VNU Names Leaders for Project Forward

VNU has named Michael Marchesano to lead its Project Forward business transformation program, a major three-year initiative to reduce costs and enhance its margins and competitive position. Five leaders for specific initiatives within the program have also been named.

In his new role of Executive VP and Chief Transformation Officer, Marchesano will report to Rob Ruijter, CFO and interim CEO of VNU. He joined VNU in August 1999 as president of Bill Communications, and two years later was named president and CEO of VNU Business Media USA, responsible for VNU's portfolio of business publications and trade shows. He previously spent 22 years with BPA International, the auditor of business publications, rising to President and CEO in 1994.

Ruijter says Project Forward is 'crucial to our future success' and welcomes the arrival of Marchesano in the role. 'Mike is an outstanding leader with demonstrated experience in achieving wide-scale cost efficiencies. In his former role as head of VNU Business Media USA, he continued to grow margins in our trade publications business despite a sluggish advertising economy, while continuing to innovate and transition to a new business model to generate future growth.'

Robert L. Krakoff will succeed Marchesano as President and CEO of VNU Business Media USA. Krakoff is a long-time media and publishing industry executive, currently Chairman and CEO of Blantyre Partners, Inc., a media industry consulting firm, and previously (1996-2004) Chairman and CEO of Advanstar, Inc. He also spent 23 years with Reed Elsevier plc.

As part of Project Forward, VNU is forming corporate centers of excellence to streamline and standardize processes in Finance, Human Resources and Information Technology. It also forming teams to improve business processes in real estate, facilities management, outsourcing and purchasing. The following leadership appointments for these teams were announced today:

• Greg Anderson, VNU's Chief Human Resources Officer, will lead the Human Resources transformation initiative;
• Corporate Controller David Berger will lead the Finance transformation initiative;
• Mary Gendron, former Chief Technology Officer of ACNielsen U.S. becomes Senior VP - IT Infrastructure Shared Services for VNU, and will lead the IT transformation initiative;
• Peter Gersky, former North American treasurer for VNU, becomes Senior VP, Global Procurement and will lead the global purchasing initiative; and
• Karen LaPak, VP of Corporate Real Estate Services for VNU, will lead the global real estate and facilities management initiative.

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