Lifestyle data veteran Dawn Orr is returning to the market to head Scientia, a new lifestyle survey and transactional data business for The REaD Group, as part of its expansion beyond suppression data. The move comes as another new data service, run by EuroDirect, has completed a UK pilot test.
Scientia is launching with a database of seven million consumers, compiled by REaD Group largely using product registration forms collected both on- and offline. "I've been in dialogue with The REaD Group about a number of things, but they had already decided to get into positive data," Orr said. Scientia's data will be transactional, across channels and products, Orr said.
Meanwhile EuroDirect has completed "extensive testing" of a warranty card-based data collection service, as yet unnamed, in partnership with four manufacturers.
Scientia will also compete with a line-up of suppliers that includes Acxiom, Experian, DLG, Transactis and IPT. John Dobson, EuroDirect's former MD and now its new business director, said there was room for new players in the data market. "There's certainly room for some new blood, and new data will do the market some good," he said.
Orr left Acxiom where she was UK data group leader two years ago and has been consulting ever since. At REaD Group she will report to the company's CEO Mark Roy. "Dawn has always set the ‘gold standard' for consumer data and analysis here in the UK," Roy said. "At Scientia, Dawn will be offering an unrivalled degree of active prospect data and bespoke customer modelling sophistication - one that can cost-effectively bolster companies' datasets and add considerably to ROI in what is otherwise a difficult economic climate."
Data players welcomed Orr's return to mainstream DM, where her career spanned ICD, NDL International, Consodata UK and Claritas, both subsequently bought by Acxiom.
Richard Webster, communications director at DLG, said: "It's great to have Dawn back in the market but we've got 20 million individuals and she's going to have a challenge collecting data on a scale to match the current players in the market across channels, which is what clients expect these days."
Mark Patron, CEO of RedEye and a former colleague of Orr's, described her as "a very capable lady". "Yes the market's crowded but if anyone can crack it, Dawn's the one," Patron said.
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