The Strategy and Research group contribute to Ofcom’s work by developing understanding, providing insight, and setting direction.

The group sets Ofcom’s overarching strategy and collects much of the evidence base that underpins our policy work. The group works collaboratively across Ofcom, helping teams to think strategically about policy decisions and making the most of Ofcom’s research and data.

The Research and Intelligence team

This team provides a ‘one-stop-shop’ for evidence, insight and market analysis. They make sure that Ofcom has the most robust and reliable evidence to underpin its policy programme – helping to provide a detailed understanding of the markets we regulate and the consumers and citizens that we work for.

Our market research work gives us an in-depth understanding of people’s use of, and attitudes towards, communications services. This helps us to make sure their interests are at the heart of everything we do.

Our market intelligence work underpins our policy work with a deep understanding of the markets we regulate, and offers robust data on how firms serve their users, the revenues they earn and the investments they make.

The International team

This team helps us stay in touch with policy-makers, regulators, and industry and consumer groups across the world.

Across all of our work, the International team thinks about the world around us and what that means for Ofcom. Its work helps to influence:

• the development of international regulatory policy and frameworksin the Uk and globally; and
• international practices and decisions made by organisations or regulators in other jurisdictions – especially those which affect UK people in the areas we regulat 

We also use our international engagement programme to make sure Ofcom has a global voice, allowing us to deliver knowledge and insights to a wider international audience.

The Strategy and Policy team

This team plays a key role in setting Ofcom’s strategic direction and making sure we deliver against our main priorities. It provides Ofcom with the strategic insight and analysis needed to anticipate future challenges and opportunities in the rapidly changing communications sector.

Its key responsibilities include:

• market and policy insight – understanding how the communications sector might develop in the future to inform our wider policy programme;
• delivering Ofcom’s strategic priorities – leading major projects that set the future direction of regulation in the sector;
• thought leadership on emerging policy issues – working collaboratively with other teams to decide Ofcom’s position on emerging consumer, public policy and competition issues; and
• Ofcom’s corporate strategy – working with senior management and the Board to set Ofcom’s strategy, define its priorities and assess their delivery.