I am the Managing Director at HOK Research GmbH, a subsidiary of Kudos Research. In early 2019, we established our European CATI and Online research services in Berlin, and in 2023, we proudly rebranded as HOK Research GmbH. Located in Berlin, a global hub for the research industry, we address the surging demand for top-quality data collection services.Our core focus is on B2B, KOL, Healthcare, Biotech, and Life Sciences data collection. At HOK Research GmbH, we are dedicated to being where our clients need us to be.

I am Kudos' Divisional Director and lead the operations in Berlin/Germany and the healthcare-biotech division worldwide. With expertise in the B2B, hard-to-reach, healthcare, biotech and life sciences sectors, Kudos Research and Kudos Health provide data collection services to research agencies globally. Our offices provide access to 150-seats telephone centres in London and Berlin. Our services include CATI interviewing (either set up by Kudos or linking into clients' surveys), qualitative recruitment and moderation and online panels/recruitment.

Kudos Research provides online and telephone data collection services. My role is to work with clients from the bidding process through fieldwork to data delivery and post project support where needed. After the bidding process I manage everything from questionnaire checking, scripting and programming of CATI/Online/Mobile data collection questionnaires to fieldwork, both online and interviewers driven and deliverables such as raw data, SPSS, Excel, audio recordings, transcriptions, complex tables and expert research solutions. It is important to me that clients get best value for money and excellent support at all stages of the process. Kudos specialises in international B2B and consumer telephone data-collection calling into over 120 countries from our London/UK offices, using native language speakers. We have broad sector experience covering: Healthcare and Pharmaceutical, Customer Satisfaction, Brand Reputation, Finance, Telecommunications, Information Technology, Logistics, Media, Legal, Retail, Leisure/Travel and FMCG. Our expert, London/UK based data processing team handles all our scripting and data-processing needs. Our surveys are all executed and hosted locally. We implement rigorous cognitive testing to check questionnaire semantics and logic, and have a sampling and database team who ensure sample is profiled and managed in accordance with the needs of the study. All staff work to a documented quality system accredited under ISO 20252-12 and IQCS quality standards. Kudos Research has been providing quality market research services to both research agencies and end clients for almost 30 years. We have a strong reputation as a trusted provider of truly global data collection.

As Head of Kudos Health, I work with a team of expert recruiters, researchers and moderators in London and Berlin to find the answers our sponsors are looking for. My team is international and we conduct healthcare data collection all over the world in local languages. Our respondents are working in a wide range of professions in the healthcare industry. We regularly work with:• KOLs (Key Opinion Leaders) and hospital based specialists (Internal medicine, neurologists, anaesthesiologists, interventional cardiologists, urologists, oncologists, ENTs (Ear, Nose and Throat), Infectious disease specialists, rare disease specialists ...)• Office-based physicians (cardiologists, dermatologists, endocrinologists, GPs, pulmonologists…)• Pharmacists (retail and hospital based)• Nurses, respiration therapists, dieticians…• Patients and caregivers (asthma, COPD, MS, Cancer patients…) • Payers (hospital pharmacists, advisory board members, regional/national level payers) • KOLs, high level experts • Biomedical engineers • Life Sciences experts, researchers, lab technicians, lab managers, and procurement personnel in academia, bio-pharma research, commercial/biological research, government, and pharma research.……………………………………………………………………………………………………………Kudos Health is part of Kudos Research, a global healthcare data-collection provider founded in 1986. Our goal is to help improving patients' well being and care.Adherence to quality and ethical standards is paramount to our work. Kudos Research is ISO20252 registered and IQCS/MQA audited. We are a MRS company member. Please do contact me if you need more info or simply want to say hello: vbalk@kudosresearch.com

Market research is my passion. To balance things a little I also run the German Magazine. German Magazine has developed from a print newspaper to a glossy magazine. Main aim is to keep German speaking expats informed about what is happening in London and the rest of the UK. Print run is about 10k copies. Readership is German speaking residents in London and friends of the German language. That includes students, workers, professionals, medical professionals, lawyers and company directors. German Magazine is available free at the majority of German speaking businesses and institutions.We are now setting up an online platform for the magazine.

Responsible for the operation of RONIN’s global data collection operation, including phone, Web, panels, and all of the departments that are needed to support data collection – project management, programming, translation, coding, cross-tab generation, and data output, In addition, I was RONIN’s quality expert, using my membership in ESOMAR, MRS (Market Research Society), CQI (Chartered Quality Institute) and IQCS (Interviewer Quality Control Scheme) to instil a strong culture of quality in the organization. I am a board member of IQCS, which has been instrumental in spearheading the drive for quality control throughout the Market Research industry.

Reviewing and improving processes in order to streamline business activities, Increasing quality of service and productivity whilst maintaining quality and project standards. Efficiency is the key in an ever changing and increasingly competitive market. Formulating tactical and strategic decisions made at RONIN and implementing related changes.Ensuring smooth operations, conducting weekly meetings with the heads of the call centre, DP and research to discuss progress on all projects and to set relevant priorities.First point of call to break potential deadlocks within management teams and hands-on approach to solve problems.Maintaining Quality standards and related accreditations: IQCS, ISO9001, ISO20252

● Managing processes, people and resources● Reporting directly to the Managing Director● Liaising and acting as a broker between teams in the company.● Reviewing and improving processes.● Implementing and maintaining MRQSA, IQCS and ISO9001 standards and related processes● Responsible for accreditation with external auditors and on-going internal auditing/monitoring.● Responsible for ensuring compliance with MRS, ESOMAR Codes of Conduct and the Data Protection Act 1998● Liaising, advising, briefing/training staff at all levels.

● Managing several projects in the Call Centre simultaneously● Setting up and running mixed methodology telephone and web projects.● Deputising for the Call Centre Director

● Recruiting, training and Quality Control.● Interviewer allocation, strike rate analysis and productivity management.● Motivating and coaching international teams.● Managing several large international quant CATI projects.● Managing international recruitment projects.● Producing progress reports, managing translations and testing of Online/CATI studies.● Recruiting B2B respondents to the RONIN Online/CATI panel