A well-established
research company
Pye Tait Consulting was established as Pye Tait Associates in 1991. Over the ensuing three decades, we’ve worked on more than 900 commissions for clients ranging from Government departments and their agencies, devolved administrations, local authorities and local enterprise partnerships, regulatory and professional bodies and sector skills councils and other skills organisations.
We offer independent qualitative and quantitative research, development, and consulting services. Our research helps shape policy, programmes and other initiatives so that policy makers can act confidently, design well informed solutions and spend wisely. Our services include evaluations and reviews, labour market intelligence and modelling, and consultation analyses. Visit our Capabilities to view our full range.
Pye Tait joined the EMB Group in 2023.
Trusted to get to the
heart of the matter
Our expert team has a range of expertise and sector specialisms and our approach is multi-disciplinary, with each of our projects being entirely tailored to the client. With each project, we look for opportunities to add value and ways to innovate that maximise efficiency and save money.
As you would expect given our client list, we work to very high ethical and quality standards. We’re an accredited company partner of the Market Research Society, members of the Social Research Association and the UK Evaluation Society.
We’re also Cyber Essentials certified and accredited to ISO 9001.
Why choose Pye Tait:
30+ year track record
Multi-sector expertise
Bespoke methodologies
Highly trained internal team
Leading ethics and standards
ISO accredited
MRS, SRA, UKES registered
Top analytical software
Our values
Having a purpose and making change happen is central to what we do. We’re part of EMB, a profit for purpose business group. Our majority shareholders are Chambers of Commerce which re-invest the profits we make into services that support local busineses, their employees, and the communities in which they operate. In addition to exceeding the expectations of our clients in the projects we undertake, we also aim to deliver against the Government’s Social Value Model with a range of policies and practices that support economic inclusion and wellbeing, benefit communities that are important to us and minimise our impact on the environment. As a consequence, we’re a people-based business and understand the importance of work/life balance, supporting our team with a range of benefits and services designed around their physical and mental wellbeing. We’re proud to be a Living Wage and Living Pension employer and as a flexible and agile business, we encourage our employees to be the same by offering flexible, hybrid and fully remote working. We want our people to be able to bring their whole selves to work and we celebrate diversity, recognising the advantages that come from being inclusive and welcoming and tailoring work and development to the needs of our people as well as our own. We also encourage our employees to support their personal causes with time and resources and donate to a company charity chosen by them.
Our team
Meet some of the people behind our success
Miranda Pye
Managing Director
BA, MA, CMRS Thirty years of research experience underpin Miranda’s work in a wide variety of studies from nationally-important qualifications and standards developments to workforce trends, labour market studies, and detailed analysis. In addition to managing several pieces of ongoing work, Miranda also oversees the work of the company on a day-to-day basis. Her current focus is on evaluating programme delivery for training and qualifications across the construction sector, support services for innovative UK businesses and managing two vital projects on the renewables sector.
Dr Tom Wilson
Research Director
MSci, MA, PhD, CMRS Tom is a very experienced qualitative and quantitative researcher working across a wide range of sectors. He has led many high-profile commissions for government departments, arms-length bodies, and professional bodies, writing insightful reports with pertinent policy considerations for nationally important projects. His particular expertise is in quantitative methods and analysis, and in qualitative and group work. A Cambridge PhD, Tom spent his early career at the Royal Society of Chemistry. Outside work, he enjoys spending time with family, and running with his local club.
Olivia Bray
Senior Research Executive
MPhys, MMRS Olivia holds a first-class honours master’s degree in Physics, Astrophysics, and Cosmology, and as such has a strong affinity for detailed secondary research, in-depth data analysis, and handling complex data sets. Her expertise spans both qualitative and quantitative research as evident in projects for clients such as DSIT, ETF, OfS and Scottish Government. She is additionally enthusiastic about new developments in technology, with particular interest in connected places, AI and IoT technologies. Outside of work, she enjoys arts and crafts, and playing strategic board games.
Dr Konrad Sobczyk
Research Executive
BA, MA, PhD Konrad is a skilled researcher and analyst of qualitative and quantitative data, with experience of contributing to diverse projects within Pye Tait - focusing on workforce skills, business experience, and sectors such as renewable energy and construction. Having achieved first class honours in his first degree in International Business, he gained distinction in his master’s degree in International Political Economy. His PhD thesis focused on the political economy of domestic competitiveness in Sweden and Greece with its implications for exports of SMEs. Outside work, Konrad enjoys watching and playing sports, listening to music and visiting green spaces.
Yong Yeo
Research Executive
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BA, MA Having achieved a distinction in her master’s degree in applied anthropology from the University of Maryland, Yong is skilled in a variety of quantitative and qualitative research techniques. She has explored how immigration policies have an impact on mental health and wellbeing, and has helped facilitate survey research on the topic of health and aging. Outside of work, Yong enjoys baking and is a keen gym-goer – often immersing herself in research about muscle hypertrophy to improve her training routine.
Rasheda Gani
Office Manager
BA An extremely experienced executive assistant and office manager, Rasheda has spent the past twenty years learning the ropes and practising the skills of administration and management. She is the core of the business and not only manages the office but steers and monitors the quality system. In her spare time, Rasheda likes walking, cooking and reading.
Simon Stephen
Data Management & Analysis Consultant
BA, Dip Simon has over 25 years’ experience in survey data processing in the Market Research industry and joined leading survey software and data analysis consultancy Merlinco as MD in late 2019. His combined expertise of data processing analysis techniques, software applications and the development of bespoke analysis solutions have proved invaluable on a number of complex and challenging projects.
