Paul has spent 20 years in the industry and was most recently at Kantar Operations where he was director of project management.

He has also served in leadership positions at various telephone centres, mail intercept and project management organisations, Cross-Tab said.

Nauckhoff, meanwhile, was Esomar president between 2002 and 2004 and had a 24-year spell at Nestle, latterly as head of market intelligence.

Earlier in his career he had research-related roles with Proctor & Gamble and Richardson Vicks.