MMR Research Worldwide welcomes former TNS Director Clive Little to head new Asia operation

One of the world’s largest privately-owned and fastest growing research specialists responds to global demand for its sensory, product optimisation and NPD consumer research services.

In response to demand from multinational clients for locally delivered research and sensory expertise in Asia, MMR Research Worldwide (MMR) has established a new Asian operation based out of Singapore. Former TNS Regional Director, Clive Little, will head up the regional business unit, bringing more than 27 years’ market research agency experience, including the last 13 years leading and growing global and regional research companies and driving multi-country work within the Asia region.

As part of this strategic expansion, targeted at helping global food, drink and personal care companies develop successful brands for Asian markets, MMR has also opened a Sensory Science Centre, in Shanghai. This complements MMR’s professional sensory panels in the UK and USA. MMR will provide its full service product, pack and brand research offering including Brandphonics®emotion-based techniques.

“Many of our clients are focusing on expanding into Asia, which represents a huge but challenging market for food, drink and personal care brands. Increasingly we are being told that there is a considerable requirement for higher quality, sensory and product development research to help them achieve success in that part of the world. With the opening of our Asian operation, and the leadership of Clive Little – one of the most experienced executives in the industry – we are able to become a truly global partner for our multinational clients,” says Mat Lintern, MMR managing director. “This is an incredibly exciting time for MMR as we start to fulfil our international ambitions.”

The recent set-up of MMR in China is already proving very successful in servicing the needs of existing multinational clients. The company has fully-trained sensory panels working out of its Sensory Science Centre in Shanghai. An accelerated programme of expansion is currently taking place. With large-scale fieldwork studies in China and Japan, MMR is currently recruiting further specialist quantitative research staff, from the local market and internationally.

New Regional CEO, Clive Little, says “I am very excited about joining MMR which is entering the Asian market at exactly the right time. Recent industry consolidation has created large generalist research agencies and the result is even fewer choices for clients in Asia. There is now a clear market for research providers delivering specialised, focussed offers. MMR is uniquely placed to meet such demands and expectations with its expertise across the sensory, innovation and product development space. We have already had a tremendous response from clients in China and Japan on which we are looking to rapidly build as we establish the MMR brand and services across the Asian region.”

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About MMR Research Worldwide

MMR Research Worldwide (MMR) is a leading research partner for food, drink and personal care companies with offices in the UK, USA, Singapore and China. With profound expertise in sensory research, product testing, packaging innovation, NPD and emotion-based research, MMR provides innovative, creative and scientifically-robust research and is a trusted advisor on all product, brand and packaging strategy decisions. MMR’s clients have access to a variety of unique proprietary research assets including Brandphonics® – an approach to identify what influences consumer choice – in-house sensory facilities and MMR Pulse, a food and drink trend-tracking information resource. MMR is part of the MMR Group which is a privately-owned research company employing in excess of 130 people. Founded in 1989 by Professor David Thomson, the Group is headquartered in Oxfordshire, UK. www.mmr-research.com

About Clive Little

Clive Little has been working in market research for 27 years, almost exclusively in the Asia-Pacific region, where he has resided in Hong Kong, Indonesia and Singapore whilst working throughout the region. Clive has extensive and in-depth knowledge of Asia Pacific and emerging growth markets across a wide number of sectors, but particularly in consumer packaged goods. He has a strong interest in the areas of consumer understanding, innovation, brands and communication. His career has included senior management roles across countries, regions and global business units with particular success in launching proprietary tools and techniques to Asian-based clients and establishing successful multi-country business practices in Asia to handle on and off shoring projects from regional and global clients.

Press Enquiries

Claire Dumbreck, Propel Technology, Bloxham Mill, Barford Road, Bloxham, Banbury, Oxfordshire, UK, OX15 4FF. +44 (0)1295 724130 / +44 (0) 7768 773857. claire@propel-technology.com

Press Enquiries
Claire Dumbreck, Propel Technology, Bloxham Mill, Barford Road, Bloxham, Banbury, Oxfordshire, UK, OX15 4FF. 44 (0)1295 724130 / 44 (0) 7768 773857. claire@propel-technology.com

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