Leadership

We work with the best and the brightest in the industry and have a team focused on providing you with the highest quality Internet Survey Solutions in the industry.

Steve Lavine, Chief Research Officer

Frank Smadja, Senior Vice President of Research & Development

Frederic-Charles Petit, Chief Executive

Frederic-Charles Petit is the Founder and Chief Executive of Toluna plc. He holds a Masters degree in comparative jurisprudence from New York University and a diploma in advanced studies in international economic law from the Sorbonne in Paris (D. E. A.). He practiced as a French lawyer in the corporate department of Allen & Overy’s Paris office, before establishing Toluna in May 2000.

Keith Price, President of North America

Keith joined Greenfield Online/Ciao Surveys in October 1999 as Vice President, Sales, to build the company's data collection division, FieldSource. In 2000, Keith was responsible for developing and executing the strategic sales initiative to convert Greenfield Online/Ciao Surveys from a full service market research company to the leading North American online data services and sample provider. He was a member of the executive team responsible for the sale of Greenfield Online/Ciao Survey's custom consulting business to Taylor Nelson Sofres in 2002. Keith was pivotal in developing and implementing the sales, marketing and service strategies that drove data survey business revenue from a few million in 2000 to $44 million in 2004, enabling the company to complete a successful IPO and a secondary offering ( Nasdaq: SRVY). In 2005, Keith led sales integration efforts related to three acquisitions: Rapidata, GoZing, and Ciao.

In 2006, Keith was promoted Senior Vice President, North American Sales and Operations. In partnership with the company's CEO, Keith's focus on executing high quality sales and service delivery helped drive the 2006-07 turnaround in North America. In November 2007, Keith assumed responsibility for the Global Survey Solutions business, responsible for global sales, operations and marketing. He has significant research experience in sampling, data collection, and research methodologies and has worked with a broad base of clients in the technology sector, the packaged goods industry, media measurement, full-service and public opinion research companies. Prior to joining Greenfield Online/Ciao Surveys, Keith spent five years with Survey Sampling, Inc. Keith is a graduate of Providence College, with a B.S. in Finance.

Keith is an active participant in the research industry, speaks regularly at industry events, and holds membership positions within the CASRO, AMA, ESOMAR and the MRA.

Hugh Davis, Chief Strategy Officer

Hugh Davis is the Chief Strategy Officer for Toluna plc. Prior to the acquisition of Greenfield Online by Toluna in 2009; Davis was an Executive Vice President at Greenfield Online/Ciao Surveys. In 1994, along with Andy Greenfield, Hugh helped to start Greenfield Online. Since that time, he has been part of the executive leadership team. Davis has played a significant role in transforming the business from a two-person start-up in 1994 into a global, 600+ employee, publicly traded company (Nasdaq: SRVY). He was also instrumental in the ultimate sale of the business to the Microsoft Corporation in the fall of 2008 and Microsoft’s sale of the survey division to Toluna in July 2009.

Davis's career highlights as part of the executive leadership team include: the 1999 MBO led by Insight Venture Partners; the sale of Greenfield Online custom-consulting business to Taylor Nelson Sofres in 2002; serving as company CTO from 2001 to 2005, and as such taking responsibility for all technology and product development; opening a wholly-owned 200+ employee offshore division in Gurgaon, India in 2004; completing a successful IPO and a secondary offering (Nasdaq: SRVY) in 2004; the acquisition and integration of three companies - CIAO, Gozing and Rapidata in 2005-2006; and the sale of the business to the Microsoft Corporation in the fall of 2008 and Microsoft’s sale of the survey division of Greenfield Online to Toluna plc in July 2009.

Davis is an active participant in the market research industry, has published numerous papers, and is a frequent speaker on online data collection and new market research techniques including being awarded a patent for the online focus group.

Lowell Ricklefs, Group Chief Operating Officer

Lowell joined Toluna in October 2007. Prior to that he was the Chief Revenue Officer and EVP at GMI with responsibility for global sales, marketing, client services, EFS business and professional services, and helped lead their 3-year 1,004% growth. Before GMI, he was at $4B Rockwell for 18 years – most recently as Global VP of Channels and Business Manager for Rockwell Software. He holds a degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from the University of Wisconsin and has taught international business classes at Marquette and Kellogg.

Philippe Guilbert, Chief Senior Vice President, Strategy & Innovation

Philippe Guilbert joined Toluna in 2007 as Sr VP in charge of Strategy and Innovation. Philippe defines Toluna’s new product development strategy. Before Toluna, he was Scientific Director of several TOP10 French Market Research institutes (BVA, CSA, TN Sofres). He has a diploma in advanced statistics (ENSAE) and economic sciences (Paris I university).

 

Val Karruck, Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing

Val joined Toluna in June 2005, bringing with him a wealth of experience gained in executive positions in high growth organisations. His global online research, media, technology and services expertise helps Toluna to focus on building long-term client relationships and successfully meet clients’ requirements. Val holds an Honours degree in Electronics from UMIST in the UK.

Steve Lavine, Chief Research Officer

Steve Lavine founded Common Knowledge Research Services in 1988, and guided its emergence as the US research industry’s best-in-class expert provider of digital data collection, reporting and sampling services. Steve holds both a BS and MS degree from the University of Illinois, Urbana. He is an active member of the MRA, AMA, IMRO, AAPOR, ESOMAR, and CASRO. He also serves as an Advisory Board member and instructor for the University of Texas at Arlington’s Master of Science in Marketing Research program.

Frank Smadja, Senior Vice President of Research & Development
Frank is Senior VP R&D at Toluna where he is leading the R&D effort spearheaded by the social voting site toluna.com. Frank's experience lies in text analysis and communities. Before joining Toluna, he co-founded RawSugar a social bookmarking start-up that pioneered faceted search based on user tags. Prior to that, Frank worked at Bellcore, Lehman Brothers and several start-ups where he was responsible for solving a multitude of business problems using a selection of unique and fun technologies. Frank’s credits include multiple patents, refereed publications, book chapters and speaking engagements at leading conferences. He earned his PhD and MSc in Computer Science from Columbia University, NY.