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Ipsos OTX MediaCT Loses Friend
Bruce Friend has resigned from his role as President of Ipsos OTX MediaCT and will leave the company after ten years, to return to the client side or work in a smaller provider company.
 Friend, who will leave at the end of July, joined OTX in 2003 and became divisional President in April 2010 after its acquisition by Ipsos. Before joining OTX he was SVP of Research for the Columbia Tristar Worldwide Marketing Group (a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment), and spent eight years in senior research positions at MTV Networks. Earlier in his career, he held senior research positions at The Disney Channel, Home Box Office, Telemundo Group, Saatchi & Saatchi and Y&R Advertising.
Jeffrey Call, President and CEO of Ipsos US, informed colleagues across the company of the departure in an email, stating: 'Bruce has made a personal decision that he would like to work in a smaller company or perhaps return to the client side of the business... We will be replacing Bruce's position as leader of the US MediaCT and plan to be back with news on this key strategic role in the company soon.' In the meantime, Call himself will lead the group, with input to both its running and the recruitment process from Ipsos bigwigs Richard Silman and Henri Wallard.
In a statement on LinkedIn, Friend said he had 'decided to move on to the next new, yet unknown adventure in my career'. He also told Hollywood news site www.thewrap.com he wants 'to go back to something more entrepreneurial and technology oriented', adding: 'It's a big company. I do wish them well. My people are staying. I want them to continue to do well.'
OTX already has one former leader as a competitor - Kevin Goetz, President of the firm's Worldwide Motion Picture Research Group, left just before the Ipsos deal went through, in February 2010, to start Screen Engine. The news of Friend's departure comes as another competitor, MarketCast, announces it has been sold by parent company Reed Business Information to Shamrock Capital Growth Fund III.
Web site: www.ipsos-na.com/media .
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