The hub will act as a base for Millward Brown West Africa and be headed by managing director Soumya Saklani, who will report to Tim Smyth, Millward Brown’s MD for East, Central and West Africa.

Saklani has spent 15 years in the research industry, including two spells in two different countries with Millward Brown in Asia. He has also worked for Nielsen and Ipsos ASI.

Millward Brown and Scangroup first joined forces in 2007 when they formed Millward Brown East Africa and have since branched out to also cover Central Africa. In 2008 Millward Brown’s parent company WPP acquired a minority stake in Scangroup.

Smyth said: “The success and growth of Millward Brown’s sub-Saharan business over the last two years means that establishing a regional hub office in Accra has become essential so that we can provide better on-the-ground support to our growing client base in West Africa.

“From day one we will be working with some of the most well-known brands operating in the region, and this gives us a very solid platform from which to grow our business and service offering on the region.”