Behind every data point, strategic insight, and successful campaign is a team of people who genuinely love what they do. At Mandate, we’ve spent decades navigating the complexities of public opinion polling, both inside and outside of political organisations. Combining our experience with a fine sense for politics, we know how to read the room, anticipate what’s next, and guide our partners through ever-changing landscapes. Scroll down to meet some of the minds behind Mandate - we can’t wait to get to know you.
Meet our Senior Management Team
Marcus A. Roberts
Chief Executive Officer
Marcus Roberts brings 25 years of experience working for major political parties around the world, including the UK Labour Party, the US Democratic Party, and other centre Left causes and organisations. Previously he served as Chief of Public Data at YouGov working closely with the UK Government, civil society, and non-profit organisations.
Simon Clode
Chief Innovation Officer
Prior to joining Mandate, Simon was Vice-President Strategy and Innovation at YouGov where he worked on acquisitions and led the development of data products, including the business's first e-commerce platform. He was also previously a UK Civil Servant, specialising on trade policy and was head of the Trade and Investment Minister's office.
Kate Galea
Chief Operating Officer
Kate Galea joined Mandate (then Datapraxis) in 2020 and leads Finance, HR, and Business Operations, ensuring the organisation runs efficiently while upholding the rigour and integrity essential to credible research and analysis. Before transitioning into the political field, Kate built a 20-year career in ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) sales, operations and management within the luxury travel industry, including a role as Director of The Travel Division.
Brian Paler
Chief Strategy Officer
Brian Paler brings over 20 years of experience to public opinion research and democratic development. He has conducted research and provided strategic consultation for numerous political campaigns, parties, and civic organisations internationally, including in Armenia, Austria, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Montenegro, Romania, Poland, and the UK. Previously, Brian managed global projects at GQR, overseeing campaigns across five continents. Before that, he managed projects for the U.S. based National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) in Central and Eastern Europe, and Eurasia.
Kaisa Vatanen
Chief Research Officer
Kaisa Vatanen has worked in Finnish and European progressive politics for nearly 20 years, most recently as the Head of Policy and Research of the SDP Finland. She joined Mandate in 2024. Before that, she worked as Director of the Kalevi Sorsa Foundation, and in different positions in the Finnish and European social democratic movement and INGOs. She has experience in elections, ideological work and political research on all levels from local to European wide campaigns.
Our Experts for Data, Strategy and all your projects.
Head of Data Science
Head of Story & Strategy
Head of Operations
Head of Quarterly Research
Head of Custom Research
Head of Technology