As of 1 January, Calhoun will become executive chairman of the board of directors, at which time Nielsen’s current chairman of the board, James Kilts, will step down but will remain a board member.

“Nielsen is successfully implementing its global strategy, and the time is right to name the next leader to take the company to its next phase of growth,” said Calhoun, who has led the company since 2006. “Mitch’s strong track record at the helm of a number of key Nielsen business units around the world – combined with his vision and commitment to our strategic plan – puts the company on solid footing for continued global expansion and value creation.”

Barns joined Nielsen in 1997. He is currently president of global client service, overseeing $5.5bn in revenue and leading the efforts of Nielsen’s Watch and Buy client service teams worldwide.

Earlier, Barns served as president of Nielsen’s US television ratings business. He also served as president of Greater China operations, as well as global president of Nielsen’s Bases and Analytic Consulting businesses.

He began his career at Procter & Gamble, where he spent 12 years in marketing research and brand management.