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Natalie Alfonso
Project Manager
Favourite Pastime:
Lazy movie nights in with friends, catching up, drinking wine and eating lots of food.
Proudest Moment:
Graduation! From hearing my name read out and the long walk across the stage, to seeing the smiles, excitement and relief on everyone’s faces!
Guilty Pleasure:
Chicken nuggets
What do you enjoy most about your role?
The warm, friendly atmosphere of the company.
If you were stranded on a desert island, what 5 items would you want with you and why?
A tent for shelter, friends for company and moral support, music to keep us entertained, cocktails and chicken nuggets.
Gemma Dixon
Project Manager
Favourite Pastime:
Gym classes – boxfit, HIT, Pump… although currently enjoying making my own home workouts!
Proudest Moment:
Graduating university with a 1st class honours degree in Psychology.
Guilty Pleasure:
I cannot resist anything with chocolate as I have the biggest sweet tooth!
What do you enjoy most about your role?
The variety, particularly working with our recruitment team to ensure we recruit the right participants.
If you could invite 3 people (living or dead) to a dinner party who would you invite and why?
Jennifer Aniston, Courtney Cox and Lisa Kudrow as I would like a Friends reunion!
Becky Belton
Senior Project Manager
Favourite Pastime:
Baking – I LOVE cake.
Proudest Moment:
Reaching Machu Picchu after 4 days trekking the Inca Trail.
Guilty Pleasure:
The Daily Mail Sidebar of Shame and the Kardashians.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
It’s really varied and I get to liaise with a lot of different people who span every aspect of the market research process
If you could have a super power what would it be and why?
Invisibility – I’m extremely nosey so would love to be able to spy on people and listen in on all their private conversations!
Alisha Bhupal
Project Manager
Favourite Pastime:
Visiting new places.
Proudest Moment:
Being chosen for a professional Bollywood dance team and performing in front of huge crowds.
Guilty Pleasure:
Chocolate!
What do you enjoy most about your role?
Learning something new every day and the diversity of the role!
If you could have a super power what would it be and why?
Flying! Free travel, you’d never see me again!
Ella Crawley
Project Manager
Favourite Pastime:
Binge watching shows on Netflix.
Proudest Moment:
Graduating with an MA.
Guilty Pleasure:
Anything with avocado.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
There’s such a variety of projects so there is always something new to learn!
If you could invite 3 people (living or dead) to a dinner party who would you invite and why?
Freddie Mercury, John Lennon, and Noel Gallagher because they’re all members of my favourite bands and I’d love to see them perform live.
Elaine Francis
Founder
Favourite Pastime:
Being a couch potato with my daughter Maddie and my dogs.
Proudest Moment:
MBO Party with Criteria and Clients at the Aquarium.
Guilty Pleasure:
Hiking with my 2 dogs.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
Meeting people, anyone really, but especially recruiters.
If you were stranded on a desert island, what 5 items would you want with you and why?
The internet, mashed potato (and beetroot and broccoli as they count as one thing), a grand piano and a good sea kayak.
Andrew Gavriel
Senior Project Manager
Favourite Pastime:
Any activity where I’m chasing a ball, preferably in sunshine.
Proudest Moment:
Cycling to the summit of a skate ramp to save my dignity having tried, and failed, on several occasions to remain upright on an actual skate board in front of far too many people.
Guilty Pleasure:
Avril Lavigne!
What do you enjoy most about your role?
The tight-knit, supportive environment you get from working in a small team. Plus the wonderful people who ensure there’s always a cup of tea waiting for me when I arrive!
If you could invite 3 people (living or dead) to a dinner party who would you invite and why?
The 3 Musketeers (they were real!) They’d probably have a few stories to tell, though my lack of knowledge of medieval French might be a problem. I may have to bump one of them for a translator.
Vanessa Kelly
Office Manager
Favourite Pastime:
Going to the Ballet.
Proudest Moment:
Passing the PGCE.
Guilty Pleasure:
Anything with Angela Lansbury and 90’s RnB/Hip-hop.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
Event bookings and working with the admin team.
If you could invite 3 people (living or dead) to a dinner party who would you invite and why?
Carlos Acosta, Michael Jackson and Gene Kelly.
Heather Makin
Associate Director
Favourite Pastime:
DJing and all things related to electronic/club music.
Proudest Moment:
DJing at the closing down party of Pacha London.
Guilty Pleasure:
Michael Jackson: the man, the music and the endless memorabilia.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
The atmosphere and camaraderie that comes with working in a close knit team.
If you were stranded on a desert island, what 5 items would you want with you and why?
Music (because I believe it to be the best medicine), suntan lotion (because nobody likes the sunburnt lobster look), some good friends, a monopoly/poker set and a huge bottle of vodka.
