it works, where it does not, and what governance, validation and best practice frameworks are needed to use it responsibly.

3. Who inspires you as a researcher? 

I have been fortunate throughout my career to learn from a number of experienced data scientists and analytics leaders who were generous with their time and knowledge. What inspires me most today is not a single individual, but the opportunity to work alongside hundreds of talented analysts, data scientists and researchers who are constantly pushing the boundaries of what our industry can achieve tomorrow.

In particular, I am inspired by working alongside colleagues who are developing the next generation of AI-enabled research tools, while recognising that the real value comes from combining technological innovation with human intelligence, critical thinking and research expertise. The technology is exciting, but it is the people behind it who continue to inspire me every day.

• The full MRS Research Heroes list for 2026 can be found here.