BDRC Group Makes Second Major Investment in Asia Pacific

LONDON, November 24, 2011 -

London-based BDRC Group today announced a second major investment in Asia Pacific.

Following close behind the October launch of BDRC Asia in Singapore, the company has taken a strategic stake in Australian agency Jones Donald Strategy Partners (JDSP). Established in 1998, JDSP has a dozen staff and recorded revenues of more than AUD$3.5m to end June 2011. The Sydney-based company has a strong reputation in financial, retail and telecoms research and consulting.

BDRC and JDSP have long had an informal relationship sharing ideas and at times resources. Over the past year the companies have discussed their common goals and aspirations, and last month agreed to formalise this with a more concrete relationship. Roger Donbavand, until recently a board director of BDRC Continental in London, has relinquished his role at that agency to join JDSP as Managing Partner with effect from 8^th November. 

Dr Cris Tarrant, CEO of the BDRC Group, commented “With Asia increasingly important to the growth plans of many of our clients we have a strategic goal to build our presence in the region and this is another step towards achieving that aim. Jones Donald is an excellent fit for us and, with Roger moving to Sydney we anticipate the businesses working very effectively together.”

Tony Jones, founder of JDSP, who now becomes Senior Partner, said, “We have taken this step in response to increasing client expectations of both regional and global capability and resources. We will now have access to more than 100 staff in the London and Singapore offices of the BDRC Group. With Roger Donbavand on board, I will step back from day to day management responsibilities and increase the amount of time I spend working with our teams on client assignments and ensuring we deliver on our promise “to help clients succeed in business”.

Reflecting on his new role, Donbavand added “I have great respect for Tony Jones and the team at Jones Donald and our investment in the company recognises this. I want to help develop and expand the company so that clients feel they are benefiting from additional products and services that enable their business to expand and prosper.  I am very excited about our now shared prospects for the future.”

The BDRC Group also owns BDRC Continental and Perspective Research Services in the UK.

About the BDRC Group

The BDRC Group comprises leading specialist market research agency BDRC Continental, operations group Perspective Research Services and most recently BDRC Asia.

The Group ethos is that each company be staffed by highly experienced researchers with great reputations in their individual fields as well as in the market research industry. Clients of the BDRC Group value the consultative approach and ability to understand and add value to clients’ businesses - what we call ‘providing intelligence’. BDRC Continental has developed proprietary techniques including Tracktion, Grapevine, Service Intensity, the Business Opinion Omnibus, SME Finance Monitor and ZMET Visionary Thinking. Perspective Research Services brings expertise in all aspects of data collection across the globe - business and consumer; qualitative and quantitative; telephone, face-to-face and online - and offers a range of tools for data handling, analysis and reporting. BDRC Asia, Singapore’s newest full service agency specializing in B2B, financial, and travel and tourism research and business consulting opened in October 2011. BDRC Asia offers both a CATI facility and a viewing studio housed in its offices. 

About Jones Donald Strategy Partners

Jones Donald Strategy Partners (JDSP) was founded in 1998 and has built a relationship based consultancy focussed largely on the strategic end of the market research spectrum.  Its client base is primarily market leading companies looking for continuous improvement and opportunities to capture competitive advantage. The firm has been developed around a capacity to undertake complex studies demanding innovation in both qualitative and quantitative techniques to deliver commercially rewarding solutions for business and marketing issues.  The majority of the firm’s assignments focus on the identification of strategies for business, performance improvement, communications, marketing and product development.  

Industry focus areas have traditionally included telecommunications, retail and financial services, with the last five years seeing this broadening to offer unique expertise in travel and tourism, selected FMCG and media. Assisting clients operating in global markets the firm works regularly outside Australia having conducted projects in more than ten countries in Europe, Asia and the Pacific region.  

JDSP is recognised for its capacity to deliver clear guidance for the implementation of strategies with customers at the centre. Unusually, it works extensively with B2B as well as consumer facing brands.

More information can be found at:

www.bdrc-continental.com

www.jonesdonald.com.au

www.bdrc-asia.com

www.perspectivemr.co.uk

For press enquiries please contact: Gabrielle Prior, Greenfields Communications, Australia office, gprior at greenfieldscommunications.com Tel: +44(0)357-282416; Lucy Green, Greenfields Communications UK, lgreen at greenfieldscommunciations.com Tel: +44(0)7817-698366