Our History

Customer Futures was established in 1995 by Bill George as the "Customer Loyalty 2000" forum.

It consisted of twelve UK Marketing Directors searching for competitive differentiation for their businesses, and was blessed with an intelligent and supportive sponsor - Argos Business Solutions.

The focus from the start was on addressing the issues and challenges surrounding customer retention and loyalty, which was defined as “A mix of positive beliefs, feelings and attitudes about an organisation and its products and services that makes sustained commitment automatic and unconscious ” (Bill George, 1994).

 
The Launch was at the Café Royale in September 1995 with Bob Tyrell, CEO of the Henley Centre, as keynote speaker.

The UK Forum grew quickly and split into two groups - Business-to-Business and Business-to-Consumer - in 1997, the year in which the concept went international, with the formation of an Australian Forum.

Forums in Hong Kong and Ireland followed in 1999, and in 2000 the business was re-branded "Customer Loyalty Futures".

In 2002 Customer Futures, along with its sister company QCi, became part of WPP - integrated into the Ogilvy Group on Canary Wharf.  Since then it has continued to grow geographically and also enhanced its proposition with Executive Councils.

In 2007 Bill announced his retirement.  Fraser Watson of OgilvyOne World-wide assumed the role of Chairman and Peter Lavers was appointed Managing Director (moving across from his previous role as Managing Partner of QCi).