Insights, Strategy, Operations
James Hogan, a systems-thinking generalist, operates at the intersection of insight, strategy, and operations, translating complex organizational needs into high-performance strategy.
Systems-Thinking Generalist
I’m a systems-thinking generalist operating at the intersection of insight, strategy, and operations — helping teams not just make better decisions, but actually follow through and deliver against them.
What sets me apart is my ability to operate as a self-contained insight function when needed. I can run projects end-to-end — from shaping the initial brief with stakeholders, through designing and managing the research, to analysing data and translating it into clear, story-led strategic recommendations. That means fewer handoffs, faster progress, and insight that stays tightly connected to the business problem it was meant to solve.
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Beyond operating as an individual contributor, I also help build and scale insight capabilities as organisations grow. That includes defining team structures and hiring for the right mix of skills at each level — from hands-on researchers and analysts to more strategic insight leads. I’m comfortable assessing what capabilities are needed, where gaps exist, and bringing in the right profiles to build a balanced, effective team.
Alongside this, I establish ways of working, governance, and prioritisation models, and put the right tooling and supplier ecosystems in place. My focus is on creating teams that are not just producing research, but consistently driving decisions — embedding insight into product, marketing, and commercial workflows so it becomes a core part of how the business operates, rather than a reactive support function.
Over the past few years, I've;
- Led foundational consumer insight work on flagship initiatives like Avast One — spanning early discovery, proposition development, user testing, and migration strategy​
- Built and scaled the “Insight Operations” backbone for the team — defining operating models, tooling, and supplier ecosystems to ensure complex programmes land on time, on budget, and with robust evidence behind them
- Acted as the connective tissue between teams — aligning product, marketing, commercial, and leadership stakeholders around shared priorities, trade-offs, and decisions
At my core, I combine strategic thinking with operational delivery — ensuring that insight doesn’t just inform decisions, but actively drives them forward.
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Explore my work through two lenses:
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Insight & Strategy — how I use research and market intelligence to shape products, portfolios, and go-to-market decisions
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Operations & Enablement — how I design systems, tools, and ways of working that allow insight to scale and deliver impact across the business
Engagement
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How to work with me
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I work with teams that need to move quickly, bring structure to complex problems, and turn insight into clear, actionable decisions.
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Engagements are flexible depending on the problem — from short-term advisory through to longer-term project or contract work — but always focused on delivering practical outcomes, not just analysis.
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Full details are on the contact page
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