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Stephan Shakespeare

Chief Executive & Founder, YouGov plc

Stephan Shakespeare is the co-founder and current CEO of YouGov, a prominent British Internet-based market research and opinion polls company.16 Born on April 9, 1957, in Mönchengladbach, Germany, Shakespeare (né Kukowski) moved to the UK at the age of five.6 He was educated at Christ's Hospital school and later graduated from the University of Oxford.67

Shakespeare's career has been diverse and eventful:

  1. He began as a teacher and headmaster in Los Angeles during the 1980s.6
  2. After returning to the UK, he taught at Charles Edward Brooke girls secondary school in Lambeth.6
  3. He entered politics, serving as Jeffrey Archer's Campaign Director and as a Conservative Party pollster.6
  4. In 1997, he ran as the Conservative candidate for Colchester but was defeated.6
  5. In 2000, Shakespeare co-founded YouGov with Nadhim Zahawi.56

At YouGov, Shakespeare has held various positions:

  • Chief Executive & Joint-Founder (2000-2023)5
  • Chairman & Founder (August 2023-February 2025)5
  • Interim CEO (February 2025-present)13

Shakespeare has also contributed to public service:

  • Chairman of the Data Strategy Board for the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (2012-2013)26
  • Led the Shakespeare Review of Public Sector Information2
  • Commissioner for the Social Metrics Commission2

His expertise in data and research has earned him recognition, including being named one of the Top 20 Most Influential People in Politics in the Debrett's 500.6 Shakespeare's leadership has been crucial in establishing YouGov as a leading market research firm, known for its accurate predictions and innovative approach to data collection and analysis.24

Related Questions

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Stephan Shakespeare
Stephan Shakespeare, photo 1
Stephan Shakespeare, photo 2
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Location

London, United Kingdom