Marie Ridgley, chief executive, UK insights division, Kantar
Sarina Wiegman is my person of the year – calm under pressure, fiercely loyal and relentlessly focused. When Gareth Southgate resigned and she was tipped as a possible replacement for the men’s team, she made her unwavering commitment to the Lionesses crystal clear.

She’s never lost sight of her purpose, steering the team through big changes with clarity and unity. Even after a World Cup setback in the early stages of the tournament, she remained composed, encouraging of her team’s performance and relatable – qualities we often undervalue in leadership. There’s a lot about her, and that World Cup win, that should inspire the business world.

James Endersby, chief executive, Opinium
Fei-Fei Li. Her commitment to ethical, human-centred AI is extraordinary. She’s kept the conversation grounded in fairness and transparency while pushing the boundaries of innovation. In a year where AI dominated headlines, her voice reminded us that technology must serve people, not the other way around.

Kelly Beaver, chief executive, UK & Ireland, Ipsos
My person of the year is Denise Turner, one of the preeminent media research experts in the UK, as well as one of our clients. Her untimely passing was heartbreaking, and a massive loss for the industry. Denise was a fierce champion of the importance of high-quality audience measurement, working with several of our out-of-home research teams throughout her career at Newsworks, Route, and, most recently, IPA.

In addition to her research expertise, I also greatly admired her work around elevating the role of women in the media industry. I personally met with Denise a number of times over the years, and I will miss her warmth and camaraderie a great deal.

Ray Poynter, managing director, The Future Place and co-founder, ResearchWiseAI
Tony Costella of Heineken, for elevating insights to lead the AI transformation for marketing and commercial activity at Heineken.

Sabine Stork, senior partner, Thinktank Research
Donald Trump. For all the wrong reasons.

Matilda Andersson, managing director, Truth Consulting
My husband. He’s a stay-at-home dad and, in doing so, defies a lot of stereotypes. He carries the load at home, looks after our daughter, and creates the space that allows me to focus on my work. Just as importantly, he supports me mentally and is my sounding board for big decisions. 2025 has been a year of bold choices for me, and I couldn’t have made them without that partnership. 

Amanda Roberts, qualitative researcher, consumer strategy, Sky
I'm going to cheat slightly and talk about my people of the year – my mum and dad. Unfortunately, my mum was diagnosed with breast cancer this year. She’s OK now, but it’s been a long, emotionally and physically taxing journey – especially for them.

They've shown me what courage and strength looks like in the face of adversity, but that it’s also OK to feel scared and uncertain at times like these. They are my people of the year, this year and every year to come.

Babita Earle, managing director, international, Zappi
Not a single person, but Colour of Research (CORe), which celebrated its fifth anniversary recently. Its impact has been remarkable, advancing mentorship, hosting workshops, expanding networking opportunities, and championing representation of people of colour across the research industry. It’s a powerful reminder of what a community can achieve when it comes together to support and elevate one another. A huge congratulations to those that give up their time to run it.

Jane Frost, chief executive, MRS
Tackling the problems I’m most worried about in today’s world will take more than one individual and, reflecting on that, rather than a person, I want to highlight a ‘people of the year’: women standing up for equality. 

Violence and discrimination are sadly on the up, and I simply have to take my hat off to the incredible, brave women across the globe – from Malala Yousafzai to Gisèle Pelicot – pushing back and defending the rights and safety of half of our population. They’re an inspiration to us all.

• The 2025 review series kicked off with a look at the standout consumer trends of the year, followed by reflections on contributors' favourite research and insight work from the past 12 months.