Mark Read appointed chairman of newly formed Kantar Media Board

New Delhi: Kantar Media has appointed Mark Read, former Chief Executive Officer of WPP, as the new Chairman of its Board of Directors. The announcement comes as the media measurement and analytics company enters a new phase as an independent business following its sale earlier this year.

Kantar Media operates in more than 80 countries and provides data and insights for advertisers, media agencies, broadcasters and digital platforms to understand audience behaviour and plan media investments.

Read has spent most of his career in the global advertising and media industry. He served as CEO of WPP from 2018 to 2025 and previously led the company’s strategy, digital expansion and transformation. 

During his tenure, Read drove WPP’s entry into artificial intelligence, including the creation of technology platform WPP Open and the acquisition of UK AI firm Satalia. He also served as CEO of Wunderman, WPP’s global digital agency, ahead of leading the company at group level.

In a statement, Read said he is pleased to join Kantar Media at a time when the media landscape is changing rapidly. 

“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. I am delighted to join Kantar Media’s board as Chairman, and to support Patrick and his leadership team in bringing greater clarity to the media ecosystem,” he said.

Patrick Béhar, CEO of Kantar Media, welcomed Read’s appointment and said his experience in transformation, data and AI will strengthen the business as it continues to evolve. 

“We are honoured that Mark has chosen to join Kantar Media’s Board at a pivotal moment in our company’s journey. Mark combines deep strategic thinking with practical experience in transformation, data and AI, and most importantly he shares our ambition to transform the industry by bringing clarity to a complex landscape,” Béhar said.

Read’s appointment also marks the formation of Kantar Media’s first fully independent board. The company was sold by Kantar Group and Bain Capital to H.I.G. Capital, with the transaction concluding in August this year. Nishant Nayyar, Managing Director at H.I.G. Capital, said the new leadership will help drive the company’s next phase of growth. 

“Mark’s appointment underscores our commitment to backing Kantar Media with exceptional leadership. 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,” Nayyar said.