Making research fun

Youthful Maggie Ireri, 37, is the managing director of Ipsos Synovate. She has injected freshness and vibrancy into the world of research in Kenya. She spoke to NJOKI CHEGE

She barely looks 37 years, with her youthful looks and easygoing nature, but Maggie Ireri, the freshest face of opinion polls in Kenya, is not new to the world of research.

Maggie Ireri

When she graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Education and French from Kenyatta University, Maggie and her colleagues were duly disappointed to learn that the Teachers Service Commission was no longer employing teachers.

“We were desperate to get jobs, but little did we know that this was a blessing in disguise,” says Maggie.

Unemployed but undeterred, Maggie who badly needed a job, joined the path of research.

At that time, SBO Research, a local research company, was looking for field interviewers to supplement their activities. Maggie took up the opportunity.

“Under the aegis of Catherine Ngahu, the owner of SBO, I learnt a lot about research. Although we would earn a meager daily wage, I appreciated the learning experience and left after eight months when Steadman ran an advertisement seeking experienced researchers,” says Maggie.

As other fresh graduates hired along with Maggie were struggling to learn the ropes, Maggie fit well into her job, thanks to the experience she gained at SBO research.

Chance of a lifetime

Seven months later, an opportunity for a research manager arose in Uganda and she quickly filled it.

“I was their cheapest option. The relocation was not costly as I was single then, plus I wasn’t asking for much! I made a decision to see this as a career opportunity and did not ask for too much money.  I would encourage young people to chase opportunities rather than money.  With experience, it is only a matter of time before one can negotiate for more money, ” she says.

That was in 2000. Four years later, Maggie was promoted to the position of country manager for Synovate Uganda, a position she held until 2005.

“There’s something about Uganda. It is so small and compact, the same people I met at the mall were the same I met everywhere else like at meetings, cocktails and weddings. I felt I needed a bigger market place to grow myself. Therefore, when an opportunity arose in Nairobi, I took it up,” she says.

She came back to back in 2005 as the business development director for the region, working specifically to set-up branches in Nigeria, Mozambique, and also play an oversight for Uganda, Ghana and Zambia.

Come end of the year 2010, another lustrous opportunity of managing director, Synovate Kenya arose, and Maggie took it, replacing the then CEO George Waititu who retired.

Her journey to the top, Maggie reckons, is an embodiment of hard work, passion and sacrifice.

“If I’m not passionate about something, I won’t do it, it’s that simple. And that’s how I have managed to get by,” she says.

The best thing she loves about her job; is the fact that she works with ‘Generation Y’; a youthful and unique age group whose perspective on life is unique.

Indeed a spot check across her office reveals that most of her colleagues are youthful, hardworking and vibrant.

When she is not globetrotting or releasing research results, Maggie takes some time off her busy schedule to mentor youth in high schools on research skills.

Says Maggie: “A few years back, in 2006, we got a lot of requests from students who wanted advice on careers. We decided to come up with something more relevant to our business and hence developed the concept of creating research clubs in high schools, which has turned out well. We are training students on how to conduct research on careers they would like to pursue.”

Today, the Research Clubs of Africa (RCA) are well known in various regions of the country.

Mentorships

“RCA gives students the opportunity to choose interesting topics of study to transform their institutions based on research results. All this they do under the tutelage of the firm’s staff. The best schools then compete at different levels and their performance is judged by their presentation and meticulousness,” Maggie explains.

It is not a secret that Kenyans have varying opinions and perceptions about opinion polls. While some abide by them, others dismiss them as something the pollsters ‘cooked’ up to please various key players. Being the face of one of the world’s most reputable pollsters is obviously not an easy task.

 So how does Maggie handle this?

“Being the face of Ipsos Synovate means that I carry my work home, to social functions such as weddings and it also means that I have a lot of questions to answer about opinion polls. I, therefore, find myself playing teacher, sensitising people on the relevance of polls. In fact, my family members, especially my father, can give you a talk on methodology and sampling in the same way an experienced researcher would,” she notes.

While most Kenyans continue to be cynical about pollsters and opinions polls, Maggie remains positive and confident that Kenyans will soon get used to it and appreciate the whole process. This is because more Kenyans are willing to listen and rethink their opinion on polls.

With her youthful attributes and easygoing nature, Maggie readily admits that she is more often than not mistaken for a youngster.

Says she: “People think I’m too young. My looks mislead people. Initially, this was an issue, but I believe it all boils down to the impression you make within the first two minutes of meeting a potential client.”

On marriage and family

Maggie is not married nor has children, but she is in a serious relationship and is looking forward to starting a family in the near future. So what took her this long?

“Well, I spent a considerable amount of time outside Kenya (five years), which is not easy. By so doing, I missed out on a lot. It took me almost a year to re-settle back to Kenya. Besides, living outside your country shortens your scope as on returning, you find that most of your age mates or classmates are taken, hence the delay,” she notes.

Many other professionals would agree with her, as living and working outside the country presents a dilemma for many professionals who want to have a social life, get married and also experience career growth.

In most cases, while living and working outside the country may be good news to your professional life, it also destabilises your social life, particularly if one is not married.

One misses out a lot on the local social scene, and it takes even longer to settle back home, form relationships and take the next big step.