Smith (pictured) was last at JRA where he managed multi-disciplinary teams and was responsible for implementing new standards and procedures for client work. Before his time at JRA, Smith worked at Pickersgill Consultancy and Planning.

His role at FreshMinds will see him manage a team of six researchers and “apply established and emerging research techniques to client briefs in new and innovative ways”. He will report to managing director Alistair Leathwood.

Leathwood said: “Niall is extremely well regarded as a researcher with an unwavering commitment to quality and a fluency with a wide range of methodological techniques. We look forward to working with him to develop world class processes that will support us as we take FreshMinds Research into the next phase.”