Aucamp died on 11 May from a brain tumour, aged 73. He will be widely missed by his many friends in the research industry.

Born in a small farming village in South Africa, Aucamp graduated in economics and history from the University of Stellenbosch and came to the UK in 1958 to pursue his career.

After spells at Gallup, Benton & Bowles and IFF he joined the Gordon Simmons Research Group in 1972 as managing director of IFT Marketing Research, a company specialising in b2b and financial research. Over a period of nearly 20 years he developed IFT into a leading business research company both in the UK and internationally.

His commercial acumen, b2b expertise and gregarious nature made him a well-known figure in the industry.

Outside market research he will be particularly remembered by friends as a connoisseur of food and wine, which he attributed to his Huguenot ancestry. In retirement he became a school governor and was an active member and, latterly, captain of his local bowls club.

His wife Janet predeceased him in 2001. They leave two sons, Peter and Jonny, and six grandchildren.