Gombault and Blanchet Named PRS IN VIVO CEOs Worldwide

In France, BVA Group has promoted Karen Gombault and Olivier Blanchet to serve as Chief Executive Officers of shopper specialist PRS IN VIVO worldwide. This follows the recent sale of PRS IN VIVO USA, now known as Behaviorally and run by former PRS IN VIVO Global CEO Alex Hunt.

PRS IN VIVO applies behavioural science to understand shopping behaviour and influence consumer choices. Earlier this month, the group's management team and its main shareholder Naxicap acquired the group out of insolvency, after its US arm had already been sold to British asset management firm Alcentra. PRS In Vivo Europe and Asia remain part of BVA Group, operating from offices in France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, China, Singapore and the UK.

Gombault joined last summer as EU Managing Director after more than a decade at Ipsos, and earlier roles as part-owner of Socioscan (sold to Synovate in 2005), and Research International. Blanchet has worked for PRS IN VIVO since 1998 - first in the UK, then in France as Managing Director. He also joined the American teams as VP Innovation and Forecasting, before returning to France.

In their new roles, Gombault and Blanchet will manage the operational teams worldwide. Alain Sivan, MD of BVA Group, comments: 'Karen and Olivier are for us the best experts in their field and have all the qualities to support the development of PRS IN VIVO in Europe and Asia. We are very happy with their new role to drive us forward and thus better serve our customers around the world.'

Web sites: www.bva-group.com and www.prs-invivo.com .