Former DST Applied Analytics chief Jason Cromack has been appointed chief executive of data insight agency Wood for Trees following a major investment by a digital information start-up.
Founded by ex-Occam director Jim Baggett in 2007, Wood for Trees specialises in the charity sector and has over 60 clients, including the likes of Marie Curie Cancer Care, Dogs Trust, Greenpeace and Parkinson’s UK.
It has now signed a funding deal with MyLife Digital, co-founded last year by former Lloyds IT delivery chief Mark Reed. It specialises in the so-called personal information management service (PIMS) market, designed to put consumers in control of their personal data.
The company has developed a platform which it claims will support various sectors in restoring the trust of their customers, supporters and their wider prospect base when it comes to the personal data that organisations gather, hold and use.
Cromack joins as part of the deal and will now head up the business, although Baggett will remain managing director.
Having started his career at Option One, Cromack went on to set up print management firm GL2 and technology start-up TripleArc. He was chief executive of DST under its various guises – including Lateral Group – from 2010 until he left late last year.
Since then he has set up two companies, BigDataHound, a management consultancy offering advice on big data, advanced analytics and data-driven, omni-channel customer engagement, as well as global 24-hour team endurance cycling series Revolve24. He will now take more of a back-seat role in these two firms.
Wood for Trees strategic analysis director Jon Kelly and solutions director Matthew Tamea will both continue to play key roles within the core management team.
Cromack said: “Wood for Trees’ record over the past few years speaks for itself. We’ll continue to promote the great things that made the company so effective – and then add some new ingredients to further enhance the company’s performance and credentials.
“The expertise within the company can also help us to build MyLife Digital’s wider proposition in the longer term, but for now it’s essentially business as usual.”
Baggett added: “I’m delighted that we’ve joined forces with a company that recognises the great culture and brilliant people we have here at Wood for Trees. I think there’s an exceptional future ahead for all of us.”
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