IPA Appoints Denise Turner as Media Research Director

The IPA has announced the appointment of Denise Turner as its new media research director. Denise joins the IPA from Route where she has been CEO since June 2022. She succeeds Belinda Beeftink, who retired at the end of 2024, and will join the team once she has completed her notice period at Route.

In her IPA role, Denise will lead the TouchPoints project which has 75 industry subscribers and which publishes an annual survey of consumer media habits and a number of thought leadership events and publications. Turner will also be the IPA industry representative on all the industry media research currencies – ABC, Barb, JICMAIL, JICPOPs, JICREG, PAMCo, RAJAR, Route and UKOM.

Says Paul Bainsfair, director general, IPA, "As the tough economic climate continues, with companies’ purse strings ever tightened, being in touch with consumer trends is more vital than ever as is knowing what we can expect next. So we feel very fortunate to be welcoming Denise to the IPA senior management team. Her breadth of experience makes her perfectly placed to lead the IPA Media Research responsibilities which includes both TouchPoints and the industry’s JICs.”

Says Denise Turner, “This role is a huge honour and privilege. People may not know this, but it has been carried out with great integrity by just three women in the last 50 years – Janet Mayhew, Lynne Robinson and Belinda. I am inspired by all of them. I truly believe that quality matters – whether for our world-class industry currencies, media research, advertising or content creation. I'm very excited to join the IPA team.”

Says outgoing media research director Belinda Beeftink, “I am absolutely delighted that Denise Turner will be taking over from me as research director of the IPA. Denise has a wealth of experience from over twenty years at agencies followed by a stint at Newsworks and now her most recent role as CEO of Route. I cannot think of a better qualified person to pick up the reigns of this hugely complex and challenging ecosystem and I know she will deliver the very best for the IPA, its members and the wider industry.”

Says Katherine Almond, Non-exec Chair, Route, "Denise has been an exceptional CEO of Route, bringing expertise and energy to the task of a complicated RFP, whilst consistently raising the profile of Route and communicating the relevance of the data we produce. We are very sorry to see her leave, but at the same time are excited to see her take on the IPA role, where I have no doubt she will excel."