Keith Pye
Founding Director
BA, MPhil, FBIS, MMRS Keith founded the company in 1991. He has designed and managed many studies and specialises in high-tech sectors including aerospace, advanced manufacturing, and advanced materials development. He developed Pye Tait’s proprietary ‘Skills Scoring System’ with its statistical underpinning and manages the modelling of labour force demands. He is currently focused on the renewable energy sector, including forecasting workforce transition from the fossil-fuel extractive industries to the UK offshore wind sector, and identifying the current solar sector workforce.
Poppy Youde
Research Manager
BSc Poppy has garnered extensive and varied experience since starting out in the research industry six years ago, ranging from global market research to UK political polling to developing strategic communications in Africa. Her interest in social research has seen her successfully lead many high-profile quantitative and qualitative projects, fostering invaluable insights for public, private and third sector clients. Outside of work Poppy enjoys cycling, live music and spending time with friends and family.
Adam Sharpe
Senior Research Executive
BA Adam honed his skills in research and analysis when studying his undergraduate degree at the University of Leeds, where he received first-class honours in History. His thesis centred around the effect of World War Two on the Soviet Union’s labour camp system. He has also spent considerable time carrying out research for his personal blog, which has included articles on topics such as the global war on drugs. Adam is also proficient in conversational Spanish from his travels in Latin America and continues to practise regularly. His other hobbies include playing and watching football, as well as long walks with his chocolate Labrador, Mollie.
Harry Rowntree
Research Executive
BA, MRes Harry developed advanced research and analytical abilities during his undergraduate and postgraduate Philosophy degrees. His master’s thesis focused on a comparison of the coherence of conflicting proposals of the nature of reality, including investigations into quantum theory, consciousness, and pure mathematical and scientific logic. Harry also edits proposals and liaises with authors for the journalistic website he helped set-up during his postgraduate degree, which hosts the work of international postgraduate students who apply philosophical theories to current affairs. In his free time, Harry enjoys music composition and walking his dog in the countryside.
Amy Canham
Research Executive
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MSci A Psychology graduate from the University of York, Amy is expert in a range of statistical techniques, such as multiple regression and mediation analyses which she used to study the relationships between family variables and mental health outcomes. She is also proficient in leading user experience research. Amy enjoys participating in causes such as improving opportunities for neurodiverse individuals. Her hobbies include sewing (especially upcycling), reading, and collecting loose leaf tea!
Rachel Hobson
Marketing Executive
BSc Rachel manages our promotional activities via the various social media platforms. She’s skilled in gaining additional traction for our live surveys and setting up targeted advertising through Facebook and LinkedIn to assist in the recruitment of research participants – particularly those small groups of individuals who are typically hard-to-reach.
Ryan Swift
Web and IT Associate
Ryan has been supporting our IT infrastructure since 2008. His expertise and experience have enabled us to build and maintain secure, contemporary systems, bespoke to our requirements.
Adrian Smith
Research Director
BA, CMRS Adrian has amassed over 15 years’ experience as a senior qual/quant researcher, managing high-profile market and social research projects fuelling national policy, strategy and industry-led interventions. He has carried out significant work for the Scottish Government, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and takes pride in delivering top- quality reports that get to the heart of what’s important for clients. Between 2018 and 2022, Adrian taught English to corporate teams in Ukraine and has served as a contributing writer and editor for the Kyiv Post. He lives in North Yorkshire with his wife and (active!) baby daughter.
Andrew Dodsworth
Senior Research Executive
BSc, MMRS Andrew is a highly experienced project manager who leads a large team to facilitate complex client projects. His particular expertise lies in quantitative and qualitative research, statistical analysis, and business development across a wide range of sectors. Andrew was previously a Trader and Derivatives Broker, specialising in the FTSE 100 market.
Alec Newton
Research Executive
BA, MA, MMRS Alec is well versed in a variety of research techniques, having achieved a first class honours followed by a distinction in his bachelor’s/master’s degrees in Sociology at Newcastle University. His master’s dissertation involved an analysis of the socio-economic impacts of COVID-19 policy, in the wider context of ongoing political and economic policies. Since joining Pye Tait, Alec has supported a diverse range of projects with analysis and reporting. Additionally, he has demonstrated proficiency at online survey design and is currently spearheading research into Artificial Intelligence. Outside of work, Alec enjoys cooking vegan food and playing the piano.
Julia Knyba
Research Executive
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BSc, MSc A recent graduate of Durham University, where she completed a master’s degree in behavioural science, Julia joined Pye Tait in late 2023. Julia has experience across a variety of research methods, both qualitative and quantitative. For her master’s dissertation, she researched and tested different types of front-of-pack nutrition labels, to find which is the most effective at conveying nutritional information to consumers. She is currently assisting with several ongoing pieces of work, including conducting interviews for a project assessing the effectiveness of a business support programme; and assisting with qualitative consultation analysis. Outside work, Julia enjoys reading, cooking, and going on long walks in the countryside.
Nicola Charleton
Business Enhancement Manager
BA Nicola manages the hectic and deadline-driven world of the company’s business development activities in terms of official tendering and framework processes. She’s responsible for maintaining the company’s online presence and intranet, and many of our internal databases, reporting and monitoring systems. She also provides first-line IT support to her colleagues. Outside work, Nicola’s a keen walker (especially if accompanied by her daughter’s cocker spaniel, Gloria) and she loves to cook – particularly anything spicy!
Carol J Stanfield
Senior Research Associate
BSc, MSc An innovative researcher, policy analyst, evaluator and practitioner, experienced in the fields of skills and employment, the labour market, workplace productivity and local economic development. Carol assists Pye Tait in delivering a wide range of projects to a consistently high standard, generating impactful research and translating evidence into policy and practice.