Chris Jansen named new Kantar CEO
Professional services firm Kantar has appointed a new CEO. Chris Jansen will head up the firm from November 2021, when he leaves his current position with education company Cognita.
Reflecting on the news, Jansen commented, “I am really looking forward to working very closely with the Kantar team. We have an exciting future ahead, as we continue to embrace advanced analytics and the latest technology in order to better serve our clients.”
Jansen added that Kantar was regarded as a world leader in data and insights led consulting, as a result of having focused on appointing top talent throughout the firm. The professional services group has been undergoing a series of key changes in recent years, with Kantar having been majority owned by Bain Capital since 2019.
The new CEO will join Kantar in the autumn, with more than 20 years of leadership experience in the services sector. This includes knowhow from brand building to service delivery transformation, alongside a background in classic FMCG marketing, and an established track record of managing private equity-owned businesses. His appointment follows the installation of Ted Prince to Chief Product Officer earlier in the year, further reflecting Kantar’s renewed determination to strengthen its offering to clients.
Speaking on the firm’s latest executive appointment, Kantar Chair Adam Crozier said, “Chris’ track record of building great companies, as well as his entrepreneurial and competitive spirit, further strengthens the leadership team we have been building over the past 18 months… As we continue on our transformation journey at Kantar, and build on our recent business momentum, Chris’ leadership will be instrumental in fulfilling the ambition that we have for Kantar.“
Crozier added that Jansen’s previous work showed he was a “highly people-centric leader who understands the importance a strong culture plays in delivering outstanding results.” Illustrating this, Jansen is currently the CEO of Cognita, and over his six-year tenure in the role, the company has rapidly grown into one of the largest, and most highly regarded global schools groups. Before that, he led the Automobile Association (AA) to a stock market flotation in 2014, having also held leadership roles at both British Gas and British Airways.
Kantar Group is a British professional services firm which was founded in 1992. It has more than 30,000 employees working in 100 countries.
