Foster (pictured) was previously a director at the work, welfare and wellbeing team at IFF Research, where she spent six years and led many of the company’s large-scale mixed methods evaluations across a range of UK government departments.

Prior to her time at IFF Research, Foster worked at the UK Commission for Employment and Skills, the Centre for Economic and Social Inclusion and the Department for Work and Pensions.

Foster has experience in policy areas including education, employment, housing and financial inclusion, and has interests in increasing the impact of evidence in policy development and widening access routes into the social research profession.

In her new role, Foster will work as part of Kantar Public’s evaluation practice leadership team, which provides end-to-end evaluation to UK government and public sector clients.

The appointment follows Kantar’s decision last month to sell Kantar Public to private equity firm Trilantic Europe for an undisclosed fee.

Craig Watkins, chief executive at Kantar Public, said: “I am delighted to have Rowan join us in the Kantar Public UK team. Rowan’s deep expertise in her policy areas further enhances our rapidly growing evaluation practice and offer.

“Rowan brings enviable knowledge and extensive delivery experience with a strong focus on client impact that will strengthen the team’s end-to-end evaluation offer and services we offer our clients.”