Over the last 25 years, B2B International has grown from a single office in Manchester, UK, to a global business with more than 100 employees, spread over 13 offices and 3 continents!
As a result of this business growth, so too has our leadership team grown and now counts on 150 years’ collective experience working at B2B International and reflects a diverse set of backgrounds, knowledge, and skillsets.
We therefore wanted to share each of our leadership team’s stories with you, including their experiences working at B2B International and in the market research industry, the personal achievements they’re most proud of, and most importantly, the lessons learned along the way and their advice for aspiring leaders.
In part 3 of our ‘Meet Our Leaders’ series, we’ll be sharing the stories of:
- Joe Boag – Head of APAC Research | Singapore
- Tom Percival – Managing Director, B2B International London | London
- Colette Stevens – Head of Research Excellence | Manchester
- Bernd Büchner – Head of B2B International Germany | Frankfurt
To learn more about all our leaders, view the full PDF here.
Joe Boag
Head of APAC Research | Singapore
How long have you worked for B2B International?
Over 10 years! During the first two years, I worked in the operations center conducting telephone, depth and focus group interviews before moving into the executive and analysis part of the business. I valued this time as it gave me a great foundation in how to design and execute great market research.
Why market research?
I have always been a curious person and I love playing devil’s advocate. It is rewarding to get to the heart of truth, and design programs to solve the biggest business problems our clients face.
What’s your favorite thing about working for a Merkle company?
Rather than stopping at the final presentation stage, it’s satisfying to see the research go further and be at the heart of large transformational projects.
What’s the best advice you’ve been given?
“Man is disturbed not by things, but by the views he takes of them.” – Epictetus.
Anything and everything that happens to us is neither good or bad, it is just how we view them or react to them. This keeps me centered during periods of stress both professionally and personally.
Which personal achievement are you most proud of?
I climbed and summitted Point Lenana on Mt. Kenya.
What advice would you give to aspiring leaders?
Finding an industry or sector you are interested in is definitely key – you need to be passionate. But more importantly, find a good set of peers that you enjoy working with and who push you to be better. Never underestimate the value of the personal relationships you forge at work as many will go on to be close friends even after moving on.
It’s also important to prepare for the long haul. To crack leadership, it is not just industry expertise that’s important but also company expertise. Spending a longer tenure at a company helps you witness first-hand how the company operates. It is this knowledge that can be used to identify improvements.
Tom Percival
Managing Director, B2B International London | London
How long have you worked for B2B International?
I started working for B2B International in 2017 as a Research Manager, so I’ve just had my fifth anniversary.
What’s your favorite thing about working for B2B International?
I love working with clients in a wide range of industries. The fact we work in B2B means that there are some weird and wonderful things to learn on every project!
Why market research?
I always feel very satisfied when we work with clients to give them the insights and advice they need to make important strategic decisions.
What’s your favorite thing about working for a Merkle company?
Working with our media and creative colleagues has been a big learning experience for me. It’s been really interesting to understand more about how our research can be used to power our clients’ media and marketing strategies. By working together I feel that we can all add much more value to our clients.
What’s the best advice you’ve been given?
Treat people as you’d like to be treated.
Which personal achievement are you most proud of?
I’d say my biggest achievement was finishing my PhD – it was a very long slog!
Colette Stevens
Head of Research Excellence | Manchester
How long have you worked for B2B International?
9 years!
What’s your favorite thing about working for B2B International?
One thing is tricky – what I enjoy the most is the variety and the fact that two days are never the same.
Why market research?
I’m nosey – asking people questions and hearing different perspectives for a living is fascinating.
What’s your favorite thing about working for a Merkle company?
We don’t always find out what decisions are made following a research project or the creative routes that are chosen, working with our creative and media colleagues means we get much more visibility around what happens after our projects come to an end.
What’s the best advice you’ve been given?
You might not be the smartest person in the room, or the most experienced but you can be the most enthusiastic – i.e., focus on what you can control.
Which personal achievement are you most proud of?
Walking 10,000 steps (almost) every day since January 1st 2021 – there’s only a handful of days I’ve not managed to hit my target.
What advice would you give to aspiring leaders?
Make sure you’re always learning (and having fun!).
Bernd Büchner
Head of B2B International Germany | Frankfurt
How long have you worked for B2B International?
I joined in September 2022, so my journey has only just started.
What’s your favorite thing about working for B2B International?
Two things made me join B2B International – the people I met during the process of joining, and our USP of being a market research agency 100% focused on B2B.
Why market research?
Because it combines working with people and data and analytics; both of which I love.
What’s your favorite thing about working for a Merkle company?
Having access to a much broader and wider network that provides huge opportunities to bring in our insights expertise.
What’s the best advice you’ve been given?
Never complain, never explain – but it can be tough advice to follow!
What advice would you give to aspiring leaders?
Learn from other leaders, but always remember that there are many different ways to be a leader, not just one.
If you have any questions or want to discuss your research requirements with any of our leaders, the contact details for each office can be found here or by clicking below .