New Global CEO for Ipsos

The Board of Directors of Ipsos has decided to appoint Accenture veteran Jean-Laurent Poitou as the group's new CEO, replacing Ben Page from 15th September. The Board says it is looking for the group to regain 'a higher growth trajectory than the one it recorded in recent years.'

The Board explained its decision - taken in a meeting today - in terms of a strong and evolving demand for the group's products and services, stating, 'Ipsos' clients must continue to be able to access reliable and trustworthy information, produced securely and analysed with precision - but in significantly shorter timeframes, regardless of the source: either people themselves - citizens, clients, consumers - or digital [machine learning] models.' It continued: 'The Board believes that Ipsos, thanks to its scale, the expertise of its teams, its geographic coverage, the diversity of its services, and the trust expressed many times by its clients, is ideally positioned to meet these needs and therefore to regain a higher growth trajectory than the one it recorded in recent years.'

Page is turning 60 and said in a statement that after joining the firm as a graduate and working there for 38 years, 'now is a good time to hand over the reins'. For its part, the Board said it 'acknowledges the work undertaken by Ben Page' in his c.4 years as Global Chief Exec, but stated 'Nevertheless, it has decided to appoint a new CEO, with the objective of giving Ipsos and its teams the momentum needed to adopt and implement a realistic and credible growth plan.'

Poitou is an engineer and a graduate of France's École Polytechnique; familiar with emerging technologies such as AI and methods for its implementation within businesses. He spent more than 30 years at Accenture, in Europe, the US and Asia, latterly in senior international management positions. Since leaving, he has led the Digital and Technology Services practice at Alvarez & Marsal across EMEA.

Poitou himself says he intends to build on nearly 'fifty years of exceptional market leadership, global expansion and service diversification through acquisitions and innovation.' He comments: 'We will build for our clients an increasingly differentiated market and opinion research company, powered by science, technology, artificial intelligence, while remaining true to the values that have made Ipsos' success.'

'I am so proud of what we have achieved at Ipsos over the last few decades,' states Ben Page. 'In very few other businesses would you travel the world, work with Presidents and Prime Ministers, and with some of the world's largest companies and make lifelong friendships with so many clients and colleagues.'

The firm employs around 20,000 people, is present in 90 markets and is online at www.ipsos.com .

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