Superbrands to create standalone UK operations

Superbrands will relocate to South Africa, and set up a separate entity, Superbrands UK, to focus solely on the UK brands market.

Ben Hudson, CEO of Superbrands UK, said: "The decision to separate the UK business from the group is intended to focus the team in London on the local market and speed up the ongoing developments and improvements occurring at Superbrands UK."

The changes are part of Superbrands' ongoing period of reform for its awards programme, which includes a consumer election for the best brands, and a redesign of the publications and awards categories.

In May, the organisation announced a five-year partnership with online research YouGov, designed to encourage consumer voting for the Superbrands new selection process.

Hudson said: "We have been listening to stakeholders, most notably our expert councils, and have responded to suggestions with a raft of changes that will ensure our programmes for 2007 provide the most robust, transparent and detailed barometers of brands' performance in the UK."

In March, Superbrands found BBC Online and Google to be the internet's most trusted and reliable online brands among UK consumers.

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