Mark Read has been appointed chairman of Kantar Media, the data and audience measurement company that was spun off and sold to H.I.G. Capital earlier this year.

So, the appointment brings Read’s extensive industry experience to the leadership of a company that plays a critical role in helping advertisers, agencies, media owners, and platforms understand media consumption patterns and optimize their media investments.

Meanwhile, Nishant Nayyar, managing director at H.I.G. Capital, expressed confidence in the appointment. “Mark’s appointment underscores our commitment to backing Kantar Media with exceptional leadership.

However, his deep industry knowledge and proven track record in driving transformation and innovation will be invaluable as Patrick and his team take the company into its next phase of growth,” he said.

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A Strategic Vision for Media Measurement

Therefore, in a statement announcing his new role, Read emphasized the unique position Kantar Media occupies in the media ecosystem. “Kantar Media serves a unique and essential role in the media ecosystem, helping advertisers, agencies, media owners, and platforms understand how people are consuming media and how best to direct their media investments,” he said.

Read noted that his role will involve bringing greater clarity to the media ecosystem at a time when audience behavior is changing more rapidly than ever. This focus on navigating rapid transformation aligns with his track record of leading organizations through periods of significant industry disruption.

A History with Kantar

Read’s connection to Kantar dates back to his tenure as CEO of WPP Group, where he oversaw the sale of a majority stake in the holding company’s Kantar Group to Bain Capital in 2019.

That transaction marked a significant restructuring of WPP’s research and data assets.
WPP originally formed Kantar Group in 1992 to oversee disparate marketing and media research operations the company had acquired, including Taylor Nelson Sofres and Millward Brown.

In 2010, the holding company officially launched Kantar Media to oversee its media research assets.
Read stepped down as CEO of WPP on September 1 and was succeeded by former Microsoft executive Cindy Rose