Kantar hires Natalie Vander Vorst to lead consulting practice

Professional services firm Kantar has recruited Natalie Vander Vorst to become Managing Partner of its consulting practice. She will lead the large team as it supports brands on marketing and commercial strategies.

Kantar is an evidence-based insights and consulting company, with a presence in more than 90 markets, worldwide. Founded in 1992, the London-based company has approximately 30,000 employees. Within those, the firm has a number of divisions, including ‘insights’, which includes a consulting practice. In the UK, that is made up of 150 professionals.

As Natalie Vander Vorst joins Kantar to lead the UK and Ireland consulting wing, she will look to build on the practice’s demand generation, brand and creative positioning, sustainability, retail optimisation and organisational performance. This will be important, as now more than ever, potential clients are looking for data-driven, actionable advice to help them survive and thrive in a difficult economy.  

Amy Cashman, Executive Managing Director, for Kantar’s UK and Ireland Insights division, said, “Natalie brings a real depth of talent and expertise to lead our Consulting practice, adding to an already strong team. She is ideally placed to help guide businesses through challenging times ahead as the cost of living crisis bites and people’s habits and behaviour continues to change.”

Vander Vorst brings a wealth of experience supporting large global brands, having spent the last eight years with the Publicis Groupe where, she advised businesses on marketing and digital transformation, brand building, and opportunities to expand share and revenue in challenging markets. This included leading PG One, a dedicated agency for Publicis Groupe’s largest client Procter & Gamble which developed new ways to analyse consumer behaviour to help improve business performance. 

Before Publicis Groupe, Vander Vorst also worked in WPP agencies for 10 years. WPP was previously a majority owner of Kantar – before opting to sell a majority stake to Bain Capital in 2018. In the years since, the firm has moved to consolidate its proposition, both by unifying its previously disparate subsidiaries, and committing to an M&A campaign.