Governance
Our Board
- The ESOMAR Foundation has a two-tier board structure: the Board of Directors and the Supervisory Board.
- The Board of Directors is responsible for setting and achieving the objectives and policies of the ESOMAR Foundation, including managing its assets and determining the causes eligible for funding. It meets regularly to discuss the projects submitted for funding as well as other strategic decisions.
- The Board of Directors is accountable to the Supervisory Board. The Supervisory Board supervises and advises the Board of Management and safeguards the original objectives of the Foundation.
- The members of the Board of Directors and the Supervisory Board do not receive compensation from ESOMAR Foundation.
The ESOMAR Foundation Board consists of representatives from the market research industry including supervisory members representing the ESOMAR Council.
John’s role in conceiving and leading BrainJuicer Group PLC, now System1 Group PLC, made him Ernst & Young’s ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’, the ARF’s Gold Award for Research Innovator and foive times winner of ‘Most Innovative Market Research Company’. As one client commented, “John’s a mix of Richard Branson and Colin Firth, with a healthy dose of Monty Python thrown in”.
Karin Lieshout is co-CEO of SKIM, a global insights-based consultancy that helps leading brands understand and predict decision behavior.
She leads the company’s global client partnerships and people strategy across Europe, North America, Asia, and Latin America.
Karin introduced SKIM’s global sustainability program (SKIMpact), a commitment to protect our world by achieving net-zero and by empowering people to achieve their dreams and live a life they value.
She is enthusiastic about the opportunity to inspire the greater insights industry as a board member of the ESOMAR Foundation.
She leads the company’s global client partnerships and people strategy across Europe, North America, Asia, and Latin America.
Karin introduced SKIM’s global sustainability program (SKIMpact), a commitment to protect our world by achieving net-zero and by empowering people to achieve their dreams and live a life they value.
She is enthusiastic about the opportunity to inspire the greater insights industry as a board member of the ESOMAR Foundation.
Sonia Whitehead is the Head of Research at BBC Media Action, the international charity of the BBC that uses media to inform, connect and empower people around the world. She has worked there for 12 years and has specialized in conducting media research to develop content and evaluate its impact. This work has ranged from understanding people’s perceptions of climate change across Asia and exploring gender-related issues with people living in conflict in Syria, Afghanistan, Darfur and Somalia. Before that Sonia worked in market research both in the UK and India.
A lifelong market researcher currently working on the GfK Verein’s University Cooperation Programme to improve the quality of education in Market Research in Africa and China.
The twin underlying themes of her career have been people development – good people being essential to grow a MR business – and creatively adapting existing techniques to new situations – including the early development of B2B Research and International Research.
Angela is a highly motivated, collaborative and experienced business development professional with over 20 years of experience working in the Netherlands and internationally in the United States and South Africa. She has a passion for creating new and different opportunities both within a market and/or within a product portfolio. Angela’s exposure has been working not only within the business development space within an organisation but has spanned other areas including magazine editor of Research World and a member of the board for the ESOMAR Foundation.
Lucy Davison FMRS is an award-winning marketing expert with 30+ years’ experience. She founded Keen as Mustard Marketing in 2006, the firm advises global insight teams at Flora, Coca-Cola, Adobe, and Purina. KaM also helps agencies like System1, InsightsNow and tech firms like Forsta and Zappi market themselves. Formerly global marketing director at Research International, she’s written for major publications, judged awards, and launched the Design Effectiveness Awards. A MRS Fellow (2023) and twice elected ESOMAR Council member, Lucy is a sought-after speaker.
Anna is Senior Consultant – Developments at ESOMAR. Born in Italy, Anna applies to the ESOMAR Foundation her knowledge and skills built in many years of playing a pivotal role in broadening and enhancing the worldwide events calendar and leading several key projects at ESOMAR.
Frédéric is an industry visionary and speaks often among industry leaders about the transformation of market research, impacts of automation and more. As CEO of ITWP, Frederic leads a staff of more than 1,400 spanning 24 offices and 5 continents as Toluna and Harris Interactive Europe.
Frédéric holds a Master’s degree in comparative jurisprudence from New York University and a diploma in advanced studies in international economic law from the Sorbonne in Paris (D. E. A.). He practiced as a French lawyer in the corporate department of Allen & Overy’s Paris office, before establishing Toluna in May 2000.
Martha Llobet is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Q2Q Global, a boutique market research agency established in 2016 to deliver tailored fieldwork solutions grounded in local market expertise. She has over two decades of experience in the research industry, having previously held senior positions at TNS and Kantar (Millward Brown). Since 2023 Martha has also served on the boards of ESOMAR and the Association for Qualitative Research (AQR). She actively supports research excellence and mentors emerging professionals. Since 2025 she is part of Esomar foundation.
