He will remain at the helm of the company until a replacement is appointed and to ensure a successful transition, which the firm said could “take some months”.

Havemann was one of the co-founders of Research Now and was made president and CEO of the enlarged group when E-Rewards bought the firm in late 2009.

During his tenure in charge he oversaw the acquisitions of social media sample supplier Peanut Labs and social media research agency Conversition Strategies.

Havemann (pictured) said: “A decision like this is always a tough one to make, but after 11 years, I am confident the time is right. We have now successfully completed the integration of the Research Now acquisition as well as subsequent acquisitions, the business is performing well and we expect healthy growth to continue this year.”