Duffy (pictured), who was appointed to the role in 2009, is leaving the company to take on a policy role at King’s College London.

Kelly Beaver has been appointed as managing director of the company’s Social Research and Corporate Reputation Units (SRCR) to replace Duffy. Previously Ipsos Mori’s deputy managing director of public affairs, Beaver has been with the company since 2011.

In her new role, she will be responsible for leading the SRCR business, which services government, public sector clients, civil society, and academia.

Kelly Beaver

Prior to Ipsos, Beaver’s experience includes roles in PwC’s Research, Strategy and Policy Group and The Evaluation Partnership (subsequently Coffey International Development).

Ben Page, chief executive of Ipsos Mori, said: “Bobby Duffy has made a huge contribution to our social research practice over the last nine years, and I am glad that we will continue working together through the long standing Ipsos Mori/King’s College partnership.

“But with Kelly at the helm, I know we will continue to build our reputation for high quality social research, evaluation and analysis for government and the public sector. Kelly has great business experience from her years in professional services (including at PwC) and over the last seven years at Ipsos Mori and there was no doubt that she would succeed Bobby when he decided to make his move into academia.”