Rachael Penny
Associate Director
Favourite Pastime:
Going to music festivals and gigs, Glastonbury is my favourite weekend of the year.
Proudest Moment:
My friends and I made a recipe calendar for charity and posted a copy to Delia Smith. My proudest moment was receiving a letter and signed cookbook back from Delia!
Guilty Pleasure:
Watching Eurovision
What do you enjoy most about your role?
I enjoy the process of successfully seeing a project though from commission to completion, solving any issues as they arise along the way.
If you could invite 3 people (living or dead) to a dinner party who would you invite and why?
Joshua Homme, Mark Lanegan and Dave Grohl so the dinner party would turn into my own Queens of the Stone Age concert!
Mica Powell
Project Manager
Favourite Pastime:
PJ days!
Proudest Moment:
Graduating from unviersity with a 2:1.
Guilty Pleasure:
Watching back to back episodes of “Say Yes to the Dress” on TLC!
What do you enjoy most about your role?
The variety of project topics I get to work on and coming up with questions for the screeners!
If you were stranded on a desert island, what 5 items would you want with you and why?
Vaseline, because I get really dry lips, an endless supply of water so I stay hydrated, a toothbrush and toothpaste so I can keep my breath minty fresh, and pasta because I love it!
James Sainsbury
Managing Director
Favourite Pastime:
It’s hard to choose between Lawn Bowls and Pétanque.
Proudest Moment:
Achieving a first class honours in my degree, and of course, becoming MD at Criteria.
Guilty Pleasure:
Super Mario 64. Am I showing my age?
What do you enjoy most about your role?
For me, every day is different – I’m involved in day to day fieldwork but also in running our business, planning for the future and the continual development of our systems for all aspects of field management. Often it’s challenging, often exhausting but always rewarding.
If you were stranded on a desert island, what 5 items would you want with you and why?
A Nintendo 64, TV, power supply, Mario 64 and a controller.
Mihaela Simic
Senior Administrator
Favourite Pastime:
Nail Art
Proudest Moment:
Graduating from University
Guilty Pleasure:
Candy Crush
What do you enjoy most about your role?
The friendly atmosphere and the satisfaction of completing my workload every day.
Who would play you in a film about your life, and why?
Natalie Portman – She’s very versatile, humble and also short.
Danielle Simpson
Director
Favourite Pastime:
Wearing, making and buying hats!
Proudest Moment:
Being selected to play for the adult football team (out of the whole school camp) when I was 10 (and of course becoming a Director at Criteria).
Guilty Pleasure:
Watching Sharpe
What do you enjoy most about your role?
The satisfaction felt when a challenging project comes together.
If you were stranded on a desert island, what 5 items would you want with you and why?
A mix of impractical and practical items: my favourite fascinator, champagne, an unlimited supply of suncream, a pet rabbit and a plane.
Stephanie Surdeau
Quality Manager
Favourite Pastime:
Foot massages in front of the TV.
Proudest Moment:
Being offered a management role at the age of 14.
Guilty Pleasure:
Chocolate milkshakes.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
The challenge of a speedy turnaround project.
Who would play you in a film about your life, and why?
Courtney Cox for her realistic portrayal of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder in ‘Friends’.
Daniel Taylor-Lund
Senior Project Manager
Favourite Pastime:
Singing and exercising, sometimes together!
Proudest Moment:
Celebrating graduation with my whole family.
Guilty Pleasure:
My new found sweet tooth.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
Receiving positive feedback!
If you were stranded on a desert island, what 5 items would you want with you and why?
The Spice Girls! Because with our brain power we would surely hatch a great escape plan and have an awesome beach party!
Adam White
Finance Director
Favourite Pastime:
All things Football.
Proudest Moment:
Watching Chelsea win the Champions League in Munich 2012.
Guilty Pleasure:
80s music (especially belting it out on Singstar)
What do you enjoy most about your role?
Variation: Finance seems to come into everything so I’m never bored!
If you could invite 3 people (living or dead) to a dinner party who would you invite and why?
Mrs White (I didn’t say my wedding day was my proudest moment), Freddie Mercury (never got to hear him sing live) and Winston Churchill (he’d have a few stories to tell)
Sally White
Finance Assistant
Favourite Pastime:
Reading or Photography.
Proudest Moment:
Passing my driving test.
Guilty Pleasure:
Watching Buzzfeed Unsolved!
What do you enjoy most about your role?
The lovely people and the great atmosphere in the office.
If you could invite 3 people (living or dead) to a dinner party who would you invite and why?
Emma Watson, Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint because it would be the second-best thing next to going to Hogwarts!