Chedore will stay on Synovate’s board of directors until the end of the year and work as a consultant for the agency and its parent company Aegis on specific projects.

The outgoing CEO said: “It’s been an incredible eight years. It’s hard to believe that the Synovate name is only six years old. I think we can all be very proud of the growth and success we have achieved. I think it’s fair to say we’ve arrived and I can’t think of a better, more capable leader than Robert to lead the company into its next phase.”

But Chedore’s replacement takes the reins at a turbulent time. This morning Synovate’s parent Aegis reported that the research business made a £3.2m operating loss in the first half of 2009, compared to a £7.9m profit in the same period last year. Profits for the group as a whole were also down on last year.

Philpott joined the company in 1996 and served in a variety of roles across the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific, including CEO of the firm’s offices in the US, Canada and Latin America, before being given the role of global chief operating officer in 2006.

Chicago-based Philpott said: “Adrian leaves a strong legacy in Synovate, and I look forward to building upon the dynamic culture he has created. Despite the challenges of the current economic environment I believe that Synovate has the talent and client focus to ensure that the Synovate story of success will endure.”

Chedore was one of the founders of Asia Market Intelligence in 1991, before the firm was acquired by Aegis in 2000. He became CEO of Aegis Research, which later became Synovate, in 2001.