Photo of John-Paul Simpson

John-Paul Simpson

Independent Trustee Director

Pronouns:

He/Him

Hello, I'm

JP

JP (John-Paul) is a seasoned business leader, Non-Executive Director, and Trustee with a track record of driving strategic growth. As the founder of Zircom, he built the company into one of the North of England’s leading agencies, establishing a reputation for innovation, commercial success, and creative excellence.

With extensive experience in marketing, corporate communications, and stakeholder engagement, JP now applies his expertise to advisory roles, helping organisations navigate growth, transformation, and governance challenges.

His work as a trustee reflects a strong commitment to ethical leadership and social responsibility, supporting initiatives that drive meaningful impact. JP’s career is defined by entrepreneurial vision, operational excellence, and a passion for fostering dynamic, high-performing teams.

Whether guiding boards or mentoring leadership teams, he brings a wealth of knowledge and insight to every role he undertakes. He is a former chair of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (NW Board) and a member of the Government Panel developing the T-Level in Marketing.

Outside of work, JP tries to keep fit, takes on the odd physical challenge to raise money for cancer and stroke charities, helps run a community choir, and, with the help of Julie (his wife), continues to support his grown-up children and wider family.

 

A few fun facts about me...

If I wasn't a Partner I'd love to be...

A travel writer and photographer

The best thing about my job is...

Using my experiences to help teams navigate challenges

My favourite place to be is...

Swimming, sailing or cycling on/around Lake Windermere

Not many people know that...

I was once a backing singer for Barry Manilow

A few fun facts about me...

'This' or 'That' questions...

Chocolate or cheese?

Chocolate or cheese answer: chocolate

Sunny or snowy?

Sunny or snowy answer: snowy

Country or town?

Country or town answer: country

Coffee or tea?

Coffee or tea answer: tea

Cats or dogs?

Cats or dogs answer: dogs

Early bird or night owl?

Early bird or night owl answer: night owl

'This' or 'That' questions...

Explore the teams...

The Operational Board is responsible for the day-to-day running of the business and developing the company’s business strategy. They are also fully hands-on, winning and delivering research projects.

Our Managing Director, Alastair Gleed, and several of our board members are founding figures of DJS Research, having joined in the early post-shed era of the company (intrigued... read about ‘the shed’) and have been in research since the previous millennium! In Spring 2024 we introduced a new scheme to bring fresh thinking and new energy into our boardroom, welcoming three new board members on a rotational basis. Both the initiative and the new members of the team were warmly received, and it's already paid dividends as the trio have had a hugely positive impact company-wide.

The role of the Trust Board is to ensure DJS Research is run in the best interests of all Partners and meets its legal responsibilities. It works closely with the Operational Board, offering strategic challenge and oversight.

Our company founder, and former Managing Director, Danny Sims, sits on the Trust Board, continuing to share his knowledge and experience garnered from over 30 years in market research. Financial oversight is provided by Finance Director, Rich Slater, while HR Manager, Lucy Pawson, champions the voice of our people through EO Voice – our employee council which represents the views and interests of everyone across the company and provides a direct route to both company boards. Our external Independent Trustee Director, John-Paul Simpson, provides an important and entirely neutral perspective on company matters and brings invaluable employee ownership expertise from his own business. His role is to protect employee interests, uphold company values, and ensure accountability across leadership.

 

Chairman

Finance Director

Employee Trustee
Director (HR Manager)

Independent Trustee
Director