Fira Chen, Senior Consultant

I joined The Behavioural Architects in 2016 as a Consultant following three years as a qualitative researcher and moderator at Livingston Market Consultants. My experience ranges across different sectors: FMCG, Beauty, Healthcare and Early Years Nutrition and Babycare – providing me with the opportunity to better understand how different brands have relevance and roles with consumer’s lifestyles, decision-making and needs. I earned my bachelor’s degree from Sun Yat-sen University majoring in English Literature and Russian in 2013.

Research is about always being curious about why people interact and behave as consumers the way they do or claim they do. Joining TBA has empowered my curiosity by providing new tools and ways of thinking to inspire me to identify accurate insights that our clients can act on. The inspiration comes not only from an excellent team of qualitative professionals here, but also from our visionary clients.

Oliver Cheng, Consultant

Prior to joining The Behavioural Architects in Shanghai in 2018, I was a quantitative researcher at Labbrand consultancy but began my career at a Silicon Valley based incubator that spanned operations and marketing. Since returning to China, I have been involved in marketing insight to inform China-market strategy in Technology (Airbnb, Apple, LinkedIn) and other sectors (The Body Shop, Philips, Audi, YSL).

I have always been curious to get beyond the data and closer to real consumer behaviour, with all its complexities and contradictions, and jumped at the opportunity to join TBA to enhance my qualitative research skills and apply a behavioural science lens. My ambition is to become a customer-focused business and market research specialist who excels at being innovative, insightful and analytical to support brands and companies to deliver to their consumer base and business strategy.

I am fluent in Mandarin, Cantonese and English (and some proficiency in French).

Fred Dong, Associate Director

I joined The Behavioural Architects in 2011 with a background in Arts administration. Working as a qualitative researcher, I have in-depth experience across a range of FMCG clients including food, snacks, beverages, (including alcohol) and also in the healthcare sector.

I’m also excited to explore and apply new technologies to qualitative research in order to facilitate higher quality research. Conducting projects via digital platforms contributes valuable first-hand insights to understand our audiences, especially amongst the youth in China.

I am inspired by Behavioural Economics because it provides a new perspective and framework to understanding people’s behaviour. For example, it was fascinating to apply the theories and concepts drawn from the behavioural sciences to the Chinese low tier market for a recent project, decoding the Chinese cultural context in order to identify opportunities for our global clients.

Roger Baker, Strategy Director

I joined The Behavioural Architects in Shanghai in April 2013 as Strategy Director. Prior to this I have spent 13 years working in qualitative research at a global level. I was always curious about what makes people tick and behave the way we do (or claim we do!), and qualitative research provided the perfect channel.

My career started at a pioneering qualitative boutique agency in London in 1997 with Michael Herbert Associates, then in qualitative consultancy with Headlight Vision in London, working with their global clients. I then relocated to Scotland in 2003 to join Scott Porter Research as Qualitative Research Director to develop their qualitative offering as the first boutique research consultancy in the region. In mid-2011, the family relocated to China where I took a role as Chief Representative of Elizabeth Norman International and set up their new consultancy for the Asia region.

I am excited about applying insights from the behavioural sciences to global and local client briefs and strategy and looking forward to driving our innovative thinking within the rapidly changing China and Asia market.

Anna Jiang, Director

I joined The Behavioural Architects, Shanghai (formerly Research Essentials) in 2007. I have a wide range of experience with global FMCG clients such as Pepsico, Mondelez, ABIinBev and Pernod Ricard as well as healthcare clients such as Abbott. My research experience includes foundational consumer insights, innovation, product evaluation and communication research.

Behavioural economics provides a sound scientific grounding to our research that inspires us to re-think and rejuvenate our approach and methodologies to understand and interpret consumer decision-making and behaviour. We have found that applying an analytical framework to research using tools inspired by the behavioural sciences generates richer and more actionable consumer insights and leads to real behavioural change which can better address clients’ business goals.

Vivian Ho, Associate Director

I joined The Behavioural Architects, Shanghai in 2013, and prior to this, I worked at TNS Research International in Hong Kong, and IPSOS Greater China. I grew up and began by career in Hong Kong, but relocated to Shanghai in 2010 with IPSOS.

I am fascinated by the dynamic and rapid change of the mainland China market. Here lives a huge population with distinct cultural values, and consumption habits, which are similar but equally so different across regions, city tiers, and generations.

This changing market combined with the insights from behavioural science elicits drives my strong interest in designing and conducting qualitative research. I am keen to use the tools offered by behavioural economics to better understand the drivers behind consumer decision-making and behaviour.

Joyce Li, Consultant

I’m a qualitative researcher and trained moderator, with over nine years’ experience in top international research agencies MB Firefly and Ipsos.

