Independents can sometimes feel a bit overlooked by the industry; the likes of the MRS, ESOMAR and Greenbook seem like they are set up for the big corporates, and it can be hard to get heard or noticed, let alone find the money to attend their events. That’s why it’s even more of an achievement when one of our own is recognised. So, we’re incredibly proud to announce that Dan Parker-Smith is a 2026 Greenbook Future List honouree. The award is for people who have had an impact in the first decade of their career and Dan was selected from over 100 global applicants to be part of this year’s cohort of 20. This means he gets to speak at IIEX in Amsterdam, so the EXPLNERS team are packing our bags and booking our flights in a state of high excitement.
Why was he picked?
For those of you who don’t know Dan, here’s a quick tour:
Dan has a film degree, specialising in documentary filmmaking but, like so many of us, fell into market research. He was employed as a junior agency researcher but quickly realised he was able to use his film degree to conduct video ethnographies, and to set up and expand their video practice.
Having seen the value of video to the research sector, he then set up his own independent company, The Word is Out. This was a big risk and challenge for someone still in his 20s – he had to invest in camera equipment, software licencing, insurance, etc, as well as learning how to run a business – but Dan made it all work. Part of his success came from joining the ICG and working with many of us whenever video was needed.
I met Dan through the ICG, and together with Mark Whalley, we set up EXPLNERS. We’d all observed that there was an opportunity to help researchers tell more effective stories and activate insights with stakeholders, but Dan was the one who had the insight and creativity to spot that the explainer video format would be a brilliant fit for our sector.
Why this is great news for the ICG too
I love that Dan has been recognised in this way because it highlights that there are many different ways to be successful in our sector:
- You don’t have to work for a big corporate; you can be an independent.
- You don’t have to work in ResTech or AI; you can make a career out of human creativity, even in these times.
- And you don’t have to have a business or marketing degree; people from different disciplines, such as film, bring different creative perspectives to what we do.
When Dan stands on the stage at IIEX in Amsterdam in June, he will be representing independence and entrepreneurship, as well as his own general brilliance. The EXPLNERS team are so incredibly proud of him, and I know the rest of the ICG membership will be too.
Judith Rose, Co-Founder, EXPLNERS