Phillips (pictured) has been managing director UK and head of EMEA for Ipsos Healthcare for the past 10 years. He worked with IMS Health (now IQVIA) and Synovate before it was acquired by Ipsos.

Healthcare services business Ashfield acquired Research Partnership in early 2022, ahead of the private equity-backed launch of Inizio Medical, bringing together Ashfield and Huntsworth. The business offers advisory, medical, marketing, communications, and patient and stakeholder engagement services.

Research Partnership now sits within Inizio’s advisory business unit.  

Research Partnership was founded in 1997 by Mary Assimakopoulos and Mark Jeffery. While the two are stepping back from the day-to-day running of the business, they will remain on the senior management team in an advisory capacity.

Jeffery said: “Gareth is a highly regarded figure in healthcare market research, and with him, we know that the company is in safe hands. We are confident that he will continue the strong growth that the company has enjoyed since its inception in 1997. We wish him every success.”

Phillips will report to Colin Stanley, president of Inizio Advisory. 

Following the departure of Phillips, Ipsos has appointed Melissa Moodley as managing director of healthcare in the UK.