Alterman (pictured) is currently chief operating officer and has worked at The Nursery since 2007, having previously been one of three majority shareholders.

Dann will remain at The Nursery as chair of the board of directors and a liaison with the company’s employee ownership trust, and remain involved in brand and new product development projects before retiring at the end of 2022.

Other staffing changes at The Nursery include Melanie Bigoni, currently business director, becoming managing director, and therefore leading the day-to-day running of the company’s business, operational, marketing and sales activities.

Pauline McGowan, currently research lead, will become head of strategy, leading on the company’s thought leadership and external image.

Elena Geatches, head of health, and Dr Emma McHarg, head of data science, will join the expanded management group as part of an increased focus on the two disciplines.

The Nursery is an employee-owned business focused on combining qualitative and quantitative research with advanced data analytics.

Dann said: “In an employee-owned business we feel it’s important to devolve management responsibilities across a wide group of partners.

“For me personally it’s really gratifying to see them step up to these roles, and with such a talented team in charge The Nursery’s future is looking very bright indeed.”