To guide the creation and development of Cint’s new Data business unit, Phil Ahad is joining Cint as Managing Director, Data. In this role, Ahad will work across teams to unify and advance the company’s data strategy, bringing together Cint’s extensive human data assets with new advancements in AI and machine learning.
Cint – a global leader in research and measurement technology – has one of the largest and most diverse access points to human data in the market research industry. This scale creates a strong foundation for building deeper profiling capabilities and more advanced insight solutions. By combining this reach with emerging technologies, Cint aims to support clients with more comprehensive data, richer context, and a wider range of solutions to generate insights.
Ahad’s appointment comes as the industry leans into the third wave of market research: the intelligence era, AI and machine learning technologies are reshaping market research workflows in unprecedented ways.
The new Data business unit will focus on licensing data and developing new solutions that include synthetic and digital twin capabilities. The goal is to give clients and partners optionality in how they access and use insights, whether through traditional panel-based data collection, synthetic and digital twin methods, or a hybrid of both.
“I am excited to take on this role and work with the team to build on the strong foundation already in place,” said Ahad. “Everything we have built as an industry to date has focused on efficiency, scale, and automation of the current research and data collection process. With the rapid advancement of machine learning and AI, we now have an opportunity to evolve that work and explore new ways to help clients get deeper, more meaningful answers.”
With over two decades of experience as a growth strategist, creator, and visionary for companies like AOL, CoStar, and Toluna, Ahad brings a wealth of industry knowledge that will be valuable as he collaborates across key teams.
Ahad will report directly to Patrick Comer, CEO of Cint. “Phil brings a thoughtful and forward-looking approach to data strategy,” said Comer. “As we continue to evolve our product offering, his experience will help us expand the ways we support clients with the data they need. This is an important step in strengthening our foundation while exploring new areas of innovation.”
Under Ahad’s leadership, Cint will work toward a unified and more flexible data suite designed to support the evolving needs of researchers, marketers, and decision makers.
“I am excited to take on this role and work with the team to build on the strong foundation already in place. Everything we have built as an industry to date has focused on efficiency, scale, and automation of the current research and data collection process. With the rapid advancement of machine learning and AI, we now have an opportunity to evolve that work and explore new ways to help clients get deeper, more meaningful answers.”
Phil Ahad
Managing Director, Data
