• by Steve McClellan  @mp_mcclellan, September 27, 2011

Starcom USA has appointed Chad Maxwell senior vice president research intelligence director, a new position at the agency.

Maxwell effectively replaces Judy Bahary, who left the agency earlier this year for WPP's Mindshare. A Starcom rep said Maxwell's position encompasses Bahary's old job "with new and expanding responsibilities."

The agency said Maxwell will be responsible for developing all aspects of the shop's research practice with a mandate to improve the way Starcom's clients understand "people-centered experiences and connect their brands with people in meaningful ways."

Maxwell's research department is part of Starcom's "Human Intelligence" team. He reports to Kathy Kline, senior vice president and managing director of the agency.

Previously, Maxwell was at Starcom sister agency Razorfish, where he led the Consumer Insights Research Group for the past three years. Earlier, he was principal investigator and founder at Q-Squared Research, a research consultancy that focused on the convergence of experience, design and consumer research for clients, such as AT&T and Capital One.

Commenting on the hire, Starcom USA CEO Lisa Donohue stated that Maxwell's "diverse perspectives and skills across markets, methodologies and people will be a powerful advantage for Starcom as we seek to better understand the complexity of human experience in ways that put our clients ahead."

Maxwell noted that the research space has been "revolutionized over time," saying of his new post: "It's not about user, brand, media, market or consumer research silos. Rather, it's about integrated, ever-present, sustainable insights that tap into deep human connections and behaviors that tell powerful stories and drive business results."