Senior Changes at VNU

VNU has announced a number of senior management changes in its Marketing Information group. Frank Martell, COO of ACNielsen, adds the role of President and CEO of ACNielsen Europe, whilst at VNU Advisory Services Steve Wilson has been appointed President and CEO, replacing Brian Chadbourne.

With Martell focusing more of his time on the European business, Steve Schmidt, President and CEO of ACNielsen will assume from Martell direct accountability for ACNielsen's Latin America and Asia Pacific regions, along with its global finance function and the Project Atlas program. Martell will retain accountability for ACNielsen's Emerging Markets region, global Customized Research, and global Operations and Information Technology. He will relocate from New York to ACNielsen's European headquarters in Wavre, Belgium.

'Frank Martell is assuming leadership of ACNielsen Europe at a critical juncture in the evolution of this business', said Rob van den Bergh, Chairman and CEO of VNU, and head of the company's Marketing Information group. 'Our new European data factory began initial operation in mid-June, and we are about to begin the lengthy and complex process of transitioning clients to our new Web-enabled services there. This initiative will bring tremendous new capabilities to the marketplace, and will drive the long-term growth of ACNielsen and our Marketing Information group'.

Steve Wilson, the new head of VNU Advisory Services, becomes a member of the VNU Marketing Information Board following Brian Chadbourne's decision to take early retirement. Wilson will report directly to Van den Bergh, who paid tribute to Chadbourne: 'Brian Chadbourne has led a team that has made great strides in developing our VNU Advisory Services business, including the creation of new integrated services and a new 'One-VNU' client service model... Long term, we expect VNU Advisory Services to deliver tremendous value to our clients'.

In his new role, Wilson, previously group President, VNU Advisory Services, will be directly accountable for the performance of BASES, Spectra, Claritas and HCI - the four units that are part of VNU Advisory Services - and will assume leadership of VNU's global relationships with Procter & Gamble, Kraft Foods and other clients.

VNU also announced that Joe Willke, President of BASES, will take on an expanded role overseeing the development and implementation of a strategic framework for VNU Advisory Services. Willke will retain responsibility for the group's Modeling & Analytical Services business unit.

The VNU web site is at www.vnu.com

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.

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