Nielsen said it has named Akhil Parekh as chief solutions officer of digital product, a new role at the audience measurement company.
Parekh was previously executive VP, managing director at ad agency Publicis Groupe, where he was responsible for building a media platform for agency planners and buyers.
At Nielsen, he will focus on building and improving the company’s planning and ad products as the ad business pivots from traditional TV to digital media.
Parekh will work with chief product officer for audience measurement Deirdre Thomas, who will continue to lead product strategy for Nielsen’s ratings and reporting units.
“As we continue to evolve with the industry and focus our efforts on streaming and our convergent TV strategy, we must continue to make strategic investments in innovation,“ Nielsen CEO Karthik Rao said. “Akhil will play a critical role in helping develop the products and strategies our clients need to succeed in the advertising ecosystem. I’m so excited for our future and feel confident that the new additions to our team will help us achieve our vision.”
Before joining Publicis, Parekh was senior VP, product management, converged TV at Mediaocean. He also held posts at 4C Insights, Rovi and Amp’d Mobile.
“Nielsen has persisted as the leader in the audience measurement in the advertising ecosystem, and it’s an honor to continue the innovation that will unlock future growth for the business in the digital space,” Parekh said.