Radio 4's John Humphrys set to make money on YouGov float

by Julia Pearlman, Brand Republic 11-Apr-05

LONDON - BBC television and radio presenter John Humphrys, who has 200,000 shares in the online polling firm YouGov, could earn himself more than £250,000 when the company floats on the stockmarket at the end of April.

YouGov, which was founded in 2000 by two former aides to Jeffrey Archer, Nadhim Zahawi and Stephen Shakespeare, works with clients such as The Sunday Times, Reuters and Channel 4 and has a UK panel base of 75,000.

It is slated to float on the Alternative Investment Market on or around April 25 in what will be a busy time for the market research firm in the run-up to General Election on May 5.

Humphrys, who has presented Radio 4's 'Today' programme since 1987, was given the shares by the company's founders in return for writing a weekly internet column.

The company uses online panels to provide research for public policy, market research and stakeholder consultation.

According to Zahawi, joint chief executive officer of YouGov: "Understanding people's behaviour, choices and attitudes is more important and valuable today than ever before.

"Fundamental changes in market research, which we intend to capitalise on, will support our further growth from what is already a well-established base."

Humphrys, who has worked on programmes such as 'Panorama', 'On the Ropes' and 'Mastermind', has hit back at critics who said that there is a conflict of interest between his position on 'Today' and the shares that he holds with the company.

In its last full financial year to 31 July 2004, YouGov produced a pre-tax profit of £600,000 on turnover of £1.9m.

The company is now expanding internationally with a growing proportion of research undertaken across the Middle East and the US and continental Europe.

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