Nielsen CEO to retire at the end of the year

Mitch Barns will retire as CEO of Nielsen at the end of 2018. He has been with the consumer behavior and analysis company for more than two decades, and has held roles in multiple parts of the business. His tenure as CEO included actions such as acquiring metadata company Gracenote and leading the effort to unify measurement across broadcast and streaming.

The company’s board of directors announced the news, adding that James Attwood, current chairman of the board, has also been named executive chairman. Attwood will assume a more active role in the business and will lead the search for new leadership.

“Mitch has left an indelible mark on Nielsen—his commitment to integrity, openness, values and engagement will continue to be the heart of this company for years to come,” Attwood said. “I, along with the rest of the Board of Directors, thank him for his service.”