GfK Promotes for POS and Value-Added Leadership Role

GfK has appointed Gary Schanzer to lead its Point-of-Sale (POS) teams in North America - including retail panels for the pet, optics and tire markets - as well as the Group's Value-Added Services in e-commerce content, discount ad tracking, and technology research for investment firms.

Schanzer has led GfK's Shopper & Retail Strategy team in North America for the past four years. He began his career at Shearson Lehman Brothers, and then worked at Bestfoods, IRI and agency Euro RSCG Meridian for four years apiece between 1991 and 2004. He then co-founded Interscope, a sales and marketing consultancy which was acquired by GfK in late 2010. He holds an MBA in Marketing, with additional concentrations in Decision Sciences and Legal Studies, from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and an AB in Economics from Princeton University.

In his new role as MD of POS Tracking, he is charged with expanding the Group's North American retail panels and revenue generation in pet specialty retail, optics, farm feed and tires. In addition, he will head up GfK's Value-Added Services in the continent, including e-commerce content development unit GfK Etilize; print discount ad tracking in the US and Canada (Promotion and Causal Retail); and the the GfK Boutique research service reporting on electronics and IT for investment firms and others.

Gary Cofer, Regional Chief Commercial Officer for North America, comments: 'We are fortunate to have a leader of Gary's experience and wisdom to take these businesses to new levels. He excels in the organizational intelligence and client focus that are essential ingredients of success for these teams. And he will help turn our syndicated data into actionable insights that can provide increased value to our clients'.

Web site: www.gfk.com .