He's been asking questions since 1994. Professionally.
Market researcher, entrepreneur, author of three books. On stage: the translator between companies and their customers.
It all started with a phone receiver.
1994, a call center in Düsseldorf: Herbert Höckel surveys people by phone for AMR Advanced Market Research. He stays ten years, becomes Research Director. And notices earlier than most that market research is moving online.
On 19 January 2004, he founded moweb research GmbH together with his partner Ryan Gibson. In his mother's dining room, the three of them. It grew into one of the first German institutes for digital market research: today around 40 employees, its own panels with more than three million members, studies in over 60 countries and 30 languages. For brands like Edeka, Bayer, Vodafone and Mercedes-Benz.
From 2022 to 2026, he also ran AMR, of all places the institute whose call center is where he started out. Since 2025, he's had a seat on the ESOMAR Council, the industry's international body.
The journey, in brief.
"I want to take away the fear companies and their employees have of asking questions. Especially where the important answers are waiting: with their customers."Herbert Höckel
Three books, one mindset.
Customer Centricity Mindset
Truly understanding customers, mastering disruption. Haufe, 2021, with a foreword by Kai Schmidhuber.
Denken Sie wie Ihre Kunden
To understand and delight them. Hardcover, 176 pages, 2024. Order it here for free (you only pay shipping).
Through Your Customer's Eyes
Discover what truly matters to you and your customers. English, 2025. Foreword by Simon Chadwick, featured in ESOMAR's Research World magazine.
Where else you'll find him.
- Column "Herbert's World" on marktforschung.de
- Co-initiator of #WeLoveResearch, the industry networking event in Düsseldorf
- ESOMAR Council Member 2025–2028
- On the radio and in the press, from Bayern 3 to FAZ
One-pager for event organizers
Bio, talk topics, photo and contact on a single page, for event programs, press and booking.
Print-ready press photos available on request: info@herberthoeckel.com