Market-research firm looks to former head of managers' product development. Market-research firm Cogent Research has made former MFS Investment Management executive Bruce Harrington head of its wealth-management practice.

"Under Bruce's leadership, Cogent Research's Wealth Management syndicated research and consulting practice will continue to thrive," says Cogent Research principal John Meunier. "We are excited to have such a highly regarded industry expert join the firm."

Synthesizer

Harrington was director of product development and marketing at Boston-based MFS. Before that, he worked at Putnam Investments, where for a while he was head of marketing to the retirement-planning market.

At Cogent Research, Harrington will be responsible for marketing its Investor Brandscape study, which looks at the interplay between brand power and customer loyalty and how these things effect the bottom lines, of advisors, sponsors and mutual-fund companies. He'll also oversee a new Cogent Research study into how advisors' books of business are changing -- with reference particularly to alternatives.

Noting that he's been at it for 20 years, Harrington says he knows "the value of synthesizing research to reveal business opportunities and solve problems with the data they contain."

Harringtom continues: "Our research helps investment management and distribution firms draw conclusions about their marketplace and customers to increase revenues and grow the value of their products and brands. And our management consulting services enable us to work one-on-one with clients to turn the insights our research uncovers into actions that impact the bottom line.

Cambridge, Mass.-based Cogent Research calls its an "evidence-based" consultancy. -FWR

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