Downes (pictured) was most recently a policy researcher at The King’s Fund and senior analyst on the health and care team at Engage Britain, and is a former employee at Thinks.

Ella Jenkins has been named behavioural associate director in Thinks’ applied behavioural insights team, and formerly worked at Ogilvy UK.

Chloe Juliette joins Thinks as associate director, specialising in qualitative methods, having previously worked at Ipsos UK and What Works for Children’s Social Care.

Thinks has appointed Alex Beard as senior client lead from the Communications Directorate at the Home Office, following agency roles at Quadrangle and CFE, and Kirsty MacLeod as senior research executive, previously at Ipsos UK’s public affairs department.

Thinks has hired four research leads: Josh Cohen from Alan, Greg Hyatt from Incite, Hannah Kearsey from Yonder Consulting and Adina Pintilie from Ridgeway Information.

Janice Osibo and Hannah Gregory join Thinks’ project operations team as team assistants, having worked in the NHS and the Wine and Spirit Education Trust respectively.

Among the promotions at Thinks are Rebecca Burslam and Eilidh MacGregor to research lead, James Cox and Teresa Kuhn to associate director; Molly Jeffreys and Harry Rogers to senior research executive, and Phoebe Ward to associate director.

In addition, Thinks’ January 2023 cohort of interns have all been promoted to research executives – Ioana Diac, Florence Hammond, Anh Hoang and Orla O’Dwyer.

Ben Shimshon, managing partner at Thinks Insight & Strategy, said: “Our expanding team is testament not only to the fantastic work we’re delivering for clients across sectors and markets, but also to Thinks’ unique offer to employees: great careers, great colleagues and work that matters, all at an employee-owned agency where our success is truly shared.”