Opinion Leader, CIE’s full service consultancy, has made two strategic moves within the organisation, as well as a new joiner.

In particular, managing director Sinéad Jefferies’ (pictured) responsibilities will change to play a more strategic role with clients of both Opinion Leader and the CIE Group, due to her relocation to France. As a result, her existing day-to-day team responsibilities within Opinion Leader will be taken on by Neil Samson, director, who has been with the consultancy for eight years.

In addition Opinion Leader has recruited Sania Haq, formerly of RS Consulting, as research manager.

Qualitative fieldwork agency, Cherry Picked, has appointed Jessica Turner as qualitative fieldwork consultant; she has more than 10 years’ experience in research and was previously qualitative services manager for healthcare service provider WorldOne.

Watermelon Research, Chime’s specialist digital research arm, has made three new hires: Isobel Rudlin, Liam Kilby and Annabel Wood as analysts. Rudlin previously worked as a planning assistant at property consultancy; Kilby specialised in SEO optimisation and HTML code, and Wood joined from a previous role in education.

Facts International, its fieldwork business, has appointed Lora Webb as research executive and Janine Waters as HR Manager.

Ashley Lewis has joined CIE Commercial as insight manager, joining from start-up research business Bamm.