Karthik Rao, an experienced Indian American business executive, has assumed the position of CEO at Nielsen, a global leader in TV audience measurement and analytics. With an extensive 23-year career at Nielsen, Rao takes over from David Kenny, who served as CEO since 2018 and will transition to the role of Executive Chairman. Rao, who has been the CEO of Nielsen’s Audience Measurement business since early 2023, focuses on driving and evolving audience measurement amid industry disruption. His primary goal is to establish a universal currency for media distribution and consumption models globally.
Expressing enthusiasm for the new role, Rao emphasizes Nielsen’s commitment to providing accurate information to client partners, the advertising industry, and content creators. He acknowledges the significant shifts in audience content consumption over the years and affirms Nielsen’s dedication to partnering with customers to lead these changes.
David Kerko, Head of Private Equity at Elliott Investment Management, which supports Nielsen, commends David Kenny for his contributions and expresses confidence in Karthik Rao’s leadership. Rao’s extensive industry experience, client relationships, and track record position him as the ideal leader to navigate Nielsen through a period of significant change in the media ecosystem.
Rao’s ascent to Nielsen’s leadership came amidst the company’s split into two publicly-traded entities in November 2019, with one handling consumer research and the other focusing on TV ratings, according to reports. His appointment underscores Nielsen’s strategic alignment with the evolving media landscape and the company’s readiness for future challenges.
