The Research Agency appoints senior team to accelerate growth of brand tracking capability

The Research Agency (TRA) has appointed Ben Farnsworth (above left) as Sales Director, a newly created role for the research and insights agency designed to drive the next phase of growth for its expanded brand tracking capability.

The appointment comes as TRA scales its brand tracking proposition, TRA Tracking, combining human-centered consulting with the opportunities to use advanced AI in an interactive, always-on dashboard alongside generative AI assistant, Arti. The platform delivers rapid momentum for clients and reshapes how marketers can access and act on insight.

Located in Sydney and reporting directly to Managing Partner, Australia, Terri Hall, Farnsworth will lead new business growth with TRA Tracking, playing a pivotal role in expanding TRA’s client roster across enterprise and high-growth organisations. His remit spans business development and pipeline growth, driving adoption of TRA Tracking, client relationship management and solving complex client challenges by bringing together consulting expertise and scalable technology.

Complementing Farnsworth’s appointment, Tessa Tripp (right) joins TRA in the newly created role of Head of Product Marketing, where she will work alongside Farnsworth to accelerate the go-to-market success of TRA Tracking.

Based in Auckland and reporting to Partner, Colleen Ryan, Tripp will establish and lead the product marketing and go-to-market strategy for TRA Tracking, while building internal focus and momentum as the business scales.

Hall said the appointments reflect TRA’s commitment to investing in both its client offering and talent as it brings new product solutions to market: “We’re entering a significant growth phase, driven by the demand for faster, more actionable insight and the rise of AI-enabled decision-making,” Hall said. “Ben brings the commercial discipline and market experience we need to scale effectively; while ensuring we continue to deliver the depth and quality of thinking TRA is known for. Alongside this, Tessa’s deep expertise in brand-led marketing ensures we have the capability to bring TRA Tracking to market in a way that cuts through and delivers real impact for clients.”

Farnsworth joins TRA with broad ranging experience in enterprise SaaS, having launched and scaled businesses across the APAC region, the UK and Europe. Most recently, Farnsworth was Managing Partner ANZ at Adzymic, where he established the company’s presence in Australia and New Zealand, building pipeline from the ground up and securing its first regional revenue. Prior to this, he held a senior partnerships role at Bench Media, driving new business growth across the Australian market.

Farnsworth said the opportunity to commercialise TRA Tracking in a global context was a key driver in his decision to join the business: “TRA Tracking represents a genuine evolution in how marketers access and use insight. It brings together the speed and accessibility of AI with the depth of human understanding, which is exactly what the market has been missing. I’m excited to lead its growth, shape its commercial success and help cement TRA’s position as a leader in insight-tech.”

Tripp brings a decade of marketing leadership experience across financial services, technology and education, building and leading award-winning marketing functions from the ground up, securing board-level investment in brand and driving pipeline growth in markets across New Zealand, Australia and the UK. Most recently, Tripp led TRA’s brand-led marketing strategy in a 12-month contract as Head of Marketing, making her uniquely positioned to drive outcomes in this role from day one.

Tripp said the role represented a rare opportunity to build a product marketing function around a proposition she believes is redefining the category: “Brand tracking has traditionally been slow, expensive and disconnected from the decisions marketers need to make in real time. I should know, I’ve been that client,” she said. “TRA Tracking changes that and the opportunity to build the go-to-market strategy for a product at this inflection point, with this team, is exactly the kind of challenge I get excited about. Brand is more important than ever before. It’s my job to make sure TRA Tracking is top of mind for the right people, in the moments that matter so we can do the same for their brands.”

Both appointments are effective immediately.

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