Our History

Taverner Research Group is born using a modernised and simplified interpretation of the original “oak tree sitting in a crown” emblem – Philip-Mitchell Taverner’s family crest. The three peaks and merging blue and green colours symbolise the Taverner, Jetty and IRIS brands, which have come together under a unified brand.

To further its growth, in 2020 Taverner acquired Wollongong-based IRIS Research. In addition to its other clients, IRIS has a dominant position in the Illawarra region and throughout southern NSW. IRIS’s staff and call centre were retained with Taverner, while IRIS Chief Executive, Peter Watts, became business development manager for the merged group.

Through these acquisitions, the Taverner Research Group now has three offices and an ISO-certified 50-seat CATI research centre across Sydney, Coffs Harbour and Wollongong.

In 2019, Taverner acquired Jetty Research, a Coffs Harbour-based consultancy with a wide base of clients in the local and state government sectors. Jetty Managing Director James Parker joined Taverner as National Research Director, and all Jetty staff – including those in its 12-seat CATI centre – continued their employment under Taverner.

In 2018, as part of Philip’s succession management policy, he appointed Michael Trigwell as Managing Director. Michael’s success follows the Taverner principle of fostering staff development with reward for talent and initiative as Michael joined Taverner Research in 2005 as a researcher with experience in marketing. Philip continues to be involved as non-executive chairman.

Philip successfully set up the NSW office of RAMIS Corporation and acquired the assets of the NSW business. This new venture was branded as Taverner Research.

Philip based the office at 88 Foveaux Street, Surry Hills, the same building from which he had run Reark’s Sydney office. Taverner Research Group remains at 88 Foveaux Street, Surry Hills today.

In 1991, following a change of ownership of Reark Research, Philip took the opportunity to again found a new research agency with Jim Reark – named RAMIS Corporation.

Philip moved to Sydney in 1983 to expand Reark Research’s client reach across NSW and the ACT.

In 1975, Philip co-founded (with Jim Reark) Reark Research, which, over a period of 16 years, established offices across all Australian states.