Former NFO President to Lead New comScore Unit

ComScore Networks has launched a Survey Solutions business unit offering survey-based research services via a panel of more than 1.5m consumers, and appointed Randall S. Smith as president and CEO.

Smith was most recently president and COO of NFO WorldGroup, leaving after three years in August 2003 following its acquisition by TNS. Before NFO, he served as a senior executive and corporate officer at IRI, where he worked for 18 years, managing several of the company's fastest-growing business units, including its International Services Group, Information Technology and Operations Divisions, and its BehaviorScan/Testing Services Division.

In the new role Smith will report to Magid Abraham, Ph.D., president and CEO of comScore Networks, Inc. He becomes a corporate officer of the company and will also manage comScore's consumer packaged goods offering.

comScore Survey Solutions will offer research for consumer segmentation, customer satisfaction / stakeholder management, product and advertising design, and brand performance tracking. Clients are in industries including financial services, healthcare, automotive, IT, telecom, retail, travel and consumer packaged goods.

'Over the past two years, we've seen a sharp increase in demand for our survey-based research services across the industries we support. Consolidating and focusing our efforts through this new business unit will further accelerate this momentum', explained Dr. Abraham. 'I'm particularly pleased to have Randy Smith on board - his extensive experience heading diverse research organizations makes him the ideal person to lead the charge'.

Smith believes that comScore is well placed to achieve leadership as 'survey research continues its methodological migration from the telephone and other channels to the Internet', adding that 'Our massive panel, unique technology and experienced team truly offer clients insight unmatched by any other research firm'.

More information is available from surveysolutions@comscore.com

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

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