CEO Leaves Nielsen Entertainment

Nielsen Entertainment's President and CEO, Andrew Wing, is leaving the company at the end of March to pursue investment opportunities. The company has restructured its senior management staff, promoting Howard Ballon to President of Film and Home Entertainment, and Kevin Yoder to COO of Nielsen NRG.

Wing joined ACNielsen in 1997 from American Express, and was named President and CEO of Nielsen Entertainment in 2001. Announcing Wing's departure, Michael Marchesano, President and CEO of VNU Business Media and Nielsen Entertainment, praised his 'key role in reshaping and growing VNU's entertainment businesses'.

Marchesano also announced that Howard Ballon, formerly co-COO of Nielsen NRG, is now President of Nielsen Film and Home Entertainment, which comprises NRG (film research and tracking), EDI (box office tracking), ReelResearch (TV research), Videoscan (video and DVD tracking), and Interactive (video game research and tracking). Ballon's career with NRG has spanned the past 15 years.

Kevin Yoder, who was previously co-COO of Nielsen NRG with Ballon, has been made COO, reporting to Ballon. He joined NRG in 1992, was promoted to head of international operations in 1993 and to Executive VP and Chief Analyst in 1995.

Both Ballon and Sisco will now report to Marchesano.

More information about Nielsen Entertainment, owned by VNU, is at www.vnu.com

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.