He’ll depart in February at the end of his committed contract period, which was agreed with Cello when it bought the business in 2007.

Law (pictured) has been with the agency for 18 years. Regional director Rachel Cope (also pictured) is set to take over the running of the scaled-down business, whose Glasgow, Bristol and Cardiff offices are to close.

Cello said in September that it would seek to reduce its exposure to “the historically stable, but low margin area” of public sector research given the cuts in spending being planned and made by the UK’s coalition government.

RS Consulting, another Cello group company, also works in the public sector, but Law says the downsizing is restricted to MRUK.

Cello has budgeted for costs of £700,000 relating to property closures and staff cuts. In all, 29 jobs have been made redundant.

Jane Shirley, CEO of the Cello Research board, said three staff will remain with the business – Cope and two others – with one based in Manchester and the other two in Newcastle.

Shirley said the trio will forge “much closer links” with colleagues within RS Consulting, who’s London office will act as a base in the capital for the MRUK team.