Julian Bond leaves Research International after 27 years

Bond was most recently chairman of the UK business but also had a focus on global innovation and product development.

His departure comes in the wake of the merger of RI and TNS, which followed on from WPP’s £1bn takeover of the latter last year.

RI’s UK chief executive Paul Edwards has been appointed chairman of the merged TNS-RI business in the UK, while TNS’s UK boss Andrew Czarnowski becomes CEO.

Speaking to Research, Edwards stressed that Bond’s leaving was a “personal decision”. Describing Bond as “irreplaceable”, Edwards said: “He is a top man and, personally speaking, I will miss him.”

Bond could not be reached for comment today.