Thoughts from the new kids on the Operational Board block

11th December 2024 16:43

Earlier this year we saw the appointment of three new members to our Operational Board on a rotational basis. This move was the first move of its kind for DJS Research and it's already proven to be an excellent one on both a strategic and operational front.

Simon Driver, Gill Redfern and Charlotte Sykes have over three decades of experience at DJS Research between them - and even more within the research industry as a whole! United by their passion for our organisation, each brings a very different set of qualities and skills to the boardroom table.

Eight months on we’ve asked them how they’re getting on wearing their new board hats and it’s clear they’ve rolled their sleeves up and got stuck straight in...

Simon Driver: "After 7 years in a director role at DJS Research, I was delighted to expand my role further earlier this year with an appointment to the DJS Research Operational Board. My main focus in the past 12 months has been working with colleagues in the Smart Growth pillar, helping to improve commercial understanding across the business and ensuring that we work together to maximise profits for the benefit of Partners. This includes Key Account Management, proactive business winning, and supporting teams to develop their business plans for the next financial year. We are all working hard, alongside the different pillars and EO Voice, to make sure that DJS continues to be a great place to work."

Gill Redfern: "After 12 years as a Director at DJS Research and as Head of Qualitative Services, I was delighted to take on an expanded role earlier this year with my appointment to the DJS Research Operational Board. My focus on the board centres around our Productivity and Efficiency pillar, where we explore and implement solutions to enhance how we work as a business.

This year, we've made great strides, including introducing new research platforms like Discuss.io for qualitative research and Codeit to support with coding our open-ended survey questions. We've also been preparing responsible AI training to uphold the integrity of our analysis and client deliverables, and recently offered partners guidance to improve communication practices; helping us tackle email overload and the stress it can bring.

Looking ahead to 2025, we have exciting plans to develop systems to pool our collective knowledge across the business, ensuring we draw on the right expertise when it comes to preparing proposals and pitches for our clients. We'll continue to keep a close eye on the rapid developments in AI and its applications for our industry and road test any solutions that show promise. Collaboration will be key, and we’re committed to working closely with our Employee Ownership Voice colleagues to ensure ideas from across the business feed into our plans for the year ahead."

Charlotte Sykes: "I was delighted to join the Operational Board in my 13^th year at DJS Research! So far my focus has been running our Client Consultation process, which we use to inform our strategic direction and positioning. I am working to advocate for our clients, to make sure that their needs and expectations continue to be reflected in our offer. I’ve also used the insight generated to lead a brand positioning refresh programme – more on that soon! Finally, I’ve also championed a more collaborative and proactive approach to Resource planning within the business, to ensure maximum efficiency for clients and equity in workload for our people.

Next year, with my ‘Head of International’ hat on, I will be turning my attentions to our growing network of experts, to continue seeking the best partnerships that allow us to expand and improve the breadth of our offer to clients. As a Board member, it’s great to be able to influence aspects of the business that I have been observing and experiencing since joining the company as a Junior Researcher…in 2011!"