Tasnim Kolia
Summary
Accomplished qualitative research director with 18+ years of specialized experience, recently appointed as Associate Research Director at Ipsos Netherlands. Starting June 1, 2024, leading international projects. Results-driven professional with extensive experience in leadership and strategic oversight. Successfully managed teams and drove commercial growth for key accounts including Google, Coca-Cola, Reckitt Benckiser, and Tiger Brands. Notable achievements include facilitating strategic Brand Edge Workshops for TCCC across Africa in 2019 and cultivating a strong relationship with Google resulting in 300% growth. Passionate about driving business growth and creating a positive work environment. Addressing various client research needs such as understanding people within personal and cultural contexts related to brands or categories, idea generation, customer journey mapping, concept evaluation, and insight generation. Strategic mindset and empathetic listening skills enable seamless weaving of research pieces to deliver compelling narratives aligned with strategic objectives. Solid foundation in leadership and team management. Eager to continue contributing and growing within this environment.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
Work History
Associate Director
IPSOS NL
06.2024 - Current
- Lead international research projects
- Mentor junior team members
- Engage with clients from briefing to final presentation of results
- Liaise with and partner across teams in other units to deliver one collaborative approach tailored to certain client business needs (Quan
- And Qual)
Account Director
IPSOS SA
01.2018 - 04.2024
- Management of key Client relationships e.g., Google, TCCC, Reckitt Benckiser etc
- Achieved and exceeded financial targets for 2021 (in terms of Sales) from above key Clients
- Leadership of team members (2 x Associate Account Managers and 1 x Intern) who are my direct reports
- Engagement with Clients on all levels from Briefing to Proposal writing, presentation of our approach, Project management, Fieldwork, analysis and reporting to Final presentation/ workshop of Insights
- Liaise with and partner across teams in other units to deliver one collaborative approach tailored to certain client business needs (Quant.
- And Qual)
- Monthly global connect with internal Global account directors to touch base and align on Client priorities during the year
English Teacher
01.2016 - 12.2017
- Took just over a year off out of the corporate world, to immerse myself in a brand-new culture
- Lived in the exotic melting pot that is Istanbul, where East meets West
- Taught English, drank Turkish coffee and embraced every vibrant moment!
Account Manager: Qualitative
IPSOS SA
01.2015 - 12.2016
- Management of a portfolio of clients inclusive of multiple projects simultaneously
- Interrogate client business needs together with team to design and create optimal approach to research design
- People management of Senior research executive and Research executive in my team
- Monitor and respond to client requests on a continual basis at each stage of the project process
- Deliver strategic results to address client needs
- Analysis of primary and secondary data sources to meet the requirements of clients
- Presentation delivery to client
- Qualitative team lead for the qualitative component of the break-through multi-country study i.e
- African Lions study (Define and understand the African so called middle market)
- Drive for achieving financial targets for account team
- Deliver competitive costing to clients
- Key Clients: Absa, Suntory, Game Massmart, Old Mutual
- Ad hoc: Shell, Samsung, Huawei
Account Manager: QUALITATIVE
Research International/ TNS
01.2006 - 12.2013
- Company Overview: (Started my Qual
- Research career as a JRE at Research International which later merged with TNS)
- Client relationship management
- Strategically managing briefs by interrogating businesses issues and external factors
- Lead the first multi country ethnographic study for Nokia
- Lead brand equity studies for BAT
- Project management of ongoing qualitative communication tracking study for Standard Bank
- Repeat work with MTN for global and regional campaign evaluation
- Strengthening relationship with MTN
- Lead CTI I.e., Consumer technical insights projects for Unilever
- Supportive resource in capacity as Research executive and Junior executive
- Responsible for recruitment questionnaire design
- Drafting Proposals
- Writing discussion guides
- Focus group moderation
- Analysis
- Report writing
- (Started my Qual
- Research career as a JRE at Research International which later merged with TNS)
Education
PGDM - Marketing
UNISA
01.2010
B Comm Degree - Marketing and Business Admin. Majors
UKZN
01.1998
Matriculated -
Durban Girls Secondary School
01.1994
Skills
- Consumer understanding and insight generation
- Client development
- Financial target delivery
- Growth of Key Accounts
- Leadership
- Understanding Consumer behaviour
- Customer Insight
- Project Planning
- Project Management
- Workshop Facilitation
- Online research
- Face to Face research
Accomplishments
1. Growth of the Google account by 300% between 2018 to 2022
2. Recognition of project work done for Google by Ipsos Global as the only client case study chosen across Africa, to be presented at the 2023 GM conference in Portugal.
3. New role created by Ipsos global for me in 2021 to be the dedicated client lead on the Google account for the entire Sub-Saharan region.
4. Lead client workshops for Coca Cola across African markets for Brand edge identification.
4. Member of the Masutane mentorship circle programme - joined in 2024 to share learnings with industry peers.
Phone
- +27, 83 786 4222
- +31, 622199408
Coreprofiencies
- Consumer understanding and insight generation
- Client development
- Financial target delivery
- Growth of Key Accounts
- Leadership
- Understanding Consumer behaviour
- Customer Insight
- Project Planning
- Project Management
- Workshop Facilitation
- Online research
- Face to Face research
Timeline
Associate Director
IPSOS NL
06.2024 - Current
Account Director
IPSOS SA
01.2018 - 04.2024
English Teacher
01.2016 - 12.2017
Account Manager: Qualitative
IPSOS SA
01.2015 - 12.2016
Account Manager: QUALITATIVE
Research International/ TNS
01.2006 - 12.2013
B Comm Degree - Marketing and Business Admin. Majors
UKZN
Matriculated -
Durban Girls Secondary School
PGDM - Marketing
UNISA
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