Broadcast Audience Research Council India (BARC India) has announced that its Oversight Committee member Nakul Chopra will replace Sunil Lulla as CEO. The change of guard will take place on August 25, 2021.
“Sunil Lulla has resigned his remit to pursue his ambition as an entrepreneur,” the joint industry body said in a press statement.
Nakul Chopra, who has been appointed as the incoming CEO, joined the BARC India Board in 2016 and was subsequently appointed the Chairman of the company (2018-19). In June 2019, he was appointed a member of its Oversight Committee when Partho Dasgupta was the CEO of the rating agency.
Chopra has been an integral part of the Advertising and Media fraternity and served as the CEO, India and South Asia Publicis Worldwide, for over a decade.
“BARC will benefit from his wealth of knowledge and experience of over four decades,” the TV rating body said.
Speaking on his appointment, Chopra said, “I have had the benefit of a long association with BARC. The organisation has grown in measure and strength. TV continues to be the definitive screen of the Indian home – its strong reach and connect continues to elicit the trust of advertisers. I look forward to working with the very capable BARC team in further building on TV measurement and continuing the journey toward screen agnostic measurement.”
Lulla said, “After four decades of an exciting career in professional services, I now embark upon an entrepreneurial journey. I am privileged to have been able to contribute to BARC and this has been possible only because of the excellent team of professionals, a very supportive Board and the gold standard of Board-appointed committees. I wish Nakul Chopra, all the success.”
Punit Goenka, Chairman, BARC India, said, “I thank Sunil for his stewardship of BARC and his efforts to enhance the strength of the BARC currency. I am very happy to welcome Nakul as the natural and unanimous choice of the Board for the continuing journey of adding robustness to the BARC currency and strengthening the governance of the world’s largest television audience measurement body.”