Sydney, Australia – Independent research and insights agency TRA has expanded its Australian presence with the opening of its new Sydney office. TRA has also announced the appointment of insights leader Terri Hall as managing partner.
Hall’s responsibilities will include growing the Sydney business as well as hiring a team of top research and insight professionals to serve cross-category brands wishing to expand. She will report directly to MD Andrew Lewis and commences her role from April 1 2022.
Hall began her career with Kantar Sydney, where she focused on setting strategic direction for clients such as Arnott’s, Coca-Cola, Diageo, and Breville in the areas of brand, communications, innovation, and customer experience.
In 2018, she returned to Auckland, New Zealand to work for TRA as head of client services, where she managed relationships with New Zealand’s leading telecommunications and retail brands, Spark and The Warehouse Group, integrating insights discipline into the businesses as they transformed and restructured to Agile working models. While in Auckland, Hall successfully doubled the size of TRA’s New Zealand client service team, evolving the team structures and embedding capabilities to ensure success.
The launch of TRA Sydney comes just a few months after the agency opened its first Australian office in Melbourne, under the leadership of Mark Hobart.
Hall said she is thrilled at the opportunity to work closely with Hobart again as they share a passion for growth, people, innovation and bringing the success of TRA to Australia.
According to Hall, the role is a unique opportunity for her to build a team and presence in Sydney with the backing and relationships of its NZ business. “At TRA we do things differently. We have a deep obsession with people and doing what we can to improve their lives. We consistently look to stretch our craft skills, are always challenging ourselves to find innovative and creative solutions to problems and have a relentless focus on telling stories that drive impact. This is what our clients need from us, and I feel we have an exciting opportunity to make an impact in Sydney,” she said.
Hall added, “I love this industry as it truly does put people at the heart of what we do. For me, this is also about building a people-first culture. I can’t wait to build and work with a team that fosters development, great relationships and great fun.”
Andrew Lewis, managing director at TRA, said, “the company is well recognised as a challenger brand with a fresh approach to research that is grounded in innovation and a strong understanding of culture; key attributes brands are looking for in their insights partners.”
Lewis shared, “Expanding our Australian operations and opening an office in Sydney will allow us to scale our impact and purpose – delivering proven capability and servicing that has resonated so well in New Zealand and Melbourne. Appointing Terri to lead Sydney and grow the team was an easy decision. She is an inspiring, energetic leader who has led some of TRA’s largest and most complex projects for our clients in New Zealand and Australia.”
“Terri is passionate about insights and partnerships, with a change and growth mindset that’s central to our clients’ success, and our own. I have no doubt she will be a powerful leader and will lead Sydney and a team of talented people to success,” Lewis added.
