Change at the Top of VNU Advisory

Steven Wilson is retiring as President and CEO of VNU Advisory Services, after 37 years in the CPG and MR industries. He will be replaced by Joseph Willke, currently President of BASES and Global Modeling & Analytics, from 1st July.

Wilson began his career in brand management at Warner Lambert and moved into research with Booz Allen & Hamilton in 1976. He was President of Market Audits, Burke Marketing Research and SAMI, and joined BASES in 1983, leading it for 12 years from 1989. After VNU's 2001 acquisition of ACNielsen, he was given overall charge of the BASES, Spectra, Claritas and HCI units, and was named to his current post last year. He is credited as a major force in BASES' globalization and move into Web-based research.

Chairman and CEO Rob van den Bergh says he will miss Wilson's regular involvement in the business: 'As head of Advisory Services, Steve Wilson has been a strong advocate for combining our resources to create unique capabilities and aligning our organization against our clients' most pressing business issues. I have relied heavily on his insight, judgment and objectivity... At the same time, Steve has developed a strong leadership team, and I am pleased that Joe Willke is ready to assume responsibility for Advisory Services and take our capabilities in this area to the next level'.

Willke will report to Van den Bergh, and will join the company's Operating Committee. Mitch Barns will succeed him as President of BASES and Global Modeling & Analytics: Barns joined BASES in 1997 after a 12-year career at Procter & Gamble and was made SVP and General Manager of the Global Modeling & Analytics (M&A) unit last year.

VNU Advisory Services is part of its Marketing Information group and was established in late 2003. It includes the the BASES, Spectra, Claritas, HCI, and Global M&A units. VNU's group home page 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.