Sthanunathan replaces Kim Dedeker, who has been the council’s lead client representative since last August.

Dedeker stands down from the role following her departure from Procter & Gamble, where she was VP of consumer and market knowledge. She was recently appointed chair of the Americas for WPP’s Kantar group of market research agencies.

Commenting on her successor, Dedeker said: “Stan has been one of our key partners in the war on quality. He is extremely passionate and well versed in the challenges and issues that face the industry.”

Dedeker will remain on the council’s governing board, while Sthanunathan’s co-chair is Robert Tomei, who is president of consumer and shopper insights at Information Resources.

Sthanunathan has been a supporter of the council since it was launched in the summer of 2007, at which time he remarked that “the rigour and discipline that characterised sampling plans of the 70s and 80s is missing in the online era”.