The Research Live Awards recognise top-performing agencies, in-house teams, commercial innovation, business impact and individual researchers.

Winners will be announced at the MRS Awards dinner on 7th December.

The Research Live Awards finalists are: 

Agency of the year (sponsored by Q2Q Global)
Basis Global
DJS Research
Firefish
IFF Research
Kokoro Global
Opinium
Strat7 Researchbods
Truth Consulting

Best new venture
Responsible Innovation Centre for Public Media Futures (RIC)
Shape Insight

Best place to work (sponsored by i-view London)
davies+mckerr
IFF Research
Opinium
Pegasus Insight
Taylor McKenzie Research

Business impact of the year – UK
BT
Entain and Hall & Partners
Paddy Power & jump!
Perrigo & Acacia Avenue
Redblue & VMO2
Walnut (Part of Accenture Song) & E.ON Next

Innovation of the year (sponsored by Bilendi)
Appinio
Simpson Carpenter & M&S (Fashion, Home & Beauty)

In-house team of the year (sponsored by We Live Context)
Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team
BT
E.ON Next
JCDecaux
M&S Food
M&S (Fashion, Home & Beauty)
Nato
Sainsbury's

Rising star of the year – client (sponsored by Significant Insights)
Amy Nicholson, BT
Michaela Tobolova, BT
Emilia Torres, eBay
Alice Wiltshire, Sainsbury's

Young researcher of the year – supplier
Becca Altman, The Social Agency
Rania Benameur, Opinium
Sam Devey, W & J Linney
Laura Devis, MassiveMusic
Martha Doyle, Walnut (Part of Accenture Song)
Kendall Knight, Opinium
Maanya Vij, The Good Side
Dave Whelan, d+m

The Research Live judging panels are chaired by Katie McQuater, head of editorial at Research Live. Judging seven of the Research Live categories are:

• Catherine Haigh, director, consumer and market insight, Emea, McCormick
• Seema Hope, vice-president, insights, The Economist
• Manuela Isliker, director, home care insights, North America, Colgate-Palmolive
• Joe McDonnell, head of insight, Emea, Samsung Ads
• Neil Mortensen, director of ITV Insights Group, ITV
• Claire Rainey, Claire Rainey Consulting (formerly Virgin Media O2 )
• James Sallows, global head, marketing effectiveness, Lego
• Georgina White, director of insight, Natwest Group

The innovation of the year category is judged separately in a Dragons’ Den-style session, with finalists presenting directly to the judging panel. Judging the award are:

• Sarah Ashley, senior marketing research and insights manager, Google
• Dr Shane Hanson, head of insight and innovation, Panasonic Consumer Electronics, Europe
• James Sallows, global head, marketing effectiveness, Lego

Also on the panel are McQuater, and Liam Kay-McClean, deputy editor, Research Live.

In the MRS Awards categories, the shortlisted finalists include Ipsos, The Coca-Cola Company & Human8 and The Times & Electric Twin. 

Jane Frost, chief executive, MRS, said: “Every year, the standard gets higher and the entries clearly demonstrate the level of innovation and depth of professional quality that makes the UK business of evidence world-leading. That means the competition gets tougher and wherever you are in the world, these are the ones to win. Congratulations to all the finalists!” 

• The MRS Awards 2026 ceremony takes place on 7th December in London.