Giselle Hillman

Giselle has a first class degree in statistics from the University of London. Following graduation she worked for the Government Statistical Society for a year before moving into market research in 2003 via a small Westminster-based agency specialising in healthcare and consumer goods sectors. Whilst there Giselle worked mainly on conjoint analysis and development of custom-built Excel simulators.

Giselle then moved on to work for a global research agency where she specialised in customer satisfaction analysis, brand positioning and market segmentation whilst developing project management and questionnaire design skills as brand manager of two of the company’s global analytical tools. Giselle also provided consultancy and training for partner companies around the world.

Giselle joined the Bonamy Finch analytics team in 2008 specialising in conjoint, segmentation, and key driver analysis.

What kind of animal would make the best market research analyst?

Probably a pig (displaying the same cunning as in Animal Farm) or a crocodile or something like that! Not that I’m particularly pleased with those comparisons! They’re not very flattering! Probably not a meerkat! Maybe a bear.

Is it true that people who are good at languages are good at maths?

Apparently so! There’s a similarity in the sense that maths is a language in its own way – certain rules and logic apply within both. Recognising patterns is a key skill in both, as is memory of previous associations.

Is it really possible to simulate people’s behaviour via analysis?

Not entirely but it’s pretty amazing how far people’s choices can be simulated if research is carried out effectively. Technological advances are making it easier and easier to capture the consumer experience effectively. It’s very futuristic!

If you hadn’t worked in research and analytics what would you be doing?

I’m into films so I think something in that area – maybe a film journalist. I did want to be a mathematician in infant school though (worryingly!) so I think I’d miss working with numbers!  Maybe I could have been in charge of coming up with the bizarre film statistics as well (e.g. number of times George Clooney actually drinks coffee in a film). Rotten Tomatoes is probably the film website I refer to most and that’s full of stats come to think of it!

If Bonamy Finch was a film, what film would it be?

Back to the Future Part Two. There’s a lot of precision and science involved in that film which reminds me of some of our segmentations. I’m not sure how I tie time travel in but some people are a little bit like Doc and quite a few of the men aren’t that tall - like Michael J Fox. I can also see Leigh driving a car like the DeLorean.