A qualitative researcher and semiotician, Marina is interested in contemporary Russian culture’s myths and metaphors, She is completing a PhD on the ethical dimension of the language & semiotics of otherness. Inspired by Plato's dialogues and Beckett's plays, Marina dreams of transforming the focus group into a new genre of sociological theatre. By getting rid of the one-way mirror she aims to kill three birds with one stone, achieving the goals of aesthetic pleasure, consumer knowledge and transparency.
Moscow, Russia
With over 20 yrs as a qualitative researcher mining insights for global clients, Piyul feels that she has lived in the eye of a hurricane, in the aftermath of globalization. Fascinated by larger changes in the Indian social fabric, she is now a doctoral student at IIT Bombay, studying ‘the decline of a city and its impact on women’. She also continues to enjoy working on projects for clients who are passionate about making the world a better place.
Mumbai, India
Charles Leech is a partner at ABM Research (www.abm-research.com). Since his PhD in Applied Semiotics from QUT, he’s been an active commercial semiotician for over 13 years, working on projects for clients from AB-InBev to Nestlé to Unilever. Charles has helped ABM deliver profound, penetrating analyses on everything from tampons in Sao Paolo to light beer in Xiamen. He’s also worked tirelessly on commercial semiotics evangelism to clients, marketing and research organizations, and pretty much anyone else who’ll listen.
Toronto, Canada