Jon-Paul Best

Authored several white papers into the evolving financial services landscape, using primary research and secondary sources

• Consumer sentiment and outlook towards the cost of living crisis
• The impact of cashless/e-wallets and super-apps on the usage and attitudes towards financial services
• The future role of the branch and whether it will survive.
• The opportunities of Islamic Banking and demystifying misconceptions.
• Readiness and opinions towards retirement and how this should be funded.

• Leader of Nielsen Malaysia (c.125 employees) for over 5 years. Reversing declining financial performance within 2 years, increasing sales and profitability, even during pandemic and ad downturn.
• Transformed Nielsen's reputation and client experience, responding to the changing media industry: expanded media & ad measurement, focus on quality insights in the context of a dynamic industry.
• Developed impactful client partnerships by understanding business goals/challenges and introducing bespoke enhancements.
• Client portfolio of local media giants, international players, tech companies, agencies and government.
• Drove BD aligned with global priorities and local market gaps, achieving several multi-million dollar wins.
• Led change and transformation management following the sale of NielsenIQ, realigning core media business.
• Fostered culture of collaboration and inclusion across all employees, increasing employee engagement (highest in SE Asia) and minimising turnover.
• Regular media appearances, published regular external comms and white papers: promoting Nielsen, contextualising media & consumer trends and impact.

• One year secondment to Nielsen's lighthouse Business Process Improvement team, with Black Belt accreditation. Tasked with creating a more agile, efficient and responsive organisation via tech and big data.
• Worked with global leaders across Commercial, Tech and Ops, Maximising process efficiency, standardising corporate actions, policies, procedures, client experience and profitability.
• Responsible for identification, development and execution of performance improvement projects, employing LEAN, Six Sigma and Agile methodologies.

• Ownership of P&L, team and BD in Research (Qual & Quant), PM and Ops (50+ staff).
• Responsible for strategic direction, as well as active project involvement, and client development (research/marketing/CX/board).
• Restructured service and delivery, contributing to double-digit growth.
• Global client partner for several flagship accounts (Citi Group, Malaysian Central Bank), and business partner for Maybank, Malaysia's largest bank.
• Ensuring insight was business appropriate, had client endorsement and could be executed effectively.
• Specialisation in financial services, telecoms and FMCG, with focus on CX & branding.

• Progressively senior positions, leaving as Head of Loyalty, responsible for CX, journey mapping, mystery shopping, U&A and big data analytics.
• Focus on financial services (HSBC, Citi Group, Axa, OCBC), automotive, QSR, media, and tobacco.
• Development of quant team capabilities to ensure usage of critical thinking to break down problems, evaluate solutions and ensure client objectives were answered.
• Responsible for several multi-market projects, across APAC and MENA.

• Progressively senior roles, leaving as Associate Director of Financial Services (Quantitative).
• Experience across most elements of customised market research.
• Key clients included HBoS, M&S Bank, Barclays, Legal & General, Santander, National Australia Group/Virgin Money.