Madano, part of the AVENIR GLOBAL group, has appointed Chris Smith as Director, Head of Insights, further strengthening the firm’s offer across research, analytics, data science and strategic intelligence.
Chris brings over 15 years of agency experience to the role. He joins Madano after leading the Research and Insights team at Ketchum and subsequently building an insights function from scratch at The Red Consultancy, where he developed deep expertise across consumer, corporate and healthcare.
Michael Evans, President and Managing Partner at Madano said:
“Chris joins Madano at a really important point in our growth and evolution. The insights market is changing rapidly, and we were looking for someone with the strategic mindset, commercial instinct and leadership qualities to help shape the next phase of our offer. Chris brings deep expertise across research, analytics and communications, alongside a strong track record of building high-performing teams and trusted client relationships. Just as importantly, he’s a great cultural fit for the business, and I’m delighted to welcome him to the leadership team.”
Chris Smith, Director, Head of Insights at Madano said:
“Madano’s work sits where communication gets really interesting. Using evidence and data to help organisations with big ambitions navigate complex challenges is exactly what drives me and I’ve seen first-hand with clients like Allergan and Goldman Sachs how powerful that can be when insight is truly integrated with communications strategy. I’ll be bringing my experience of leading data and insights teams and bridging the ‘So what?’ gap to deliver effective, high-stakes communications. I can’t wait to get stuck in.”
The appointment comes at a significant moment for both Madano and the wider AVENIR GLOBAL group, which recently acquired Thinks Insights, underscoring the group’s commitment to building world-class insights capability.
Madano has also entered PRWeek UK Top 50 for the first time, ranking at number 47, one of only three consultancies to break through this year. Chris joins a growing insights team as the business continues to invest across healthcare and net zero transition.