Joining The Behavioural Architects, Shanghai (formerly Research Essentials) in early 2011 has opened an exciting and different qualitative world to me, moving beyond research into strategic consultancy. I have gathered extensive qualitative experience in market exploration, concept and product testing, sensory tests, and brand positioning studies across key industries, such as FMCG, personal care, pharma and health, alcohol, digital products and fashion.

I find the field of behavioural economics incredibly exciting as it provides us with a framework to understand the context surrounding the consumer and how their behaviors are influenced or changed. It also inspires different approaches to research such as simply observing behaviour and listening to consumers which I have found can generate much deeper insights than some other methodologies.

Sarah Lu, Director

Before joining The Behavioural Architects in 2013, I spent five years working at the Chinese brand consultancy Labbrand, where I developed expertise in applying consumer insights to branding across many industries, such as hotel and leisure industry, beauty, fashion, luxury brands, food and beverages. This inspired my curiosity and allowed me to better understand qualitative research.

I am excited to be working in such innovative research at The Behavioural Architects. I believe that Behavioural Economics can facilitate us to understand more deeply and better interpret consumer behaviour. Fuelled by this ever-developing field, I think we can offer a better connection and an in-depth understanding between brands and consumers.

Mandy Meng, Consultant

I joined The Behavioural Architects in March, 2016. Prior to that I spent over 3 years at Jigsaw Research working in qualitative research across a range of categories: FMCG, Personal Care, Household Appliances and Pharma. I have a Master’s degree in Marketing from the University of Queensland, Australia.

With four years’ experience in the research industry, I have accumulated hands-on experience in consumer insight understanding, branding communications, and market entry and strategy.

I am fascinated by the field of behavioural science and Behavioral Economics. Inspired by BE, I feel empowered with a new systematic methodology to better understand the consumer mindset and behaviour in the fast-changing and exciting Chinese market landscape.

Joanna Quiao, Consultant

Prior to joining TBA Shanghai in 2017, I worked as a marketing consultant for Citi Group, exclusively managing Mid-to-High end customer profiling, market segmentation, product marketing strategy and communication. I’ve been involved in multiple projects covering FMCG, fashion and the new emerging digital consumer market.

I love applying behavioural science to help unlock new insights about a brand, product or service, interpreting consumer behaviour to help companies to add core value and compete in today China’s rapidly-changing market.

Qing Wang, Founder

Trained in Germany, I started my career in brand marketing at Henkel KGaA in Dusseldorf. I spent 10-years working across a range of categories and geographic and cultural locations, including Europe and the MiddleEast, finally returning to China in 2004 to lead the Chinese launch of Schwarzkopf Hair Line.

I have always been fascinated about how different contexts can shape and impact our behaviour in all areas of our lives, as consumers and also as individuals. This fascination finally led me to move on and co-found Research Essentials in 2006. I’ve worked on a number of key global clients, including PepsiCo, Unilever and Sony Ericsson.

Merging with The Behavioural Architects will allow us to extend our international reach and critically tap into new thinking from the behavioural sciences, in particular Behavioural Economics. In this changing era, there is a big challenge and opportunity for qualitative research to embrace new thinking and help clients to stay ahead of change.

Rosie Zhang, Consultant

Prior to joining The Behavioural Architects Shanghai in 2018, I worked in Tokyo as a qualitative researcher in the Beauty & Fashion sectors for global brands such as Lancôme, Clarins, LV and Burberry.

I love languages (I am fluent in Mandarin, English and Japanese) and my cross-cultural background has helped me appreciate the significant role of culture in shaping consumers’perceptions and behaviour about brands, products and emerging trends.

At TBA, I value how we empower our clients with new insight by drawing on behavioral science to better understand consumer decision-making and choices. It enables us to more accurately interpret Chinese consumer behaviours in the marketplace.

Sharon Zhou, Founder

A passionate qualitative practitioner, I started my career in the 90’s at the Market Research Institute – the first qualitative research agency in China. In 1995 I joined Oracle, the predecessor of Oracle Added Value. I moved on to Millward Brown in 2001 and became Qualitative Account Director leading a team of 5 people.

In 2006 I co-founded Research Essentials in Shanghai, whose vision was to deliver insights, brand and communication solutions inspired by genuine understanding of the people, culture and changes underway in China. My key clients include Kraft, Unilever and J&J (XJP).

Behavioural Economics provides insights into the many paradoxes about consumers that we as qualitative researchers observe and experience. I’m excited about the prospects ahead of us!

Fangfang Zhou, Office Manager

I joined The Behavioural Architects in early 2018. I manage daily operations, support the team and manage finances. Prior to TBA I spent seven years in a Chinese chemical company as an office administrator, where I ran daily operations, providing support to the team. I am happy to join The Behavioural Architects and be a valued part of a friendly and highly professional team.