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WPP research giant Kantar consolidates leadership of TNS and Millward Brown

Kantar logoKantar Group, WPP’s market research arm, has made a number of senior management cuts globally as the company looks to consolidate the reporting lines of its consumer insights brands.

The research giant, which is made up of 13 companies with around 30,000 staff in 100 countries, has let go “a small number of senior people” in key markets as part of a plan to create of more integrated consumer insights offering from research businesses TNS and Millward Brown, Kantar’s London-based spokesperson Mandy Pooler told Mumbrella. The changes also impact IMRB in India.

“We’ve changed the management group at the top in certain key countries, which is in response to evolving client needs,” Pooler said.

In APAC, the regional CEO of TNS, Chris Riquier is moving on. The CEO of Millward Brown Africa, Middle East and Asia Pacific, Adrian Gonzalez, will take on a broader group role.

“This is categorically not a merger” Pooler said in response to market speculation that WPP is combine TNS with Millward Brown.

“We are maintaining all of our operating brands. It’s a portfolio management issue. At the very top, we want someone in charge of our consumer insights businesses,” she said.

“It is genuinely a client-driven move. Clients are asking us – and all their suppliers – to be more connected,” she said, adding that the changes were in line with WPP boss Sir Martin Sorrell’s wish for “horizontality” – the group’s companies working better together.

WPP acquired Millward Brown in 1990 and TNS, formerly Taylor Nelson Sofres, in 2008. In 2009, TNS was merged with Research International.

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