London-based research firm Synovate Healthcare has named Jacquelyn S. Ilacqua head of the Synovate Healthcare Global Tandem Oncology Monitor. She will continue to be based in the U.S. The firm also named Laurie Harris vice president, corporate development.
Millward Brown has announced a number of appointments. At Millward Brown Optimor, North America, Nikhil Gharekhan has been named senior vice president. Marco Forato has been named senior vice president, Millward Brown Optimor, Europe. Promotions: Letesia Steel to research director, Sadek Wynberg Millward Brown, UK; Emma Elder to research director, Sadek Wynberg Millward Brown, UK; Mike Ripka to vice president, Millward Brown, North America; and Bill Pink to vice president, Millward Brown, North America.
Dan Coates has been named president of Voxco Corp. USA, New York.
Knowledge Systems and Research, Inc., Syracuse, N.Y., has named Vincent Cama CEO, Rita Reicher president, and Carl Spencer COO.
Cincinnati research firm Marketing Research Services Inc. has named Brett Simpson research analyst and Wendy Doran associate research analyst.
Lori Cook has been named senior associate at Digital Research, Inc. Kennebunk, Maine.
Cincinnati marketing agency WonderGroup has added David Lansanah as director of research design and analysis, a newly created position.
Netherlands-based VNU has announced that Michael P. Connors, a member its executive board and chairman of its Media Measurement & Information (MMI) group, has decided to leave VNU to pursue opportunities as a CEO of a publicly traded company. Connors will remain on the executive board until April 1, 2005, and will continue as chairman and CEO of the MMI group until June 30, 2005. Separately, VNU has named Harris Black secretary to the executive and supervisory boards and Ferdinand Voskens deputy secretary to both boards.
U.K. research firm ESA has named Tania Maera field manager in its internal field division and promoted Kirk Brazier to project executive in the client service division.
Vancouver-based research software firm Vision Critical Communications Inc. has named Angus Reid as CEO and added him to its board of directors.
Research firm TNS has tapped Tacis Gavoyannis to head its new technology sector, which will merge its existing telecom and IT research divisions.
Lightspeed Research, Basking Ridge, N.J., has announced a number of new appointments. At the London office, Chris Stevens has been named COO; Nick Armstrong has been named vice president, operations; and Matthew Perkins has been named director, research technology. In the U.S. office, William Fernandez has been named director, online marketing, and Denise McGrew has been named director, training and development.
John Humphrey, partner at J.D. Power and Associates , Westlake Village, Calif., has been named senior vice president of international operations and managing director of the firm’s new Shanghai office.
GfK Martin Hamblin has promoted Martine Leroy-Sharman to general manager of the U.K.-based Global HealthCare office. She has also been appointed to join GfK Martin Hamblin’s board. Stephen Grundy, group general manager, will now direct his attention to building GfK Martin Hamblin’s Healthcare business at an international level. He will continue to be a member of both the GfK Martin Hamblin board and the GfK HealthCare strategic business unit board. There have also been two other senior appointments within GfK Martin Hamblin Global Healthcare: Saeed Mumtaz has been named divisional director and Mike Mallinson has been added to establish a payer, pricing, reimbursement and market access practice within the division.
Research firm Harris Interactive, Rochester, N.Y., announced a number of executive management changes. Gordon S. Black resigned as executive chairman on December 31, 2004, concurrent with the expiration of his employment agreement. Black will continue as a director of the company. Robert E. Knapp was elected chairman, effective January 1, 2005. Knapp continues to serve as CEO, the position he has held since joining the company in January 2004. Also effective January 1, 2005, Frank J. Connolly Jr. joined Harris Interactive as executive vice president and CFO. Connolly will also serve as the company’s treasurer. Bruce A. Newman has been named executive vice president, finance. He will remain corporate secretary. David B. Vaden has been promoted to executive vice president.
Arbitron Inc., New York, has named Julian Davis director, urban media services. Pierre Bouvard has been named president, Portable People Meters and international.
Maritz Research, St. Louis, has named Bernard Elam account manager, retail research group. Paul Robert has been named account manager, financial services research group.
Jack Campisi has been promoted to senior account director, VideoMarker services at Stamford, Conn.-based FocusVision Worldwide. In addition, Michael Brooks has been promoted to sales manager - West region, Shane Leuis has been named senior account director for the central territory, and Allison Herz has been named senior account director for the Northeast territory.
Kevin Moran has joined Markitecture , a Norwalk, Conn., research firm, as president of Markitecture Syndicated Studies, a new division within Markitecture. He will be based in Cave Creek, Ariz.
Overland Park, Kan., consulting firm the Management Network Group, Inc. has named Paul Petersky vice president, market research at TMNG Marketing, TMNG’s marketing consulting subsidiary.
Eleo Hensleigh has been promoted to the newly created position of chief marketing officer and executive vice president for marketing and brand strategies at the Disney-ABC Television Group . In her new role, Hensleigh will manage marketing and brand strategy initiatives, research departments and synergy efforts for the group.
New York brand consultancy Interbrand has promoted Julie Curhan Cottin eau to executive director, consumer branding.
John V. Colias has joined Decision Analyst Inc., Arlington, Texas, as vice president and director of the advanced analytics group.
Jane Washburn has been named senior vice president, chief marketing officer at Beverly Enterprises , a Fort Smith, Ark., health care services firm. She will be responsible for branding, marketing, market research, business development and strategic planning.
Mark Turim has joined Research International, Chicago, as group COO. He has also been named CEO of Latin America. In addition, Mary Lou Barney has joined the firm as the new full-time global business director for Coca-Cola.
Debra Isdal-Giroux has joined Philadelphia-based research firm LinguiSearch, Inc ., as vice president and senior research consultant. She will head up the firm’s West Coast office and be based in Phoenix.
Netherlands-based information firm VNU has named Susan D. Whiting executive vice president of the Media Measurement & Information (MMI) group, effective April 4, 2005. Whiting will replace Mike Connors as head of MMI. She was named president and CEO of Nielsen Media Research since in 2002, a role she will continue to fulfill. In addition, as of the same date, Michael Marchesano of VNU Business Media U.S. will lead Nielsen Entertainment, which will remain as a division of MMI. Marchesano was named president and CEO of VNU Business Media U.S. in 2001, a responsibility he will continue to hold.