Richard Lees – Chairman
Richard has over 20 years direct experience of the data market spread across a multi-national career. South African by birth, Richard relocated to the UK in 2001 to take up the appointment of Managing Director at Database Group. A pioneer in data manipulation, Richard has an established reputation within the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) arena and has unparalleled expertise in the data marketplace. Having co-founded marketing consultancy Intact Solutions, Richard spent 5 years as Managing Director growing the business to become market leader in the provision of database marketing solutions before selling to South African’s largest listed media conglomerate Primedia. With a mission to make marketing meaningful through the application of data, Richard advocates the need to integrate customer-based research with traditional analytics in order to extract maximum value from data.
Brett Isenberg – Managing Director
Brett is a Chartered Accountant who has qualified and worked in South Africa. Before relocating to the UK in 2000, Brett worked for Deloittes with a wide portfolio stretching across a number of industry sectors in both South African and New York. In the UK, Brett joined the head office of the South African listed media group Primedia Ltd where he worked as Group Financial Controller until the end of 2001. Tasked with disposing of the company’s UK assets, Brett partnered with the Chairman of Primecom and three other executives to affect a management buyout of Mailcom plc where he was subsequently appointed Managing Director. Following his appointment, Brett restructured the Group to form Maestro Interactive. In 2006, he managed the integration of Maestro Interactive and Hexfax to form the enlarged Database Group through the successful acquisition of Database Group.
Allan Watson – Chairman Database Group Investments
Allan is the Executive Chairman of Database Group Investments Ltd the parent company of Database Group and Database Group Interactive. Allan has extensive knowledge and understanding of the advertising and marketing communications sectors, in South Africa and the UK.
In the 1990’s Allan was Executive Chairman and the largest shareholder of two South African businesses that were acquired by the Primedia Group; Direct Response Marketing and Product Marketing Services, both market leaders in their respective sectors.
Whilst Chairman of Primedia’s Direct Marketing Division, Allan, and a colleague wrote the business plan for iafrica.com, one of the world’s first commercial internet portals. He expanded the division’s operations to the United Kingdom with the acquisition of Mailcom plc in March 1997 and Database Group in 1998.
In 2001 Allan, together with Brett Isenberg and Richard Lees took an equity stake Mailcom. Having secured full control of the business, the team sold it to facilitate the purchase of Database Group from Primedia in 2006. The email side of the business was retained and rebranded as Database Group Interactive.
Guy Hanson – Business Development Director
Guy has spent 17 years working in various aspects of the data management industry. He has worked as computer operations manager of South Africa’s largest retailing company, technical manager of Johannesburg’s largest laser printing bureau, and regional manager of SA’s principal outsourced document management company. This rich background has provided Guy with a healthy appreciation for data, and its wide-ranging potential. Since immigrating to the UK in 2001, Guy has carved a niche for himself as an industry expert in the email broadcasting arena, and is a passionate advocate for the role that new media has to play in the marketing process.
Eluned Moran – Head of Client Management
Eluned joined Database Group in 2006 from Wunderman where she was Client Services Director for Ford in Europe. With over 20 years direct marketing experience both on the client and agency side, Eluned brings a wealth of experience across a variety of industry sectors. In particular she has built up in-depth automotive and finance sector knowledge.
Eluned was for a time based in Budapest, managing the Ford account for Wunderman across Eastern Europe. This has given her great insight into the differing needs of national markets, and specifically the complexities of emerging markets; the distinct challenges they offer and their need for a fresh perspective and innovative channel strategies. Eluned leads a team of client management staff who all combine excellent project management skills with strong technical expertise.
Richard Carpenter – Head of Customer Insight
Richard graduated from Portsmouth University in 1996 with a degree in Economics. He then embarked on a career in Marketing that included 5 years working as an Account Director for a Direct Marketing agency where he ran consumer surveying and mystery shopping projects for T-Mobile. Prior to joining Database Group, Richard worked for the market research firm ACNielsen. During his employment, Richards’s role involved providing leading FMCG manufacturers and retailers, such as Tesco and Mars, with analysis of marketplace dynamics, consumer behaviour and competitive performance. He also specialised in qualitative and quantitative research studying promotional effectiveness, purchasing behaviour and brand equity.
Company Background 
Company Background 
