GfK AG Introduces New Organizational Structure
NUREMBERG, December 14, 2007– From January 2008 onwards, the GfK Group’s organizational structure will focus on three sectors rather than the five existing business divisions. In addition, the Management Board of GfK AG will be expanded to include a sixth member with effect from the start of the New Year. In its meeting on December 12, 2007, the Supervisory Board of the Group resolved the appointment of Debra A. Pruent to the Management Board.
At the beginning of 2008, the GfK Group will adopt a new organizational structure. The five current business divisions, Custom Research, Retail and Technology, Consumer Tracking, Media and HealthCare will in the future be set up as the three sectors of Custom Research, Retail and Technology and Media. The new structure reflects the market research services
provided, which are essentially based on data originating from three different sources. The data is collected directly from consumers or specific target groups such as doctors – in other words, at the point of consumers and physicians. In addition, data is collected at the point of sale were goods are sold and at the point of media where media consumption is measured. The three sectors, Custom Research, Retail and Technology and Media, mirror these three data sources.
Dr. Gérard Hermet will remain responsible for the Retail and Technology sector and Wilhelm R. Wessels for the Media sector, with no change. Responsibilities will change in the Custom Research sector, which comprises the Custom Research, Consumer Tracking and HealthCare divisions. Within the Custom Research division, Debra A. Pruent will be responsible for the
North America region from the start of 2008 and Petra Heinlein for all other regions. Wilhelm R. Wessels retains responsibility for the Consumer Tracking and HealthCare divisions within the Custom Research sector. There is no change in CFO Christian Weller von Ahlefeld’s role as Finance and HR Director and Professor Dr. Klaus L. Wübbenhorst will continue in his capacity as CEO of the GfK Group.
The streamlined structure will enable the GfK Group to increasingly exploit synergies in the cross-divisional use of technology, data collection and the application of methods. This will apply to customer satisfaction research, for example, which has been conducted separately by the Custom Research and HealthCare divisions to date. In the future, the development and enhancement of innovative methods for specific issues will be a joint effort. Another benefit will be the shared use of technology platforms, such as online panels. The stringent focus on three sectors will facilitate enhanced positioning, simplified reporting and more transparent communications for clients and the wider public.
New Management Board member
Debra A. Pruent (46) will join Custom Research, which accounts for approximately half of GfK’s sales. As a new Management Board member, she will be responsible for the company’s Custom Research activities in North America. The region comprises the USA and Canada and represents the biggest economic area for market research. American Debra A. Pruent will take over one area of responsibility from Petra Heinlein, a longstanding member of the Management Board, who will hand over responsibility for operations in North America while remaining responsible for the other international GfK regions. In addition to her regional responsibilities, Petra Heinlein is responsible for Consumer, Financial and Media and Communications within the Custom Research division. Debra A. Pruent has responsibility for Business and Technology and Automotive within the division.
Debra A. Pruent has many years of experience in market research. Prior to her appointment to the Management Board of GfK AG, she was Chief Operations Officer of GfK Custom Research North America in New York. Previously, she was the Chief Executive Officer of US company NOP World Automotive, which joined the GfK Group in 2005 as part of the acquisition of NOP World. During her professional career, Debra A. Pruent has built up a strong track record, in particular in marketing and consultancy within automotive market research, both on the client and the research institute side. After ten years with General Motors, Debra A. Pruent joined automotive market researchers Allison-Fisher International in 1991. Debra A. Pruent studied mathematics, information technology and applied statistics at the Wayne State University in Detroit and at Oakland University, USA, where she also lectured at the Department of Mathematics.
About the The GfK Group
The GfK Group is the No. 5 market research organization worldwide. Its activities cover five business divisions Custom Research, Retail and Technology, Consumer Tracking, Media and HealthCare. The Group has 115 companies covering over 90 countries. Of a total of approximately 8,760 employees (as of September 30, 2007), 80% are based outside Germany. For further information, visit our website: www.gfk.com or email us.
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